Ireland signs contract for Tralee bypass

Kerry County Council in Ireland has entered into a contract with Bam Civil Engineering for the Tralee bypass project.

The €60 million ($84.8 million) project, known as N22 Tralee Bypass/Tralee to Bealagrellagh road improvement scheme, includes construction work for 13.5km which will connect the N21, N22, N69 and N70 in Tralee.Upon completion, the new road will comprise an 8km dual carriageway eastern bypass of Tralee town connecting the N69 Listowel Road with the N70 Killorglin road through the N21 Limerick Road.

This section of the project comprises five roundabouts, a compact grade-separated junction, two road bridges, a railway crossing at Ballinorig and a crossing of the river Lee at Camp, Ballyseedy. Another 5.5km single carriageway link road from the proposed bypass to the N22 Killarney Road at Bealagrellagh includes three at-grade junctions and one road underbridge.

Construction work on the project is scheduled to commence in July/August this year. The bypass is estimated to reduce traffic congestion in Tralee town and was one of the six major road projects that the government has announced to go ahead before 2015.