Preferred corridor picked for Ballinagh bypass project
An eastern bypass of Ballinagh has been identified as the Preferred Option for the N55 Traffic Relief Scheme, marking a significant step forward for the long-awaited project aimed at easing congestion and improving road safety.
Cavan County Council confirmed this week that the scheme has completed its Phase 2 Options Selection Process, with the proposed corridor taking the N55 around the town’s eastern flank.
The bypass would remove a significant volume of through traffic from the town centre, while improving north-south connectivity across the wider north Midlands region.
The project is being progressed by Cavan County Council in partnership with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), with engineering and environmental consultancy Sweco Ireland appointed to provide design, planning and project management services.
The council’s Director of Services, Paddy Connaughton, described the identification of the preferred corridor as a “significant development”.
Approximately 100 metres wide, the corridor was selected following an assessment of engineering, environmental, transport and economic considerations, in accordance with TII’s Project Management Guidelines. The scheme will now advance to Phase 3 - Design and Environmental Evaluation, which involves further refinement of the proposed route, assessment of environmental impacts and examination of engineering requirements.
Mr Connaughton indicated that the council hopes to have this phase completed by the end of next year.
Engagement with affected landowners will begin once the design is sufficiently developed to allow meaningful discussions. Liaison with residents, businesses, elected representatives and other stakeholders will continue.
Speaking to the Celt, Mr Connaughton described the project as progressing at a “promising pace” and suggested it could advance more quickly than other major road schemes in the county, including the proposed N3 Virginia bypass.
“Because it’s a smaller scheme, we’re hoping that it’ll be progressing quite quickly,” he said.
Virginia bypass
The Virginia project remains a major infrastructure priority, with the latest indications pointing towards a planning application being advanced during 2027.
The scheme, involving Cavan County Council, Meath County Council and TII, has encountered delays, with councillors seeking further information from consultants JB Barry & Partners following missed deadlines in 2026.
Mr Connaughton recently described the longer-term vision for Virginia as “an environmental project as opposed to just a pure roads project”.
A total of €1.3M has been allocated to the N3 Virginia Bypass for 2026, according to a parliamentary response from the Minister for Transport in October.
The Ballinagh bypass is regarded as an important missing link in the wider improvement of the N55. Previous upgrades include the 3.2km Corduff to south of Killydoon realignment, completed in 2018, and the 3.7km Ballytrust to Mullahoran section, which opened in May 2026 following a €31M investment.
The preferred corridor and accompanying maps are available for public inspection here.
Copies can also be viewed during office hours at the Johnston Centre in Cavan and the Ballyjamesduff Municipal District Office at the Courthouse in Virginia.