N25 road
Encyclopedia
The N25 road is a national primary road
in Ireland
, forming the route from Cork
to Rosslare Europort
via Waterford City. The road is part of the E30
European route and a short section is also part of the E01
European route. It forms part of the proposed Atlantic Corridor
route.
dual-carriageway. The Ring starts as the N22 until the N22/N25 interchange. At the Bandon road roundabout the N71
from the South continues North onto Bishopstown
road.
The Southern Ring runs east over the Kinsale Road Interchange by flyover. It also meets the N27 to Cork International Airport
, Kinsale
Road and the South Link Road to the city centre by exiting onto the Kinsale Road Roundabout
by slip road.
Originating at this Interchange, the 200-km long N25 heads East - on the way it overpasses Douglas
and meets the N28 to Ringaskiddy
(Carrigaline
Road). From here the road passes under the River Lee
through the Jack Lynch Tunnel
.
On 4 August 2006, a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) flyover of the Kinsale Road Roundabout was opened to traffic 6 months ahead of schedule. The project cost 55 million euro and consists of 3 lanes eastbound, 2 lanes west-bound and four off-ramps connecting the dual-carriageway to the roundabout. The opening of this flyover now allows traffic to flow continuously from the Jack Lynch Tunnel to the Sarsfield Road Roundabout without stopping. Some work has already begun on building flyovers over the Sarsfield Road and Bandon Road Roundabouts but is set to fully begin in December 2010.
North of the tunnel, the South Ring Road ends at an interchange with the M8
to Dublin and the N8 to the city centre. From here the N25 runs east as the East Cork Parkway dual-carriageway, with interchanges for Fota Island
and Cóbh
, and also Carrigtwohill
. The next major destination on the route is Midleton
.
. At Youghal a single carriageway bypass was completed in 2003, bringing the road around the west of the town to the northern side of Youghal. Here the road crosses the River Blackwater
into County Waterford
.
Northeast of this, the road was widened as part of the N25 Kinsalebeg project. This consisted of widening of 3.5 kilometers of single carriageway to include a hard shoulder on both sides of the road. The route passes Dungarvan
with a future bypass at preliminary design stage. before reaching Kilmeaden
west of Waterford city and onto the Waterford City Bypass.
Beginning at Kilmeaden the bypass passes the Woodstown
historic settlement, before crossing the River Suir
(via a cable stay bridge of about 475m in length) between Gracedieu in County Waterford and Grannagh in County Kilkenny
. The bypass meets the M9 Motorway
and N24 at the Grannagh interchange, before joining the old N25 east of Slieverue. The bypass connects to the Outer Ring Road and the old N25 via a road known as the Western Link. (The bypass as a whole contains 23 km (14.3 mi) of dual carriageway* and 14 km (8.7 mi) of single carriageway.) The bypass is a tolled road
.
From Waterford, the N25 moves north to cross the River Nore
into County Wexford
further up its estuary at New Ross
, with a future bypass at preliminary design stage. East of the town, the N30 diverges and connects northeast to Enniscorthy
on the N11 Dublin – Wexford route. The N25 continues east to Wexford and meets the end of the N11 road west of the town. The N25 skirts the edge of the town around to the south and passes west of Rosslare
to reach Rosslare Harbour
.
The NRA is examining the possibility of a new road from Midleton to Youghal, with route options being investigated.
As part of the Atlantic Corridor road scheme the section of road between Waterford and Rosslare Europort will be built as high quality dual carrage way or motorway standard. Some parts are currently in planning and design stages. However due to deterioration of the Irish economy and the scaling back of the road building programme the proposed 2015 completion date on these projects is now unlikely.
National primary road
A national primary road is a road classification in the Republic of Ireland. National primary roads form the major routes between the major urban centres. There are over 2,700km of national primary roads. This category of road has the prefix "N" followed by one or two digits...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, forming the route from Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
to Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Europort is a modern seaport located at Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland, near the southeastern-most point of Ireland's coastline, handling passenger and freight ferries to and from Wales and France....
via Waterford City. The road is part of the E30
European route E30
European route E 30 is an A-Class West-East European route, extending from the southern Irish port of Cork in the west to the Russian city of Omsk in the east...
European route and a short section is also part of the E01
European route E01
The European route E 01 is a series of roads in Europe, part of the United Nations International E-road network, running from Larne, Northern Ireland to Seville, Spain. There is a sea crossing between Rosslare Harbour, in Ireland, and Ferrol, but no ferry service...
European route. It forms part of the proposed Atlantic Corridor
Atlantic Corridor
The Atlantic Corridor is a road project in Ireland that eventually will link Waterford in the South-East to Letterkenny in the North-West by high-quality dual carriageway or motorway. A major infrastructure project, the scheme was announced as part of the Transport 21 project launch in 2005, and is...
route.
Cork City to Midleton
The section of the route around Cork city forms the Southern Ring ring roadRing road
A ring road, orbital motorway, beltway, circumferential highway, or loop highway is a road that encircles a town or city...
dual-carriageway. The Ring starts as the N22 until the N22/N25 interchange. At the Bandon road roundabout the N71
N71 road (Ireland)
-Road standard:The road is mostly relatively poor single carriageway, with better sections towards the Cork end of the route. There are wide sections with climbing/passing lanes, including a very rare configuration with a passing lane on both sides, and a dual carriageway section approaching...
from the South continues North onto Bishopstown
Bishopstown
Bishopstown is a southwestern suburb of Cork, Ireland with a population of 24,136 people. Baile an Easpaig, anglicised Bishopstown, consists of two townlands which are Ballineaspigmore and Ballineaspigbeg...
road.
The Southern Ring runs east over the Kinsale Road Interchange by flyover. It also meets the N27 to Cork International Airport
Cork International Airport
Cork Airport, is one of the three principal international airports of Ireland, along with Dublin and Shannon. It is located south of Cork City in an area known as Farmers Cross...
, Kinsale
Kinsale
Kinsale is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and...
Road and the South Link Road to the city centre by exiting onto the Kinsale Road Roundabout
Kinsale road roundabout
The Kinsale Road Roundabout , sometimes nicknamed The Magic Roundabout, is a five-arm signalised roundabout located approximately 3km south of Cork city centre in Ireland at the junction of the N25 South Ring Road and the N27 South City Link/Airport Road.The South Ring Road has been constructed on...
by slip road.
Originating at this Interchange, the 200-km long N25 heads East - on the way it overpasses Douglas
Douglas, Cork
Douglas or Duglas is an area of Cork city, Ireland. As its borders are ill-defined and it straddles the boundary between Cork City and County Cork, it is difficult to ascertain the exact population. The CSO gives a figure of 18,192 for the parts of Douglas that lie within Cork County...
and meets the N28 to Ringaskiddy
Ringaskiddy
Ringaskiddy is a village south of Cork city, in County Cork, Ireland. Located across Cork harbour south from Cóbh, and connected to Cork city by the N28 road the village is now a major ferry port Port of Cork with passenger ferry services to France & the United Kingdom.Ringaskiddy has seen huge...
(Carrigaline
Carrigaline
Carrigaline is a single-street town in County Cork, Ireland. It is about 12 km from Cork City which can be reached by car in 25 minutes...
Road). From here the road passes under the River Lee
River Lee (Ireland)
The Lee is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork City, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's city centre is built, and empties into the Celtic Sea at Cork Harbour on the...
through the Jack Lynch Tunnel
Jack Lynch Tunnel
The Jack Lynch Tunnel is an immersed tube tunnel and an integral part of the N25 southern ring road of Cork in Ireland. It is named after former Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, a native of Cork....
.
On 4 August 2006, a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) flyover of the Kinsale Road Roundabout was opened to traffic 6 months ahead of schedule. The project cost 55 million euro and consists of 3 lanes eastbound, 2 lanes west-bound and four off-ramps connecting the dual-carriageway to the roundabout. The opening of this flyover now allows traffic to flow continuously from the Jack Lynch Tunnel to the Sarsfield Road Roundabout without stopping. Some work has already begun on building flyovers over the Sarsfield Road and Bandon Road Roundabouts but is set to fully begin in December 2010.
North of the tunnel, the South Ring Road ends at an interchange with the M8
M8 motorway (Ireland)
The M8 motorway is an inter-urban motorway in Ireland, which forms part of the road from the capital - Dublin - to Cork city. The 149 km motorway commences in the townland of Aghaboe, County Laois and runs through the counties of Kilkenny, North Tipperary, South Tipperary and Limerick,...
to Dublin and the N8 to the city centre. From here the N25 runs east as the East Cork Parkway dual-carriageway, with interchanges for Fota Island
Fota Island
Fota Island is a small island in Cork Harbour, Ireland, just north of the larger island of Great Island. The name "Fota" is derived from the Irish "Fód te" meaning warm soil...
and Cóbh
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
, and also Carrigtwohill
Carrigtwohill
Carrigtwohill, officially Carrigtohill , is a village in County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland with a population of 4,869 . It is located east of Cork city, bypassed by the N25 road and is part of Metropolitan Cork. Carrigtwohill is one of the fastest growing towns in Ireland. It is a major...
. The next major destination on the route is Midleton
Midleton
Midleton, historically Middleton , is a town in south-eastern County Cork, Ireland. It lies some 22 km east of Cork City on the Owenacurra River and the N25 road, which connects Cork to the port of Rosslare...
.
Midleton to Rosslare
The dual-carriageway ends after bypassing Midleton with an ordinary two-lane road continuing east to YoughalYoughal
Youghal is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout...
. At Youghal a single carriageway bypass was completed in 2003, bringing the road around the west of the town to the northern side of Youghal. Here the road crosses the River Blackwater
Munster Blackwater
The Blackwater or Munster Blackwater is a river which flows through counties Kerry, Cork, and Waterford in Ireland. It rises in the Mullaghareirk Mountains in County Kerry and then flows in an easterly direction through County Cork, through Mallow and Fermoy...
into County Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
.
Northeast of this, the road was widened as part of the N25 Kinsalebeg project. This consisted of widening of 3.5 kilometers of single carriageway to include a hard shoulder on both sides of the road. The route passes Dungarvan
Dungarvan
Dungarvan is a town and harbour on the south coast of Ireland in the province of Munster. Dungarvan is the county town and administrative centre of County Waterford. The town's Irish name means "Garbhan's fort", referring to Saint Garbhan who founded a church there in the seventh century...
with a future bypass at preliminary design stage. before reaching Kilmeaden
Kilmeaden
Kilmeaden is a town in County Waterford, Ireland. It is on the N25 road between Dungarvan, County Waterford and Waterford City. The town is 23 miles from Dungarvan and 5 miles from Waterford....
west of Waterford city and onto the Waterford City Bypass.
Beginning at Kilmeaden the bypass passes the Woodstown
Woodstown
Woodstown is home to a historic settlement measuring 1.5 km by 0.5 km, located on the southern bank of the River Suir, about 5.5 km west of Waterford City in the southeast of Ireland...
historic settlement, before crossing the River Suir
River Suir
The River Suir is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Waterford after a distance of .Popular with anglers, it holds plentiful reserves of brown trout...
(via a cable stay bridge of about 475m in length) between Gracedieu in County Waterford and Grannagh in County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
. The bypass meets the M9 Motorway
M9 motorway (Ireland)
The M9 motorway is a motorway in Ireland linking the M7 at Kilcullen to Waterford. Opened in sections between 1994 and 2010, the final section opened on 9 September 2010....
and N24 at the Grannagh interchange, before joining the old N25 east of Slieverue. The bypass connects to the Outer Ring Road and the old N25 via a road known as the Western Link. (The bypass as a whole contains 23 km (14.3 mi) of dual carriageway* and 14 km (8.7 mi) of single carriageway.) The bypass is a tolled road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
.
From Waterford, the N25 moves north to cross the River Nore
River Nore
The River Nore is a long river located in south-east of Ireland. Along with the River Suir and River Barrow, it is one of the constituent rivers of the group known as the Three Sisters. The river drains approximately of Leinster. The river rises in the Devil's Bit Mountain, North Tipperary...
into County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
further up its estuary at New Ross
New Ross
New Ross is a town located in southwest County Wexford, in the southeast of Ireland. In 2006 it had a population of 7,709 people, making it the third largest town in the county after Wexford and Enniscorthy.-History:...
, with a future bypass at preliminary design stage. East of the town, the N30 diverges and connects northeast to Enniscorthy
Enniscorthy
Enniscorthy is the second largest town in County Wexford, Ireland. The population of the town and environs is 9538. The Placenames Database of Ireland sheds no light on the origins of the town's name. It may refer either to the "Island of Corthaidh" or the "Island of Rocks". With a history going...
on the N11 Dublin – Wexford route. The N25 continues east to Wexford and meets the end of the N11 road west of the town. The N25 skirts the edge of the town around to the south and passes west of Rosslare
Rosslare Strand
Rosslare Strand, or simply Rosslare , is a village and Seaside resort in County Wexford, Ireland. The name Rosslare Strand is used to distinguish it from the nearby community of Rosslare Harbour, site of the Rosslare Europort....
to reach Rosslare Harbour
Rosslare Harbour
The village of Rosslare Harbour grew up to serve the needs of the harbour of the same name , first developed in 1906 by the Great Western Railway and the Great Southern and Western Railway to accommodate steamferry traffic between Great Britain and Ireland...
.
Future developments
Other sections of the route may become motorway. Part of the N25 dual carriageway in Midleton is to have all its junctions grade-separated and all direct accesses removed from the route (by the construction of a parallel road), thus making it suitable for upgrade to motorway status.The NRA is examining the possibility of a new road from Midleton to Youghal, with route options being investigated.
As part of the Atlantic Corridor road scheme the section of road between Waterford and Rosslare Europort will be built as high quality dual carrage way or motorway standard. Some parts are currently in planning and design stages. However due to deterioration of the Irish economy and the scaling back of the road building programme the proposed 2015 completion date on these projects is now unlikely.
See also
- Roads in IrelandRoads in IrelandThe island of Ireland, comprising Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, has an extensive network of tens of thousands of kilometres of public roads, usually surfaced. These roads have been developed and modernised over centuries, from trackways suitable only for walkers and horses, to...
- Motorways in Ireland
- National secondary roadNational secondary roadA national secondary road is a category of road in Ireland. These roads form an important part of the national route network, but are secondary to the main arterial routes which are classified as national primary roads. National secondary roads are designated with route numbers higher than those...
- Regional roadRegional roadA regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...