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TheR445 road is aregional road inIreland. The route is a non-motorway alternative route to theN7/M7 motorway betweenNaas andLimerick, and at 170 km it is one of the longest regional roads in Ireland (longer than most national roads). Indeed, much of the route comprises roads that were formerly part of the N7 between the cities, prior to motorway and other bypasses. Some of the R445 route also comprises local link roads to new N7/M7 route sections.
The official description of the R445 from theRoads Act 1993 (Classification of Regional Roads) Order 2012[1] reads:
Between its junction withN7 at Maudlings in the county ofKildare and its junction withN80 at Stradbally Road in the town of Portlaoise in the county ofLaois via Dublin Road, Poplar Square, Main Street and Limerick Road in the town of Naas: Newhall, Buckleys Cross: Liffey Bridge, Main Street and Edward Street in the town of Droichead Nua; and Ballymany Cross; Dublin Street and Claregate Street in the town of Kildare; Cherryville Cross, Mayfield (including link road toM7); Mooreabbey and Dublin Street in the town of Monasterevin; and Clogheen in the county of Kildare: Kilinure, Ballybrittas, Cappakeel, New Inn Cross, Greatheath, Ballydavis; Rathbrennan and Dublin Road in the town of Portlaoise in the county of Laois
and
between its junction with N80 at Abbeyleix Road in the town of Portlaoise and its junction withN62 at Benamore in the county of North Tipperary via Grattan Street in the town of Portlaoise; Clonboyne, Cloncourse; Portlaoise Road, Main Street, Market Square, Bridge Street and Patrick Street at Mountrath; Holy Cross, Moorefield Cross, Rush Hall, Derrin Cross, Borris-in-Ossory and Ballaghmore Lower in the county of Laois: and Cooleeshill in the county ofOffaly
and
between its junction with the N62 at Parkmore in the county of North Tipperary and its junction withN52 at Tullahedy via Inane in the county of North Tipperary Ouris and Busherstown in the county of Offaly: Greenhills in the county of North Tipperary:Moneygall in the county of Offaly:Toomevara, Clashnevin,Lisbunny: Dublin Road, Thomas MacDonagh Street, Pearse Street, Kickham Street, Ashe Road and Clare Street in the town ofNenagh: and Springfort Cross in the county of North Tipperary
and
between its junction with N52 at Lissenhall in the county of North Tipperary and its junction with theN18 at Cratloemoyle in the county ofClare via Ballinteenoe, Kilmastulla, Gortybrigane and Birdhill in the county of North Tipperary: Dalys Cross, Mountshannon, Annacotty and Groody Bridge in the county ofLimerick: Parkway Roundabout, Dublin Road, Clare Street, Lock Quay, Abbey River Bridge, Northern Relief Road, Castle Street,Thomond Bridge, High Road, Sexton Street North, Northern Ring Road, Ennis Road, Caherdavin Cross and Ennis Road in the city of Limerick: Lansdowne Bridge at the boundary between the city of Limerick and the County of Clare: and Meelick in the county of Clare.
Ancillary roads constructed as part of the N7Naas Road widening and junction separation scheme are classified as the R445. These offer local access toJohnstown andKill. They connect to the existing R445 atMaudlin's Interchange (Junction 9 on the N7, start of the M7 motorway).
Here the R445 route follows theDublin Road intoNaas (this route was the N7 prior to the construction of the M7 in 1983). The route continues through Naas alongPoplar Street andMain Street, before leaving the town along theLimerick Road. South of Naas, the R445 becomes a dual carriageway for 8 km (5.0 mi) and crosses the M7 motorway at Junction 10, continuing west toNewbridge along the town'sDublin Road, crossing theRiver Liffey viaLiffey Bridge ontoMain Street. The route continues alongEdward Street, leaving the town as theKildare Road. The R445 links to the M7 motorway at Junction 12, and crosses the Curragh beside the motorway before veering into Kildare Town. The route sections through Newbridge and Kildare formed the N7 until the extension of the M7 motorway between Junction 10 and Junction 13.
The R445 continues on theDublin Road east ofKildare. This runs through the town viaDublin Street,Claregate Street and theLimerick/Cork Road. The R445 meets Junction 14 of the M7 motorway atMayfield. From here, the route continues west throughMonasterevin viaMooreabbey andDublin Street. The R445 passes throughBallybrittas on the way toPortlaoise, meeting the M7 motorway again at Junction 16. TheDublin Road brings the R445 into Portlaoise where it joins theN80. The R445 begins again where it leaves the N80 at the junction ofGrattan Street andAbbeyleix Road, following the former street out of the town, to meet the M7/N7 at Junction 18. The R445 route from east of Kildare to west of Portlaoise consists of redesignated roads which formed part of the N7 route prior to the opening of the M7Kildare Bypass (2003),Monasterevin Bypass (2004) andPortlaoise Bypass (1997).
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In 2010 all of the old N7 route between Portlaoise and Limerick was replaced with motorway and was reclassified as R445. The first section throughMountrath, Castletown andBorris-in-Ossory was reclassified in May 2010 followed the opening of the M7/M8 tolled motorway.
Following the bypass ofNenagh in 2000, and resulting realignment of the N7, the old route through the town was reclassified as part of the R445. The R445 passes through Nenagh via theDublin Road,Thomas MacDonagh Street,Pierce Street,Kickham Street,Ash Road andClare Street. The route meets theN52 west of Nenagh. From the Carrigatogher Roundabout the R445 leaves the N52 road and continues along the old N7 route toBirdhill which was redesignated in April 2010. The route between Birdhill and Annacotty was redesignated as R445 in September 2010 following the opening of the Birdhill to Limerick section of the M7.
On 22 December 2010, following the opening of the M7 Castletown to Nenagh motorway project the old N7 route was reclassified as R445 from Borris-in-Ossory to Nenagh passing through the towns ofRoscrea,Moneygall andToomevara.
Finally, the route throughLimerick city, which formed the N7 prior to the opening of theSouthern Ring Road in 2004, is also now the R445.
The route passes byAnnacotty, and enters Limerick along theDublin Road throughCastletroy. The road crosses theGroody Bridge at the beginning of a new road section also opened in 2004 (also designated the N7 at the time). This brings the Dublin Road and R445 to theParkway Roundabout, where it meets theChilders Road. The R445 continues as theDublin Road,Clare Street andLock Quay before crossing theAbbey Bridge across the Abbey River. The R445 passes throughKing's Island as theNorthern Relief Road andCastle Street (passing byKing John's Castle). The route crosses theRiver Shannon viaThomond Bridge and followsHigh Street,Sexton Street and theNorthern Ring Road (pastLIT). AtCaherdavin Cross (Ivan's Cross) the route follows theEnnis Road west out of the city to meet theN18 inCounty Clare at theCoonagh Roundabout.
