Design work on N17 upgrade project proceeding
TOPOGRAPHIC and hydrographic surveys for the proposed N17 upgrade from Ireland West Airport to Charlestown, and north of Tobercurry to Collooney, are due to get underway later this year.
Sligo County Council - lead authority on the N17 Knock to Collooney (Atlantic Economic Corridor) project - has published an update on the scheme, which is currently advancing through Phase 3: Design and Environmental Evaluation in accordance with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) Project Management Guidelines.
The report set out: The objective of Phase 3 is to develop the design of the preferred option to a stage where sufficient levels of detail exist to establish land requirements, identify and mitigate project impacts, and to progress the project through the statutory processes.
In 2024, a ministerial condition attached to grant funding limited Phase 3 activities to the Tobercurry and Charlestown bypass elements of the scheme. During that period, works included topographic and hydrographic surveys, as well as LiDAR assessments for those sections.
The 2025 TII grant allocations, issued on March 25, 2025, contained no such conditions. As a result, Sligo County Council is now progressing Phase 3 for the entire preferred corridor, extending from Ireland West Airport to Collooney. The project corridor can be viewed here.
In 2025, the council will undertake topographic and hydrographic surveys, along with LiDAR assessments, for the remaining sections of the route - specifically from Ireland West Airport Knock to Charlestown, and from north of Tobercurry to Collooney. These works are expected to commence in Q4 2025.
To support the delivery of Phases 3 (Design and Environmental Evaluation) and Phase 4 (Statutory Consent), Sligo County Council intends to engage a multi-disciplinary consultancy firm. This process is expected to be ongoing throughout Q3/Q4 2025 with the intention to award the contract in Q1 2026 subject to TII approvals and funding.
Sligo County Council remains committed to keeping the public informed as the project progresses. We would like to thank the community for their ongoing cooperation and patience and look forward to working together to deliver this vital infrastructure for the northwest region.
The project was raised at a recent Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District meeting where Charlestown-based Councillor Gerry Murray sought clarity, saying several farm developments are being held up, with no clarity about where the project is going.
Councillor Murray has consistently said the new route should be a motorway.
Director of services with responsibility for roads, Tom Gilligan, agreed, saying it was a key objective for the region.
They didn't just want bypasses of Tubbercurry and Charlestown. They wanted 'the whole project' to address regional connectivity and safety.
More on the project here.