5
Engineering and Topography
5.5
Infrastructural Features
5.5.1
Existing Major Roads and Railway Network
There
are several national primary roads traversing the study area.
The N10 Paulstown to Kilkenny road serves as the northern
border of the study area before heading southward on the N10
Kilkenny to Ballyhale where it meets the N9. The N9 Dublin
to Waterford road passes through the centre of the southern
study area, extending southwest from Paulstown and continuing
south to meet the N24Waterford to Limerick road, at Granny,
County Kilkenny. The N24 Waterford to Limerick road skirts
along the southern boundary of the study area before heading
southeast from Granny and leaving the southern study area
just north of Waterford City. The N25 Rosslare to Cork road
enters the eastern side of the study area near Ballyverneen
and heads in a south southwesterly direction before exiting
the study area at Belmount. The N29 road serving Waterford
Port extends from the N25 at Slieveroe at the southeastern
corner of the study area. The only National Secondary road
in the study area is the N76 Kilkenny to Clonmel road, which
extends southwest from Kilkenny City, leaving the western
side of the study area at Washers Bog.
At present the route of the Proposed N25 Waterford By-Pass
traverses the southern end of the southern study area. It
is part of the brief for this scheme to tie into the N25 Waterford
By-Pass at some point along this length, as shown on Figure
3B.
Coras
Iompair Eireann (CIE) and specifically Iarnrod Eireann (IA)
operate a number of railway lines within the southern study
area. Of these lines, one is solely for the purposes of freight
transport and the others are passenger lines, as shown on
Figures 3A and 3B. The line operated solely for the purposes
of freight transport runs between New Ross on the River Barrow,
and Waterford Port, in Waterford City on the northern banks
of the River Suir. This line is approximately 20 kilometers
in length and roughly runs parallel to the River Barrow.
The main passenger railway line in the area runs from Rosslare,
on the County Wexford coast, into Waterford City. This line
crosses the River Barrow adjacent to the Great Island power
station before arriving in the city. From there it continues
to the northwest for approximately 3 kilometers, where it
splits into two lines in the vicinity of Granny, County Kilkenny.
The westbound line continues through County Tipperary to Limerick
Junction. The northbound line traverses the center of the
southern study area to a point approximately 4 kilometers
southeast of Kilkenny City, where there is spur line into
the city. The line continues to the northeast towards Carlow
and on to meet the Cork to Dublin line to the west of Kildare
Town.
5.5.2 Electricity Supply Network
The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) has a number of electricity
supply lines running through the southern study area. The
main concentration of lines is in the southern part of County
Kilkenny. This is due to lines emanating from the ESB power
station at Great Island, County Wexford. This power station
is on the Suir Estuary, approximately 7 kilometers downstream
and to the east of Waterford City, as shown on Figure 3B.
Three
110kV overhead lines are routed across the river Barrow at
Loughtown, County Wexford, and then continues west into the
southern study area. Each of these lines crosses the railway
line and the N25 National Primary Road in this area. Two of
these lines turn to the south and terminate on the northern
side of the River Suir, adjacent to Waterford City. The third
line turns to the north and proceeds north through the eastern
side of the entire southern study area.
There is also a 220kV overhead line emanating from Great Island,
which follows the route of the 110kV lines until they deviate
north and south, whereby the 220kV line continues to the west.
This line crosses the existing N9 National Primary Road approximately
4 kilometers northeast of Waterford City, before crossing
the N24 National Primary Road and the River Suir into County
Waterford.
5.5.3 Gas Supply Network
Bord
Gáis Eireann (BGE) has a national transmission network for
serving the country's major gas demand centres. Three BGE
gas transmission pipelines traverse the southern study area,
i.e. the Cork to Dublin pipeline, a spur line into Kilkenny
City and the Baunlusk to Ballyragget pipeline, as shown on
Figure 3A.
The Cork to Dublin pipeline crosses north County Kilkenny,
to the south of Kilkenny City, in roughly a southwest to northeast
direction. This pipeline crosses the N9 National Primary Road
approximately 4 kilometres south of Kilkenny and continues
to the River Barrow from where it heads north. This pipeline
is within the southern study area for approximately 18 kilometers
of its length.
The spur line into Kilkenny City is approximately 3 kilometres
in length and running from the Loughboy Above Ground Installation
(AGI) on the southern end of Kilkenny City, parallel to the
N10 National Primary Road, until it joins the Cork to Dublin
pipeline.
The
Baunlusk to Ballyragget pipeline runs from Baunlusk AGI in
roughly a northwestern direction to Ballyconra AGI, approximately
22 kilometres away in north County Kilkenny.
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