N22 Abha na Biochaille - Bohill River Bridge

The N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom Road Development, representing an investment of €280 million in County Cork, is progressing since construction commenced in earnest in early 2020. Works on the 22km scheme are well underway, with the dual carriageway and associated structures being constructed, largely offline through challenging terrain. 

The 121-metre bridge journeyed from Seville to the Gaeltacht Mhuscraí. With many months of planning, it took a total of twenty trucks to bring the structure to site, eight of which were abnormal loads requiring skilled drivers and Garda escorts.

Beams for the bridge were manufactured by Tecade SA in Seville, Spain and shipped to the Port of Cork for onward delivery to the Bohill River with the beams then assembled to form a two-span 121-metre-long structure to be “pushed launched” over the River Bohill to form 80.5 and 40.5 metre spans.

On March 4th 2021, a 90m bridge section weighing 770 tonnes, assembled on the riverbank, was pulled into position by specialist push launch contractors Mammoet using temporary steel piers and Teflon pads. The remaining 31metres will be constructed on site and pulled into place in approximately three weeks’ time. The beams are expected to be fully in place in April 2021.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Mary Linehan Foley welcoming the progress, said,

“It must be encouraging for the local community to see the work progressing on the ground. The bridge delivery and construction are a remarkable feat of engineering that has involved a great deal of planning and cooperation. Well done to all involved in progressing this step in a hugely significant infrastructural project for the region.”

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey commented,

“It’s great to see progress on the largest road scheme in the country during a global pandemic. Cork County Council would like to thank Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Jons Civil Engineering-John Cradock JV, the project team, the local communities and N22 roads users and in particular, the local residents, for their patience and support with the scheme construction.”

Mary Flynn Project Engineer Cork County Council, added,

“Cork County Council is delighted to have reached a stage where people in the locality can see key elements of the project progressing. The construction of the Bohill Bridge was always going to be one of the most challenging structures to build, particularly given the confined nature of the site. Great credit is due to the contractor and the wider project team for successfully reaching this point.”

The N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom Road Development is a critical transport infrastructure project and continues to progress under Level 5 restrictions with the appropriate control measures in place.

Regular scheme updates are available at www.n22bbm.ie

Obair ar Dhroichead 121 méadar thar Abha na Biochaille ag dul chun cinn mar chuid d'fhorbairt Bhóthair N22 ó Bhaile Bhuirne go Maigh Chromtha

Tá Forbairt Bhóthair Bhaile Bhuirne go Maigh Chromtha, a léiríonn infheistíocht de €280 milliún i gContae Chorcaí, ag dul ar aghaidh ó cuireadh tús leis an tógáil go luath i 2020. Tá oibreacha ar an scéim 22km ag dul go maith, leis an débhealach agus na struchtúir bhainteacha á dtógáil, as líne den chuid is mó trí thír-raon dúshlánach.

Tháinig an droichead 121 méadar ó Seville go dtí Gaeltacht Mhúscraí. Le míonna fada pleanála, thóg sé fiche trucail ina hiomláine chun an struchtúr a thabhairt chuig an láithreán, ocht gcinn dóibh siúd ina n-ualaí neamhghnácha agus bhí tiománaithe oilte agus coimhdeacht Garda ag teastáil chun iad a iompar dá bharr.

Bhí an déantúsaíocht ar na bíomaí don droichead déanta ag an gcomhlacht Tecade SA i Seville sa Spáinn agus seoladh chuig Cuan Chorcaí iad le seachadadh ar aghaidh chuig Abha na Biochaille agus cuireadh na bíomaí le chéile ansin chun struchtúr dhá-réise 121 méadar ar fhad, le bheith lonnaithe trí phróiseas “lainseáil sáite” thar Abha na Biochaille chun réisí 80.5 agus 40.5 méadar a dhéanamh.

Ar 4 Márta 2021, tharraing conraitheoirí speisialaithe lainseála Mammoet cuid de dhroichead 90m dar meáchan 770 tonna, a cuireadh le chéile ar bhruach na habhann, in áit ag úsáid piaraí cruach shealadach agus ceapa Teflon. Tógfar na 31 méadar eile ag an láithreán agus tarraingeofar in áit i gceann timpeall trí seachtaine. Meastar go mbeidh na bíomaí go léir lonnaithe in áit fé Aibreán 2021.

D'fháiltigh Méara Chontae Chorcaí, an Comhairleoir Mary Linehan Foley roimh an dul chun cinn, ag rá,

“Caithfidh sé a bheith spreagúil don phobal áitiúil an obair ag dul chun cinn ar an talamh a fheiscint. Is éacht innealtóireachta iontach é chun droichead mar seo a sheachadadh agus  a thógáil, obair ina raibh go leor pleanáil agus comhoibriú i gceist leis. Maith sibh gach éinne a bhfuil baint acu leis an gcéim seo a chur chun cinn i dtionscadal bonneagair ana-shuntasach don réigiún. "

Dúirt Príomhfheidhmeannach Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí, Tim Lucey,

“Is iontach an rud dul chun cinn a fheiscint ar an scéim bóithre is mó sa tír le linn paindéime domhanda. Ba mhaith le Comhairle Contae Chorcaí buíochas a ghabháil le Bonneagar Iompair Éireann, Jons Civil Engineering-John Cradock JV, foireann an tionscadail, na pobail áitiúla agus úsáideoirí bóithre an N22 agus go háirithe, na cónaitheoirí áitiúla, as a gcuid foighne agus tacaíochta le tógáil na scéime. "

Chuir Innealtóir Tionscadail Mary Flynn Comhairle Contae Chorcaí leis sin, ag rá

“Tá ríméad ar Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí go bhfuil céim bainte amach inar féidir le daoine sa cheantar gnéithe lárnacha den tionscadal a fheiscint ag dul chun cinn. Bhí tógáil Dhroichead na Biochaille i gcónaí ar cheann de na struchtúir ba dhúshlánaí le tógáil, go háirithe i bhfianaise nádúr teoranta an láithreáin. Tá creidiúint mhór ag dul don chonraitheoir agus don fhoireann tionscadail níos leithne as an bpointe seo a bhaint amach. ”

Is tionscadal bonneagair iompair chriticiúil é an Fhorbairt Bhóthair N22 Bhaile Bhuirne go Maigh Chromtha, agus leanann an obair fé shrianta Leibhéal 5 agus na bearta rialaithe iomchuí i bhfeidhm.

Tá nuashonruithe rialta ar scéimeanna ar fáil ag www.n22bbm.ie