Preferred route of Ballykeeran bypass due to be unveiled

The preliminary design of the preferred route of the N55 Ballykeeran bypass will be unveiled at an information event next week.

Westmeath County Council will host the information event on Tuesday, March 31, at the Glasson Lakehouse from 2pm to 8pm.

At the end of May 2023, the preferred corridor for the new N55 Athlone and Ballymahon was announced, and it included two modifications between Glasson and Tubberclair and The Pigeons and Tang.

The 17km stretch was intended to bypass Ballykeeran, Tubberclair, Glasson, and Tang, incorporating portions of the existing route, before joining up with the N55 just south of Ballymahon.

However, Westmeath County Council subsequently decided to advance the N55 Athlone to Ballymahon scheme incrementally. Funding was sought to advance the first two sections: the N55 Ballykeeran bypass and the N55 Glasson bypass. In 2024 an allocation of €200,000 was secured to progress the N55 Ballykeeran bypass.

A detailed outline of the preferred corridor is available to view on the Westmeath County Council website and shows the identified route extend from Cornamaddy, removing the dangerous bend in the village of Ballykeeran, and continuing in parallel and to east of the existing N55 before rejoining the existing N55 south of Glasson.

Consultants AtkinsRéalis have been appointed to progress the design and environmental evaluation for the Ballykeeran bypass scheme.