TRAFFIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT BIOGAS PLANT AT BARRYSHALL TIMOLEAGUE BANDON. Produced By J McEniry BEng. MIEI. 24 th September 2012

Transcription

1 TRAFFIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT BIOGAS PLANT AT BARRYSHALL TIMOLEAGUE BANDON Produced By J McEniry BEng. MIEI 24 th September 2012 Revision 1 (24 th April 2013) EPA Export :23:48:49

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Objective Study Method PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 2.1 Description of Proposed Works Site Location Existing Land Use EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS 3.1 Existing Traffic Flows Existing Road Network( at the Proposed Development) Proposed Road Network Improvements Safety Record of Local Network TRIP DISTRIBUTION AND TRAFFIC GENERATION 4.1 Traffic Surveys Trip Distribution Future Year Traffic Growth OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT SUMMERY AND CONCLUSIONS Appendices 14 EPA Export :23:48:49

3 1.0 INTRODUCTION Timoleague Agrigen Ltd and Timoleague AgriGlass proposed to construct a Biogas Plant and Glasshouse facility on an agricultural holding at Barryshall Timoleague. An assessment of the traffic impact based on the traffic generated by the current scale mixed tillage and sheep farming enterprises on the holding and the proposed increase traffic generated by the proposed development of a Biogas Plant was submitted to the Planning Authorty. Further information requested by the Planning Authority addressing all Pig manure biomass to be delivered to the facility would be transported by road and the traffic associated with the proposed Glass Houses development adjacent to be also included in this assessment 1.1 Objective The objective is to identify and quantify the traffic implication associated with the proposed development in terms of how it can integrate with existing traffic in the area. The report will incorporate any additional traffic associated with the development of the Biogas Plant and the Glass Houses. 1.2 Study Method Manual Classification traffic counts were undertaken on 3rd September 2012 at the entrance to the facility on the L EPA Export :23:48:49

4 2.0 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 2.1 Description of Proposed Works The existing farm complex consists of structures and facilities associated with the current agricultural practices stock handling facilities, machinery and product stores. The proposed development will involve the construction of a Biogas Plant off the existing farm roadway, the plant will be a 3.6Ha site with a number of Tanks vessels and sheds required for the reception of Biomass, the generation of Biogas and the storage of Digestate for land application. The Glass house complex is sited on a 5.6 Ha site using the same entrance. 2.2 Site Location The Facility is to be located approximately 300m off the L km south of Timoleague Village. The road Speed limit is 80Km/Hr. EPA Export :23:48:49

5 Fig 1 Location Map 2.3 Existing Land Use The site is currently an intensive agricultural installation, with extensive seasonal traffic volumes entering the facility with fertilizer, seed, supplies etc, and exporting harvested foodstuffs and finished animals to processers. EPA Export :23:48:49

6 3.0 EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS 3.1 Existing Traffic Flows The proposed Development is located in a rural area of prime agricultural land with intensive agricultural practices of land based crop and animal husbandry as well as the intensive pig rearing facilities and meat processers in the vecinity. The exiting Farm currently generates relatively large traffic volumes. Traffic Counts were carried out on 3 rd September Existing Road Network The proposed entrance on to the L has adequate sightlines available. The entrance will be a 6.0m wide gated entrance set back 6.5m from the metal edge of the road. The road approaching the entrance is 6m wide with a grass margin of approximately 0.5 to 1m on both sides the road is relatively straight and there are adequate available sightlines. There are two junctions in close proximity to the proposed entrance, Spital Cross Roads is approximately 240m from the south of the entrance at which there is a Pork Slaughter facility and a second at 270m to the north Ballinadroum Cross Roads which is close to a Provender Milling facility. Significant portion of the traffic generated in the area is associated with these two facilities. EPA Export :23:48:49

7 3.3 Proposed Road Network Improvements A road survey was conducted on 10th April 2013 which shows that the average carriageway width from the proposed facility entrance to Ballinadroum Cross Roads is 6.2m wide with 200mm of verge at both sides. The hedgerow at both sides is constructed on top of a constructed stone wall more than 1.2m high and 2m wide. The proposed to keep the foliage trimmed back tightly to the boundary wall in the appropriate time between September and March. The wall construction has a heritage merit and it would in all likelyhood give rise to resistance if the walls were demolished and a post fence set back, therefore it is not proposed on to modify the road carrageway width. EPA Export :23:48:49

8 3.4 Safety Record of Local Network The accident statistics on the Road Safety Authority (RSA) Web site has been reviewed in order to ascertain the safety record of the road in the past 5 years. This includes information for the years 2005 to 2009 inclusive and indicates basic information on all reported incidents The RSA records detail only those incidents that were officially recorded as the Garda being present to formally record details of the incident. Only a single incident is noted within the RSA records. This incident in 2005 seems to have occurred at the junction and involved a single vehicle on a Saturday between and south of Spital Crossroads. EPA Export :23:48:49

9 4.0 TRIP DISTRIBUTION AND TRAFFIC GENERATION 4.1 Traffic Surveys The traffic flows at the existing development show that there is a peak in the morning and evening as per the Table 1 below form 3 rd September 2012 Table 1 Morning Peak Evening Peak To/From Spital X Ballinadroum X Spital X 0 87 Ballinadroum X 86 0 To/From Spital X Ballinadroum X Spital X Ballinadroum X Full details of the traffic flows are included in Appendix 2

10 4.2 Trip Distribution Currently a significant portion of the traffic passing the proposed entrance is generated from the facilities identified previously, the Meat Processing Plant to the south and the Provinder Mill to the north. The traffic count is notable by the percentage of HGV s as a portion of the overall traffic is high at 35%. It is also notable that the HGV movements are consistant throughout the day. The proposed biogas plant will substitute manure delivery traffic with tractors and vacuum tankers currently on the in the general area from a pig farm in the area as the manure from the pig farm will be piped pumped to the biogas plant and delivered to customer farmers after processing through the biogas plant. Table 3 Expected Traffic Flows with the proposed biogas plant Trips to the Biogas Plant Trips from the Biogas Plant AM Peak 7 5 PM Peak 3 5

11 4.3 Future Year Traffic Growth The latest NRA Future Traffic Forecasts document has been applied the existing traffic flows. Factors for Non National Roads have been used to predict future flows at the proposed development. The factors applied for the various years are as per table 4 Table Development Completion Years after Dev. Completion Years after Dev. Completion Vehicle Car & LGV's HGV's

12 5.0 OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT The Biogas Plant will process approximately 49,000 tonnes of biomass through the plant. The Biomass sources are 25,000 tonnes of Pig manure from a nearby pig unit which will be pumped directly to the biogas plant eventually, as part of this assessment it will be delivered by road using HGV s or tractors and tonnes of other biomasses. An assumption that 50% of the processed liquid digested biomass will be delivered to customer farmers The average Tractor & vacuum tanker size in by HGV using 27tonne tankers and the remainder using 2000gal (10m3) tractor tankers. Currently the trend is towards ever larger tank sizes further reducing the number of digestate movements from the facility. Digestate deliveries to customer farmers must comply with the requirements of the Nitrates Directive which prohibits landspreading of manure for 16 weeks in the winter period. This also co-insides with period of shortest daylight and therefore eliminates relatively slow vehicles from road network during the winter period. The proposed entrance is shown on the Drawing No 009 attached this shows both the horizontal and vertical sightlines of 120m are achievable in both directions. Drawing No 033 shows the improvement works to be carried out.

13 6.0 SUMMERY AND CONCLUSIONS The additional traffic impact for the proposed development expansion of the biogas plant and the Glass Houses will generate 111 trip movements per day onto and off the biogas facility equating to 10 trip movements per hour during the period when digestate can be carried out to meet the requirements of the Nitrates Directive from mid January to Mid October and this reduces to 45 trip movements per day during the closed period for landspreading. The proposed development will generate traffic equivalent to 20% additional traffic on the L The existing traffic levels on the L are typically 1200 vehicles per day and therefore the proposed development will generate a 15 to 20% increase in traffic volumes on the L Based on Table 6.1 NRA TD 9/11 a 6.0m wide road can typically cater for 5,000 AADT. Based on this and the figures outlined above the existing road has sufficient capacity to cater for the both of the developments proposed

14 The section of road from Ballinadroum Bridge to the proposed entrance has been identified as narrow for 2 HGV s passing each other, it must be noted that the section of road in on an incline with a sharp bend at Ballinadroum Bridge which restricts the speed of HGV s to well below the Speed Limit of 80Km/h in order to negotiate the bend, the incline between the bend and the entrance restricts the rate of acceleration of HGV s, in this area, this also applies to vehicles heading North in that vehicles decelerate going down the incline in order to negotiate the bend at Ballinadroum Bridge. A significant portion of the Biomass from the adjacent Pig Farm proposed as feedstock for the Biogas Plant is currently distributed to customer farmers in the vicinity of the area using the local road network. The quantities are in excess of 8000 tonnes. This is distributed in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Nitrates Directive (mid January to mid October) and equates to 13% of the total traffic associated with both developments.

15 APPENDIX 1 Sightlines View from Entrance South View from Entrance Northward

16 APPENDIX 1I TRAFFIC COUNTS Time Vehicles coming from Timoleague Vehicles going to Timoleague Cars Commercial Construction/ Cars Commercial Construction/ Agricultural Agricultural 08:00-09:00 09:00-10:00 10:00-11:00 11:00-12:00 12:00-13:00 13:00-14:00 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 16:00-17:00 17:00-18:

17 APPENDIX III Anticipated Traffic Movements to and from the Biogas Plant Project No Vehicle Type Car/Lorry Ect Details Capacity Weekly Movement s (in/out) Typical Daily Max. Movements Annual Movements Annual Tonnage 1 Car Staff to Work Lorry Deliveries of Biomass 20 tonne Biogas 3 Lorry/Tractor Deliveries of Pig manure 20/27 tonnes Lorry Solid Digestate Deliveries 20/27 tonnes Lorry Liquid Digestate* 20/27 tonnes Tractor/Vacuum Tank Liquid Digestate* 15 Tonnes Car Service Staff, Sales Reps, Inspectors Total Traffic Movements 93 8 Car Staff to Work Glass Houses 9 Car 10 Van 11 Lorry Media to the facility Service Staff, Sales Reps, Inspectors Produce deliveries 3500Kg from the facility Loads /27 tonnes Total Traffic Movements 18 *Digestate traffic Movements based upon 36 weeks per annum in accordance with the Nitrates Directive

18 APPENDIX IV Route Appraisal 009 Entrance Drawing 033 Road Improvements Drawing

19 Co en t ns of co For py in rig sp ht ect ow ion ne pu r r rp eq os ui es re o d nl fo y. ra ny he ru ot se.

20

21