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Roads Transportation and Safety

Major National Road Projects

N15 Realignment – Sligo to County Boundary
The N15 National Primary Route is part of a strategic corridor link connecting Sligo with the towns of Bundoran, Ballyshannon, Donegal Town, Ballybofey, Stranorlar, Letterkenny and Derry.

In view of the existing and projected traffic volumes it is proposed to construct a new dual carriageway and 2 + 1 road which will by-pass the villages of Rathcormack, Drumcliffe, Grange and Cliffoney.

The realigned N15 will represent a major investment in the county’s infrastructure and the completed project will:
  • Reduce travel time and improve access to the North West
  • Reduce transport costs
  • Reduce accident rates, particularly fatal and serious injury accidents
  • Improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the economy both locally and nationally
  • Create a safer environment for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and children.
Following the public consultation for route selection, submissions were considered together with the results of the specialist environmental studies and an emerging preferred route was drawn up. The emerging preferred route is a combination of the four routes shown at the previous consultation, with some minor modifications included in order to reduce the impact on individual houses or archaeological sites.

N17 Collooney to Charlestown Road (Tubbercurry By-Pass)
The design of the 10 km section of the N17 route, from Rathscanlon to Achonry (Tubbercurry By-Pass) was advanced during 2005. Ongoing studies for the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) were progressed as follows:
  • Socio-economic impact
  • Impact on landscape, ecology, geology, traffic route lighting and agriculture.
Work progressed on preliminary design and Compulsory Purchase Order procedures. The construction will commence 2008/2009.

N4 Cloonamahon to Castlebaldwin
Design of the 12 km route from Cloonamahon to Castlebaldwin was advanced in 2005 and ongoing studies for the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) were progressed to determine impact on landscape, ecology, geology and agriculture.

National Road Projects
The following works were undertaken with grants allocated by the National Roads Authority
  • N15 – 2.07 km of quality overlay at Castlegal (€745,608 expended)
  • N15 – 2.8 km of quality overlay at Mullaghnaneane (€1,005,647 expended)
  • N4 - 1.62 km of pavement strengthening at Ardloy and Carrownagark (€301,900)
  • N16 - 3km of pavement strengthening/surface dressing at Barroe/Dunally (€290,862 expended)
  • N17 - 1.25km of pavement strengthening at Castleoye (North of Tubbercurry) (€146,618 expended)
  • N59 - 1.78 km of pavement strengthening/asphalt surface at Ballysadare (€366,534 expended)
  • N59 - 0.85 km of pavement strengthening/asphalt surface at Beltra (€176,966 expended)
  • N59 - Junction realignment – Grant of €200,000 allocated, Junctions improved at N59/R298, Tanrego West and Caltragh
  • N4 - Sligo town streets: Adelaide Street and Pearse Road, between Cairns Road and Mail Coach Road junction were surfaced. (€553,442 expended)
  • N4 Dual Carriageway median barrier: The installation of the median barrier on the section of road between Carraroe and Collooney was completed. (€206,279 expended).
Accident Remedial Schemes
A grant of €160,000 was allocated under this scheme and works were undertaken at:
  • N4 Sligo Borough – Pearse Road/Cairns Road
  • N15 Sligo Borough
  • N15 Cashelgarron
  • N16 Sligo Borough – Duck Street
  • N17 Curry
  • N17 Rhue
  • N59 junction signage/road markings improvements.
The expenditure of €200,833 was incurred.

Winter Maintenance
The National Roads Authority allocated a grant of €160,000 for National Roads and a grant of €40,000 for the N59. Sligo County Council has five modern salt spreaders and snow ploughs for winter maintenance of roads.

N17 Road Improvement
Sections of this road between Cloonacurra (North of Ballinacarrow) and Rhue (South of Tubbercurry) were improved by widening of the carriageway/verge. This involved excavating out the grass verges and laying crushed stone and surface dressing. Substantial works were carried out at Rhue junction that improves traffic safety in the area. The expenditure on this scheme was €717,774.

Metrication of Speed Limit Signs
The speed limit signs at towns and villages were changed to comply with the metrication of speed limits nationally. New poles/signs were erected at junctions of National Roads with Non-National Roads. The speed limit on our rural national roads is 100km/h while the speed limit on rural non-national roads is 80km/h. The National Roads Authority and the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government funded the cost of erecting signs and poles.

Non-National Road Specific Improvement Schemes

R294 Drumaskibbole/Glenagoolagh
The realignment of a 0.4 km section was carried out costing €795,149. The ground was very poor and the removal of up to 5m of soft material was necessary.

R294 Mullaghroe
Realignment of the road continued. The cost of realigning 0.34 km was €490,871.

R297 Muckduff/Bartragh
Work commenced on the realignment of a 0.6 km section of this road. Earthworks were completed and the road base is partly laid. A new bridge is being erected on the realigned road. This construction of this scheme will continue in 2006. The expenditure was €510,461.

R292 Knappaghmore
Construction commenced on the realignment of this section of R292 from the borough boundary towards Strandhill. A number of portions of front gardens were acquired and accommodation works/new garden boundary walls and services were provided. The expenditure was €422,459.

R292 Tully
Accommodation works were carried out and payments for land acquired for the scheme were made. The expenditure was €465,981.

R2 Ballinode/Hazelwood
The re-alignment of this section commenced within the Sligo borough area. The works involved land acquisition, laying services and pavement works. A new T-Junction is being constructed at the R284/L3408 (Calry Rd) junction. This scheme will continue in 2006. The expenditure was €422,549.

Non-National Road Maintenance and Pavement Improvement

Restoration Improvement
A grant of €4,901,000 was allocated by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government for road reconstruction and surface restoration of Non-National (Regional and Local) roads. This provided for substantial improvements to be made to the Non-National Road Network. The works consisted of pothole repairs, strengthening of the road pavement with bitumen macadam or graded crushed stone, double surface dressing and drainage improvement.

Bitumen macadam was laid on the Regional Roads and on some local roads with high volumes of traffic. These roads were then surface dressed to improve skid resistance. The following lengths of roads improved under this scheme:-
  • 10.14km of regional roads
  • 118.9km of local roads
  • A total of 129.04km of roadway
Restoration Maintenance
A grant of €1,685,000 was allocated. This grant is intended for surface dressing of Non-National Roads. Most of the roads listed for surface dressing particularly the local roads required some strengthening/shaping with graded crushed stone and double surface dressing as well as pot-hole repairs and drainage improvement.

The lengths of road improved under this grant were:-
  • 13.8km of Regional Roads
  • 69.2km of Local Roads
  • A total of 83km of roadway
Discretionary Improvement Grant
A grant of €636,000 was allocated to carry out minor improvements on non-national roads in the Council/Borough. Work undertaken included:-
  • Construction of new foot-paths in Easkey, Tubbercurry, Gurteen, Riverstown, Collooney, Cliffoney and Strandhill
  • Public lighting Improvement
  • Improvement of sight-lines at junctions and realignment of road bends, bridge repairs
  • Drainage works
  • Flashing amber lights at schools
  • Road safety.
Discretionary Maintenance Grant
A grant of €752,000 was provided for the general maintenance of regional roads in the County. This provided for pavement maintenance, road markings, drainage and signage maintenance.

Class II and III Roads
The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DOEHLG) allocated a grant of €151,000 for improvement of these classes of roads. 6.58km of road was improved with this grant.

In addition to the DOEHLG grant, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs allocated a grant of €387,784 for the improvement of Class II and III roads and for the provision of amber flashing lights at schools.
  • 17.2km of Class II and III road was improved
  • Amber flashing lights were erected at Coola and Kilmactranny N.S
Clár/Coillte Grants
The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Coillte Teoranta allocated a grant of €17,500 for the Restoration Improvement Scheme at Local Road L7105 at Castlegal. 1.1km of road was improved with this grant.

Accident Remedial Schemes
A grant of €88,000 was allocated under this scheme and work was undertaken at:-
  • L2302 - Corkamore
  • L7309/7316 - Ballinvoher
  • R290 - Collooney
  • R294 - Tubbercurry - Lough Talt County boundary.
Local Improvement Schemes
The DOEHLG allocates a grant for the improvement of nonpublic roads, which benefit two or more landowners, engaged in separate agricultural activities. The beneficiaries of a scheme must contribute towards it – 10% for a scheme estimated to cost less than €25,393 and 15% in excess of this figure.

The DOEHLG grant allocated in 2005 was €483,219 enabling 28 schemes to be carried out.

The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs also provided a grant of €346,205 for Local Improvement Schemes in CLÁR areas. This enabled a further 26 schemes to be undertaken.