KILLALOE’s Bypass has opened to traffic in the first major step of the biggest regional road project currently underway in the country.
On December 18th at 12pm, the Killaloe Bypass section of the Shannon Bridge Crossing opened to traffic. This leads from the Scariff Rd up to the Shantraud Roundabout.
For the festive period, all traffic lights at the Roulagh Roundabout were removed. Three-way lights will be back in place at the beginning of 2025.
Elected members of Clare County Council and Tipperary County Council visited the site where they received a tour of the project.
A mid-2025 opening is expected for the new R494 regional Ballina to Birdhill road. The new Shannon Bridge Crossing is substantially completed but its operation is dependent on the new regional road.
There is a total budget of €88m for the scheme, the figures including land acquisition, design, planning and advance works contract. The tender cost for construction was €44m. A contract for the project was signed in February 2022.
Engineers working on the project have said it is the biggest regional road project currently under construction in Ireland.
As part of the proposed Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Bridge Crossing and R494 Improvement Scheme, a western bypass of Killaloe, a new bridge crossing of the River Shannon and an upgrade of the existing R494 regional road from Ballina to the N7 at Bridhill will all be provided. The entire scheme is approximately 6.2km and will cross the River Shannon approximately 1km to the south of the existing Killaloe Bridge and will cross the Kilmastulla River (a tributary of the River Shannon and part of the Lower River Shannon SAC) on the R494.
Ahead of the targeted opening of the Shannon Bridge Crossing in the first quarter of the year, a public consultation process has commenced regarding the potential pedestrianisation of the 18th century bridge in Ballina.
