New route selection process for N4 Mullingar to Roosky

A new route selection process for the long called-for upgrade for the N4 from Mullingar to Roosky is set to get underway later this year.

The process has been put out to tender again as due to changes in environmental legislation and design standards in recent years a new route selection process has to be carried out for the 50km section of road.

The original preferred route corridor for the route was devised in 2010 and included plans to bypass the neighbouring villages of Rathowen and Ballinalack as well as Edgworthstown, Newtownforbes and Longford Town.

Westmeath County Council is the contracting authority for the initial phase of the project, which has an estimated value of €6.5m.

The summary document states that the proposed scheme “will seek to remove the current inefficiencies of the existing road in terms of both safety and capacity. The proposed scheme would improve journey times and reliability”.

“Also the impact of traffic through communities along the route would be reduced and access to everyday facilities for non motorised users will be improved. Safety would be improved for all road users.”

Improving the road network to the north west of the country is one of the strategic priorities of the National Planning Framework (Project Ireland 2040).

According to the summary document, consultant engineers will be appointed in 2019 and the duration of the contract will be 44 months. One of the requirements of the contract is that key members of the consultants team will be based in Mullingar.

According to a recent study, more than 13,000 vehicles use the section of the N4 daily, of which 10 per cent are HGVs.

The closing date for receipt of tenders is this coming August 23.