A long-awaited road development that will improve what has been described as "one of the worst sections of primary road in the country."
Cathaoirleach and Chief Executive Roscommon County Council (RCC) and Directors Wills Bros. Ltd., pictured with representatives from RCC Senior Management and N5 project team, Roughan & O'Donovan (ROD) and Wills Bros. Ltd. Image courtesy of Ger O’Loughlin.
The N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road project will improve the safety of the N5 national primary route between Ballaghaderreen and Scramoge. The €450 million scheme will bypass the towns of Frenchpark, Ballinagare, Tulsk and Strokestown and boost economic, social and tourism development in the region by enhancing connectivity between the west, midlands and Dublin.
ROD-AECOM alliance has worked closely with Roscommon National Roads Regional Office (NRRO) to bring the road development through the preliminary design and statutory planning phases, as well as the more recent contract procurement phase. Our current responsibilities include providing contract administration, construction monitoring and handover stage services for the construction phase of project.
The main construction contract was awarded to Wills Bros. Ltd. in December 2023.
The archaeological sensitivity of the area presented a significant challenge for the project team. The Rathcroghan Archaeological complex, a candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site with its 240 recorded monuments (RMPs), was located at the centre of the Study Area considered at statutory planning stage. The route also passes through the former Strokestown Park demesne, an architecturally sensitive site and home to the National Famine Museum.
Following extensive consultation with the key stakeholders, studies, archaeological surveys and investigations, ROD-AECOM Alliance developed a road design to avoid and/or minimise effects on the site. An oral hearing was held over two days in October 2018. An Bord Pleanála confirmed approval for the scheme in January 2019.
