To enable the new Moone-Timolin Bypass to be used as part of the
proposed N9/N10 Scheme, the Bypass would have to be widened by approximately
seven metres to accommodate a new dual carriageway - see RSR2 Figure
6.3. The standard of the new high quality dual carriageway/motorway
is such that all direct accesses would have to be closed off for
safety and capacity reasons.
Alternative provision would have to be made for access and a parallel
route maintained for local traffic. This would require reconnecting
the 'old' N9 through the villages to the existing N9 north and south
of the Bypass. Two new overbridges would be required to provide
a continuous connection along the 'old' N9. A possible arrangement
is shown in RSR2 Figures 6.4 and 6.5.
A single overbridge carries the Moone to Athy Road over the new
Bypass. It is a single span bridge over the wide single carriageway.
Investigations showed that, because the overbridge has a curved
soffit lowering of the Moone-Timolin Bypass would be required to
achieve the necessary headroom for the widened carriageway. Approximately
one kilometre of the Bypass would be affected and would require
extensive traffic management measures during construction.
The option of incorporating the Moone Timolin Bypass into the scheme
was rejected for the following reasons: -
Construction
difficulties and traffic delays associated with lowering the main
carriageway and construction of retaining walls at Moone - Bridge,
whilst maintaining the flow of traffic.
Requirement
for extensive access tracks and service roads to provide access
to fields and properties currently serviced from the Bypass.
The
reintroduction of a significant volume of traffic onto the 'old'
N9 through the villages of Moone, Timolin and Crookstown Upper.
This would negate the objective of the original Bypass and have
a negative environmental impact on the villages.
