Engagement with impacted landowners next stage of Longford N4 upgrade
John Holmes, the project manager on the N4 Mullingar to Longford (Roosky) project, gave an update on how it is progressing at a local authority meeting.
There was a scathing reaction to the long-delayed N4 Mullingar to Longford (Roosky) project from councillors following a presntation by two members of the project team last week with huge concerns raised about the ongoing risks to road users.
There has been at least seven people killed on the N4 in county Longford since 2016 and dozens of people injured since a Longford County Council delegation addressed the Dáil transport committee appealing for an upgrade the same year.
The presentation itself was praised for the excellent level of detail and delivery, however, the slow pace of the project was the bugbear for councillors.
John Holmes, the project manager on the N4 Mullingar to Longford (Roosky) project, gave an update on how they had progressed since their last engagement in 2019/2020.
He stated Westmeath County Council in partnership with Longford County Council and TII are progressing the development of the 52km road upgrade that passes through or close to Ballinalack, Rathowen, Edgeworthstown, Longford, and Newtownforbes.
Mr Holmes said the multi-million euro project has progressed through a number of key stages since our appointment in 2019.
"'Phase One, Concept and Feasibility' was completed in 2020, this was followed by Phase Two; Option Selection which included three rounds of public consultation between 2020 and 2024.
"You will be aware there is a gap between public consultation two and three and that was down to the project being paused due to constraints for roughly two years before recommencing at the end of 2023 and progressing again."
Mr Holmes said the preferred route was identified in 2025 and publicly displayed and the project is now at phase three stage.
He stated they are undertaking the design and environmental evaluation, which includes the extensive hydrographical, topographical, geotechnical, archeological, A LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging ground survey) surveys that commenced in 2025.
"They continue to inform the development of our design.
"Several key work streams are currently progressing in parallel and they include the alignment design, the structures, the drainage, airport reviews, traffic modelling.
"All of these disciplines are part of finalising the design so it's a particularly busy period on the project for the broader team and it needs a lot of coordination.
"The next stage is further engagement with affected landowners along the project along with stakeholders and a public information events during the summer."
Shane Gill, an Assistant Engineer in the Westmeath National Roads Office who is part of the project team, said TII are well aware of their budgetary needs as the project progresses.
"We are going to need a Department of Expenditure review as part of the submission and at Government level that is all being discussed and will be discussed as the project progresses to try and ringfence money for the progression in terms of the timeline we are projecting.
"But big money will be needed once hopefully we get approval from An Coimisiún Pleanála the scheme becomes a committed scheme at that stage."
A high number of collisions between 2008 and 2023 on the section or road led to local authorities and planners proposing enhancement works.
Cllr Seamus Butler asked Mr Holmes and Mr Gill about the style of dual-carriageway that was being planned.
Mr Holmes said it would be a 'similar cross section to the Dromod to Rooskey scheme in terms of two lanes in each direction' and the the physical divider would not be a wire rope barrier.
"Things have moved on similar to the Turlough to Westport scheme it is now a solid steam beam so it's not as impactful on young motorcyclists, in particular, that were getting badly hit by those.
"TII are constantly reviewing standards and constantly looking at international best practice."
Funded by the local democracy reporting scheme