Kildare County Council signs contract with John Cradock Ltd for the development of the new single carriageway relief road. Image courtesy of Kildare County Council.
Construction is set to commence on the Maynooth Eastern Ring Road following the execution of the main construction contract by Kildare County Council and John Cradock Ltd. in October 2025. The project is programmed for completion within an 18-month period.
The scheme comprises a 1.5km single carriageway road, incorporating two new junctions at tie-in points with existing roads and access provisions for future development lands in-between. It will connect the R148 Old Dublin Road and the R157 in the north to the R405 Celbridge Road in the south. When complete, this strategic link will complete a ring route around the eastern side of Maynooth, alleviating traffic congestion in the town centre, facilitating planned development along the route, and improving connectivity to educational facilities and residential areas along the Celbridge Road.
The roadway includes pedestrian footpaths and dedicated cycle lanes, which will connect to the existing walking and cycling networks, including the Royal Canal towpath. The principal structure along the route is a new bridge crossing of the Royal Canal and Dublin-Sligo Railway, approximately 40m in length and designed as a fully integral precast concrete system. To ensure it sits harmoniously with the surrounding sensitive environment, the bridge will be faced with masonry. Noise attenuation measures will be implemented along approximately 600 metres of embankment on the approaches to the bridge.
Funding
The scheme is jointly funded by Kildare County Council and the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF). LIHAF facilitates targeted investment in enabling infrastructure to accelerate the delivery of housing on strategically designated lands.
The project will support sustainable urban residential development by enabling the construction of approximately 1,000 additional housing units in Maynooth.
ROD involvement
ROD was appointed to provide technical consultancy services for the project in February 2018. Our appointment covers all stages of the project from feasibility through to handover. During the first two years of our appointment, we undertook constraints and route selection studies of routes to the east of Maynooth town, which were assessed in accordance with the Common Appraisal Framework. The Route Selection Report was published in May 2019, and Kildare County Council’s approval of the Part VIII Planning application followed in July of the same year.
The Compulsory Purchase Order was submitted for approval in December 2022, and An Bord Pleanála conducted an oral hearing in May 2023. Planning consent and approval for the scheme were granted in January 2024, following which ROD completed the detailed design and prepared the tender documentation for the main construction contract.
Contract award
The main construction contract was procured under a restricted procedure, with award based on 40% price and 60% quality criteria. In May 2025, tenders were received from six contractors, and on completion of the tender assessment process, a letter of acceptance was issued to John Cradock Ltd. in October 2025. ROD is now providing the Employer’s Representative and a team of site-based supervision personnel to administer the contract through the construction and handover stages.
Welcoming the announcement, Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Kildare County Council, said: “We are delighted to have awarded the contract and for works to begin on the development of the new Maynooth Eastern Ring Road. This will be a fantastic addition to the area, and one that will improve the daily lives of the people of Maynooth, the surrounding areas and commuters alike. Major projects such as this are a priority for Kildare County Council, and we look forward to working in partnership with John Cradock Limited to deliver it.”