Newlands Cross Upgrade EIS - European Investment Bank

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South Dublin County Council N7 Newlands Cross Upgrade Environmental Impact Statement Arup Consulting Engineers Based on the way forward identified in this assessment, a more detailed examination was made of a family of options involving an N7 mainline grade separation, maintaining roughly the same alignment as the existing N7 and a SPUI junction layout. This examination included a detailed review of structural options for overpass and underpass options. At this stage also a construction cost estimate was prepared for each of these options. In order to progress the development of options, a traffic modelling exercise was carried out in parallel to assist with the definition of the key geometric parameters for the scheme. This modelling exercise involved the use of the Dublin Transportation Office Strategic Model and provided demand flows for an assumed opening year of 2009 and an assumed design year of 2024. Based on these design flows determined, the initial conclusions regarding the format of the junction were reviewed and a direct comparison was made between a SPUI format and a conventional Diamond format, using traffic modelling tools, including PARAMICS Microsimulation. Other parameters were also considered including landtake and structural design. The results of this comparison identified that a diamond format was preferred to a SPUI format for the upgrade of this junction. Further refinement of the underpass and overpass options was then carried out to minimise land take and further traffic analysis was undertaken to validate these scheme design refinements. At this stage in the project, a requirement was introduced to assess the impact of Metro West on the scheme. Consultation with RPA and their consultants Jacobs Engineering was carried out and it was confirmed during this process that the Newlands Cross Upgrade scheme should be examined with a view to accommodating Metro West through the junction. Following a further period of technical assessment and consultation it was agreed with RPA that the preferred scheme for accomodating Metro West was on the basis of an alignment that passed on the eastern side of the junction. As mentioned earlier, this process concluded that a grade separation of the N7 mainline from the remainder of the junction was a feasible junction layout. This layout could be progressed as either an underpass or an overpass and is discussed in greater detail in the next section. 3.6 Detailed Consideration of Overpass and Underpass Options The overpass options will result in the mainline (N7) being elevated over the existing level of the road as depicted in Figures 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4. The Belgard Road and Fonthill Road South (R113) would remain at the level at which they are presently. This would result in the N7 creating a bridge over the R113. At its highest the road level of the overpass would be approximately 9 metres over the R113. The underpass option would result in the mainline (N7) being dropped below the existing level of the road into a trench of approximately 9 metres depth as depicted on Figures 3.3 and 3.4. The Belgard Road and Fonthill Road (R113) would remain at the level that they are presently at, which would result in a bridge over the N7. The main difference between these two options is the Construction Methodology (see Section 3.6.1.2). The permanent and temporary landtake associated with both options is the same and is depicted in Figure 4.9 (See Chapter 4). An assessment was carried out on both the Overpass and Underpass Options under a number of criteria to enable the full consideration of the likely effects of each option. The criteria are addressed in detail in Sections 3.9 – 3.13 and include the following: • Environmental Impacts: o Noise & Vibration December 2007 Page 19
South Dublin County Council N7 Newlands Cross Upgrade Environmental Impact Statement Arup Consulting Engineers o Air Quality & Climate o Landscape & Visual o Socio-Economic o Water Resources and Drainage • Economics It was determined that the assessment of the environmental impacts should only focus on those impacts that would be different or more / less pronounced depending on the option chosen. A screening exercise was undertaken to identify those impacts. For example, in considering the Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Impacts, specialists from Margaret Gowan & Company were consulted. They acknowledged that while both alternatives would result in impacts on Cultural Heritage and Archaeology these impacts would be similar in magnitude of effect for both schemes and are therefore not addressed in this assessment. Similarly, consultations were also conducted with specialists regarding the potential impacts of both options on Operational Traffic, Soils, Geology, Hydrology, Hydrogeology and Ecology. These elements have also been excluded from this report as the impacts are similar in magnitude of effect for both schemes. 3.7 Construction 3.7.1 Introduction Construction of both schemes can be divided into the following principal activities:- • Construction of the temporary traffic diversions to the N7; • Construction of the overpass / underpass structure; • Construction of the N7 approach embankments/cuttings and road pavements; • Construction of the on (merge) and off (diverge) slip roads from the N7 mainline; • Alterations to the Fonthill Road South and the Belgard Road on the approaches to the junction; • Reinstatement and landscaping of the scheme. This section provides an outline of the general activities and issues associated with the construction of the proposed scheme including:- • Construction constraints; • Construction programme, staging and working hours; • Construction compound; • Generation, reuse and disposal of excavated material; • Construction traffic and access; • Preparatory works; • Public traffic management; • General construction methods. • Environmental Impacts associated with construction December 2007 Page 20
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PLATES
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APPENDIX A5 - TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT
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APPENDIX A8 - NOISE AND VIBRATION
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APPENDIX A9 - AIR QUALITY
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APPENDIX A11 - ECOLOGY
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APPENDIX A12 - ARCHAEOLOGY, ARCHITE
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