The existing N6 runs from Galway City in the west to Kinnegad, County Westmeath in the east, where it joins the existing N4 and continues along this route to Dublin City.The overall length of the existing N6 is 154 kilometres. The section covered by this Scheme is 21.4 kilometres in length and forms an outer bypass for Galway City. The Scheme, partly in Galway County and partly in Galway City, extends from the R336 Regional Road west of Galway City and links up with the proposed N6 Galway to Ballinasloe Scheme east of the city.
The proposed road improvements may be viewed nationally in the context of the National Development Plan,Transport 21 and the National Spatial Strategy.
The National Development Plan 2007-2013 sets out the economic and social investment priorities needed to realise the vision of a better quality of life for all.This better quality of life will be achieved by supporting the continued development of a dynamic and internationalised economy and society with a high commitment to international competitiveness, social justice and environmental sustainability. Investment in economic infrastructure is a key element in the promotion of competitiveness and the generation of sustainable economic growth and employment. It also contributes to regional development and assists environmental sustainability. As part of the investment in economic infrastructure, a good transport infrastructure is crucial to the promotion of national competitiveness and sustainable development.
It is critical that enterprises are able to efficiently move goods both internally, and to and from external markets. It is also vital that the workforce has access to reliable and efficient means of transport which is environmentally sustainable. Currently, 98.3% of internal merchandise trade is carried on the road network and this underlines the need for a world-class roads system, especially between the major urban centers.While it is recognized that it is not environmentally sustainable to promote road and car transport as the major long-term mode of passenger transport, especially in urban areas, the major investment in roads will improve traffic flows, reduce congestion and thus result in lower rates of traffic related emissions.
Transport 21, announced in November 2005, sets out a 10-year transport investment framework costing just over €34 billion from 2006 to 2015 and covering both public and private capital investment in national roads, public transport and regional airports.Whilst the Transport 21 investment programme extends beyond this latest National Development Plan, the transport investments set out therein are derived from, and form part of, the overall investment framework under Transport 21. Transport 21 takes account of the major economic, social and demographic changes in Ireland over the past decade, the impact of these changes on transport demand, the strategic policies developed for areas relating to and impacting on transport, the National Spatial Strategy and the need to provide a modern transport network for the future. A core aspect of the approach is the enhancement of the connectivity at national, regional and local levels. The availability of an efficient, predictable and sustainable national transport network is a key factor underpinning economic growth and competitiveness and in improving quality of life. As part of this plan, it is proposed to provide a high quality dualcarriageway/ motorway standard road from Galway linking into the N4 at Kinnegad and providing efficient safe access between the major towns and cities along the route.
The National Spatial Strategy (NSS) of Ireland is a twenty-year planning framework designed to achieve a better balance of social, economic, physical development and population growth between regions. Its focus is on people, on places and on building communities. Through closer matching of where people live with where they work, different parts of Ireland will for the future be able to sustain:
• A better quality of life for people;
• A strong, competitive economic position and;
• An environment of the highest quality.
• National – it provides a national framework to guide policies, programmes and investment;
• Spatial – it is concerned with the location of people, their work and other activities and how different places relate to each other;
• Strategic – it offers a broad, long-term, comprehensive twenty-year view for achieving more balanced patterns of development. The remarkable economic, social and physical progress of recent years has established a platform upon which policies can be put in place to ensure that more balanced development is achieved, within a well-planned spatial structure of attractive, competitive and innovative places. In this Strategy the Government is spelling out the basis on which all areas of the country will have the opportunity to develop to their potential within a national spatial planning framework for the period up to 2020.
• Inform strategic investment, transport and other infrastructure policy decisions, for both the public and private sectors; it will also help to shape future National Development Plans and other investment plans;
• Promote cost-effective provision of public services such as roads.
The Strategy requires that areas of a sufficient size be built up through a network of ‘Gateways’ and ‘Hubs’. Galway, along with Dublin, Cork, Limerick/Shannon and Waterford, have been identified as ‘Gateways’. The National Spatial Strategy clearly defines the need for Galway to be strengthened further on the basis of the Land Use and Transportation Strategy developed for the City.
The strategy will be implemented by the Minster of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. It will be transitioned into regional and local planning through regional and local authorities, starting with the preparation and adoption of regional planning guidelines.
The Western Regional Guidelines aim to help adopt the National Spatial Strategy but has a more focused approach to regional level guidance. It assists planning authorities to establish development plans at both county and city level and aims to establish a strategic planning framework for development of the western region. It states that the N6 from Galway, including the proposed N6 Galway City Outer Bypass, should be upgraded to motorway / dual carriageway status.
The current Galway County Development Plan and Galway City Development Plan recognize the role that roads play in the economic development of the region. Both Development Plans highlight as an objective the completion of the N6 Galway City Outer Bypass.
The need for the Scheme is derived from Government policy and development plans, as set out above, and to cater for the increasing volumes of traffic on the existing highway network within Galway City and its environs. The development of a high quality dual carriageway/motorway link between Galway and Dublin was a specific objective of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 and the N6 Galway City Outer Bypass represents a part of this proposed network. The completion of the link between Galway and Dublin has again been highlighted in the National Development Plan 2007-2013.
In addition, the designation of Galway as a national “gateway” under the National Spatial Strategy further highlights the need for the Scheme. The need for the N6 Galway City Outer Bypass has been set out in detail in the Route Selection Report and Environmental Impact Statement.
The proposed N6 Galway City Outer Bypass is 21.4 km long and stretches from An Baile Nua in the West to Garraun townland in the East where it joins the proposed N6 Galway to Ballinasloe Scheme. The Scheme mainline consists of 21.4 km of predominantly high quality dual carriageway. In addition, there are 7.6 km of realigned national, regional and local roads and a 1.4 km Western Distributor Link Road. There are 13 new bridges, including a new River Corrib crossing, 3 grade separated junctions and 4 new roundabout junctions. The Scheme is being promoted by Galway County Council. For the sections within Galway City, the Scheme is being undertaken by Galway County Council on behalf of Galway City Council in accordance with agreements made under Section 85 of the Local Government Act, 2001 and approved by the National Roads Authority under Section 14(8) of the Roads Act, 1993.
The design of the N6 Galway City Outer Bypass began in 1999 with the appointment of Ryan Hanley WSP Ltd to undertake the Constraints Study, Route Selection, Preliminary Design and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the N6 Galway City Outer Bypass East Scheme as per the National Roads Authority’s Project Management Guidelines. Ryan Hanley WSP Ltd were also appointed for the N6 Galway City Outer Bypass West in the following year.
Seven Route Corridors, four on the East and three on the West, in conjunction with the Primary Constraints were presented to the public at the First Public Consultation in April 2000, for the East, and July 2000, for the West. The Emerging Preferred Route was presented at the Second Public Consultation in September and October 2000, for both Schemes, and this was followed by the publication of the Route Selection Report in May 2001. The development of the Preferred Route involved various stages of assessment from the Constraints Study through in-fill surveys, route definition, assessment of public contributions, development of an Emerging Preferred route (EPR), associated consultations, environmental surveys and modifications.The process was consultative and interactive and took account of likely impacts, both positive and negative.A number of changes were made to the Preferred Route between May 2001 and November 2006 as more design information, such as detailed surveys and ground investigations, became available.
