Realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane, Swinford, Co. Mayo. Volume 1 - Planning Report

Transcription

1 Prepared by Roughan & O Donovan - AECOM Alliance Arena House, Arena Road, Sandyford, D18 V8P6 Tel: Fax: info@rod.ie Realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane, Swinford, Co. Mayo Volume 1 - OCTOBER 2016

2 Realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane Swinford, Co. Mayo TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Purpose of the Proposed Road Development Location Purpose of the Project Project Background Summary of Route Selection Process Public Information and Consultation Relevant Planning History IDENTIFICATION OF NEED & PROJECT JUSTIFICATION Identification of Need National and Regional Policy Existing Road Conditions Safety Do-Nothing & Do-Minimum Scenario Summary DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ROAD DEVELOPMENT Description of Adjacent Lands Proposed Alignment Traffic Volumes Proposed Road Type and Cross Sections Non-Motorised Users (NMU) Junctions & Accesses Road Drainage Structures Accommodation Works Utilities CONSTRUCTION & OPERATIONAL PHASE Construction Activities and Materials Construction Materials Construction Compounds Construction Phasing Construction Management Plan Environmental Considerations HYDROLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY Ref: October 2016 Page ii

3 5.1 Hydrology Hydrogeology ARCHAEOLOGY, ARCHITECTURE & CULTURAL HERITAGE Introduction Existing Environment Impacted Sites Mitigation Proposals Prior to Construction ECOLOGY Introduction Ecological Impact Assessment Methodology The Natural Environment Impact Assessment Mitigation Measures Conclusions LANDSCAPE & VISUAL ASSESSMENT Introduction Landscape Assessment Visual Assessment Conclusion AIR, ODOUR, NOISE & VIBRATION Air Quality Odour Noise Vibration AGRONOMY & PROPERTY Introduction Landtake Predicted Impacts Proposed Mitigation SPECIAL AMENITY AREA ORDER MITIGATION MEASURES Construction Phase Hydrogeology Archaeology, Architecture & Cultural Heritage Ecology Landscape and Visual Air, Odour, Noise and Vibration Agronomy and Property Ref: October 2016 Page iii

4 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of the This has been prepared by Roughan & O'Donovan AECOM Alliance on behalf of Mayo County Council for the proposed realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane, Swinford, County Mayo. The report is to be submitted as part of the planning application for this proposed road development to An Bord Pleanála for local authority developments under s.177ae (relating to appropriate assessment (AA)) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended. The structure of this report is based on the Guidelines for Local Authorities Applications for approval for Local Authority Developments made to An Bord Pleanála under 177AE of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended (Appropriate Assessment). 1.2 Proposed Road Development Location The proposed road development includes the realignment of 1.8km of the N26 at Cloongullane, approximately 3.4km north-west of Swinford. The location of the project is indicated on Drawing Number LP-001 in Volume 2 of this report. The proposed road development includes the following; 1.8km of Type 2 Single Carriageway road (predominantly offline). A new clear span bridge crossing of the River Moy (Downstream of the existing bridge) Two new culverts over tributaries of the River Moy Local road realignments Accommodation works/farm accesses The layout of the proposed road development is indicated on Drawing Numbers AER-002 and AER-003 in Volume 2 of this report. Further details of the proposed road development are included in Section 3.0 of this report. 1.3 Purpose of the Project The realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane is approximately 1.8km and can therefore be considered a Minor Improvement Scheme and a Road Safety Improvement Scheme therefore NRA TA 85/13 (Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads) was also consulted. A Minor Improvement Scheme and a Road Safety Improvement Scheme are defined as follows: A Minor Improvement Scheme is an upgrade to an existing section of sub-standard road less than 2km in length where a design element or combined set of design elements are improved. Minor Improvement Schemes vary in complexity, ranging from the removal of inappropriate adverse camber to the isolated improvement of sections of an existing road. A Road Safety Improvement Scheme is a Scheme that specifically targets sections of the network with high collision rates to improve road safety, where a design element or combined set of design elements are improved to reduce the frequency and or the severity of collisions occurring in the future. Ref: October 2016 Page 1

5 The purpose of this proposed road development is to improve the overall safety for road users and to reduce the number of collisions along this section of the N Project Background The corridor within which the proposed alignment is located was developed as part of the N5/N26/N58 Castlebar to Bohola & Swinford to Mount Falcon Route Studies and is presented in the associated Route Selection Report. The route selection report concluded that the N5 between Castlebar and Bohola and the N26/N58 between Ballyvary and Ballina should be progressed as a Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) Major Project with the N26 between Foxford and Swinford to be improved along the line of the existing corridor as a series of Minor Works and Safety programmes commencing with the 'Realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane Bridge'. This proposed road development was commissioned following adoption of the Preferred Route Corridor in July Summary of Route Selection Process River Moy Crossing As part of the development of feasible route options between Cloongullane and Callow, an ecological habitat survey was undertaken in 2013 to identify potential suitable crossing points of the River Moy SAC. Field surveys were undertaken 0.3km upstream of the existing bridge and 1.0km downstream of the existing bridge. The surveys identified three potential crossing points and these are indicated on Plate 1.2. Plate 1.2 Ecological Feasible Crossing Points All three options avoided Annex 1 habitat however Crossing 3 had slightly less of an ecological impact when compared to Crossings 1 and 2. From an engineering viewpoint Crossings 1 and 2 are more remote from the existing N26 and would require a major realignment of the N26. Based on the ecological assessment and its proximity to the existing road corridor, Crossing No.3 was considered to be the most favourable corridor. This option was Ref: October 2016 Page 2

6 compared to other feasible route options which were developed on the basis of using the existing SAC crossing i.e. the existing bridge Route Options Following the feasible route options stage noted above, the route selection studies between Cloongullane and Callow considered three route options. These route options are indicated on Plate 1.3. Route Option P1 Plate 1.3 Route Options at Cloongullane Route Option P1 passed between Nodes 16, 18 & 19. The route used the existing bridge crossing and followed the line of the Foxford Way at Cloonygowan. Route Option P2 Route Option P2 passed between Nodes 16, 17, 18 & 19. The route used the existing bridge crossing however at Node 18 the route turned in a westerly direction to connect back into the existing road corridor. Route Option P (Referred to as Crossing Number 3 in Section 1.5.1) Route Option P passed between Nodes 16, 17, & 19. The route included a new crossing of the River Moy SAC downstream of the existing bridge. The route is largely off-line between Nodes 17 and 19 however between Nodes 16 and 17 the route is the same as P Stage 2 Project Appraisal of Route Options The Stage 2 Project Appraisal of the three route options was carried out using a Project Appraisal Matrix comprising the 5 common appraisal criteria of Economy, Safety, Environment, Accessibility & Social Inclusion and Integration. The assessment concluded that Route Option P emerged as the preferred Route between nodes 16 to 19 for the following reasons; Ref: October 2016 Page 3

7 Construction of a new bridge maximises safety achieving full design standards, segregating local access and pedestrians from high-speed traffic, and avoiding a long road closure during upgrading of the existing bridge. The options were ranked equally in terms of environment however, the design of the proposed new bridge can be developed to control and avoid impacts on the SAC. Upgrading of the existing crossing of the SAC would be more difficult to control, with greater risk of accidental impacts on the SAC during construction, Route Options P1 and P2 had greater environmental impacts on archaeology, landscape and visual and property when compared to Route Option P. 1.6 Public Information and Consultation Public consultations were undertaken at the various stages of the route selection studies. A Public Presentation of the proposed design was held in Swinford on December 9 th The design drawings which were on display at the Public Presentation were subsequently made available for viewing on the Mayo National Road Design Office (MNRDO) website and in the MNRDO offices in Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Landowners who were deemed to be particularly affected by the proposed road development were invited to attend separate consultation meetings. 1.7 Relevant Planning History Road Projects and Plans Several projects and plans in recent years have sought to address deficiencies along the existing N26 corridor. The locations of these projects (and other adjacent road projects) are indicated on Plate 1.4 and are summarised as follows: N26 Stage 1 (Ballina to Mount Falcon) This project opened to traffic in December 2004 and provided a Standard Single Carriageway designed in accordance with the NRA DMRB from Ballina to Mount Falcon over a distance of 5km. N26 Ballina to Bohola Stage 2 Between 2000 and 2008, this project developed proposals for a Wide Single Carriageway between Mount Falcon and Bohola, progressing through Constraints Study, Route Selection, Preliminary Design, EIS and Oral Hearing. The selected route ran directly from Foxford to Bohola with the intention of replacing both the N26 and the N58 between Foxford and the N5. A change in standards shortly before publication of this project led to a change of the proposed cross section to that of the new Type 2 Dual Carriageway. In February 2010, a decision to refuse planning of this project was reached by An Bord Pleanála noting that: Having considered the environmental impact statement, the Inspector s report and the submissions made and, in particular, having regard to: (a) The status of the River Moy as a salmon angling resource of major international importance and to its contribution to the environment and economy of County Mayo, (b) the designation of the River Moy as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and part of the Moy Valley proposed Natural Heritage Area (pnha), Ref: October 2016 Page 4

8 (c) the existing and future predicted traffic volumes on the N26, and (d) the recent upgrade of the N26 (Stage 1) between Ballina and Mount Falcon to a wide single carriageway design, it is considered that it has not been demonstrated that the proposed road scheme, designed to dual-carriageway standard and which included two major bridge crossings of the River Moy and two grade separated junctions to serve the town of Foxford, is justified and that a more environmentally and economically sustainable road upgrade scheme is not available. The decision also noted that the scheme would result in an unacceptable intrusion into the environment of the Moy River valley, and its designated habitats. The Board also expressed concerns regarding the impact on sites for overwintering Whooper Swans. Having regard to the predicted traffic flows on the route, the Board considered that a more modest upgrade may be acceptable which complements the important resource of the River Moy in County Mayo. N5/N17/N26 Strategic Route Assessment Following the An Bord Pleanála decision to refuse planning for the proposed N26 Ballina to Bohola Stage 2, a Strategic Assessment was undertaken to re-evaluate traffic demands between Castlebar, Ballina, Sligo, Charlestown, Ballyhaunis, Claremorris, and locally within that area serving Swinford, Kiltimagh, and Knock. This study was based on the new National Transport Model and extensive Roadside Interview Origin Destination surveys. Various enhancements of the N5, the N17, and the N26 were considered, including combinations of the previous schemes described above. The study indicated that demand on the N17 Atlantic Corridor between Claremorris and Charlestown would be in the region of 8000 AADT such that the N17 should remain a single carriageway and only likely to require localised improvements along the corridor. The combined demand between Castlebar and both Ballina and Dublin will require a Type 2 Dual Carriageway to the point where the two routes diverge, at which point the traffic splits approximately 60:40 between that heading towards Ballina and that heading towards Swinford, Longford and Dublin. The demand on the N5 drops to within the capacity of a Type 1 Single Carriageway beyond this point. The study found that the strong demand between Castlebar and Ballina favoured upgrading of the N58 corridor from Ballyvary to Foxford in preference to the previously proposed N26, which sought to combine the N26 and N58 between Foxford and Bohola. In recognition of this, the study proposed further consideration of an N5 corridor to the north of the existing N5 to facilitate connection to the N58. Ref: October 2016 Page 5

9 Plate 1.4 Recent Road Projects Planning Applications A search of all planning applications (Post 2001) submitted to Mayo County Council at this location was undertaken. The search confirmed that the proposed road development does not impact any live planning applications or approved planning applications yet to be constructed. Ref: October 2016 Page 6

10 2. IDENTIFICATION OF NEED & PROJECT JUSTIFICATION 2.1 Identification of Need The need for this scheme is addressed under the following headings: National, and Regional Policy Existing Road Conditions Safety The proposed road development is in accordance with the Mayo County Council Development Plan Furthermore the proposed road development is in compliance with the National Spatial Strategy, and the Regional Planning Guidelines for the West Region, The alignment and cross section of the existing N26 between Foxford and Swinford is in need of improvement to safely accommodate the current and future traffic requirements along these routes. The most deficient section of the route is at Cloongullane Bridge and the approaches to the bridge. The deficiencies associated with the existing road network are discussed in Section 2.3 of this report. 2.2 National and Regional Policy The following relevant policy documents were analysed and assessed to determine which polices are relevant to this road project, and to determine what those policy requirements are: (i) (ii) (iii) National Spatial Strategy (NSS) National Development Plan (NDP) Strategic Framework for Investment in Land Transport (iv) Infrastructure and Capital Investment ( ) (v) Road Safety Authority Road Safety Strategy (vi) West Regional Planning Guidelines (RPG s) (vii) Mayo County Council Development Plan (viii) Smarter Travel (ix) Transport Infrastructure Ireland Plans and Programmes National Spatial Strategy (NSS) The National Spatial Strategy (NSS) for Ireland was a 20 year planning framework developed to promote more balanced regional development that acts as a counterbalance to the growth of the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). The government has committed to reviewing the National Spatial Strategy; until such time as a new document is published, the current National Spatial Strategy, , remains applicable. The strategy aimed to achieve a better balance of social, economic, physical development and population growth between regions. It is focused on people, on places and on building communities. Through closer matching of where people live with where they work, different parts of Ireland would in the future be able to sustain: a better quality of life for people Ref: October 2016 Page 7

11 a strong, competitive economic position, and an environment of the highest quality Ballina was designated as a hub under the NSS in the Western Region which covers the counties of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. Castlebar was the only other town in County Mayo to be designated as a hub. This region is shown on Plate 2.0 overleaf. Towns were designated as hubs to support local, sub-regional development and in the case of Mayo, to support the function of the nearby designated Gateways of Galway and Sligo. These towns contain complementary functions and capabilities that point towards a capacity to energise wider areas through integrated and co-ordinated development. Plate 2.1 shows the Gateways and Hubs identified in the NSS, while Plate 2.2 shows the Road and Rail Networks contained in the NSS, highlighting the N26 as an access route to the west. The NSS stated that Castlebar and Ballina, as Linked Hubs, would:...perform important roles within the national structures at the regional and county level. Critical factors will include improvements in regional accessibility through advanced communications infrastructure, by road and public transport and through the regional airport in Knock. It also stated that: Linking the Midlands Gateway with Castlebar-Ballina through up-graded road, public transport and communications links also has the potential to benefit a number of other towns, including Roscommon, Castlerea, Ballyhaunis and Claremorris. This proposed project supports the NSS in terms of improved connectivity between Ballina to the midlands and Dublin gateways. Ref: October 2016 Page 8

12 Plate 2.0 National Spatial Strategy, West Region Ref: October 2016 Page 9

13 Plate 2.1 National Spatial Strategy Gateways and Hubs Ref: October 2016 Page 10

14 Plate 2.2 National Spatial Strategy: Road and Rail Networks A report entitled National Spatial Strategy Hubs: Development Issues and Challenges (Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, 2007) details the performance of designated hub towns across the country and specifies constraints being experienced, which are restricting the economic and population growth performances of the towns. This report identifies the delivery of transport related projects are essential in order to provide the necessary regional level support that can unlock development within hubs. As part of the aforementioned report, the local authority was asked to identify the key development issues relating to the hub in a regional or sub-regional context. The following key development issues were identified for the twinned hubs of Ballina and Castlebar: Funding for road construction/improvement projects Ref: October 2016 Page 11

15 Improved road network into and out of towns and county Need public transport connections between the hub towns and the airport National Development Plan (NDP) In January 2007, the Government published the NDP in relation to National Roads. The NDP sought to achieve the objectives set out in the National Spatial Strategy. Among the General Goals of the NDP were: Decisively tackle structural infrastructure deficits that continue to impact on competitiveness Improve regional development Improve general quality of life Meet the demands of the increasing population Integrate regional development within the National Spatial Strategy framework of Gateway cities and Hub towns to achieve the goals of economic growth in the regions, and Provide for major investment in the rural economy; The NDP also stated The Hubs identified in the NSS are also generally located on key transport corridors between the Gateways and will therefore benefit from ongoing investments under the NDP. To drive the process of strengthening the Hubs, it will be vital that national investment is partnered with local vision and leadership and the attraction of private investment. For example, good local planning added to urban renewal initiatives have transformed the central areas of many Hubs, encouraging significant and subsequent private investment in retailing and commercial activities. Although the NDP has been formally withdrawn as a result of the need to review the budgetary commitments it remains the most current assessment of long term objectives for infrastructure investment, albeit to an amended timeline Strategic Framework for Investment in Land Transport The Strategic Framework for Investment in Land Transport (SFILT) which was published by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) outlines the key principles against which national and regional, comprehensive and single mode based plans and programmes will be drawn up and assessed. The framework does not set out a list of projects to be prioritised however the following three priorities are noted in terms of investment: Priority 1 Achieve steady state maintenance; Priority 2 Address urban congestion; and Priority 3 Maximise the value of the road network. In terms of Priority 3, the report states that the value of the road network will be maximised through targeted investments that: Improve connections to key seaports and airports and poorly served regions and complete missing links; Support identified national and regional spatial planning priorities The proposed project will support the objectives of the SFLIT by improving connectivity to and within the poorly served Western Region as identified in the National Spatial Strategy. Ref: October 2016 Page 12

16 2.2.4 Infrastructure and Capital Investment The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) Infrastructure and Capital Investment report which was published in 2011 provides a medium term view on the prioritisation of investment in Ireland s infrastructure. As the document only focuses on investment up to 2016 it applicability to the proposed project is limited as its main focus is on protecting the value of existing investments over the period up to In terms of national roads the report states that a main priority will be to: Ensuring adequate maintenance of the National Road Network in order protect the value of previous investments Road Safety Authority Road Safety Strategy The Road Safety Authority (RSA) Road Safety Strategy , sets outs targets to be achieved in terms of road safety in Ireland as well as policy to achieve these targets. The primary target of this strategy is as follows: A reduction of road collision fatalities on Irish roads to 25 per million population or less by 2020 is required to close the gap between Ireland and the safest countries. This means reducing deaths from 162 in 2012 to 124 or fewer by A provisional target for the reduction of serious injuries by 30% from 472 (2011) to 330 or fewer by 2020 or 61 per million population has also been set. The plan sets out strategies for engineering and infrastructure in terms of the benefits that they can have in terms of reducing collisions. The provision of the upgraded sections of national roads proposed as part of this project will support this RSA strategy Regional Planning Guidelines for the Western Region The West Regional Authority is one of eight Regional Authorities established by the Irish Government under the Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Authority Establishment Orders 1993). The Regional Authority Board comprises elected Members from the constituent Local Authorities within the region, which are Galway County Council, Mayo County Council, Galway City Council and Roscommon County Council. The region covers a landmass of 13,801km² and is the largest of the Regional Authority areas. It is situated on the western seaboard, with the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the River Shannon to the east. The population of the region was 445,356 in 2011 which accounts for 9.7% of the national population. The regional planning guidelines have been adopted by the authority for the western region and they refer to a number of proposals of the National Roads Authority and central government to improve and construct National Roads in the Western Region within the lifetime of the Guidelines, subject to finance being provided. The N26 Ballina to Bohola Phase 2 Road Project was included under Objective IO5 (Projects required to promote a balanced regional development). Following the rejection by An Bord Pleanála of the project titled N26 Ballina to Bohola Phase 2 Road Project, the N5/N26/N58 Castlebar to Bohola and Swinford to Mount Falcon Route Studies identified the need to upgrade the section of N26 between Ref: October 2016 Page 13

17 Foxford and Swinford through a series of minor road improvement and safety schemes. The proposed Realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane forms part of this revised strategy to take forward the original objectives of the N26 Ballina to Bohola Phase 2 Road Project, improving access to the Ballina hub and onward to the midlands and Dublin gateway Mayo County Council Development Plan Section 3, Infrastructure of the Mayo County Development Plan outlines a number of objectives regarding roads. The N5 Turlough to Bohola Road Project incorporating the N58 and the N26 Ballina to Bohola are noted in the plan as being priority infrastructure projects for County Mayo , as indicated from the extract from Table 3 of the plan and included in Plate 2.3. Plate 2.3 Extract of Table 3, Mayo County Development Plan The plan notes that the Council recognises its role in providing, or facilitating the provision of physical infrastructure essential to support the existing and future population of the County and economic growth and in particular by improving links between the Linked Hub and Key Towns. The following objectives regarding the National Road network and the linking of twinned hubs are contained within the plan: Ref: October 2016 Page 14

18 Objective I-01 supports the provision of infrastructure projects which serve the Linked Hub and Key Towns or areas where significant environmental or safety issues are evident and require the particular infrastructure to solve the issues. Objective RD-01 supports the protection of the capacity and safety of the National Road Network in the County. Objective RD-02 of the development plan supports improvements to the National Road network including the road schemes and bypasses noted in Table 3 of the development plan. Objective RD-03 supports the continuing strengthening and improvement of the local road network including links, by passes and relief roads, with priority given to those serving the Linked Hub and Key Towns and interconnection between such settlements. Objective RD-04 of the plan supports the provision of a safe road system throughout the County through Road Safety Schemes and to encourage the promotion of road safety in the County. The proposed N26 Realignment at Cloongullane forms part of the revised strategy to meet these objectives Smarter Travel A Sustainable Transport Future Smarter Travel A sustainable Transport Future is a new sustainable transport policy for Ireland for the period Delivering this policy is a key objective of Government because transport and travel trends are currently unsustainable. Despite the much needed investment promoted through Transport 21, congestion will get worse, transport emissions will continue to grow, economic competitiveness will suffer and quality of life will decline unless more sustainable transport policies are adopted. The Government has therefore reaffirmed its vision for sustainability in transport by setting down key goals, which are to: Improve quality of life and accessibility to transport for all and, in particular, for people with reduced mobility and those who may experience isolation due to lack of transport; Improve economic competitiveness through maximising the efficiency of the transport system and alleviating congestion and infrastructural bottlenecks; Minimising the negative impacts of transport on the local and global environment through reducing localised air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions; Reduce overall travel demand and commuting distances travelled by the private car; Improve security of energy supply by reducing dependency on imported fossil fuels. In relation to roads, the policy proposed is to retain investment in roads that will remove bottlenecks, ease congestion and pressure in towns and villages, and provide the necessary infrastructure links to support the National Spatial Strategy. This is consistent with prioritised network improvements along the National Primary and Secondary Road Networks. For bus transport providers, including the CIE Group and private operators, quality roads are an essential requirement. Investment in the road network, is therefore a key ingredient in improved public transport in Ireland. Improved public transport is Ref: October 2016 Page 15

19 also a key priority under the Government s Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal and the Infrastructure and Capital Investment : Medium Term Exchequer Framework Transport Infrastructure Ireland Plans and Programmes National Road Needs Study (NRNS) The improvement of the N26 between Ballina and Foxford was recognised as far back as the National Roads Authority (NRA) National Road Needs Study in July Existing Road Conditions The N26 National Primary Route is approximately 30km long extending between the N5 at Swinford and the N59 at Ballina. The route also passes through the town of Foxford. The extent of the N26 under consideration as part of this proposed road development is 1.8km. The existing cross-section along this section of the N26 is summarised as follows; The existing road is a single carriageway road with varying cross-section. The carriageway width varies between 6.1m and 6.5m with no hard shoulder and a varied verge width. Locally at the existing Cloongullane bridge the road narrows further and restricts the flow of two way traffic at times especially the movement of large vehicles as indicated on Plates 2.4 and 2.5. The cross section at the existing bridge has a parapet-to-parapet width of 5.35m with no footpath or verges. Plate 2.4 Existing Bridge at Cloongullane Ref: October 2016 Page 16

20 Plate 2.5 Existing Bridge at Cloongullane This existing section of the N26 is deficient in terms of horizontal and vertical geometry with the most significant deficiencies located on the approaches to Cloongullane Bridge. The existing alignment of the N26 along the extents of the proposed road development has 10 horizontal curves, 9 of which are below the desirable minimum standard radius for a design speed of 100kph. These range from a 30m radius curve to a 300m radius curve. The desirable minimum curve for this design speed is a 720m radius curve. The existing horizontal geometry is indicated on Plate 2.6. Ref: October 2016 Page 17

21 Plate N26 Horizontal Alignment Ref: October 2016 Page 18

22 The horizontal alignment at the immediate approaches to the bridge is poor. The western approach to the existing bridge includes a 300m radius left hand curve followed by a 125m radius left hand curve, and immediately changing direction into a 30m radius right hand curve at the beginning of the bridge. This alignment is indicated on Plate 2.7. Plate 2.7 N26 alignment at western approach to Cloongullane Bridge The alignment on the eastern approach to the bridge includes a short 30m radius right hand curve followed by a 120m left hand curve which extends onto the existing bridge. This alignment is shown in Plate 2.8. Plate 2.8 N26 Road Alignment east of Cloongullane Bridge Ref: October 2016 Page 19

23 The existing vertical alignment is also sub-standard along this section of the N26 as indicated on Plate 2.9. The road contains sag and crest curves which are below the desirable minimum for a design speed of 100kph. Plate 2.9 N26 Vertical Alignment West of Cloongullane Bridge There are no existing facilities for non-motorised users along this section of the N26. The high speeds, combined with the lack of hard shoulders make the road unsuitable for pedestrian and cyclist use. The narrow cross section on the bridge makes it most unsuitable for non-motorised users. This section of the N26 contains the following junctions and accesses; 5 local road junctions 15 No. field accesses 9 No. house accesses The existing road contains a cross road at the eastern end of the bridge and another junction at the western end of the bridge. The locations of existing accesses and junctions are indicated on Plate Ref: October 2016 Page 20

24 Plate 2.10 Existing Junctions and Accesses Ref: October 2016 Page 21

25 2.4 Safety The Road Safety Authority (RSA) Personal Injury Accident (PIA) database has been consulted regarding collisions along this section of the N26. The locations of all collisions along this section of the N26 between 2005 and 2013 are indicated on Plate Plate RSA Collision Data ( ) The numbers of collisions and subsequent casualties over the 8 year period are noted in Table 2.0. Table 2.0: RSA Collision Data (N26 Cloongullane) Data N26 Cloongullane Fatal Serious Minor Total Collisions Casualties A total of 9 collisions were recorded on this section of the N26 over the period 2005 to 2013 which resulted in a total of 11 casualties. Single vehicle collisions are the most dominant type of the collision. Further collisions have occurred since 2013 along this section of road. The most recent collision took place in early 2016 when the Air Ambulance was required to land on the N26 to treat an occupant of a vehicle involved in the collision at the sharp bends at Pollsharvoge. These bends are indicated on Plate Ref: October 2016 Page 22

26 Plate 2.12 Bends at Pollsharvoge Between 2012 and 2014, 8 damage only collisions were recorded around the bridge. These collisions are indicated on Plate Plate 2.13 Damage Only Collisions ( ) These collisions result in damage to vehicles and to the bridge structure which often has to be repaired after bridge strikes. The repairs normally require temporary traffic Ref: October 2016 Page 23

27 management which is usually in the form of a stop-go system with traffic restricted to one lane only. This can result in delays along the N26. An example of a section of bridge which has recently been repaired is indicated on Plate TII/NRA HD15 Plate 2.14 Repairs to Cloongullane Bridge TII/NRA Standard HD 15 is used to identify sections of the national road network which have a high concentration of collisions and to rank the safety of the road network. The ranking is based on the collision rate (number of collisions per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled) on road sections of approximately 1km compared against the national average collision rate for a similar road type. The ranking of this section of the N26 based on HD 15 from 2010 to 2012 is indicated on Plate The route is considered under the category of Rural Single Carriageways and the HD15 ranking of collisions is categorised as follows: Twice above national average collision rate; Above national average collision rate; Below national average collision rate; and Twice below national average collision rate. The section of the N26 around Cloongullane Bridge has a ranking of above the national average collision rate for a rural single carriageway road. The section of the N26 at Pollsharvoge, west of the bridge, has a rating of twice above the national average collision rate for this road type. Under HD15 ranking, sections of road with a ranking of twice above the national average require rectification as a priority. Ref: October 2016 Page 24

28 2.5 Do-Nothing & Do-Minimum Scenario Do-Nothing Scenario Plate 2.15 HD15 Collision Rates ( ) The Do-Nothing consideration investigates the existing road infrastructure and its ability to meet future demands for traffic and safety without any upgrade works, other than routine maintenance. The definition in the NRA Project Management Guidelines is as follows: The Do-Nothing alternative shall comprise an investigation of the existing road infrastructure and its ability to meet future demands for traffic and safety without any upgrade works, other than routine maintenance. Investigation of the Do-Nothing alternative should include an examination of existing policy on improvements to certain National Routes, safety and levels of service. The Do-Nothing scenario was assessed as part of the overall route selection process for the N5, N58 and the N26. The report concluded that a Do-Nothing scenario would result in unacceptable further deterioration to the level of service and poor safety record along N26, which is in conflict with the local, national, and regional planning policy for the twinned hubs of Castlebar and Ballina that they serve. The report recommended that no further consideration should be given to a Do-Nothing scenario Do-Minimum Scenario As an alternative to the Do-Nothing scenario, the Do-Minimum alternative investigates the potential to upgrade rather than replace the existing infrastructure to meet the predicted demands for the next 30 years. The Do-Minimum alternative is defined in the NRA Project Management Guidelines as follows: Ref: October 2016 Page 25

29 The Do-Minimum alternative will generally comprise an investigation of the feasibility of an on-line upgrade of the existing route which would be capable of delivering the required levels of service and safety in accordance with the applicable design standards. This investigation should also examine the feasibility of a partial on-line upgrade, where certain sections of the existing national route may be suitable for upgrade, particularly where the road has been subject to a previous improvement scheme and where additional landtake may not be required or will only be required at a minimum level. In terms of the N26 between Foxford and Swinford, the N5/N26/N58 Castlebar to Bohola & Swinford to Mount Falcon Route Studies concluded that an on-line upgrade (Do-Minimum) could be considered in combination with local off-line options at Cloongullane Bridge. The installation of traffic signals at Cloongullane Bridge as part of a traffic management scheme could formally restrict the flow of traffic to one direction however this measure is not considered appropriate for the following reasons; Traffic signals at the bridge will not improve the section of the road between Ch and Ch which has a collision rate which is twice the average collision rate. The risk of further collisions at the bridge will still remain even if signals were introduced. The risk of rear end collisions occurring with queuing traffic would be increased. NRA TD50 notes that The stopping sight distance on the immediate approach to the junction shall be in accordance with the standards contained in NRA TD 9 and Relaxations below Desirable Minimum Stopping Sight Distance (DMSSD) shall not be permitted on the immediate approaches to the junction. This requirement would result in the signals being located well in advance of the bridge which in turn would cause delay as a result of long inter green times. While speed reducing traffic management measures such as traffic signals could be used to address safety issues (ex. Reduce speeds on the approach to the bridge, side swipes on the bridge), these would lead to increased journey time delays/congestion, leading to a further reduction in the level of service. It is therefore recommended that the off-line realignment is the most appropriate solution at this location. 2.6 Summary National, Regional and County Planning Policy all point towards the need to improve the road connection between the hub of Ballina and the Midlands and Dublin Gateways in order to promote sustainable economic development in the Western Region. The alignment and cross sections of this section of the N26 are sub-standard for a National Road. The section of road proposed to be realigned contains one section of road which has a collision rate above the average and another section which has a collision rate twice above the average rates. Apart from accidents in Foxford, this section of the N26 at Cloongullane has the highest accident density along the full length of the N26 as indicated on Plate Ref: October 2016 Page 26

30 Plate 2.16 Collision Density along N26 Corridor Ref: October 2016 Page 27

31 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ROAD DEVELOPMENT 3.1 Description of Adjacent Lands This proposed road development is located in a rural setting and the adjacent lands generally comprise of farmland with some one-off rural dwellings. Land use along the alignment is comprised of grassland for livestock production and private forestry. There are also areas of bog close to the project. The typical adjacent land use is indicated in the plates below. Plate 3.1 Farmland and Rural Housing at Ch (Looking south from existing N26) Plate 3.2 Farmland at Ch (Looking south west from existing farm access road) Ref: October 2016 Page 28

32 Plate 3.3 Farmland and Forestry at Ch (Looking south at proposed Swinford River crossing) 3.2 Proposed Alignment Plate 3.4 Bog at Ch (Looking north from existing N26) Between Ch to Ch the road is at grade and along the alignment of the existing N26. At Ch the proposed road departs off the line of the existing N26 bypassing a short section of the N26 which contains two bends. The road crosses the Pollsharvoge River at Ch At this point, the proposed road is 3.5m above the existing ground level. The proposed road returns on-line at Ch as it passes between two houses. An at-grade junction with a minor local road is proposed at Ch An at-grade junction with the L-1329 (Killasser Road) is proposed at Ch Ref: October 2016 Page 29

33 The road continues on-line until Ch where it crosses a driveway of an existing house and departs off-line towards the River Moy. The new River Moy clear span crossing is proposed between Ch and Ch The proposed N26 intersects the L-1312 (Ballintemple Road) at Ch An at-grade t-junction is proposed at this location. Community severance will be minimised by the provision of a pedestrian underpass adjacent to the southern abutment of the River Moy Bridge. The proposed road continues off-line between Ch and Ch The proposed road crosses the Swinford River at Ch The road is on a 3.5m high embankment at this location. The road intersects the existing N26 at Ch The road returns on-line between Ch and Ch where it ties back into the existing N26. The horizontal and vertical alignment for the proposed road development are indicated on Drawing Numbers P&P-002 and P&P-003 in Volume 2 of this report. 3.3 Traffic Volumes The traffic surveys carried out in 2013 and 2014 indicate that the existing traffic flows between Foxford and Swinford vary between 3,300 and 3,800 AADT. The existing traffic flow at Cloongullane Bridge is approximately 3,350 AADT. The flow along the N26 at Cloongullane (Do-something medium growth scenario i.e. with the preferred route constructed) is anticipated to increase to approximately 4,660 AADT by 2035 as indicated in Plate 3.5. Plate 3.5 Predicted Traffic Flows along N26 in 2035 (Medium Growth) A Type 3 Single Carriageway (2 x 3.0m wide lanes) would be approaching capacity in the 2035 Design Year, therefore consideration has been given to the high growth Ref: October 2016 Page 30

34 scenario which estimates that the 2035 Design Year flows will be approximately 5,100 AADT. 3.4 Proposed Road Type and Cross Sections Although a Type 3 Single Carriageway would have capacity for the medium growth scenario it is noted that its capacity would be exceeded for the high growth scenario. It is recommended that a Type 2 Single Carriageway should be selected as the preferred cross-section particularly in the context of future proofing the investment required in a major new bridge crossing of the River Moy. A Type 2 Single Carriageway includes the following; 2 x 3.5m wide lanes 2 x 0.5m wide hard strips 2 x 2.5m wide verges The cross section of realigned local roads varies between 4.0m and 6.0m depending on the cross section of the existing road. The proposed cross sections for the proposed road development are indicated on Drawing No TCS-001 in Volume 2 of this report. 3.5 Non-Motorised Users (NMU) The existing N26 between Swinford and Foxford does not contain any dedicated pedestrian or cyclist facilities. Pedestrian and cyclist facilities for this proposed road development are proposed to be provided along the truncated sections of the existing N26. A new section of cycleway is proposed to be constructed between Ch and Ch to link the two main truncated sections of the existing N26. The verges at the tie-in points and between the following chainages will be widened to accommodate the potential for a future cycleway between Swinford and Foxford; Ch and Ch Ch and Ch A pedestrian facility, connected to the L-1312 (Meelick Road), will be provided under the eastern end of the River Moy Bridge. This facility will allow pedestrians to continue to walk along the L-1312 which is proposed to be truncated east of the new N26 and to form a simple T-junction with the N26. The proposed NMU facilities are indicated on Drawing No CYL 001 in Volume 2 of this report. 3.6 Junctions & Accesses There are four at grade T-junctions with local roads along this proposed road development. These are noted in Table 3.1. Table 3.1: Local Road Junctions Junction No. Road Name Chainage Existing AADT 1 Local Access Road <100 AADT 2 L1329, Killasser Road L1312, Meelick Road Truncated N <100 AADT Ref: October 2016 Page 31

35 These junctions are designed in accordance with NRA TD with full visibility provided. Details of the proposed side roads realignments are indicated on Drawing Numbers SRA-001 and SRA-002 in Volume 2 of this report. It was not deemed practical to provide an over or under bridge for the L-1312, Meelick Road therefore the eastern end of this road is proposed to be closed and a simple T-junction provided at the western end. The proposed road development includes a number of direct accesses to houses and farmland at locations where existing accesses are currently situated. To reduce the overall number of direct accesses, the proposed road development includes number of new combined accesses. These have been provided at locations where existing accesses are located closely together and where it has been deemed feasible to combine the access points. The gradient, dwell areas and visibility splays for all accesses have been designed in accordance with NRA TD 41-42, although some departures from standards have been required with respect to the relatively close spacing of some of the accesses which result in their visibility splays interacting. Turning areas will be provided at locations where local roads are proposed to be closed. 3.7 Road Drainage The Existing Environment The lands in the vicinity of the proposed road development are within the catchment of the River Moy which is the most significant watercourse crossing. The river flows in a south-westerly direction at the proposed bridge crossing point and flows into the Atlantic Ocean approximately 35km downstream of the proposed bridge at Killala Bay. The River Moy is indicated on Plate 3.6. Plate River Moy (Photo taken from existing bridge looking downstream) The proposed road development crosses two other watercourses, the Pollsharvoge River and the Swinford River, both of which are tributaries of the River Moy and Ref: October 2016 Page 32

36 indicated on Plates 3.8 and 3.9. Details of these crossings are discussed in Section 5 of this report. Plate 3.7 Swinford River Plate 3.8 Pollsharvoge River Carriageway Drainage General Principles The preliminary design of road drainage for the Project is in accordance with the following standards; HD 45/15 Road Drainage and the Water Environment, March 2015 (including amendment No.1 January 2016); HD 33/15 Drainage Systems for National Roads, March 2015 (including amendment No.1 January 2016). Calculation of Road Drainage Run-off The assessment of the road drainage system is based on the Modified Rational Method as described in Road Note 35 and the Wallingford Procedure. Longitudinal carrier drains will accommodate a one-year storm in-bore without surcharge. Surcharge levels will not exceed the levels of chamber covers during a five-year storm intensity. Transverse sealed drains, including gully connections, crossing beneath the carriageway, will accommodate a 1 in 50 year storm without surcharge or be a minimum of 300mm, whichever is greater. The runoff from storms with a return period of one year will be contained within surface water channels and the surcharge consequential to a storm of five-year return period will not encroach into the carriageway. Each section of road has two areas contributing to runoff flow, namely runoff from paved surfaces and runoff from unpaved surfaces such as verges and cut/fill slopes. To calculate the total runoff, the area of each of these contributing surfaces is factored to give an equivalent impermeable area. Paved surfaces are factored by 1.0, (i.e. paved surfaces being 100% impermeable), while the level unpaved surfaces not exceeding 8% grade are factored by 0.2, (i.e. 20% impermeable) and cut slopes by 0.5, (i.e. 50% impermeable). The annual average rainfall that was used in the Ref: October 2016 Page 33

37 calculation was 1230mm. Rainfall intensities have been increased by 20% to allow for the future effects of climate change. Road Drainage Systems It is proposed to collect road runoff through a combination of lined filter drains, lined vegetated ditches and concrete surface water channels. A kerb and gully will be provided at localised areas such as the approaches to the River Moy bridge and at local road junctions. These systems will carry surface water runoff from the new road and bring it to attenuation / treatment ponds along the proposed road development before discharging to the receiving watercourses. Cut-off Drains or Ditches Cut-off filter drains or channels will be provided at the following locations: (a) (b) top of cutting slopes where the adjoining land slopes towards the cutting bottom of embankment slopes where the adjoining land slopes towards the embankment These cut-off drains will, where possible, discharge to existing watercourses and not to the road drainage system. Where the road is in cut, intersected land drains will be diverted into the cut-off drains and taken, where possible, to existing channels or drains. Side Road Drainage Where practicable, the surface water runoff from side roads effected by the proposed road development will be discharged via the proposed mainline drainage system. However, at locations where such arrangements are not possible, in particular due to existing road tie in levels and gradients, the surface water runoff from side roads or sections thereof will be connected to the existing local road drainage system. Flow Attenuation and Treatment Flow attenuation is provided by limiting the peak flow from the road drainage runoff using a flow restricting device such as a Hydrobrake upstream of the inlet to a receiving waterbody. This will necessitate provision of temporary storage of the surface water runoff. Storage or attenuation ponds will be provided upstream of the flow restriction. A typical layout of an attenuation pond is indicated on Plate The volume of water required to be attenuated at each pond location is based on a 1 in 100 year return period storm event. Ref: October 2016 Page 34

38 Plate Typical Layout of an Attenuation Pond Road runoff will pass through a treatment forebay which will act as a water quality improvement system and will be sized to cater for the first flush or 10% of the peak runoff from a five year storm event which contains the highest containment. Once the forebay reaches capacity it will be bypassed by any surplus flow. The treatment forebay will be lined with a cohesive material and suitably planted to promote the removal of contaminants. Road surface water runoff will pass from the forebay to the main body of the pond via infiltration through the soil layer and filter material of the separator bund. The main body of the pond will be sized to cater for runoff from a one hundred year storm event. A further treatment area will be provided at the base of the main body of the pond to a depth of 200mm depressed below the outlet level of the pond. The base will be topsoiled and planted suitably to promote additional water quality improvement through filtration, sedimentation and infiltration. Road Drainage Outfalls The proposed road development includes four outfalls which are summarised on Table 3.2. A surface water attenuation and treatment pond will be located at each outfall. The details of each pond are included in the table. The locations of the attenuation and treatment ponds are included on Drawing Numbers AER-002 and AER-003 in Volume 2 of this report. Ref: October 2016 Page 35

39 Table 3.2: Proposed Road Development Outfalls Outfall No. Chainage Watercourse Contributing Road Catchment Pond Storage Capacity 1 Ch Pollsharvoge River Ch to Ch m 3 2 Ch Existing drain * Ch to Ch m 3 3 Ch River Moy Ch to Ch m 3 4 Ch Swinford River Ch to Ch m 3 * Drain to be cleared or re-graded. Area of land has been included in the proposed project lands to undertake such works. 3.8 Structures The three structures along this proposed road development are as follows; River Moy Bridge Swinford River Culvert Pollsharvoge River Culvert The selection of the appropriate from of construction has been agreed with the Structures Section of TII through the BD2 process. River Moy Bridge The bridge comprises a single span over the River Moy therefore no in-stream works will be required. The bridge is a steel composite beam bridge with reinforced concrete abutments. The proposed span between centreline of supports is 83.1m. The bridge incorporates bearings and movement joints at each end of the bridge. The depth of steel beam construction is proposed to be approximately 3.3m. A curved parapet fascia is incorporated into the design to enhance the appearance of the bridge in elevation. The abutments are envisaged to be reinforced concrete with inspection galleries. The width of the bridge is 12.2m which includes two 1.5m wide footpaths and parapets. The plan and elevation of the bridge is indicated on Drawing Number STR in Volume 2 of this report. Swinford River and Pollsharvoge River Culverts Both of these culverts are proposed to be precast concrete box culverts. The details of both culverts are noted in Table 3.3. Table 3.3: Swinford River and Pollsharvoge River Culverts River Crossing Mainline Chainage (m) Horizontal Clearance (m) Vertical Clearance (m) Length (m) Mammal Ledge Pollsharvoge River Ch Yes Swinford River Ch Yes Prefabricated culvert units enable quick on-site installation with excavation requirements kept to a minimum. Reinforced concrete headwall and wingwalls will be provided at the culvert inlets and outlets. A reinforced concrete apron with Ref: October 2016 Page 36

40 appropriately sized downstand shall be provided to mitigate the effects of scour. The construction of both culverts will require temporary diversions of the rivers as agreed with Inland Fisheries Ireland. Details of the Swinford River Culvert are indicated on Drawing Number CUL-1701 in Volume 2 of this report. Details of the Pollsharvoge River Culvert are indicated on Drawing Number CUL-1702 in Volume 2 of this report. 3.9 Accommodation Works Measures have been taken into account to facilitate landowners that will be affected by the realignment of the road and are termed as Accommodation Works. These are provided to accommodate the following: Re-instatement of access to properties/holdings severed by the proposed road development Provision of re-instatement of boundary walls and boundary fencing at properties affected by the proposed road development Re-instatement of domestic services such as water, sewage, electricity etc. Measures to facilitate landowners affected by the proposed road development have been included in the design. The accommodation works that have been identified as necessary to the proposed road development are described in the sections below. Drainage, Water, Service and Ducting It is proposed that any field drains severed by the proposed road development will be connected to the proposed drainage system. The new drainage will be detailed to ensure that there will be no increased risk of flooding and that the current drainage situation will not be affected. Where any existing services are affected by the proposals these will be relocated as necessary and reinstated. These services include electricity supply, water supply mains and telephone connections. Gates and Fencing Road boundary fencing will generally be of stock-proof timber post and rail construction with PVC coated chain-link. Gates will be provided for all farm accesses. Shared field accesses will be 4.0m wide and will flare out to provide separate gates to each land holding. Roads and Accesses Farm access roads shall be a 4.0m wide paved roadway with 1.0m wide verges on each side of the road. The proposed road construction shall be a double surface dressing on 150mm sub base on 300mm capping. Farm access roads shall have a maximum vertical gradient of 10%. The properties along the southern side of the N26 at Ch and Ch are proposed to be acquired as part of this proposed road development. It is envisaged that these properties will be retained for re-use with new boundary treatments and accesses provided. Ref: October 2016 Page 37

41 3.10 Utilities The proposed road development intercepts the following utility services along the mainline and side roads; Low and Medium Voltage Electricity Lines Eir underground and overhead lines, including fibre optics Water Supply Services It is proposed that overhead electricity lines will either be raised to provide the necessary clearance above the finished road level or diverted under the road embankment through ducting. Following preliminary discussions with Eir, they have confirmed that they require two 100mm ducts along the entire extents of the scheme for the diversion of existing overhead lines and underground fibre optic cables. Where conflicts exist with watermains, it is proposed to either divert the watermains into the verge of the re-aligned N26 or provide protection measures such as concrete cover. No conflicts have been identified with any HV ESB lines or gas mains. Diversions of local domestic connections will be undertaken to ensure no interruption of supply. Ref: October 2016 Page 38

42 4. CONSTRUCTION & OPERATIONAL PHASE It is likely that works will be carried out under the Public Works Contract for Civil Engineering Works designed by the Employer (PW-CF3). The successful Contractor would be responsible for the construction of the project to the detailed design completed by the Employers Consultant. It is assumed that construction of the proposed road development will be undertaken as a single contract which will last approximately 18 months. 4.1 Construction Activities and Materials The road construction works will involve the following; Earthworks including embankment construction and minor cuttings Road drainage including the construction of attenuation / treatment ponds Road pavement construction Diversion of utilities Construction of fencing, gates & walls Installation of safety barriers Erection of road signage Road markings The main structures works will involve the following; Construction of a single span bridge over the River Moy Culverting of the Swinford River Culverting of the Pollsharvoge River 4.2 Construction Materials In terms of earthworks, it is envisaged that the majority of material required for the construction of the project will be required to be imported as there is limited amount of material that can be reused from the site. There are a number of quarries in the vicinity of the scheme which may be utilised in the sourcing of this material. Only those quarries that conform to all necessary statutory consents will be used in the construction phase. Capping stone, gravels, bituminous materials and road surfacing materials will also be imported to site to complete the road formation and the road pavement. Concrete will also be brought to site in the form of ready mixed concrete and precast units such as headwalls and manhole rings. Other materials required to be brought to site will include fencing material, safety barriers, road signs and road marking materials. 4.3 Construction Compounds The River Moy divides the proposed road development in two parts therefore it is anticipated that the Contractor will have one compound for the eastern part of the project and another for the western part of the project. The compounds may include, stores, offices, materials storage areas, material processing areas, plant storage and parking for site and staff vehicles. These sites are proposed to remain in place for Ref: October 2016 Page 39

43 the duration of the contract but may be scaled up or down during particular activities on site. In terms of the eastern section of the project, it is anticipated that the severed triangular field immediately north of the alignment at Ch would be used as a compound. The trees between the compound and the Swinford River will be retained as an environmental buffer. An existing farm shed is proposed to be acquired at Ch This may also be used for the storage of materials until such time as the Contractor is building the road at this location. It is anticipated that the assembly of the steel beams for the River Moy Bridge will be constructed along the line of the realigned N26 and a subcompound may be required adjacent to the southern abutment. West of the River Moy, it is anticipated that the lands immediately north of the proposed road between Ch and Ch would be used as a compound. The properties south of the proposed alignment at Ch and Ch are proposed to be acquired as part of this proposed road development. It is envisaged that these properties may be used as site offices during the construction phase. Potential compound locations are indicated on Drawing Number CMP-001 in Volume 2 of this report. The storage of fuels, other hydrocarbons and other chemicals within the construction compounds will not be permitted within 30m of a watercourse. All fuel storage areas will be bunded to 110% of storage capacity to prevent spills and provide sufficient additional capacity in the event of rainfall occurring simultaneously. The compounds will also have appropriate levels of security to limit potential vandalism, theft and unauthorised access within the compounds. Following completion of the project, compound areas will be cleared and re-instated, temporary buildings and containers, parking areas and waste material such as rubble, aggregates and unused construction materials will not be permitted to remain exposed on these sites and will need to be removed and disposed of appropriately. 4.4 Construction Phasing The establishment of the site compounds including services connections, accommodation works where required for access, temporary access routes and haul routes will be undertaken at the start of the works. Stripping of topsoil from the site will take place only just ahead of embankment construction to avoid silt/material being washed into the River Moy. Environmental Restrictions In-stream works along the Swinford and Pollsharvoge Rivers will only be permitted between 1 st May and the 1 st October. This requirement is a key constraint of the construction contract and will be considered when the overall programme for procurement of the works is being prepared to ensure that the works can be completed before the 30th September. Critical Phasing The critical phasing issue relating to this proposed road development is the construction of the River Moy Bridge. The bridge abutments and associated earthworks will be built to shelf level (level from which the steel bridge deck will be Ref: October 2016 Page 40

44 lifted into place). Access to the construction area for the southern abutment will be via the L Meelick Road. The northern abutment will be accessed from the N26. It is anticipated that the earthworks for the section of the new N26 (Ch to Ch ) south of the River Moy will be constructed up to the bridge abutment shelf level prior to the delivery of the steel beams and the crane which will undertake the lifting of the beams. The steel components of the bridge can then be assembled on this platform behind the southern abutment. This section (Ch to Ch ) of the new road includes a culvert over the Swinford River. This culvert would therefore need to be constructed before the bridge beams are delivered to site and the bridge deck lift, if the Contractor opts to undertake this element of the works from the southern side of the River Moy. Ideally, the southern abutment and the culvert of the Swinford River will be constructed simultaneously to avoid delaying the bridge deck lift. Once the bridge deck is in place, the wing walls and remaining earthworks will be constructed. The remaining elements of the new road can be constructed at any stage provided suitable access has been established. An indicative construction sequence for the proposed road development is indicated on Drawing No CMP-001 in Volume 2 of this report. Traffic Management & Road Licences The proposed road development has sections of construction work that are both online and offline. The construction works will be online between the following chainages; Ch and Ch Ch and Ch Ch and Ch These works will be required to be phased by the Contractor to maintain access to lands and properties. The Contractor will also be responsible for undertaking online works in a manner that will cause the least amount of traffic disruption and ensure that a through flow along the N26 will be maintained at all times, albeit under stop-go arrangements. The haulage of materials to and from the site will create a significant temporary impact to both road users and to residents living along this section of the N26. To minimise these impacts it is important that only authorised site access roads, as directed by the Local Authority, are used by construction vehicles. The construction stage traffic management plan and potential construction diversions required will be the Contractor s responsibility. The Contractor will also be responsible for acquiring all the necessary licensing and permissions for the use of roads in regard to any temporary closures and traffic management. Temporary access for the construction of the southern bridge abutment will be permitted via the L1312 Meelick Road. Once this element of the project is constructed, all construction traffic will be restricted to the N26. Ref: October 2016 Page 41

45 4.5 Construction Management Plan Prior to any demolition, excavation or construction a Construction Management Plan (CMP) will be produced by the Contractor. A Construction Management Plan deals with the Contractor s overall management and administration of a construction project. A CMP is prepared by the Contractor during the pre-construction phase, to ensure that the project is completed on-time and within budget. The CMP will include a detailed programme of works and budget. The CMP is also developed to ensure that all construction activities are undertaken in a satisfactory and safe manner, to a delivery program meeting the Clients requirements. The Contractor will be required to include details under the following headings; Details of working hours and days Details of Emergency Response Plans including; o o In the event of fire, chemical spillage, cement spillage, collapse of structures or failure of equipment or road traffic incident within an area of traffic management. The plan must include contact names and telephone numbers for: Local Authority (all sections/departments); Ambulance; Gardaí and Fire Services. The plan must include method statements for weather forecasting and continuous monitoring of water levels in the River Moy. The plan must outline how the Contractor will respond to forecasted flood events, including but not limited to, details of removal of site materials, fuels, tools, vehicles and persons from flood plain areas. Details of chemical/fuel storage areas (including location and bunding to contain runoff of spillages and leakages) Details of construction plant storage, temporary offices and on-site chemical toilet areas Traffic management plan (to be developed in conjunction with the Roads Section of Mayo County Council) including details of routing of network traffic; temporary road closures; temporary signal strategy; routing of construction traffic; programme of vehicular arrivals; on-site parking for vehicles and workers; road cleaning; other traffic management requirements Truck wheel wash details (including measures to reduce and treat runoff) Dust management to prevent nuisance (demolition & construction) Construction erosion and sediment control plan including the following measures; o o o o o o Limiting of site works to the minimum area and timescale required to undertake the necessary elements of the Project; A water quality monitoring program downstream of all proposed outfalls during the construction phase to be continued post-construction for a period of 24 months to enable the identification of any changes in water quality parameters; Formulation of a dust minimisation plan for the construction phase; Direction of site drainage through a settlement facility prior to discharge and provision of temporary facilities to trap any accidental spillage; A method statements for works on watercourses to be submitted to IFI to ensure that the proposed methods satisfy fisheries requirements; Promotion of awareness of the importance of good site management and the freshwater environment amongst site personnel; Ref: October 2016 Page 42

46 o o o o o Restriction of topsoil stripping near watercourses to dry weather conditions, location of all stockpiles at least 100 m from watercourses and covering of all stockpiles within 200 m of watercourses; Stripping of vegetation, covering of soil by Hessian or similar material and reseeding (with native grasses) immediately prior to the construction of road drainage outfalls; Pouring of concrete, sealing of joints, application of water-proofing paint or protective systems, curing agents etc. for outfalls to be completed in the dry; Storage of oils, fuel, chemicals, hydraulic fluids etc. to be located at least 100 m from watercourses on an impervious base within a bund and appropriately secured; and, All machinery operating near watercourses to be steam-cleaned in advance of works and routinely checked to ensure no leakage of oils or lubricants and all fuelling of machinery to be undertaken a minimum of 100 m from watercourses. Noise and vibration management to prevent nuisance (demolition & construction) Landscape management Management of demolition of all structures and assessment of risks for same Lighting details Signage Project procedures & method statements for; o o o o o o Demolition & removal of services, pipelines (including risk assessment and disposal) Diversion of services Excavation works Temporary hoarding & lighting Storage and Treatment of soft soils Exporting of surplus geological material (soils, rock etc) The production of the CMP will also detail areas of concern with regard to Health and Safety and any environmental issues that require attention during the construction phase. Adoption of good management practices on site during the construction and operation phases will also contribute to reducing environmental impacts. 4.6 Environmental Considerations During the construction phase of the project, the works will comply with all relevant legislation and guidelines that aim to reduce and minimise environmental impacts and protect the River Moy SAC. Construction related impacts are generally of shortterm duration and localised in nature and these impacts will be reduced as far as possible by complying with the mitigation measures outlined in this report and the following; Natura Impact Statement (NIS) Schedule of Commitments Construction industry guidelines TII/NRA Environmental Assessment and Construction Guidelines Ref: October 2016 Page 43

47 Environmental Operating Plan Waste Management Plan NRA Environmental Construction Guidelines The TII/NRA Environmental Construction Guidelines provide guidance with regard to environmental best practice methods to be employed in construction on National Road Schemes for the following: Guidelines for the Treatment of Badgers prior to the Construction of a National Road Schemes; Guidelines for the Treatment of Bats during the Construction of National Road Schemes; Guidelines for the Crossing of Watercourses during the Construction of National Road Schemes; Guidelines for the Testing and Mitigation of the Wetland Archaeological Heritage for National Road Schemes; Guidelines for the Protection and Preservation of Trees, Hedgerows and Scrub Prior to, During and Post-Construction of National Road Schemes; Guidelines for the Treatment of Air Quality During the Planning and Construction of National Road Schemes; Guidelines on the Management of Noxious Weeds on National Roads; Guidelines for the Treatment of Noise and Vibration in National Road Schemes; Guidelines for the Treatment of Otters Prior to the Construction of National Road Schemes; Management of Waste from National Road Construction Projects; Guidelines for the Creation, Implementation and Maintenance of an Environmental Operating Plan. This is a non-exhaustive list and relevant guidance documents current at the time of construction will be followed. Environmental Operating Plan The Contractor will be required to complete an Environmental Operating Plan (EOP) in accordance with the NRA Guidelines for the Creation and Maintenance of an Environmental Operating Plan. The protection of the qualifying interests of the River Moy SAC will be a fundamental part of the EOP. The EOP will set out the Contractors approach to managing environmental issues associated with the construction of the road and provide a documented account to the implementation of the environmental commitments set out in the NIS and Environmental Report and measures stipulated in the planning conditions. Details within the plan will include; All Environmental commitments and mitigation measures included as part of the planning approval process including sediment controls and measures to ensure that the water quality of the River Moy and any of its tributaries is not degraded. Any requirements of statutory bodies such as the National Parks and Wildlife Services and Inland Fisheries Ireland including adherence to the IFI Guidelines on Protection of Fisheries During Construction Works in and Adjacent to Waters. Ref: October 2016 Page 44

48 A list of all applicable environmental legislation requirements and a method of documenting compliance with these requirements. Outline methods by which construction work will be managed to avoid, reduce or remedy potential adverse impacts on the environment. To oversee the implementation of the EOP, the Contractor will be required to appoint a responsible manager to ensure that the mitigation measures included in the NIS, Environmental Report and the EOP are executed in the construction of the works and to monitor that those mitigation measures employed function properly at all times. The Waste Management Plan will be included in the EOP. This will identify the Contractor s proposals regarding the treatment, storage and recovery or disposal of waste. The plan will contain (but not be limited to) the following measures: Details of waste storage (e.g. skips, bins, containers) to be provided for different waste and collection times. Details of where and how materials are to be disposed of - landfill or other appropriately licensed waste management facility. Details of storage areas for waste materials and containers. Details of how and where hazardous wastes such as oils, diesel and other hydrocarbon or other chemical waste are to be stored and disposed of in a suitable manner. A construction and demolition waste plan. Ref: October 2016 Page 45

49 5. HYDROLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 5.1 Hydrology This section of the report presents a summary of the hydrological assessment of the proposed road development. The proposed road development is within the Western River Basin District (RBD) (Hydrometric Area 34) and specifically within the River Moy catchment. The Western River Basin District has been sub-divided into a number of Water Management Units (WMU). Each WMU has an individual Action Plan which provides detail, at a local level, of the water quality issues and actions proposed for individual water bodies. The proposed road development is located within the extents of the Moy Water Management Unit (WMU) Action Plan. The three main watercourse crossings along this proposed road development are as follows; (i) (ii) (iii) River Moy Pollsharvoge River (Sometimes referred to as the Cloonygowan Stream) Swinford River The River Moy rises at the foot of the Ox Mountains in County Sligo. The river generally flows southwest, entering County Mayo and passing near Swinford before turning northwards near Strade. It then flows through Foxford and Ballina, entering the Atlantic Ocean at Killala Bay. The Pollsharvoge River is a local watercourse rising in uplands north of Pollsharvoge and drains a surrounding local catchment area estimated at approximately 0.95km 2. The watercourse has a relatively short reach flowing in a southwesterly direction through Cloonygowan for approximately 1.3km before flowing into the River Moy east of the townland of Rinbrack. The Swinford River rises in an upland area near Barnacahoge north of Kilkelly and is a tributary of the River Moy. The river has a catchment area of approximately 19.1 km 2. A number of smaller tributaries feed the river channel along its course including the Derryronan Stream, the Killaturly Stream, Newpark River, the Lagcurragh Stream and the Cloongullaun Stream. The Swinford River also receives baseflow directly from Killaturly Lough and Black Lough via an unnamed stream. The river channel flows in a northwesterly direction from its origin as far as Cloonaghboy before turning westward flowing through Swinford town and continuing northwest before flowing into the River Moy at Cloongullane. EPA Water Quality Monitoring Biological water quality monitoring of rivers and streams across Ireland is carried out by the EPA using the Q-rating system. This rating system is used to monitor the ecological quality of rivers and streams using the macro-invertebrate communities within the river/stream channel. The Q-rating ranges from Q5-Q1 depending on the quality of the water. A rating of Q5 corresponding to the highest water quality status and correspondingly a Q-rating of Q1 corresponds to the worst water quality status representing a serious level of pollution. The River Moy has been assigned a Q- rating of Q4 at Cloongullane Bridge which corresponds to Good Status. Prior to 2004, water quality at this location was assigned High Status (Q4-5, Q5). Ref: October 2016 Page 46

50 Water Framework Directive The Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC established a number of water management areas which developed associated water management plans. The main objective of the WFD is to achieve and maintain Good Status of all water bodies by 2015 and have no deterioration in water quality of any waters. Under the WFD assessment the River Moy is classified as having: Good Macroinvertebrate status, High General physico-chemical status and Good Overall ecological status. The overall status result for the River Moy is Good. A risk assessment carried out under the WFD criteria assigned a risk score of 2b to the River Moy, meaning it is deemed to be Not At Risk. Consequently the objective for this water body is to protect it from pollution or deterioration in quality status. Flooding A desk based review of the flood risk at the proposed road development location was undertaken using the draft Western Catchment based Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study (CFRAMS) study maps and the OPW flood records ( The OPW flood records indicated that there were no flooding events recorded within 2.5km of the proposed River Moy Crossing. Notwithstanding the information noted above, significant flooding occurred along this section of the River Moy in December The flood levels downstream of the existing bridge are indicated on Plate 5.1. Plate 5.1 Existing Cloongullane Bridge during flood event of December 2015 This flooding event occurred following Storm Desmond which brought 94.7mm of rainfall over a 39 hour extended period (Met Éireann rainfall data for Knock Airport Synoptic Stations). The flooding which occurred was exacerbated by already saturated ground conditions following above normal rainfall levels in November The combined rainfall totals for November and December were the highest on record at Knock airport rainfall monitoring station. Out of bank flooding (fluvial flooding) occurred downstream of Cloongullane Bridge. The flooding extended approximately 30m beyond the existing river banks, however the existing bridge itself was not overtopped. Ref: October 2016 Page 47

51 The Met Éireann rainfall data was compared to the Met Éireann return period rainfall depth data for the area. The rainfall event corresponded to an approximate return period of years or % AEP. However this assessment only considers pluvial flooding (Pluvial flooding is defined as flooding which results from rainfall-generated overland flow and ponding before runoff enters a watercourse) and when fluvial flooding (Flooding resulting from water levels exceeding the bank level of a river) is considered the return period was likely greater than the 100 year event. The CFRAM study report for the area was reviewed as part of this assessment. The flood flow in the River Moy was modelled at node 34MOYRD04431 (located c.500m upstream of Cloongullane Bridge) as being 327.8m 3 /s during the 1% AEP (Annual Exceedance Probability) fluvial flood event. Allowing for 20% climate change, the anticipated 100 year flood flow in the vicinity of Cloongullane is therefore m 3 /s. The corresponding modelled 100 year flood water level (mod) in the Swinford River at node 34SWIN00004 (adjacent to Cloongullane) was mod. Hydraulic Modelling Hydraulic modelling was undertaken for the following three watercourses crossings; (i) (ii) (iii) Pollsharvoge River River Moy Swinford River. The Swinford River joins the River Moy 35m upstream of the existing Cloongullane Bridge. The Pollsharvoge River joins the River Moy 1880m downstream of the existing bridge. In order to design appropriate bridge/culverts for these crossings, it was first necessary to calculate the mean annual maximum flood flow (Qbar) in each watercourse. The following methods were used to undertake comparative assessments of Qbar for each of the catchment areas: The Flood Studies Report six-variable equation; The Flood Studies Supplementary Report No Design flood estimation in catchments subjects to urbanisation; The Flood Studies Supplementary Report No Flood predictions for Small Catchments three and four-variable equation; The Institute of Hydrology Report No. 124 Flood Estimation for Small Catchments - June 1994; The method adopted for the design and hydraulic assessment of the culverts proposed is that outlined in CIRIA Report 168 Culvert Design Guide; and, The OPW Flood Study Update (FSU) Web Portal. The proposed structures for watercourse crossings are designed for free flow conditions under the 1 in 100 year flood condition and 20% increase for Climate Change Factor. River Moy Crossing The upstream contributing catchment for the River Moy at the proposed crossing point is approximately 532km 2. Due to the large catchment size, the flow estimation derived from the Hydrograph Method was adopted as the design flow. This flow is Ref: October 2016 Page 48

52 estimated to be 398m 3 /s with a resultant headwater level of 33.24mOD which is consistent with the flow estimation figure of 393m 3 /s from the CFRAMS study. It is proposed to provide a clear span bridge over the River Moy. This bridge will be an 83m single span structure with a 1.5m freeboard from the soffit to the 100 year flood event level. The existing Cloongullane Bridge will remain in place as per existing conditions. Although the toes of the approach embankments for the new bridge encroach within the flood plain, it is anticipated that the afflux at the proposed bridge location will only extend 80m upstream. The existing bridge is approximately 205m upstream of the new bridge and therefore it will not be negatively affected. Pollsharvoge River Crossing The upstream contributing catchment for the Pollsharvoge River is estimated at 0.95km 2. The flow estimation derived from the IH124 Equation was adopted as the design flow for this structure. The design characteristics for this culvert are indicated in Table 5.1. It is proposed to provide a 2.1m x 2.1m box culvert for this crossing. Table 5.1: Summary of Hydraulic Assessment Cloonygowan Stream Element Value Calculated Q m 3 /s Culvert Size 2.1m x 2.1m box (W x H) Culvert Length 32 m Buried Invert Depth 0.5m Freeboard 0.87m Tailwater Level Headwater Level mod mod Slope 1:220 Control Flow Velocity Swinford River Crossing Outlet 1.43 m/sec The contributing upstream catchment for this culvert is estimated at 19.1km 2. The flow estimation derived from the Hydrograph Method was adopted as the design flow for this structure. The design characteristics for this culvert are indicated in Table 5.2 below. It is proposed to provide a 3.3m x 4.5m box culvert for this crossing. Table 5.2: Summary of Hydraulic Assessment Swinford River Element Value Calculated Q m 3 /s Culvert Size 3.6m x 4.50m box (WxH) Culvert Length 30 m Buried Invert Depth 0.5m Freeboard 0.31m Tailwater Level mod Headwater Level mod Ref: October 2016 Page 49

53 OPW Consultations Element Value Slope 1:220 Control Flow Velocity Outlet 5.59 m/sec A Section 50 application to cross the three watercourse was submitted to the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Act, This application was approved by the OPW in February Road Drainage Outfalls The existing road runoff along the N26 experiences minimal treatment before discharge into existing watercourses. This proposed road development has the potential to provide an improvement to local water quality due to the inclusion of attenuation ponds which include treatment forebays. The proposed road development includes four outfalls which are included in Table 3.2 of this report. A surface water attenuation and treatment pond will be located at each outfall. It is proposed to collect road runoff from the new road through a combination of lined filter drains, lined vegetated ditches, concrete surface water channels and a kerb and gully system. Flows will be attenuated and treated before discharging to the receiving watercourse. The design traffic volumes in conjunction with the relatively small contributing road areas will not give rise to significant hydraulic or pollutant loads on the receiving waters. The overall loading of heavy metals, sediment and hydrocarbons on the receiving waters will be significantly reduced through the provision of attenuation/water quality improvement ponds. These ponds have been designed to provide adequate residence time for treatment of road runoff and thereby prevent any deterioration in water quality in the River Moy or any of its tributaries. Summary The three clear span structures proposed over major watercourses crossed by the proposed road development have been designed to accommodate the 100 year rainfall event flow (allowing for climate change) with freeboard allowances. Section 50 applications have been approved by the OPW based on the hydraulic modelling undertaken as part of this assessment The existing road runoff along the N26 experiences minimal treatment before discharge into existing watercourses. This proposed road development has the potential to provide an improvement to local water quality due to the inclusion of attenuation ponds which include treatment forebays. The inclusion of penstock valves at pond outlets also provides protection against emergency spills reducing the risk of major pollution events in the surrounding watercourses. Based on the assessment outlined in this report, it is concluded that the proposed road development will have a negligible impact on the existing hydraulic regime both in terms of flooding and water quality. Ref: October 2016 Page 50

54 5.2 Hydrogeology This section of the report presents a summary of the hydrogeological assessment of the proposed road development. Solid Geology A review of published available information predominantly based on the 1:100,000 scale Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) maps of the area was undertaken. The area where this proposed road development is located is generally underlain by sedimentary rock. The proposed road development is generally underlain by Dinantian Sandstones of the Moy Sandstone Formation (Ch ). A small portion of the route at western end is underlain by Precambrian Quartzites, Gneisses & Schists (Ch ) of the Cloonygowan Formation. The bedrock geology for the area is shown on Drawing No HG-001. Ground investigations undertaken along the proposed alignment included rotary coring to depths of up to 19m below ground level. Generally a strong grey medium to coarse grained pebbly Sandstone with quartz clasts, which was partially to distinctly weathered was encountered. The weathering of the rock was reported to be more distinct in a zone extending between 2 7m below ground level (BGL). Siltstone was encountered at a depth of 7.25m BGL adjacent to the River Moy. Limestone was encountered at a depth of 5m BGL on the eastern side of the Swinford River. Aquifer Classification The Dinantian Sandstones have been classified as a Locally Important Aquifer (Lm) by the GSI which indicates that the bedrock aquifer is generally moderately productive in local zones. The Precambrian Quartzites, Gneisses & Schists are known to be a Poor Aquifer (Pl) which is generally unproductive except for local zones. Bedrock aquifers along the proposed route are shown on Drawing No HG-004. Groundwater Bodies The proposed route is located within the Foxford Groundwater Body (GWB). The GWB is composed primarily of low transmissivity rocks (Precambrian Quartzites, Gneisses & Schists). Most of the groundwater flow in this GWB is likely to be in the uppermost part of the aquifer due to the presence of a weathered zone and an upper zone of interconnected fissuring. Recharge to this GWB occurs diffusely through the subsoils and rock outcrops however the quantity of recharge is limited by the low permeability subsoils overlying the bedrock. Generally, water levels are 0-10m below ground level with flow paths typically short (less than 150m). The majority of rainfall over this body will runoff quickly to adjacent watercources. Baseflow to rivers and streams in this GWB is likely to be relatively low. Quaternary Deposits A review of published available information was undertaken primarily utilising the GSI quaternary and Teagasc subsoil mapping for the area. The Quaternary Geology of the area is shown on Drawing No HG-002. The overburden in the area generally consists of sandstone till which is a drift derived from mixed Devonian and Carboniferous rocks. These sandstone tills are generally of moderate to low permeability. Pockets of cut peat intersperse these tills and these peat deposits would have generally have formed in low-lying areas which retained wet conditions. Pockets of alluvium are likely present along the River Moy corresponding to the historic river floodplain deposits. Both the peat and alluvium material are considered to be of low permeability. Recharge to bedrock in the region is relatively low and is Ref: October 2016 Page 51

55 estimated at 220mm per year due to the drainage characteristics of the overlying subsoil (Tills and Peat). Areas of high recharge will occur where rock is locally closer to the ground surface. Groundwater Vulnerability Groundwater vulnerability characterises the geological and hydrogeological conditions to determine the ease by which groundwater may become contaminated by human activities. As part of this assessment, the GSI Groundwater Vulnerability mapping for the area was consulted and reviewed. Groundwater vulnerability is classified by the GSI mapping as Moderate in the areas of Pollsharvoge and Cloongullane between the following chainages; Ch and and ; Ch Areas of high groundwater vulnerability are present between the following chainages; Ch Ch ; and Ch The River Moy cuts through the landscape as it passes between Swinford and Foxford and consequently subsoil cover is reduced with bedrock at or close to the ground surface along the river bed and banks. Consequently the areas immediately adjacent to the river are considered to be Extreme Groundwater Vulnerability. Groundwater vulnerability mapping as produced by the GSI along the project is shown on Drawing No HG-003. As part of the development of the proposed road, ground investigations were undertaken along the proposed road corridor which included slit trenches, trial pits and cable percussion drilling followed by rotary coring. The information obtained from these ground investigations allows the actual groundwater vulnerability to be assessed along the route using the criteria set out in the document Groundwater Protection Schemes (1999) produced by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DoEHLG), Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI). The actual groundwater vulnerability along the proposed road development is therefore shown in Table 5.4. Table 5.4: Groundwater Vulnerability Ref. Approx Chainage (m) Depth to Bedrock (m) Revised Groundwater Vulnerability BH Extreme BH Extreme Nature of Overburden CLAY/SILT overlying sandy GRAVEL Sandy gravelly SILT/CLAY Groundwater Level (mbgl) BH Extreme CLAY/SILT - BH Extreme CLAY/SILT - BH Extreme CLAY overlying sandy gravelly SILT BH Extreme CLAY * Ref: October 2016 Page 52

56 Ref. Approx Chainage (m) Depth to Bedrock (m) Revised Groundwater Vulnerability BH Extreme BH >5 High BH9A Extreme Nature of Overburden CLAY/SILT overlying sandy SILT CLAY overlying clayey sandy GRAVEL SILT/CLAY overlying GRAVEL Groundwater Level (mbgl) BH Extreme CLAY - *artesian conditions encountered at 12m BGL. A short section of cutting is proposed for the road alignment between Ch and The maximum depth of this cut is c.1.8m BGL. Bedrock is generally at a depth of 2.1m BGL and will therefore not be encountered, however the net effect will be to reduce the level of protection provided to the underlying aquifer. The vulnerability rating at this location is already considered to be extreme (<3m overburden), however protection afforded to the aquifer by the overlying overburden will be reduced. It is proposed to utilise a sealed drainage system along this section of the proposed road development and therefore the risk of contamination of the aquifer from infiltration of untreated road runoff will not arise. Groundwater Flows The direction of groundwater flow across the area is towards the River Moy particularly with the presence of shallow or exposed rock along the river banks. Some groundwater may also discharge locally to the Swinford River. The bedrock aquifer is generally categorised as Moderately Productive and Locally Important due to the presence of relatively low transmissivity rocks which can exhibit local zones of enhanced permeability. The sandstone rocks do offer some primary porosity however this is typically quite low and groundwater flow will predominantly be governed by the rock s secondary porosity and permeability. This porosity is produced by fracturing and weathering and therefore groundwater flow will be in fissures, faults and joints within the bedrock. During drilling artesian conditions were encountered at 12m BGL adjacent to the River Moy. The rock horizon was found to have close to widely spaced fractures at this depth. Recharge of the aquifer is through diffuse sources with rainwater percolating through the subsoils and recharging directly into the aquifer where bedrock is exposed. Recharge is also likely occurring in upland areas where bedrock is exposed and close to the ground surface. The main groundwater flow will be concentrated in the upper horizons of the bedrock where the rock is weathered and the area of interconnected fractures immediately below. Flow paths may be longer in deeper fractured zones but is likely local in nature. Groundwater flows within locally important aquifers is generally expected to be short ( m). Areas of cut associated with the proposed development are limited to less than 2m BGL and consequently there will be no impact on local groundwater flow paths. The use of piled foundations for bridge abutments at the River Moy crossing has the potential to intercept artesian groundwater flows and potentially impact supplies and/or groundwater flows. It is therefore proposed to have shallow foundations for the proposed bridge abutments. This will avoid the need for piled foundations and Ref: October 2016 Page 53

57 therefore it is not anticipated that the bridge will have an impact on the artesian conditions present at that location. Groundwater Dependant Terrestrial Ecosystems (GWDTEs) The proposed road development passes through a section of the River Moy SAC. Alkaline fen, which is considered a GWDTE, is a Qualifying Interest of the River Moy SAC however there are no areas of such habitat located within the extents of this proposed road development. It is therefore not anticipated that there will be any impact on GWDTE s from the proposed development. Groundwater Resources/Supply The GSI and EPA have delineated source protection areas for groundwater supply schemes throughout the country. There is one private groundwater supply servicing a residential property located at Ch This supply consists of two wells; the main supply is covered and comprises of 900mm diameter concrete rings to the base of the well. The second well comprises of stone walls surrounding an open well. Neither of these wells will be directly impacted by the proposed road which is in slight embankment at this location. There is a small cutting proposed between Ch and Ch extending to a maximum depth of 1.23m BGL (c.2m including earthworks). It is not anticipated that there will be any impact on either of these supplies arising from this cutting, however water level and quality monitoring is proposed before, during and after the works to ensure no impacts occur. In addition a spring or groundwater seepage occurs at Ch This seepage does not provide potable supply and drains naturally to the River Moy. It is proposed that this seepage will be excavated, filled with stone and channelled to the River Moy using a filter drain. The locations of the wells and seepages are shown on Drawings No HG-005. The use of a sealed road drainage system at these locations will ensure that no contamination of groundwater will occur. Groundwater Protection Due to the nature of the underlying aquifer, and to comply with NRA HD 45/15, the groundwater resource requires protection. The use of permeable drains was assessed with reference to the Groundwater Protection Response Matrix. Due to the nature of the overburden along the length of the proposed alignment, a sealed drainage system will be required along the full extent of the proposed road development. Road runoff will be collected through a combination of lined filter drains, lined vegetated ditches, concrete surface water channels and a kerb and gully system. This will ensure that groundwater quality is not negatively impacted by the proposed development. Summary Shallow foundations will be provided for the River Moy bridge abutments thereby avoiding any impacts on artesian groundwater flows. The proposed road drainage system will not permit groundwater infiltration thereby protecting groundwater from potential contamination sources. There are no anticipated impacts on groundwater supplies, with monitoring proposed at one location as a precautionary measure only. It is therefore not anticipated that there will be any impacts on groundwater as a result of the proposed development. Ref: October 2016 Page 54

58 6. ARCHAEOLOGY, ARCHITECTURE & CULTURAL HERITAGE 6.1 Introduction This section of the report presents a summary of the archaeological, architectural and cultural heritage assessment undertaken for the proposed road development. The aim of the assessment is as follows; Discuss the existing environment from an archaeological, architectural and cultural heritage perspective; Describe the known baseline data; Identify potential impacts; and Detail appropriate mitigation measures for each impacted site. The information used for this assessment was gathered by Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd as part of the overall route selection process for the N5/N58/N26 Castlebar to Bohola and Swinford to Mount Falcon Route Studies. Research for the assessment was undertaken in two phases. The first phase comprised a paper survey of all available archaeological, architectural, historical and cartographic sources. The second phase involved a wind screen survey of the study area containing the route options in an attempt to assess the current state of any recorded archaeological and built heritage sites that were accessible from the existing road network. 6.2 Existing Environment Brief descriptions of the archaeological and architectural sites identified along or close to the proposed road development are noted below. It is noted that not all the sites noted below will be impacted by the road. The locations of these sites are indicated on Drawing No AY-001 in Volume 2 of this report. For the purposes of this report a number of designations will be applied to the sites that are identified within the vicinity of the proposed road development. Archaeological Heritage (AH) refers to recorded archaeological sites listed within the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) / Record of Monuments and Places (RMP), which are subject to protection under the National Monuments Act. Existing archaeological heritage features in the vicinity of the proposed road development are noted in Table 6.1. Table 6.1: Cultural Heritage Features Feature Number Townland Description AH 218 Cloonygowan Enclosure AH 219 Cloonygowan Cashel AH 220 Pollsharvoge Sun dial, bullaun stone, enclosure AH 221 Pollsharvoge Megalithic tomb AH 222 Pollsharvoge Undated house AH 223 Pollsharvoge Mound AH 224 Cloongullane Enclosure AH 234 Pollsharvoge Ringfort AH 235 Pollsharvoge Ringfort Ref: October 2016 Page 55

59 Built Heritage (BH) applies to sites of an architectural heritage nature, such as Protected Structures and buildings listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH). For the purposes of this assessment the terms architectural heritage and built heritage have the same intended meaning and are used interchangeably. Existing archaeological heritage features in the vicinity of the proposed road development are noted in Table 6.2. Table 6.2: Built Heritage Features Feature Number Townland Description BH 26 Pollsharvoge Hand ball alley BH 27 Pollsharvoge / Cloongullane Bridge Area of Archaeological Potential (AAP) applies to areas such as rivers, streams, riverine environments and bogland, which are recognised as possessing archaeological potential. The main area of archaeological potential is the River Moy and its banks. Cultural Heritage (CH) applies to any areas or features of archaeological, architectural or cultural heritage merit, which are identified during the wind screen survey or desk-based study that do not meet the criteria for the above designations. Existing cultural features in the vicinity of the proposed road development are noted in Table 6.3. Table 6.3: Cultural Heritage Features 6.3 Impacted Sites Feature Number Townland Description CH 31 Cloongullane Stream (possible tail race) CH 32 Cloongullane Corn kiln CH 38 Cloongullane Road side shrine CH 39 Cloongullane Bridge CH 40 Cloongullane Vernacular cottage CH 41 Cloongullane Vernacular house CH 42 Cloongullane Vernacular house CH 43 Cloongullane School house CH 44 Pollsharvoge Vernacular farm (derelict) CH 45 Pollsharvoge Vernacular farm (in ruins) CH 46 Pollsharvoge Vernacular cottage CH 48 Pollsharvoge Vernacular farm (in ruins) CH 49 Pollsharvoge Vernacular cottage Direct impact is where the extents of a site or features are physically located within the footprint of the proposed road and/or associated construction works. This may entail removal of part or all of the site. Indirect impact is where an impact occurs to the sites immediate environs or where a site or features known extents are located in close proximity (i.e. within c.50 meters) Ref: October 2016 Page 56

60 to the footprint of the proposed road and / or associated construction works. No predicted impact is where a site is deemed to be unaffected by the proposed road development Direct Impacts There will be no direct impacts to protected or proposed protected structures or recorded archaeological sites. There will be a direct impact to CH 45, a vernacular farm in ruins located in the townland of Pollsharvoge. There is also potential for a direct impact to a possible former tail race along the Swinford River. This site will require further investigation prior to the construction phase Indirect Impacts There will be indirect impacts to the features noted below which are located within 50m of the proposed land acquisition line; Positive Impacts CH 46 Vernacular cottage in the townland of Pollsharvoge CH 43 School house in the townland of Cloongullane CH 42 Vernacular House The following sites are located along the existing N26; BH 26 Handball Alley BH 27 Cloongullane Bridge CH 40 Vernacular Cottage CH 41 Vernacular House CH 38 Roadside Shrine CH 39 Bridge These sites will now be bypassed by the proposed road development and will be positively impacted by the transfer of traffic from the existing N26 to the new road. Collisions with the existing bridge occur on a regular basis and the associated repairs have impacted the overall architectural character of the bridge. An example of a recent repair is indicated on Plate 6.1. Ref: October 2016 Page 57

61 Plate 6.1 Repairs to Cloongullane Bridge 6.4 Mitigation Proposals Prior to Construction It is recommended that this work be carried out in advance of construction to allow for the implementation of a calculated and controlled mitigation programme. This is aimed at allowing a satisfactory time frame in which the mitigation measures can be conducted to assist in minimising delays to the construction programme. The following mitigation measures are recommended prior to construction. Non-Invasive Assessment Geophysical Survey To aid in interpreting the archaeological landscape a geophysical survey will be carried out along the route of the project (where suitable) in advance of a possible programme of test trenching. Archaeological Underwater Inspection and Survey Underwater inspections will be carried out on the Pollsharvoge and Swinford Rivers. This will consist of either a wading or underwater survey depending on the depth of water; visual inspection; and, possibly a metal-detector survey of the underwater environment. The bed and banks of the River Moy will not be impacted by the proposed road development therefore there is no requirement to undertake an underwater survey at this location. Ref: October 2016 Page 58

62 Invasive Assessment Site-Specific Test Trenching Site specific archaeological investigative test trenching will be undertaken for CH 45. Site-specific archaeological test trenching aids in determining the nature, extent and significance of the archaeology present. The results of the test trenching investigations will enable the appropriate mitigation strategy to be developed with the approval of the DAHG. Overall Archaeological Testing In order to locate sites of archaeological significance where no surface remains exist, testing by centre-line trenching or other suitable testing layout is recommended for the entire length of the route. Where archaeological sites are found in the course of this work, mitigation strategies will be adopted to deal with such findings in advance of construction, thereby helping to minimise delays during the construction phase. Such mitigation strategies will involve preservation by record of the archaeological deposits (archaeological excavation) or preservation in situ. Preservation in situ Strategies for the preservation in situ of archaeological remains will be considered on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with the Statutory Authority. Preservation in situ will be undertaken through avoidance of the confirmed feature in the development process, if possible, or preservation of the confirmed feature through detailed design, for example blanketed under road embankment. Preservation by record (Archaeological Excavation) Preservation by record in the form of archaeological excavation and recording, to resolution, will be carried out for sites where initial investigation has yielded evidence of archaeologically significant material or structures, and where preservation in situ is not feasible. CH 45 will be recorded by photographs and a written description prior to its removal. Summary This assessment indicates that the proposed road development will have no significant impact on archaeological, architectural and cultural heritage features. It is noted that the proposed road development will have a positive impact on a number of features at Cloongullane including the existing bridge, handball alley and vernacular buildings as a result of traffic diverting onto the new road. One cultural heritage site will be directly impacted by the project the details of which will be recorded by photographs and a written description prior to its removal. Ref: October 2016 Page 59

63 7. ECOLOGY 7.1 Introduction The process of identifying, quantifying and evaluating potential effects of the proposed road development on habitats, species and ecosystems was undertaken in accordance with the best practice guidance Guidelines for Assessment of Ecological Impacts of National Road Schemes (NRA, 2009) and Ecological Surveying Techniques for Protected Flora and Fauna during the Planning of National Road Schemes, (NRA, 2008). This is accompanied by a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) that identifies, in the light of best scientific knowledge in the field, all aspects of the proposed road development that would, individually and/or incombination with other plans and projects, adversely affect the River Moy Special Area of Conservation in the light of its Conservation Objectives. The Natura Impact Statement contains complete, precise and definitive findings and includes examination, analysis, evaluations, findings, conclusions and a final determination. The following sources were also consulted as part of the assessment: The Mayo County Biodiversity Action Plan ; Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (Habitats Directive); European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (SI No. 47/2011); National Parks & Wildlife Service (2013) The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Volume 2 & 3: Article 17 Assessments. Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht; and, European Commission Environment Directorate-General (2001) Assessment of plans and projects significantly affecting Natura 2000 sites: Methodological guidance on the provisions of Article 6(3) and (4) of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC. This section of the provides for a summary of the receiving natural environment within the zone of influence of the proposed road development and provides an overview of the Key Ecological Receptors (KERS); the predicted ecological impacts and effects of the proposed road development; and, the incorporated measures to avoid and reduce impacts. 7.2 Ecological Impact Assessment Methodology Scoping & Consultation A desktop study was carried out to collate information on the ecology of the area that will potentially be impacted by the proposed road development. Information on species listed on Annex II of Council Directive 92/43/EEC (the Habitats Directive); the Wildlife Acts, ; the Flora Protection Order 2015; Bird species listed on Annex I of Directive 79/409/EEC (the Birds Directive); and, Third Schedule of the EC (Birds & Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011(Invasive Alien Species (IAS) subject to restrictions) were sourced from the statutory consultee National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC). NPWS online interactive map-viewer provided information relating to designated sites of conservation importance within the zone of influence of the proposed road development. The study area overlaps nine 1 km squares in the range G3300:G3502. Spatial queries of these 1km squares were undertaken using data provided by NBDC. Ref: October 2016 Page 60

64 Notable records found within the 1km squares overlapping the study area, the date of the most recent record and proximity to the proposed road development are shown in Table 7.1. No Invasive Alien Species (IAS) listed on either Part 1 or Part 2 of the Third Schedule of the aforementioned Regulations were found in the study area. Table 7.1 Desk Study Records of protected fauna in close proximity to the proposed road development (NBDC, 2016). Species Date Closest proximity White-clawed Crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes 29/07/1999 European Otter Lutra lutra 01/11/1980 Pine Marten Martes martes 12/04/2014 Eurasian Badger Meles meles 01/02/ Establishing the Zone of Influence Bridge on Swinford River 100 m upstream of confluence with the River Moy (100 m square G349014) River Moy 100 m upstream of Cloongullane Bridge (100 m square G348015) Southern bank of the River Moy in Ballintemple (100 m square G337008) 1 km squares G3300, G3401, G3402, G3500, G3501 and G3502 The key variables determining whether important ecological features will be subject to impacts through development are: the physical distance of the proposed road development to the KERS identified by the desk study and multidisciplinary walkover surveys; the sensitivities of the any other ecological receptors within the receiving natural environment; and the potential for in-combination effects. The zone of influence in this case was defined on the limit of potential hydrological impact (extent of the catchment). River sub-basin limits (sourced from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)) were used, incorporating a 2 km buffer as a further precaution. This zone was also applied for the likely zone of impact used to inform the Screening for Appropriate Assessment and Natura Impact Statement for the proposed road development Establishing the Study Area The extent of the study area is defined by the ecological features likely to occur within an effects distance to the proposed road development. This is informed by the findings of desk study (presence/absence of protected habitats, flora or fauna within the receiving environment) and relevant best practice methodology for assessing impacts on those ecological features. The study area in this case included a 100m buffer of the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) or red line boundary of the proposed scheme and also included species specific survey buffer zones (e.g. derogation limits for Badger, Otter etc) Establishing the Baseline Multidisciplinary surveys were conducted by suitably qualified Ecologists from ROD- AECOM in January and April 2016 to update data on baseline ecological conditions within the study area and to determine suitability for and/or the presence and proximity of any Qualifying Interests (QI) of any Natura 2000 sites in relation to the Project. Habitat suitability assessments for White-clawed Crayfish, Lamprey and Atlantic Salmon were undertaken at all watercourses within the CPO in January Habitats were categorised using the Fossitt (2000) habitat classification system and mapped in accordance with best practice guidelines (Smith et al., 2011). Habitat mapping along the proposed road development is indicated on Drawing No HM-001 in Volume 2 of this report. Detailed vegetation sampling within a fixed area Ref: October 2016 Page 61

65 (releve) of Riparian Woodland was undertaken at the location of the proposed southern bridge abutment following the approach specified in Perrin et al. (2008) to determine the conservation status of woodland habitats. Bat Suitability Assessments were undertaken for all natural and built structures located within the CPO in April The Natural Environment Designated Sites Sites of International Importance Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are areas of habitats and/or species of international significance that have been identified by the Member State and submitted for designation as strictly protected sites to the European Commission. SACs and SPAs are collectively known as Natura 2000 sites. Natura 2000 designation has its basis in the Habitats Directive, as transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations The primary objective of Natura 2000 is to maintain or enhance the favourable conservation status/conservation condition of the habitats/species and bird species for which they have been designated. The only site of international importance within the zone of influence of the proposed road development is the River Moy SAC [002289], which comprises almost the entire freshwater element of the River Moy and its tributaries, including Loughs Conn and Cullin. This SAC supports the following habitats listed on Annex I of the Habitats Directive: Raised bogs (active) [7110]; Degraded Raised Bogs [7120]; Rhynchosporion depressions [7150]; Alkaline fens [7230]; Old Oak Woodlands [91A0]; and, Residual Alluvial Forest [91E0]) and the following species listed on Annex II (White-clawed Crayfish, Sea and Brook Lamprey, Atlantic Salmon and European Otter). As the proposed road development is not directly connected to or necessary for the management of one or more Natura 2000 sites, it has been subject to an assessment in accordance with Article 6(3) and (4) of the Habitats Directive. Screening for Appropriate Assessment (AA) identified the potential for significant effects arising from the construction and operation of the proposed road development on the River Moy SAC. The proposed road development proceeded to Stage 2: AA with the preparation of a Natura Impact Statement (NIS). The NIS details all elements of the proposed road development that, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, are predicted to have a significant effect on the Qualifying Interests (QIs) of the SAC, in light of their Conservation Objectives (COs). Sites of National Importance Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) are areas considered important for the habitats and species of plants and animals whose habitat needs protection. Under the Wildlife Acts , NHAs are legally protected from damage from the date they are formally proposed for designation and must be a material consideration in the case of any proposed plan or project. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas (pnhas) are sites of national conservation and heritage importance however are not individually protected under statute. pnhas are subject to limited protection, however are recognised by Planning and Licensing Authorities for their ecological value. There are two pnhas, occurring within the zone of influence of the proposed road development. These are as follows; Killaturly Turlough pnha [000511] (6km South-east) Ref: October 2016 Page 62

66 Cloongoonagh Bog pnha [001657] (9km North-east) Habitats The proposed road development crosses the River Moy and two of its tributaries, the Pollsharvoge and Swinford Rivers. Improved agricultural grassland and wet grassland are the dominant habitats occurring within the CPO. Many of these agricultural land parcels are poorly drained, however field and watercourse margins support semi-natural habitats including hedgerow, scrub and mixed woodland. Near the proposed crossing point of the River Moy, there are small stands of non-native conifer plantation and semi-natural woodland. The preferred route was selected to minimise removal of semi-natural habitats Flora & Fauna Suitable habitat likely to support Otter occurs throughout the catchment. Field evidence of Otter was recorded (prints) at the site near the proposed culvert on the Swinford River. No potential Otter holts or couches were recorded within the CPO or within the 150 m derogation limit for this species. The multidisciplinary walkover surveys did not detect any physical evidence of Badgers within the CPO or within 50m derogation limits to proposed works. No other evidence of breeding/resting places for other terrestrial protected mammals (e.g. Stoat, Red Squirrel, Pine Marten etc) was recorded within the CPO. The habitat suitability assessment for White-clawed Crayfish on both tributaries of the River Moy determined that suitable habitat for this species occurred throughout the Swinford River. It was concluded that Crayfish were highly likely to be present in this watercourse. The Swinford River has undergone considerable restoration works to improve the suitability of the watercourse for Atlantic Salmon. It was concluded the Swinford River is also is highly suitable for spawning Lamprey. Two Atlantic Salmon redds were recorded at the site of the proposed culvert. Based on the desk study and the baseline ecological conditions on the Swinford River, and in accordance with the Precautionary Principle, White-clawed Crayfish and Lamprey species are considered to be within immediate proximity to proposed works. The Bat Suitability Assessment determined that an existing culvert under the L-1312, Meelick Road was considered as having medium potential to support a Bat Roost. One tree adjacent to the project (100m outside the CPO) was identified as having moderate/high Bat Roost suitability however this tree will not be impacted by the works. An updated preliminary ground level roost assessment or reasonable number of presence/absence survey visit will be carried out according to best practice guidance (BCT, 2016) prior to the commencement of works on site. No habitats corresponding to any protected habitats listed on Annex I of the Habitats Directive were recorded within the footprint of the CPO Invasive Alien Species (IAS) No IAS listed on the Third Schedule and subject to restrictions under Regulation 49 * 50 of the European Commission (Birds & Natural Habitats) Regulation 2011 were recorded during any of the multidisciplinary walkover surveys. No constraints or risks relating to IAS as a result of the proposed road development construction are predicted. Ref: October 2016 Page 63

67 Habitat loss Habitat degradation Barrier(s) to connectivity Disturbance Habitat loss Barrier(s) to connectivity Disturbance Roughan & O Donovan - AECOM 7.4 Impact Assessment Predicted Impacts The types of impact identified (e.g. direct and indirect impacts, short- and long-term impacts, construction- operational-phase impacts etc.) arising from the proposed road development are assessed in light of the protected species occurring within the CPO. The new River Moy Bridge is proposed to be a clear span structure, however significant short-term impacts are predicted on a number of Qualifying Interests (QIs) for which the River Moy SAC is designated through the installation of culverts on the Swinford and Pollsharvoge Rivers. The culverts are not within the SAC boundary. These predicted impacts fall into four categories: Physical damage and disturbance or loss of habitat; Habitat degradation, e.g. sedimentation; Temporary barriers to connectivity; and, Short-term disturbance (e.g. noise, vibration and visual). Significant long-term impacts are predicted on QIs of the River Moy SAC are also anticipated to arise during the operational-phase of the proposed road development, especially at the location of the proposed culvert on the Swinford River. These predicted impacts fall into three categories: Permanent loss of habitat; Additional barriers to connectivity; and, Long-term disturbance. Predicted construction and operational-phase impacts of the proposed road development on the QIs of the River Moy SAC were identified in the Screening for AA (ROD-AECOM, 2016b) and the NIS. These impacts are summarised in Table 7.2. Table 7.2 Predicted Impacts on the QIs of the River Moy SAC arising from the Project Construction-phase Impacts Operational-phase Impacts Species White-clawed Crayfish Sea Lamprey and Brook/River Lamprey Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No Yes* Yes Yes* No No No No Atlantic Salmon Yes* Yes Yes* No Yes No No European Otter Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes *Temporary impacts that will not give rise to significant effects given restrictions on in-stream works during the period from 1 st October to 30 th April, inclusive, stipulated by IFI (2016). Ref: October 2016 Page 64

68 7.4.2 Key Ecological Receptors River Moy SAC Construction and operation of the proposed road development would be likely to have significant direct and indirect negative impacts on QIs of the SAC that occur in close proximity to and within the River Moy and within tributaries occurring in the CPO. This is considered a Significant Impact on a feature of National Importance. White-clawed Crayfish All life stages of White-clawed Crayfish are vulnerable to damage/loss of habitat and direct mortality during excavations in river channels. One element of the proposed road development predicted to have significant effects on White-clawed Crayfish is the installation of the proposed culvert on the Swinford River. The Swinford River has been shown to support historical populations of White-clawed Crayfish. The Ecological significance of construction and operation impacts if unmitigated would constitute a Long-term Moderate-Significant Negative Impact Sea Lamprey and Brook/River Lamprey Physical and chemical barriers to migration from the sea/estuaries and lower reaches of rivers to upstream spawning sites pose significant threats to all three Lamprey species found in Ireland. The creation of new barriers to the migration of Lamprey in the catchment constitutes a significant negative effect on the function of the River Moy SAC. In-stream works and poorly designed watercourse crossings can act as significant barriers to the movement of Lamprey. In-stream excavations and other construction activities can also impact on Lamprey through increases in suspended solids, disturbance, direct mortality and smothering of spawning beds/juvenile habitat. The ecological significance of construction and operation impacts would constitute a Long-term Moderate-Significant Negative Impact. The element of the proposed road development deemed likely to have significant effects on Lamprey species in the River Moy SAC is the proposed culvert on the Swinford River. In the absence of appropriate mitigation measures, significant effects on this species through additional barriers to migration and damage/disturbance to habitat and individuals are anticipated during both the construction and operational phases of the proposed road development. Atlantic Salmon Anthropogenic barriers to migration are one of the most significant threats to the long-term viability of Atlantic Salmon populations in many river catchments. Instream works can act as barriers to migration and can also lead to other impacts, such as increases in suspended solids, removal of pools and disturbance to individuals in the intra-gravel life stage. The element of the proposed road development deemed likely to give rise to significant effects on Atlantic Salmon in the River Moy SAC is the proposed culvert on the Swinford River. The Ecological significance of construction and operation impacts on Atlantic Salmon if unmitigated would constitute a Long-term - Significant Negative Impact. European Otter Road projects by their nature can negatively impact on Otter by creating barriers to connectivity and lead to Otter traffic fatalities. In-stream works can lead to significant impacts on Otter through holt/couch or habitat destruction, disturbance and barriers to connectivity. The elements of the proposed road development deemed likely to have significant effects on European Otter are the proposed culverts on the Swinford and Pollsharvoge Rivers. The Ecological significance of construction and operation Ref: October 2016 Page 65

69 impacts on Otter if unmitigated would constitute a Long-term Slight-Significant Negative Impact. The only operational-phase impact deemed likely to give rise to potential significant effects on Otter was that of intermittent disturbance owing to use of the proposed pedestrian path beneath the new River Moy bridge. In the absence of appropriate mitigation measures, significant effects on these KERs are anticipated during both the construction and operational phases of the proposed road development Cumulative Impacts In order to identify other plans and projects within the likely zone of influence of this development which are currently under construction or committed to in the Mayo County Development Plan (MCC, 2014), searches of the following documents and websites were carried out: Mayo County Development Plan Mayo NRDO website Draft Ireland West Airport Knock Local Area Plan Renewable Energy Strategy for County Mayo EirGrid website Mayo County Council online map viewer (Planning and Pre-Planning Query System This cumulative impact assessment concluded that the only plan or project likely to give rise to significant in-combination effects with the proposed realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane is the N5/N26/N58 Turlough to Bohola and Swinford to Mount Falcon Road Project, which is currently on hold at the end of the route selection stage. Other projects considered for cumulative impacts are detailed in the NIS. No further water and wastewater services, national roads or energy infrastructure projects or plans or projects of any other kind that could give rise to significant cumulative impacts with the proposed road development were identified in this assessment. 7.5 Mitigation Measures Mitigation by Avoidance and Design The incorporated mitigation measures intended to avoid and/or reduce impacts on the River Moy SAC or, where this is not possible, to minimise these effects such that can no longer be judged to be significant. These measures include: Scheduling of works to avoid periods of high sensitivity for fisheries (1 st October to 1 st July), e.g. migration seasons; Temporary replacement of habitat during construction, e.g. provision of a diversion channel at the site of the Swinford River culvert and electrofishing; Strict adherence to best practice guidelines, e.g. IFI (2016) and NRA (2008) Co-operate with IFI in additional rehabilitation works on the Swinford River to ensure optimal passage of migrating adults and replace disturbed spawning habitat further upstream; Implementation of a Construction Erosion and Sediment Control Plan; Replacement of the original substrate inside the culverts; and, Restriction of construction activities and lighting to minimise disturbance. Ref: October 2016 Page 66

70 Mammal-resistant fencing shall be erected in line with generic best practice guidelines (NRA, 2006) in order to minimise this impact such that it will have not give rise to any significant effect. The locations of mammal-resistant fencing is indicated on Drawing No HM-001. The proposed pedestrian path beneath the new River Moy bridge will be surfaced with a loose material, e.g. gravel or bark chipping, and appropriate controls are installed at either end of the path to prevent access by vehicles (except emergency and maintenance vehicles). Owing to the rural nature of the area, only low intensity use of the path is expected. Therefore, given implementation of the control measures proposed, there are unlikely to be any significant effects on Otter arising from this element of the Project. Under Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts, , in the course of road or other construction works or in the development or preparation of sites on which any building or other structure is intended to be provided, an exemption is granted from restrictions in regard to clearance of vegetation. However, if vegetation removal is required for this project during the restricted period (1 st March to 31 st August), a site inspection by a suitably qualified ecologist prior to and during clearance will be required to ensure reasonable efforts are made to comply with other requirements of the Wildlife Acts and allow works to proceed. Any residual effects remaining after the implementation of the mitigation measures proposed have been assessed as being insignificant in light of the sensitivities of identified KERs Enhancement Vegetated cover will be lost in order to facilitate earthworks and road construction. Hedgerows and Treelines to be lost during construction will largely be replaced as part of the landscaping plan. 7.6 Conclusions Species specific riparian planting along the River Moy and tributaries with Alnus, Fraxinus and Salix and a compatible seed mix to establish the herb layer; Planting of woodland and trees using native species were land is available within the CPO post construction; and, Installation of several (minimum of three) Miramare Bat boxes in suitable locations within or near the CPO post construction to provide new roost opportunities for Bats. Given implementation of the mitigation measures outlined above, as well as the generic best practice guidelines cited, the construction and operation of the proposed road development are considered unlikely to give rise to significant effects on nationally or internationally important sites for nature conservation or on any habitats, flora or fauna protected under the Habitats Directive; Wildlife Acts, Ref: October 2016 Page 67

71 8. LANDSCAPE & VISUAL ASSESSMENT 8.1 Introduction The assessment of landscape and visual impacts for this proposed road development was undertaken in accordance with the EPA s Guidelines on the Information to be Contained in an Environmental Impact Statement, 2002, and the Landscape Institute (UK) Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, Edition 3, The following sources were consulted as part of the assessment: The Landscape Institute Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, Edition , The Mayo County Development Plan (MCDP) The Landscape Appraisal of County Mayo 2008 CAAS Ltd and Mayo Co Co. The National Roads Authority Environmental Impact Assessment of National Road Schemes A Practical Guide. 2008, National Roads Authority The National Roads Authority Guide to Landscape Treatments for National Road Schemes. 2006, National Roads Authority. 8.2 Landscape Assessment The assessment was undertaken in accordance with the third edition of Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (GLVIA3, 2013) Landscape Assessment Methodology The nature and scale of changes to the landscape elements and characteristics are identified, and the consequential effect on landscape character and value are discussed in this section of the report. Existing trends of change in the landscape are taken into account. The assessment of significance of the effects is based on: The sensitivity of the landscape resource. This is a function of its land use, landscape patterns and scale, visual enclosure and distribution of visual receptors, and the value placed on the landscape. Landscape sensitivity is classified as follows; o o o High - exhibits a very strong positive character with valued elements and characteristics that combine to give an experience of unity, richness and harmony, therefore particularly sensitive to change in general. Medium - exhibits positive character but has evidence of alteration to/degradation/erosion of elements and characteristics resulting in an area of mixed character, therefore potentially sensitive to change in general Low - exhibits generally negative character with few valued elements or characteristics. The magnitude of landscape change to be imposed on the landscape by the development. Magnitude of change to the landscape is classified as follows; o High - total loss of or major alteration to the key elements or characteristics of the landscape, and/or introduction of elements considered totally uncharacteristic in the context of the receiving environment s landscape character. Ref: October 2016 Page 68

72 Magnitude Roughan & O Donovan - AECOM o o o Medium - partial loss of or alteration to one or more key elements or features, and/or introduction of elements that may be prominent but may not necessarily be considered to be substantially uncharacteristic in the context of the receiving environment. Low - minor loss of or alteration to one or more key elements or characteristics, and/or introduction of elements that may not be uncharacteristic in the context. Negligible - very minor loss, alteration or introduction of elements of the landscape. For landscape amenity, the impact significance assessment is classified as high, medium or low based on the measurement of the magnitude of change against the sensitivity of the landscape or view, using the matrix indicated on Plate 8.0. Sensitivity H M L H M L N High Significance Medium Significance Low Significance Plate 8.0 Impact Significance Assessment The predicted effect on landscape is also classified as beneficial, neutral or adverse based on an evaluation of the likely impact on identified landscape values. This is not an absolute exercise; it is a professional judgement informed by the process of landscape character assessment, particularly landscape values assessment (informed by the DoEHLG Consultation Draft of Guidelines for Landscape and Landscape Character Assessment 2000), also taking into account relevant planning policy Proposed Road Development Description A description of the proposed road development is included in Section 3.0 of this report Landscape Impacts and Effects The alignment of the proposed road generally follows the existing road corridor north of the River Moy i.e. between Ch and Ch A section of off-line alignment is proposed between Ch and Ch which will result in the loss of existing vegetation. South of the River Moy (Ch and Ch.1+700), much of the proposed route will not be visible from the existing N26 due to existing vegetation, supplemented by new planting, prohibiting views in a southerly direction. The new bridge will be visible from the existing Cloongullane Bridge and also from some dwellings north and south of the route. However, the general character of the old bridge and its environs should improve as traffic transfers to the new N26. As the most visible new feature of the development, a bridge is not an unexpected structure over a river. The design of the bridge as a clear span over the river has Ref: October 2016 Page 69

73 sought to achieve a balance between the ecological constraints of the River Moy SAC and the surrounding landscape character. A curved parapet fascia is incorporated into the design to enhance the appearance of the bridge in elevation. The section of the proposed route between chainage and incorporating the bridge and its approaches, will result in some loss of existing landscape features, affecting the residential amenity of seven dwellings including a converted former school with some loss of existing hedgerows, mature trees, parts of gardens, new boundary walls, gates and driveways etc. This will affect local residential amenity and views up and down the River Moy. Between Ch and Ch the alignment continues across two pastoral fields, a small section of conifer plantation and another pastoral field before connecting back into the N26. The proposed route impacts mostly on local residential amenity. However in some instances houses will be located further from the road and will have safer access as a result of lower traffic flows on the truncated sections of the existing road. It is noted that many of the affected houses are located in close proximity to the existing national route and will benefit from the removal of traffic. The wider landscape can be reinstated addressing greening, character and screening issues to recreate and repair the landscape setting of the new alignment. Potential effects on the wider landscape and the character, quality and spatial extent of the route would be minimised and screened by mitigation planting to reinstate a similar route corridor landscape to the existing baseline. Mitigation proposals seek to eliminate, in the short and medium term, the impacts and effects on the wider landscape whilst repairing these where feasible. Details of the proposed mitigation planting are indicated on Drawing Numbers LS-001, LS-002 and LS-003. Landscape sensitivity to roads development is generally low as reflected in the Mayo County Council Development Plan ( ) guidance for Landscape Character Area K (Area within which this proposed road development is located). Notwithstanding this, the River Moy corridor is designated as a vulnerable landscape and therefore this section of the receiving environment is of High Sensitivity. The Magnitude of Change to landscape character is generally Low - minor loss of or alteration to one or more key elements or characteristics, and/or introduction of elements that may not be uncharacteristic in the context. However within the River Moy corridor this landscape impact would be Medium - partial loss of or alteration to one or more key elements or features, and/or introduction of elements that may be prominent but may not necessarily be considered to be substantially uncharacteristic in the context of the receiving environment. The significance of the change is medium, falling to low over time as mitigation proposals take hold. Qualitatively the effects would be adverse at construction stage and in the short term but becoming neutral in the medium to long term. 8.3 Visual Assessment Visual Assessment Methodology The visual assessment considers the potential changes to the composition of views, the character of the views, and the visual amenity experienced by visual receptors. The visual impact significance assessment is based on the matrix indicated on Plate 8.0. Ref: October 2016 Page 70

74 The assessment is made for a number of viewpoints selected to represent the receiving environment and its users and inhabitants. For each viewpoint the field of view towards the site is described in terms of its key elements or characteristics. The potential visual effect on each viewpoint is assessed by measuring the viewpoint sensitivity against the magnitude of change which would result from the proposed development: Viewpoint sensitivity is a function of the location and context of the viewpoint, the expectations and occupation or activity of the visual receptor, and the importance of the view. Viewpoint sensitivity is classified as follows; o o o High - users of outdoor recreation facilities or centres of activity focussed on the landscape, and occupiers of residential properties with views affected by the development. Medium - people travelling through or past the affected landscape in cars or on public transport, i.e. viewing but not focussed on the landscape. Low - people at their place of work or engaged in similar activities such as shopping, etc., whose attention will be focussed on these activities. Magnitude of change to the field of view (towards the site) takes into account the extent of the view that would be occupied by the intrusion, the proportion of the development or particular features that would be visible, and whether the view of the development would be static, or a sequence or transient (as seen from a moving vehicle). The magnitude of change to each view is classified as follows; o o o o High - total loss of or major alteration to the key elements or characteristics of the view, and/or introduction of elements considered totally uncharacteristic in the context of the view. Medium - partial loss of or alteration to one or more key elements or features, and/or introduction of elements that may be prominent but may not necessarily be considered to be substantially uncharacteristic in the context of the view. Low - minor loss of or alteration to one or more key elements or characteristics, and/or introduction of elements that may not be uncharacteristic in the context. Negligible - very minor loss, alteration or introduction of elements of the view. For visual amenity the classification of an impact as positive, neutral or negative is an inherently subjective exercise. For visual amenity, as with landscape, the significance of the effects is classified as high, medium or low based on the measurement of the magnitude of change against the sensitivity of the landscape or view, using the guide in Plate 8.0. Visual receptors attitudes to developments including roads will vary, and so will their perception of their visual impact. These qualitative impacts are defined as: Adverse Scheme at variance with landform, scale, pattern. Would degrade, diminish or destroy the integrity of valued features, elements or their setting or cause the quality of the landscape(townscape)/view to be diminished. Neutral Scheme complements the scale, landform and pattern of the landscape(townscape)/view and maintains landscape quality. Ref: October 2016 Page 71

75 Beneficial improves landscape(townscape)/view quality and character, fits with the scale, landform and pattern and enables the restoration of valued characteristic features or repairs / removes damage caused by existing land uses. Impacts are also categorised according to their longevity or timescale as follows; Construction Phase Short Term Lasting one to seven years Medium Term Lasting seven to fifteen years Long Term Lasting fifteen years to sixty years Permanent Lasting over sixty years This assessment seeks as far as possible to be objective in the classification of effects, and to provide a robust justification for the conclusions drawn Visual Impacts and Effects Based on the assessment of the landscape characteristics, values and sensitivities, 11 viewpoints were selected for assessment of visual impact and effect. These views are representative of the public landscape and amenity, the road corridor and the wider landscape. The locations of the viewpoints are indicated on Drawing Number LS-001. The impact and effects on the 11 viewpoints is indicated on Table 8.1. Viewpoint 1 At Chainage Viewpoint 2 Looking north from the cluster of houses along a local road to the south of N26 (Chainage and 0+650). Ref: October 2016 Page 72

76 Viewpoint 3 N26 (north west) at Chainage Viewpoint 4 N26 (south east) at Chainage Viewpoint 5 N26 adjacent to chainage looking north west Ref: October 2016 Page 73

77 Viewpoint 6 At junction between N26 and residential dwelling, looking across River Moy in a south easterly direction towards the proposed river crossing. Viewpoint 7 Located on the Pollsharvoge local road toward the N26 junction in a south westerly direction Viewpoint 8 Located on the Cloongullane local road looking north east across the River Moy Ref: October 2016 Page 74

78 Viewpoint 9 Looking downstream along the River Moy, from the existing Cloongullane Bridge Viewpoint 10 Looking south west down the Meelick local road Viewpoint 11 N26 looking east at Chainage Ref: October 2016 Page 75

79 Table 8.1: Impact and Effects on Viewpoints No. Location / Description Viewpoint Sensitivity The Road Corridor VP1 VP2 VP3 VP4 VP5 VP6 VP11 At chainage looking east where realigned road dissects corner of N26. Looking north from cluster of houses along a local road to the south of N26 and proposed realignment. At chainage looking west across the N26 where the proposed alignment will dissect pastrol fields. At chainage looking south east across the N26 toward proposed new feeder road and attenuation pond. North of chainage looking north west along N26 where proposed road realigns in a south easterly direction. At junction between N26 and residential dwelling, looking across River Moy in a south easterly direction where proposed bridge is to cross. At chainage 1+800, looking west down N26 where proposed realignment is due to rejoin existing road. The River Corridor VP7 VP8 Looking in south westerly direction, down local road towards junction to N26 where proposed junction will extended across the N26 onto front garden of residential property. Looking in a north eastern direction across River Moy to area where the northern landing and bridge is proposed to be sited Magnitude of Change Short Term Medium Low Medium & Adverse High Medium High & Adverse Medium Medium Medium & Adverse Medium Medium Medium & Neutral Medium Medium Medium & Adverse High High High & Adverse Medium Medium Medium & Adverse High Medium High & Neutral High High High & Adverse Medium Term Long Term Significance of the Change & Impact Low & Neutral High & Neutral Low & Neutral Medium & Neutral Medium & Neutral High & Neutral Medium & Neutral High & Neutral High & Neutral Low & Neutral High & Neutral Low & Neutral Medium & Neutral Medium & Neutral High & Neutral Medium & Neutral High & Neutral High & Neutral Permanent Low & Neutral High & Neutral Low & Neutral Medium & Neutral Medium & Neutral High & Neutral Medium & Neutral High & Neutral High & Neutral Ref: October 2016 Page 76

80 No. Location / Description Viewpoint Sensitivity Magnitude of Change Short Term Medium Term Long Term Permanent VP9 Looking south west down the River Moy toward location of proposed river crossing in middle ground of view. High High High & Adverse High & Adverse High & Neutral High & Neutral VP10 North east of chainage 1+200, looking toward southern landing of bridge, in a south westerly direction, down existing local road which is proposed as Cul de Sac with pedestrian access under proposed bridge. High High High & Adverse High & Adverse High & Neutral High & Neutral Beneficial Neutral Adverse High Medium Low L, M, H Low Medium High In addition impacts and effects on individual houses or clusters of houses along the existing road corridor or on adjacent side roads, are assessed. These are indicated on Drawing Number LS-001. Details of the visual impacts and effects are included in Table 8.2. Ref: October 2016 Page 77

81 Table 8.3: Visual Impacts and Effect Residential Receptors House Cluster No. Description Chainage (Approx.) 1 House This residence is located approximately 30m from the existing road verge and contains at least one residential unit. The house is orientated north looking across the N26 toward agricultural lands through patches of hedgerow. 2 Large farm / house complex 3 Single House 4 House/s & Farm Buildings 5 Single House / / Existing Visual Amenity Description Proposed Change to Visual Amenity Mitigation Magnitude of Change (with mitigation) The closest building in this cluster is located approximately 20m from the existing road corridor. The cluster containing at least one residential unit. Access is via a driveway approximately 50m off the N26. The cluster is surrounded by mature conifer trees on its north, east and west with its southern boundary vegetation having been felled recently opening up views to the existing route. All the buildings are orientated in different directions, with the main residence facing south east across the N26 toward agricultural fields and hedgerows. Residence is located approximately 25m from the existing road verge, accessed directly off the N26. The house is orientated north east looking across the N26 toward another dwelling on the northern edge of the existing road. The boundary has some mature conifers to its south, east and west, with some low vegetation abutting the N Located approximately 18m to the north of the existing road verge with access off the N26 itself and contains at least one residential unit. A grass verge some 8m wide joins the property to the N26 road verge, with the front of the property being marked with a small boundary wall and no vegetation/trees / Residence located on a corner just east of a junction with a local road and the N26. The property is accessed via a drive off the N26. The property is bound on its south, west and north by some low hedging with occasional small trees, and to its east by some large conifers. From a slightly elevated point the property is orientated in a south westerly direction, looking over the existing road and fields to its south west. The property will not be affected although the road construction will see a slightly wider road corridor accommodated along the existing road alignment. The new road alignment would see the road moving away from the cluster just south of the existing route with the removal of the road corridor boundary vegetation to the south. The realigned route would see the access drive repositioned off the N26 (to the properties north) to a new access point, via a local road to the east of the cluster, resulting in partial loss of the boundary trees. The road corridor itself would be moved slightly closer to the residence with a slight portion of the front garden being lost with the new alignment. The new road would be located a couple of metres to the south of the existing route, moving it slightly further away from this residence. The existing grass verge would be retained to the front of the property with some specimen trees being introduced to the west and east of the properties boundary where it meets the road corridor. The new route will see the N26 move further south from its current location with a new junction being provided for the local road running along the properties western boundary. The access will remain off a portion of the existing road which will be retained, with a turning head being provided at the property entrance. The slightly elevated position of the residence will afford views of the proposed bridge and landings, with its views being one of the most affected of all the clusters. Hedgerow and tree planting to new road corridor. Where possible, specimen / important trees to be retained at Construction Stage. Hedgerow and tree planting to new road corridor. Where possible, specimen / important trees to be retained at Construction Stage. Hedgerow and tree planting to new road corridor. Where possible, specimen / important trees to be retained at Construction Stage. Hedgerow and tree planting to new road corridor. Where possible, specimen / important trees to be retained at Construction Stage. Hedgerow and tree planting to new road corridor. Where possible, specimen / important trees to be retained at Construction Stage. Con*. Stage Short Term Medium term Long Term Sensi tivity Con. Stage Low Low Low Negl High Medium & Adverse Impact Significance (with mitigation) Short Term Medium Term Long Term Significance of the Change & Impact Medium & Neutral Low & Neutral Negligible & Neutral Negl Negl Negl Negl High Negl Negl Negl Negl Med Med Med Low High High & Adverse Low Low Low Negli High Med & Neutral Med Med Med Med High High & Adverse High & Adverse Med & Neutral High & Adverse High & Neutral Med & Neutral Med & Neutral Med & Neutral Low & Neutral Med & Neutral Ref: October 2016 Page 78

82 House Cluster No. Description 6 Single House 7 Single House 8 Single House 9 Single House Chainage (Approx.) Existing Visual Amenity Description Proposed Change to Visual Amenity Mitigation Magnitude of Change (with mitigation) Residence located approximately 42m to the south of the existing road verge, located opposite an existing junction with a local road and the N26. The property is located on a lower elevation than the existing road level and is surrounded by boundary vegetation, which currently screens the property from the existing road / Residence located on a local road, south of the River Moy, and has an elevated view over the river and its northern banks. The house is orientated in a north western direction looking towards the north bank and clusters 5 and 6. The property is bound by some medium sized shrubs to its west with its north and east boundary only being a low wall, affording it views of the river corridor, northern banks and agricultural land to its east Residence located on a local road, just south of Cloongullaun Bridge and the River Moy. The house is orientated in a north west direction, looking towards the River with various farm buildings situated around it. The property is bound to its west by a farm yard with a low wall and some hedging and trees bounding its north, west and south perimeter / Residence located on the N26, south east of the Cloongullaun Bridge and contains at least one residential unit. The residence faces south west and looks across the N26 toward an agricultural field surrounded by woodland. 10 House Residence located approximately 42m north of the N26, and is bound to its north, east and west by mature conifer hedging. The residence faces a southern direction looking across the N26 toward agricultural lands. *Con. = Construction The front boundary of this property will be affected by the road alignment and bridge landing construction. The new alignment will see the N26 moving further south of the existing route, closer to the property and will reposition the driveway to the residence, causing partial loss of boundary vegetation. The new access will be provided to the properties north west with the partial loss of boundary vegetation to the west. The views north and east from this property will be affected by the road and bridge landing construction. To the north east of the property the bridge will be visible with the northern bank landing located directly to the properties north. To the east of the residence a realigned local road will be visible. The realigned local road ties into the existing local road in front of this house. The views west of this property will be affected by the road and bridge landing construction. The landform will be graded up to meet the proposed road level to the west. Potential views of the bridge itself may be visible through a wooded area on the southern bank of the river where the bridge landing is due to land. There will be minimal to no affect by the road construction to this residence. There will be minimal to no affect by the road construction to this residence. Hedgerow and tree planting to new road corridor. Where possible, specimen / important trees to be retained at Construction Stage. Hedgerow and tree planting to new road corridor. Where possible, specimen / important trees to be retained at Construction Stage. New boundary wall. Where possible, specimen/important trees to be retained at construction stage. Woodland planting and specimen tree planting to the new road corridor. Hedgerow and tree planting to new road corridor. Where possible, specimen / important trees to be retained at Construction Stage. Hedgerow and tree planting to new road corridor Con*. Stage Short Term Medium term Long Term Sensi tivity Con. Stage High High High High High High & Adverse High High High High High High & Adverse High High High High High High & Adverse Impact Significance (with mitigation) Short Term High & Adverse High & Adverse High & Adverse Medium Term High & Neutral High & Neutral High & Neutral Long Term High & Neutral High & Neutral High & Neutral Negl Negl Negl Negl High Negl Negl Negl Negl Negl Negl Negl Negl High Negl Negl Negl Negl Ref: October 2016 Page 79

83 The assessments noted in Table 8.1 illustrate all viewpoints experience initially adverse effects of High significance at Construction Stage. Viewpoints 2, 6, 8, 9 and 10 continue to experience adverse and high effects in the short term. Other Viewpoints 1, 3, 5 and 11 decline to adverse effects of medium significance in the Short term. By the Medium term and ongoing all Viewpoints other than No 9 & 10 decline to a neutral effect of varying significance i.e. mitigation measures and replacement / screening planting are reinstating the original character and qualities of the view. For Viewpoints 9 and 10 within the vulnerable river corridor this adverse effect continues in the medium term as the more severe intervention associated with the new river crossing takes longer to be mitigated and integrated with the associated landscape proposals. Whilst the significance of impacts may continue to be high in the medium and long term with mitigation proposals and the recovery of landscape, the realigned road and new bridge will be generally viewed as a neutral change i.e. complementing the scale, landform and pattern of the view and landscape quality. The effects on residential visual amenity broadly reflect the effects on the public realm although the impacts can be locally more dramatic and changes to access, boundaries and gardens may be more significant for some individual properties. Consultation with affected landowners can identify issues of local/individual concern and their reinstatement or retention, where feasible. 8.4 Conclusion The assessment of the effects on landscape character and public realm viewpoints have similar results. In landscape terms the Significance of the change is Medium, falling to Low over time, as mitigation proposals take hold. Qualitatively the effects would be adverse at construction and in the short term but becoming neutral; in the medium to long term. Residential visual amenity broadly reflects the same outcome although some properties will experience more severe impacts. Notwithstanding this, these impacts are local / individual in nature and are as a result of loss of boundaries or nearby planting. Mitigation proposals seek to eliminate, in the short and medium term, the impacts and effects on the wider landscape whilst repairing these where feasible. Many of the elements that contribute to the existing landscape character can be reinstated, recreated and/or alternative qualitative landscape proposals implemented to mitigate the effects. The design of the bridge has sought to achieve a balance between the ecological constraints of the River Moy SAC and the surrounding landscape character. From an ecological viewpoint it is not appropriate to have a mid-span pier in the river therefore the bridge beams are relatively deep and visually prominent presenting a simple robust and functional elevation. Qualitatively the impacts and effects in landscape character and visual terms would be adverse at construction stage and in the short term, but becoming neutral; in the medium to long term. The proposed road development is along an existing national route corridor and is the development of an existing feature of the landscape rather than the imposition of an inappropriate and alien element. The proposed landscape mitigation together with appropriate accommodation works for impacted properties will ensure that a considered and sensitive road improvement can be accommodated in the landscape with, in the medium and long term, a neutral impact on character and visual quality. Ref: October 2016 Page 80

84 9. AIR, ODOUR, NOISE & VIBRATION 9.1 Air Quality Operation Phase The proposed road development is located in a rural area with no significant developments in the immediate vicinity. Based on the Environmental Protection Agency s monitoring mapping, the air quality at the location of the proposed road development is noted as being good. ( Having regard to the predicted traffic flows and the existing air quality it is not envisaged that the new road will have a significant impact on air quality at this location. The locations of receptors which will experience a slight impact in air quality are indicated on Drawing Number AR-001 in Volume 2 of this report. Properties 2 and 3 are proposed to be acquired as part of the proposed road development therefore the properties that are predicted to be most significantly affected are Properties 4 and 5. It is noted that the proposed road will divert traffic away from the cluster of houses at Cloongullane Bridge. Trucks have been observed to accelerate and decelerate at the bridge location which can have localised impacts on air quality. The engine idling of vehicles as they wait to cross the bridge can also contribute to the localised impacts on air quality at the bridge. The locations of receptors which will experience an improvement an air quality are indicated on Drawing Number AR-001 in Volume 2 of this report. Construction Phase Mitigation The potential for dust to be emitted depends on the type of construction activity being carried out in conjunction with environmental factors including levels of rainfall, wind speeds and wind direction. The potential for impact from dust depends on the distance to potentially sensitive locations and whether the wind can carry the dust to these locations. The majority of any dust produced will be deposited close to the potential source and any impacts from dust deposition will typically be within two hundred metres of the construction activities. In order to minimise dust emissions during construction, a series of mitigation measures have been prepared and will be included in the EOP for implementation during the construction phase of the proposed road development. These measures are as follows: Site roads will be regularly cleaned and maintained as appropriate. Hard surface roads will be swept to remove mud and aggregate materials from their surface while any unsurfaced roads will be restricted to essential site traffic only. Any road that has the potential to give rise to fugitive dust will be regularly watered during dry and/or windy conditions. Vehicles using site roads will have their speeds restricted where there is a potential for dust nuisance at nearby properties. Where practicable, vehicles exiting the site shall make use of a wheel wash facility prior to entering onto public roads. This will ensure that mud and other wastes are not tracked onto public roads. Public roads outside the site will be regularly inspected for cleanliness, and cleaned as necessary. Before entrance onto public roads, trucks will be adequately inspected to ensure no potential for dust emissions. Ref: October 2016 Page 81

85 Material handling systems and site stockpiling of materials will be designed and laid out to minimise exposure to wind. Water misting or sprays will be used as required if particularly dusty activities are necessary during dry or windy periods. The dust minimisation procedures put in place will be monitored and assessed by the contractor. In the event of dust nuisance occurring outside the site boundary, the effectiveness of existing measures will be reviewed and further mitigation will be implemented to rectify the problem. Provided the dust minimisation measures outlined above are adhered to, the air quality impacts during the construction phase will be not be significant. 9.2 Odour The construction of this proposed road development will have no significant odour impacts. 9.3 Noise Operation Phase The assessment of noise impacts from this proposed road development has involved the following; Review of Predicted Traffic Flows Identification of Key Receptors and Impacts Mitigation Measures Due to the nature of the project being a realignment of a short section of a relatively lightly trafficked road it was considered that the development of a noise model was not appropriate. Predicted Traffic Flows The road between Foxford and Swinford currently carries between 3,300 and 3,800 AADT. It is not anticipated that the realignment of the N26 at this location will induce significant levels of new traffic to the route however traffic flows will grow between now and the design year of It is anticipated that the N26 will carry approximately 4,660 AADT in the Design Year. Receptors & Impacts The realignment of the N26 will result in five houses being closer to the road than the current situation. The properties which would now be closer to the road are indicated on Drawing Number NR-001 in Volume 2 of this report. Properties 2 and 3 are proposed to be acquired as part of the proposed road development therefore the properties that are predicted to be most significantly affected are Properties 4 and 5. There are a number of houses that are currently located along or close to the N26 at Cloongullane Bridge. These properties will experience a reduction in noise levels as a result of this section of the N26 being realigned. These properties are indicated on Drawing Number NR-001 in Volume 2 of this report. The properties to the south of the existing bridge that will experience a reduction in noise levels are indicated on Plate 9.1. Ref: October 2016 Page 82

86 Mitigation Measures Plate 9.1 Properties Adjacent to Cloongullane Bridge Although no significant increases in noise level are anticipated it is proposed that the road will include a low noise road surface. A low noise road surface is a potential way of controlling road traffic noise "at source". Low noise surfaces are generally considered to offer noise level reductions of the order of 2 to 3dB(A). This reduction will offset any increase in noise levels Construction Phase A variety of items of plant will be in use, such as excavators, lifting equipment, dumper trucks, compressors and generators. It is also possible that rock breaking may be required on occasions. Due to the nature of the activities undertaken on a construction site, there is potential for generation of significant levels of noise. The flow of vehicular traffic to and from a construction site is also a potential source of noise. Due to the need to import fill material to site there will be vehicular movements to and from the site using the existing N26. The importation of fill to site is anticipated to take place over two separate one month periods. It is anticipated that there will be a 7% increase in overall traffic along the N26 and a doubling of the numbers of heavy goods vehicles for these short periods. There are a number of quarries in the vicinity of the scheme which may be utilised in the sourcing of this material. The locations of these quarries are indicated on Plate 9.2. Ref: October 2016 Page 83

87 Plate 9.2 Existing Quarries Only those quarries that conform to all necessary statutory consents will be used in the construction phase. Mitigation Measures The contract documents will clearly specify that the Contractor undertaking the construction of the works will be obliged to take specific noise abatement measures and comply with the recommendations of BS 5228: Part 1 and the European Communities (Noise Emission by Equipment for Use Outdoors) Regulations, These measures will ensure that: No plant used on site will be permitted to cause an ongoing public nuisance due to noise. The best means practicable, including proper maintenance of plant, will be employed to minimise the noise produced by on site operations. All vehicles and mechanical plant will be fitted with effective exhaust silencers and maintained in good working order for the duration of the contract. Compressors will be attenuated models fitted with properly lined and sealed acoustic covers which will be kept closed whenever the machines are in use and all ancillary pneumatic tools shall be fitted with suitable silencers. Machinery that is used intermittently will be shut down or throttled back to a minimum during periods when not in use. Any plant, such as generators or pumps, which is required to operate before 07:00hrs or after 19:00hrs will be surrounded by an acoustic enclosure or portable screen. Ref: October 2016 Page 84