Westmeath County Council
National Roads Design Office
Scheme Details:
N6 Kinnegad to Athlone Dual Carriageway Scheme
Scheme Description
The scheme consists of a 58 km long 2 x 2 lane dual carriageway which will link the M4 Kinnegad to Kilcock Motorway at Kinnegad to the existing N6 Athlone Relief Road.
Six grade separated interchanges, at Athlone, Farnagh, Moate, Kilbeggan, Rochfortbridge, and Tyrrellspass, provide access to and from the dual carriageway to the local road network, towns and villages.
The scheme is in accordance with European, National and Regional roads objectives and forms part of the development strategy for National Primary Roads as outlined in the National Development Plan which includes the development in its entirety, to motorway/improved dual carriageway standard, of the Galway to Dublin (N4/N6) road link
The project has been split into two phases for the construction phase of the scheme development. Phase 1 extends from Kinnegad to Kilbeggan, while Phase 2 completes the route from Kilbeggan to Athlone. Part of Phase 1, from Kinnegad to Tyrrellspass, was opened to traffic on the 5th of December 2006 by Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen TD.
The design and build contractor for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 is Ascon Ltd. Phase 1 is scheduled for completion by summer 2007, while phase 2 is programmed to finish in late 2008.
Scheme Location
From Kinnegad, where the new route ties in to the M4 Kinnegad Enfield Kilcock Motorway, the route passes south of Milltownpass and Rochfortbridge, with the R400 bridging over the dual carriageway. The Rochfortbridge Interchange is situated on the existing R400.
Following a similar line to the existing N6, the route continues southwest, passing south of Tyrrellspass, with the Interchange to the southeast of the village. A link road, connecting the N6 to the N52, runs north from the intersection to Dalystown, north of Tyrrellspass. From the Tyrrellspass intersection the N6 route proceeds in a southwesterly direction, passing south of the Split Hills and Long Hill Esker, before continuing west to bridge over the Grand Canal. The Kilbeggan Interchange is located south of Kilbeggan on the N52.
The route then runs in a northwesterly direction, passing over the River Brosna and bridged over by the R436 and R391. The route then passes south of Horseleap and Moate, with the Moate Interchange to the east of the town.
Having passed south of Moate, the route continues westwards, passing under the existing N6 at Farnagh to an interchange located on the existing Magheramore Road.
Once north of the existing N6, the route continues towards Athlone. East of Athlone, the route merges with the existing town bypass, south of the Athlone-Mullingar railway bridge, to form the Athlone Interchange. The section of the Athlone bypass south of this interchange connects smoothly to the new interchange.
Scheme Value
The value of the entire scheme is estimated at approximately €533 million.
This project is co-financed by the National Development Plan and the European Regional Development Fund.
Current Stage
The most recent scheme update is displayed below. Earlier updates may be available from the news archive.
Archaeological exhibition at Locke’s Distillery Museum, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath.
Posted on: 15 Jan 2009
The NRA Archaeological exhibition “Hidden Landscape, searching for the Lost Kingdom of Mide” has been moved from Belvedere House, Mullingar to Locke’s Distillery Museum in Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath.
Compulsory Purchase Order and Environmental Impact Statement
The Compulsory Purchase Order and Environmental Impact Statement for the N6 Kinnegad to Athlone scheme were published on Saturday the 16th of August 2003. A detailed supplement, containing the full CPO schedules, and the advertisement for both the EIS and CPO was published in the Westmeath Examiner, The Westmeath Independent and the Offaly Independent on the 16th of August.
Some of these documents are available to download from the downloads section.
Approval by An Bord Pleanala for the development was advertised in the Irish Independent dated the 1st of April, 2004.
Further Information
Further information about this scheme can be obtained by contacting the office. Details on how to do this are available on the contact page.
The Project Liaison Officer for this Scheme is Niall Kennedy
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