Published 21 October 2026

The Port Access Northern Cross Route is a major strategic highway infrastructure project in Drogheda, County Louth, designed to unlock residential development lands and facilitate the delivery of much-needed housing in the north of the town.

Once complete, the route will significantly improve connectivity and provide critical infrastructure to support Drogheda’s continued growth.

Our team has been involved in the project for many years and acted as Lead Consultant on the planning stage for the overall road scheme including rail underbridge preliminary design. We also acted as the lead consultant at the Oral Hearing, managed the delivery of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and prepared the compulsory land acquisition documentation, helping to successfully secure planning permission for this critical piece of infrastructure.

 

The scheme has been divided into three phases. Phase 1, completed in March 2024, delivered 2km of new roadway, including two roundabouts at the intersections of Twenties Lane and Ballymakenny Road. The works also involved upgrades to approximately 1km of Ballymakenny Road and 0.6km of Twenties Lane. This phase will facilitate the development of approximately 5,000 new homes, creating the essential infrastructure needed to support future residential expansion. During Phase 1 we provided a comprehensive range of services, , traffic analysis, TII-compliant road alignment design, drainage and outfall design.

Construction of Phase 2 commenced in May 2026. The works include approximately 1km of new 9m-wide carriageway incorporating footpaths and cycleways, two new roundabouts, and connections to the surrounding road network north of Drogheda. Upon completion, the route will provide direct access to additional zoned development lands, supporting the town’s ongoing expansion. Our team is providing Lead Consultant, Employer’s Representative and Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP) services on behalf of Murphy Homes Ltd, with construction being delivered by Clonmel Enterprises Ltd. Completion is on course for early 2027.

In June 2026, funding approval was secured for the final phase of the scheme through the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund. Phase 3 represents the most significant and complex element of the overall project, involving the construction of a bridge or underpass beneath the Dublin to Belfast railway line. Once completed, it will connect Phase 1 at Ballymakenny with Phase 2 between Newtownstalaban and Aston Village, creating a continuous route across North Drogheda. The railway underpass is widely regarded as the key to unlocking future development lands and realising the full potential of the Northern Cross Route.