N26 Cloongullane Realignment wins at IBDA Awards 2024. Image courtesy of IBDA.
Roughan & O’Donovan (ROD) offers our warmest congratulations to BAM on winning the prestigious Engineering Project of the Year Award at the Irish Building & Design Awards (IBDA) Awards 2024.
The award recognises the company’s excellent work on the N26 Cloongullane Realignment in Co. Mayo, a critical infrastructure project designed to provide significant long-term safety benefits for all road users on the N26.
ROD was delighted to have collaborated with BAM, Mayo County Council and AECOM in the delivery of this important project. The award is reflective of the whole team’s hard work and dedication in bringing the project through the various stages from design to planning, construction to completion.
About the project
The Realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane near Swinford, County Mayo, is an important transport infrastructure project for the West of Ireland. In addition to providing safety benefits for road users and improving access from east Mayo to the north of the county, it promotes sustainable industrial, economic, and tourism development by improving the road connection between Ballina and the Midlands and Dublin gateways.
The road development includes 1.8km of Type 2 single carriageway road; an 83m clear span steel composite bridge over the River Moy Special Area of Conservation (SAC); two new culverts over tributaries of the River Moy; local road realignments; and facilities for cyclists and pedestrians for sections of the existing N26 road and the proposed realigned road.
ROD prepared the Environmental Report, the AA Screening and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) for the application to An Bord Pleanála (ABP). The scheme was approved in December 2018.
Developing a solution that minimised impacts on the qualifying interests of the River Moy SAC represented a significant project challenge. Early engagement with the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Inland Fisheries Ireland helped identify the best solutions for the watercourse crossings. Ecological and environmental surveys and assessments were also undertaken.
The main construction contract was awarded to BAM in October 2020, and construction works began in November 2020, with the construction contract administered by ROD. The scheme was officially opened in October 2022.