Major new Birr road plan takes step forward

Plans for a major new road in Birr to alleviate traffic congestion from the town centre and to link two key access roads in and out of Birr are taking a step forward.

Offaly County Council is currently seeking to appoint an engineering consultancy services to design, tender and award the proposed Birr Southeastern Distributor Road Scheme.

The project is subject to future planning approval for a proposed route. However, the objective of the scheme is to create a link within Birr town between the N52 to the south east of the town of Birr and the R440 at Syngefield to the east.

The proposal is for some 2.8kms of single carriageway, the construction of a number of new junctions on the R440 (Kinnitty Road), Glebe Street and the N52, a new tie-in road to the existing junction of the N52 and N62, construction of another 2.8kms of cycleway and walking infrastructure, potential road improvements in the Glebe Street/Burkes Hill area.

The council says the scheme will open up zoned housing, industrial and commercial development lands on the southeastern side of the town and facilitate sustainable development.

These developments will include for a greater emphasis on a shift of transport use to cycling and walking infrastructure, which will be delivered as part of this scheme.

The contract is to be awarded at the end of June and is to last for 48 months.