€6m contract awarded as major East Cork road project moves forward

A €6m technical services contract has been awarded for the N25 Midleton-to-Youghal Transport Project as work begins on finding a preferred route.

A newly published contract notice confirms that Cork County Council appointed engineering consultancy Roughan & O’Donovan to provide advice across the options, design, and planning stages of the project. 

The 66-month contract covers phases two to four of Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s project process.

In practical terms, that includes examining route options, preparing the design and environmental assessments, and bringing the project through the statutory planning process. 

The appointment forms part of the council’s plans to tackle congestion, unreliable journey times, and road safety problems along the N25 in East Cork.

The study area stretches for about 20km from the Lakeview Roundabout in Midleton to Ballyvergan, west of Youghal. Options are expected to include long-awaited bypasses for Castlemartyr and Killeagh, along with improvements at Lakeview.

Cork County Council previously described the overall consultancy appointment as a €6.8m contract with the Roughan & O’Donovan-AECOM Alliance. The formal award notice lists Roughan & O’Donovan as the successful tenderer and gives the estimated contract value as €6m, excluding vat. It does not state the final price.

The project is now at the options selection stage and no route has yet been chosen. The first public consultation was last week and focused on the proposed study area and the physical, environmental, engineering and community constraints that could affect possible routes.

Cork County Council is asking residents, businesses, and community groups to provide local knowledge and identify issues or opportunities that should be considered. Once the submissions have been examined, the project team will develop potential route options.

These will be presented during a second public consultation before an emerging preferred option is selected. 

The council said the project aims to improve road safety, reduce congestion and provide more reliable links between Cork and Waterford. 

It will also examine opportunities to improve public transport and active travel while limiting the impact on local communities and the environment.

Cork County Council chief executive Moira Murrell previously said the project would support the continued growth of East Cork while improving safety and efficiency along the N25. 

The scheme is being managed by the Cork National Roads Office on behalf of the council, with Transport Infrastructure Ireland acting as the approving and funding authority.