Client
TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland)
Location
Co. Kilkenny - Co. Wexford, Ireland
N25 New Ross Bypass
New Ross had long been one of the most significant traffic bottlenecks in Ireland's south-east, causing chronic congestion on the N25 Cork to Rosslare route. The N25 New Ross Bypass - including the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge over the River Barrow - removes this bottleneck, cutting journey times by up to 40 minutes and transforming connectivity across counties Wexford and Kilkenny.
Financial Close
January 2016
Construction Period
4 years
Concession Period
25 years
Handback
2045
Client
TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland)
Location
Co. Kilkenny - Co. Wexford, Ireland
Sponsor/Investor
Invesis and Iridium Concessionaires de Infrastructure S.A.
Consortium
N25 New Ross Bypass DAC
Engineering Procurement and Construction
BAM Civil Ltd and Dragados Ireland Ltd
Operations and Maintenance
BAM Civil Ltd and Iridium Concessionaires de Infrastructure S.A
Capital Value
€138m
Partnering with Transport Infrastructure Ireland to deliver a strategic bypass and an iconic river crossing for the south-east
The N25 Cork to Rosslare route is one of Ireland's most important strategic roads, forming part of the Atlantic Road Corridor and the Trans-European Transport Network. For years, New Ross sat squarely in its path - creating a chronic bottleneck that frustrated commuters, slowed freight and hampered economic development across the south-east.
In 2016, Transport Infrastructure Ireland selected the N25 New Ross Bypass DAC - a joint venture of Invesis (50%) and Iridium (50%) - under a 25-year PPP contract. BAM Civil and Dragados delivered the 13.6km dual carriageway, which opened to traffic in January 2020.
The centrepiece of the scheme is the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge - an 887m extradosed bridge spanning the River Barrow with two main spans of 230m, the longest post-tensioned all-concrete extradosed spans in the world. The bypass cuts journey times by up to 40 minutes and has transformed the quality of life in New Ross.
Delivering a world-first extradosed bridge to span the River Barrow and connect the communities of the south-east
The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge is one of Ireland's most extraordinary engineering achievements. Its three towers rise above the River Barrow with two main spans of 230m - the longest post-tensioned all-concrete extradosed spans in the world - providing 36m of clearance for the Port of New Ross.
Built using the balanced cantilever method with purpose-designed form travellers, the central spans achieved a seven-day construction cycle. High-strength concrete up to C80/95 was used throughout, with GGBS content maximised to reduce cement quantities and improve durability. 90% of constituent materials were sourced locally. Hydrodynamic modelling ensured minimal impact on the River Barrow's ecology during construction and in permanent operation.
The bridge has won multiple international awards including the 2021 IABSE Outstanding Structure Award and the 2022 FIB Outstanding Concrete Structures Award.
Protecting the River Barrow's ecology and unlocking economic opportunity across the south-east of Ireland
- The River Barrow is a Special Area of Conservation, and the design incorporated extensive hydrodynamic modelling to minimise impact on the river's natural environment and navigational channel during construction and in permanent operation.
- Habitats and wetlands were recreated along the route, with eight ecological sites carefully managed to ensure no permanent impact on ecology.
- Recycled materials including crushed concrete and asphalt were used extensively throughout construction, reducing waste and demand for new materials.
- Over 300 people were employed at peak construction, with local contractors and suppliers prioritised throughout - committing to approximately 2,000 jobs over the life of the contract.
- The bypass cuts journey times by up to 40 minutes, removes chronic congestion from New Ross town and unlocks new economic investment and tourism potential across counties Wexford and Kilkenny.
