Waterford City Public Infrastructure Project

The Waterford City Public Infrastructure Project is designed to ensure that the key infrastructure elements necessary to underpin the functional viability of the Waterford North Quays Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) and facilitate the natural expansion of the city to the northside are in place.

The development of the SDZ site will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the city and region by transforming a 8.23 hectare former industrial site into a vibrant, mixed-use development. It allows for up to 150,000m² of city centre mixed use development and is expected to deliver new high-quality retail, hotel, office, tourism and cultural facilities. Up to 300 residential units and a new riverside walkway are also envisaged. 

The project comprises:

• 1.3km of urban dual carriageway and local road upgrades in the Ferrybank area, together with significant junction works and bridge connections to the SDZ site across the Waterford to Rosslare Railway (Access Infrastructure Scheme)
• a new train station and transport interchange (transport hub) directly adjacent to the SDZ
• a 207m long pedestrian and cycle bridge across the River Suir (Sustainable Transport Bridge), with an opening span to accommodate river traffic. The bridge will also cater for a local shuttle bus service between the city and the North Quays site
• the creation of a plaza on the south side of the river to connect the new bridge to the existing city centre
• significant flood defences along 2km of the river and railway line to future-proof both new and existing infrastructure on the north side of Waterford
• 400m of rock face stabilisation works to the railway cutting adjacent to the existing railway station, which will dovetail with track upgrade works being undertaken independently by Irish Rail
• A new foul and surface water pumping station in Ferrybank to replace to the existing pumping station located on the North Quays site

ROD is working in conjunction with our subconsultant to provide planning, preliminary design, detailed design, tender, construction supervision and handover services for the entire project.

We are working with:

• H&H and Knight Architects on the Sustainable Transport Bridge and associated south plaza
• Sean Harrington Architects and J.V. Tierney & Co. Consulting Engineers on the transport hub
• Nicholas O’Dwyer Ltd. on the Ferrybank pumping station and the flood defence works

River Suir Sustainable Transport Bridge

The 207m five span bridge across the River Suir Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is designed to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and a local public transport shuttle bus. It will incorporate an opening centre span to allow river traffic through. The bridge will extend Waterford City Centre across the river to encompass the North Quays SDZ and adjacent transport hub. 

Transport Hub

The integrated multi-modal transport hub, directly adjacent to the centre of the north quays site, will be the first transport interchange hub between rail, bus, cars, cyclists and pedestrians in Ireland.  

Waterford (Plunkett) railway station will be relocated onto the site and complemented by:

• a bus set down area 
• short-term parking facilities 
• a link with the proposed Waterford to New Ross Greenway
• a connection to the new sustainable transport bridge 

This development will support a modal shift towards walking, cycling and public transport, and will act as a catalyst for more sustainable accessibility to the historic city centre on the south of the river. 

Access infrastructure scheme

The access infrastructure scheme consists of extensive road improvements and the realignment of existing roads on Dock Road and in the Abbey Road area respectively. Two new road bridges will be provided over the Waterford to Rosslare rail line and will enable traffic to access the North Quays site from the surrounding road network. Two further road bridges are proposed over the old New Ross railway line alignment in the area of Abbey Road and will be used for the Waterford to New Ross Greenway.

Rock stabilisation scheme

The rock stabilisation scheme is designed to prevent or reduce the risk of future rock fall events along the 400m long rock cutting running alongside the section of rail line adjacent to the existing Plunkett station. The works will facilitate passenger train access to the new transport hub further east. 

The reconfiguration of the narrow (40m to 100m) riverside side site posed particular challenges for the team in terms of access. Considerable ingenuity was required to design a circulation network that could unlock the full potential of the site.

• Planning
• Strategic environmental Assessment (SEA)
• Appropriate Assessment (AA)
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)
• Preliminary design
• Detailed design
• Tender
• Contract procurement
• Employer’s Representative
• Construction supervision
• Handover services