Considerable
information has been collected by the Consultants and their
specialist Sub-consultants which will guide the development
of route options. The River Barrow valley comprises the
majority of the northern study area with the upper reaches
of the River Dinin and the River Nore forming part of the
study area around Castlecomer and Kilkenny.The
topography is generally flat with good soils which are intensively
used for agricultural purposes. The existing road and rail
network generally follows the north-south axis of the River
Barrow. High ground is reserved for areas to the east of
the study area and the Castlecomer Plateau.
Accidents
records indicate a number of fatalities on the N9 in the
period 1996 to 1999.
The
geological and hydrogeological study has shown up potential
local areas of difficulty for road construction but, generally,
the geology is not a significant constraint to the route
of the road.
The
two principal centres in the northern study area are Kilkenny
City (population approaching 20,000) and Carlow Town (in
excess of 15,000). Athy (population in excess of 5,000)
is designated a Secondary Development Centre in the Strategic
Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area. These
towns are the most important locations for economic activity.
The northern part of the study area has a stronger manufacturing
base and is more accessible to Dublin for employment whereas
the southern part is rural with the economy of Kilkenny
City more focused on services and tourism than manufacturing.
There
is one proposed candidate Special Area of Conservation
(pcSAC) and thirteen proposed National Heritage Areas
(pNHA) within the study area. The pcSAC within the study
area is the River Nore north-west of Kilkenny City. In
addition 124 sites of ecological value have been identified,
mostly concentrated in upland areas and along river corridors.
Most of the watercourses in the study area are important
for fisheries.
The
study area is also rich in archaeology. There are 1360
known archaeological sites and areas of potential within
the study area. Sites of architectural and industrial
archaeological significance have also been documented.
All
the study area, except for a small highland area north
of Kilkenny City, has the benefit of highly fertile soils
and is a highly productive agricultural area. The area
is intensively farmed with specialist sugar beet, cereal,
dairy, stud, beef and sheep farms throughout the area.
The
information collected is both wide ranging and comprehensive
and will provide a sound basis for the development of
route options. Data collection will continue through the
route selection stage and beyond concentrating on the
route corridors and on the Preferred Route corridor when
it is identified.
