N28 Closure Planned Over October Bank Holiday Weekend for Maryborough Bridge Demolition

A closure of the N28 between Rochestown and Carr's Hill is planned for the October Bank Holiday Weekend to allow the existing Maryborough bridge to be demolished. It's the headline item in the latest progress update on the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy project.

According to the M28 Project Team, the closure is planned to run from 8pm on Friday 23 October to 5am on Tuesday 27 October. The road will reopen earlier if, as expected, works are completed ahead of time. Diversion routes will be the same as those used during July's closure.

At Maryborough Hill, construction of the temporary access road to the recently installed temporary bridge is progressing. Local traffic management will be needed while surfacing works are completed on the temporary bridge approaches, and the temporary bridge is likely to open to traffic towards the end of October. The demolition of the existing Maryborough bridge will follow on during the weekend closure.

Localised traffic management has also been implemented at Maryborough Hill from earlier in the week commencing 28 September to facilitate service diversion works.

Rochestown: Night-Time Watermain Shutdown Planned

In Rochestown, all panels of the retaining wall beside the Rochestown off-ramp are now in place and backfilled, with work on the parapet at the top of the wall continuing.

Excavation of the new bridge foundations on the south side of Rochestown Road will continue once a watermain diversion is completed in the coming days. The shutdown needed for that diversion will take place on a single night during the coming week.

Pedestrians should note that the footpath on the south side of Rochestown Road will remain closed for the next number of weeks to facilitate foundation works, and walkers are asked to use the footpath on the north side instead. Daytime traffic management also remains in place on the N28 on-ramp.

First Bridge Deck Pour at Shannonpark

There's a milestone on the way in Shannonpark, where steel fixers and carpenters are making final preparations to pour the deck of the motorway bridge. This will be the first bridge deck pour on the project.

Controlled blasting for rock excavation has also recommenced in an area of cutting to the north of the Shannonpark Roundabout.

Board of Works Road Reopens

The Board of Works Road reopened to traffic on Friday 25 September, with vehicles now travelling through the new structure. This has allowed backfilling of the earthworks around the structure to begin.

At Rock Road/Fernhill Road, precast beams for the new bridge were installed on 22 September. The existing road beneath is now being lowered in two halves under temporary traffic lights, so traffic can continue to use the road while the work goes on.

Elsewhere on the Route

At Mount Oval, excavation for the new slip road is nearing completion, with flagmen continuing to manage plant crossings. Along the Maryborough to Carr's Hill link road, surfacing is mostly complete, while safety barrier installation and topsoiling of verges continues.

At Shanbally (Marion Terrace), the stop/go system has been removed now that cut and fill operations there are finished, and foundation works for the new overbridge have begun. Stop/go traffic management will still be used during daytime working hours as required.

Flagmen remain on the R855 and R609 (Carrigaline Road), managing plant crossings and surfacing activities during working hours, and road users are asked to proceed with caution. Similar arrangements remain in place on Ballinrea Road and along the R611 corridor.

Across the site, hydroseeding has started on the finished topsoiled embankment slopes, so a bit of green should begin appearing along the route in the coming weeks.

Queries about the construction works can be directed to Des Gilsenan, Public Relations Officer for BAM, by emailing m28queries@bam.com or calling 1800 816197. Further updates are available at M28.ie.

The M28 Project Team has thanked road users for their continued patience and cooperation during the works.