*Photograph: Natasha Barton
HOW THE Limerick Northern Distributor Road (LNDR) is going to serve the area of Knockalisheen needs to be clearly outlined, a Clare councillor has argued while voicing annoyance with the delays in appointing a contractor.
Last April the future of the road’s construction was again brought into question when it was omitted from the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy.
Overall costs of the project are expected to be in the region of €58 and involve the construction of a new distributor road between Coonagh Roundabout on the Ennis Rd and the Knockalisheen Rd in the Moyross area on the northside of Limerick City. The road is a key element of the Limerick Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan.
Previously in the winter of 2021, phase one of the LNDR was under debate before it received the green light from the Government in February 2021. Roadbridge, the construction firm which has now entered receivership, were appointed by Limerick City and County Council for the contract following a competitive tendering process for the project costing around €29m.
Issuing an update to elected members of the Shannon Municipal District, Acting Director of Services, Siobhán McNulty stated that the project was being led by Limerick City and County Council who were due to appoint a contractor “to complete emergency site works”. A retendering process “will be done in the coming months. It is being led by Limerick and our team are linking in, in terms of that”.
Voicing frustration, Cllr Michael Begley (IND) said it was “taking forever to get a new contract for the first phase of the LNDR”. He requested a presentation on officials from either Limerick City and County Council or Clare Clare County on “what is left” and “how it serves the area of Knockalisheen”. Ms McNulty said she could attempt to arrange such a presentation.
Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) commented, “it is a road to nowhere at the moment” and Cllr Begley added, “the site is derelict at both ends at the moment”. “Knockalisheen is a bad enough road without this eating into it, it is a death trap at night-time,” Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) felt.
