Having been heavily rumoured to be included in TAMS III, it was no surprise to the majority that underpasses were among the items to be added to the eligibility list.

However, no Department of Agriculture specifications had ever been drawn up for underpasses until March of this year, with the criteria following that of good practice and legal requirements, in general.

According to document S.199, released by the Department in March, TAMS applications for an underpass should be accompanied by full planning permission from the local authority, as well as a technical acceptance report to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) standard, including a structural design report for the culverts and ancillary elements, produced by a chartered engineer with experience in bridge and underpass design.

The information should include, but is not limited to:

  • Purpose or function of the structure – ie livestock, vehicular or both.
  • Loading requirements including traffic loading from public road
  • Box culvert design calculations, including foundation requirements with retaining wall and headwall elements.
  • Ground conditions and groundwater.
  • Existing and proposed underground and overground services (state present or absent) to include depths of underground services.
  • Vehicle restraint requirements.
  • Road safety audit.

    • Reference cost

    The cattle underpass under the public road costs €5,000 per linear metre.

    Planning permission

    Planning permission is the primary approval and shall be obtained for all underpasses constructed under a public road.

    Guides for making planning applications are provided from the office of the planning regulator (OPR).

    Whereas it is not mandatory, it is recommended that an applicant engages with an agent, chartered engineer or planning consultancy to assist in an application because of the complexity of such a development.

    Road opening licence and temporary road closure

    A road opening licence is required prior to the commencement of any works on the public road.

    All works should be completed in accordance with the road opening licence and the guidelines for managing openings in public roads.

    Charges to applicants are applied to road opening licences.

    If a temporary road closure is required, the applicant should engage with the local authority.

    Most local authorities require the application to be submitted a minimum of six weeks prior to the temporary road closure.

    Specs of the underpass

    The document itself is heavy on specifications surrounding the creation of the underpass, but some of the more general specifications are as follows:

  • Underpasses shall have an internal finished height that is not less than 2m (minimum internal box culvert height 2.1m). A 100mm thick concrete floor shall be laid smooth across the entire box culvert section, with a non-slip finish.
  • Underpasses shall be not less than 2.7m wide and it is strongly recommended underpasses are not less than 3.0m wide.
  • Underpasses should be of at least the same width as the farm road approaching the underpass, so as not to cause a restriction on animal movement.
  • Where the culverted length of the underpass exceeds 30m, refuges shall be installed at maximum 15m intervals along the length of the underpass. This is to provide a safe refuge in case an animal turns and attempts to attack a person in the underpass.
  • Any ramps approaching the underpass, either uphill or downhill, shall preferably have a gradient not greater than 1:14 and in no case shall have a gradient greater than 1:10.
  • The first 10m of farm roadway on either side of the underpass facility shall be concreted with a non- slip finish. It shall comprise a concrete slab 125mm thick over a 150mm hardcore base.
  • Culverts, retaining walls/wing walls and head walls should have a concrete grade of C40/50 with the floor having a concrete grade of C35/45 at a minimum.
  • The top of the box culvert should be a minimum of 600mm below the surface of the finished road.