Limerick City and County Council today announced the joint venture of John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Ltd and Sorensen Civil Engineering Ltd, known as Sisk Sorensen Joint Venture, has been awarded the Adare Bypass Design and Construction Contract, with works scheduled to commence in January 2025.
In November 2023, the Government announced its approval to advance the construction of the Adare Bypass to facilitate potential early delivery of the bypass ahead of the Ryder Cup in Adare Manor in 2027. November 2023 also marked the commencement of several enabling works contracts which are currently being progressed along the entire length of the project. These include hedge clearance, fencing contracts, an archaeological resolution contract, the construction of three railway bridges, haul road construction in addition to the diversion of numerous utility services.
While the delivery of the Adare Bypass ahead of the Ryder Cup remains an ambitious target, today’s announcement marks an important milestone in the delivery of the overall project. Adare experiences significant traffic delays daily and the bypass will remove congestion on the N21 and divert any unnecessary through traffic, including HGV’s away from the village improving the safety of all road users and the quality of life of people living, working and visiting this popular heritage village.
The Government is investing approximately €155 million (ex VAT) to deliver the 7km bypass.
Mayor of Limerick, John Moran acknowledged the significant progress to date, saying,
“This contract award announcement marks a significant step towards achieving the target of having the Adare Bypass in place by the Autumn of 2027. However, expectations should be tempered considering the scale of the project and the time remaining. Despite the work done to date the project still poses significant challenges and risks that are outside the control of the Council. Limerick City and County Council’s commitment to achieve this ambitious target remains steadfast.
“The council is buoyed by the goodwill and active cooperation of all agencies/stakeholders involved and those affected by the project to date. This continued support will be essential to the project during the delivery phase. I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Sisk Sorensen Joint Venture and the project management team every success in the delivery of the project.”
Limerick Minister, Patrick O’Donovan TD commented:
“It gives me great pride to be part of the government that has worked so hard to get this project up and running. This next phase is a welcome step along the journey to delivering for the infrastructure needs of Adare, Limerick and the surrounding Midwest region. We are committed to building and improving our roads network and will continue to invest in delivering important transport projects like this, across the country.”
Peter Walsh, CEO of Transport Infrastructure Ireland stated,
“TII welcomes the awarding of the N21 Adare Bypass contract to the Sisk Sorensen Joint Venture. It is an important step toward delivering the N69 Limerick to Foynes Project, which is a 33km national road project connecting Limerick to the port of Foynes. The 7km Adare bypass will improve safety for all road users, remove unnecessary through traffic from Adare town and eliminate a major regional point of congestion on the national road network.”
Cllr Adam Teskey, Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District of Adare-Rathkeale commented:
"Today's announcement is a significant milestone for our community. The bypass will alleviate the traffic congestion experienced daily by commuters and will also enhance the safety and quality of life for residents and visitors alike. We are grateful for the continued support and cooperation from all stakeholders and look forward to seeing the positive impact this project will have on the beautiful heritage village of Adare."
At today’s announcement, Director General of Limerick City and County Council, Dr Pat Daly, congratulated all involved in progressing the project, saying:
“I commend the work undertaken to date by all involved in the acceleration of the Adare Bypass section of the overall project. In particular the efforts of the council staff in the Mid West Road Design Office, the Council’s technical advisors, Jacobs Engineering and the ongoing assistance of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. We are also grateful to Iarnród Eireann, who are working in partnership with the Council in the construction of the railway bridges along the route of the new road.”
The Adare bypass section of the overall project is to be delivered as an advance contract, in tandem with all the other advance and enabling works contracts. This advance/enabling works contracts phase is being delivered as part of the overall Foynes to Limerick Road (Including Adare Bypass) Project, in line with the plans and particulars of the approved development. The environmental commitments and mitigation measures applicable to the approved development have been incorporated into the various contracts and are being implemented pursuant to the contracts.
The overall project is seen as an economic enabler for Limerick and Mid-West Region in general, central to this is the project’s role in the strategic development and expansion of Shannon Foynes Port. The Council is continuing to progress the remaining elements of the overall project and expects to make further announcements around this in the coming year.
Full details and documentation on the project are available on the website: www.foyneslimerick.ie