Road Transportation and Safety

A total of approximately €24m has been expended on the maintenance and upgrade of public roads network in County Sligo in 2007.

Work also progressed satisfactorily on the planning and design of the key strategic national primary routes serving Sligo, the Gateway city of the North-West.

Work will continue at an accelerated pace on delivering these key infrastructural projects.

NATIONAL ROAD DESIGN

Route selection has been carried out and a preferred route has been identified for all National Primary routes in the county, including the N4 (Dublin Road), the N15 (Donegal Road), the N16 (Manorhamilton Road) and the N17 (Galway Road).

N17 Tobercurry Bypass

The draft Preliminary Design Report, Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Compulsory Purchase Order documentation in relation to the N17 Tobercurry by-pass was forwarded to the NRA in April, 2007 for review. This road has been designed as a “Type 2 Dual Carriageway”, with two lanes in each direction and a wire rope barrier in between.

N17 Curry to Collooney

Work continued in relation to preliminary design and environmental studies on two other sections of the N17, namely Collooney to Achonry and Rathscanlon to Curry. Ground Investigation on these sections of the N17 commenced.

N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin

The Preliminary Design and environmental studies for N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin continued in 2007. The road type will be ‘Type 2 Dual Carriageway’ and extend to Collooney. In late 2007 the NRA requested that further studies should be carried out in relation to the roundabouts at Collooney in order to assess if they will have adequate capacity in the longer term.

N4/N15 Sligo to County Boundary

A route for the N4/N15 Sligo to County Boundary was adopted by Sligo County and Borough Councils in 2006. Ryan Hanley WSP Ltd., Consulting Engineers were appointed in November, 2007 to advance the design through Preliminary Design, EIS and CPO stages.

Sligo Western Bypass

In 2007 work continued on preparation of a Feasibility Study for a Sligo Western Bypass and specialist studies were carried out in relation to hydro-dynamic modelling and ground investigation of Sligo harbour.

BRIDGING THE CENTURIES…

SLIGO LOCAL AUTHORITIES BRIDGE PROGRAMME

County Sligo’s bridges represent an important part of our built heritage, with 49 bridges listed as Protected Structures in the County Development Plan. The majority of Sligo’s bridges are over 140 years old and some are much older debatably dating as far back as the thirteenth century.

Over the last few years, Sligo County Council has carried out an extensive programme of maintenance and repair on many of the county’s bridges. In the five year period 2003-2007 Sligo County Council has expended over €1.7million on its bridge programme, which has seen improvements carried out to twenty five bridges (see panel). Each project has offered its own unique challenges, from collapsing walls, subsiding foundations, to cracks, bulges and distortion in arches. In some instances repair work has involved the closure of the road, and in such cases the work is carried out as quickly as possible to ensure minimum inconvenience to motorists and local residents.

The majority of the bridge programme is the work of Sligo County Council staff under the direction of Senior Executive Engineer Gary Salter, and in-house expertise is used to analyse, design and restore or repair the bridge stock. About 80% of Sligo’s bridges are masonry arches. Many of the bridges require strengthening to meet current and anticipated vehicular loads.

According to Mr. Salter ‘under different guises, local authorities have been building bridges since around 1835, with the first County Surveyor’s appointment. While the National Roads Authority fund national road bridges, it falls to the County Council to carry out the repair and maintenance work, with the exception of larger projects. The Council has full control and responsibility for maintaining the bridge stock on non-national roads, subject to Department of the Environment funding and approval.’

One of the most important bridge projects being proposed by Sligo Borough Council is the Eastern Garvoge Bridge. The proposed Eastern Garvoge River Bridge and Approach Roads will provide an eastern urban road which will further reduce traffic congestion in the city centre. It will provide a new high-quality, single-carriageway Urban Distributor Road link on the Eastern side of Sligo City, reducing substantially journey and emergency response times. Also, it will provide for the ongoing commercial, residential, recreational and social development of communities in the east of the City, on both the north and south sides of the Garvoge River, and will establish a vital link across the river between Sligo General Hospital and the city’s educational hub at the Institute of Technology in Ballinode.

The proposed bridge will span over the Garvoge River at the narrowest crossing point of the river before it widens out to the east at Lough Gill. The proposed crossing represents the most easterly link between north and south of Sligo city and the hinterland beyond. The proposed bridge is a high, single, elegant, parabolic tied arch structure and will be unique to Ireland and identifiable with the Gateway City of Sligo in the future, if passage through the EIA procedure and funding are realised.

BRIDGE PROGRAMME 2007

• Ragwood Bridge – substantial bridge widening with two new masonry arches.
• Pullaheeney Bridge – new single span bridge replacing dilapidated two span structure.
• Carrownagilty Bridge – superstructure replacement.
• Derry Bridge – major restoration and strengthening.
• Markievicz Bridge – feasibility and proposal for pedestrian bridge by consultants, Roughan and O’Donovan
• Ounagh Bridge – Superstructure replacement.
• Cloonacool Bridge – tree removal
• Ballinakill Bridge – vegetation clearance and waterproofing
  

CASE STUDY… LISCONNY BRIDGE

Lisconny Bridge is an attractive 5 span symmetrical stone arch structure with curved approaches spanning the Unshin River. The bridge had numerous defects; there were major cracks in four of the five arches, missing stones, scour at the piers and there was substantial mortar loss.

As this is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a salmonid river, consultation was a major factor in preparing a restoration programme. Among the statutory agencies contacted by Sligo County Council were the North Western Fisheries Board, Duchas and the Department of the Environment. Local landowners were also consulted on the project.

As Lisconny Bridge is a protected structure, the intention was to retain all characteristics and surfaces and use traditional materials where possible.

Gary Salter’s team surveyed the structure and he analysed and developed a programme of work involving foundation stabilisation, bed protection, arch and pier strengthening, and improving the integrity of the structure, as well as restoring the elegant structure using traditional materials by direct labour.

An interesting facet of the project was the fact that the bridge was the home of Daubenton bats, a protected species, and the recommendations of a bat specialist were incorporated into the work programme. The work on Lisconny Bridge has been widely acclaimed, and involved Specialist Contractor, Lemac Ltd and Sligo County Council staff JJ Higgins and the late Joe Torsney, Project Engineer Gary Salter, Senior Executive Engineer.

ICBAN DELIVERS FOR SLIGO

Over period 2003-2005 approximately €1m Euro has been delivered by the Irish Central Border Area Network (ICBAN) to fund various infrastructural improvements in County Sligo.

According to Senior Engineer, Tommy Carroll ‘this has enabled Sligo County Council to undertake much needed improvements to harbours on West Sligo Coastline including Enniscrone, Easkey and Pollnadivva. Amenity Improvements have also been undertaken to the resorts of Mullaghmore and Enniscrone which included upgrading of streets, footpaths and public lighting, making villages more pedestrian friendly while also enhancing the attractiveness of resorts as tourist destinations’.

Improvements were also undertaken to Raghly Harbour in North Sligo including a feasibility study which resulted in a major grant being secured from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in 2006 allowing a major upgrade of harbour to commence. Improvements were also undertaken to regional routes in east of County Sligo.

Small realignment and resurfacing contracts were undertaken to Regional Route R290 at Ballygawley, R284 at Doonally, R287 at Correagh and R286 at Corwillick.

Also enhancement works were undertaken to lay-bys on N16 at Glencar and R286 at Corwillick.

The undertaking of these works have improved access to areas of County Sligo which have suffered greatly from population loss over the period of troubles in the North of Ireland. This was as a result of reduced access due to the closure of the Northern Railway network and the closure of cross-border roads which served this area.

The works also enable tourism to be promoted in the region with the resorts and harbours receiving significant investment in physical infrastructure attracting greater number of tourists to areas.

National Primary

Route	Description	Length
N4	Borough Boundary to Roscommon County Boundary	33.3km
N15	Borough Boundary to Bunduff Boundary	26.4km
N16	Borough Boundary to Leitrim County Boundary	8.4km
N17	Collooney to Bellahy	34.6km
Total:		102.7km

Regional Routes

Route	Description	Length
R277	Killaspugbrone – Sligo Airport	1.7km
R278	Sligo – Cornalaghta	6.7km
R279	Cliffoney – Mullaghmore	4.4km
R284	Carrowroe to Roscommon County Boundary	26.6km
R286	Borough Boundary – Leitrim County Boundary	8.1km
R287	Carrowroe – Leitrim County Boundary	11.9km
R290	Rathrippon – Ballintogher	11.0km
R291	Borough Boundary – Rosses Point	6.5km
R292	Borough Boundary – Strandhill – Ballydrehid	16.3km
R293	Ballinaboll – Gurteen – Roscommom County Boundary	25.8km
R294	Cloonloo – Tubbercurry – Lough Talt	42.5km
R295	Ballymote – Keash – Roscommon County Boundary	14.6km
R296	Ballymote – Bunnannaddan – R294	10.2km
R297	Dromore West – Enniscrone – County Boundary	29.8km
R298	N59 – Lacknatlieva – R297	4.9km
R361	Roscommon County Boundary – Killaraght – Roscommon Coounty	1.6km
Total		222.6km

National Secondary 

Route	Description	Length
N59	Ballysadare to Mayo County Boundary	47.4km

Local Roads

CLASS	LENGTH KM	PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL
1	581.6	25.6
2	1,008.0	44.3
3	681.5	30.1

ROUTE	LENGTH KM	PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL
National Primary	102.7	3.9
National Secondary	47.4	1.8
Regional	222.6	8.4
Local	2,271.1	85.9
Total	2,643.8km	100%

National Routes – General

A total of €7,488,697 was allocated towards the maintenance and improvement of 150km of national route network in County Sligo in 2007 by the National Roads Authority.

€338,000 was expended on surface dressing sections of national routes at Muckelty on N17 and Dromore West on N59.

A total of €1.6m was expended on the strengthening of deformed sections of national routes at Leekfield N59, Rathscanlon N17 and Cashelgarron N15.

CAPITAL PROGRAMME

N16

A review of the studies and design of the preferred route was undertaken in 2007 by Road Design Section, Sligo County Council. It is expected that the further planning and design of this key north-south route will continue in 2008 subject to funding from NRA.

A total of €2m was allocated by NRA towards the funding of costs associated with the planning and design of national routes in County Sligo in 2007.

A total of €143,000 was allocated towards road safety remedial measures at 5 number locations on national routes in County Sligo in 2007.

Road Upkeep

Non-National Roads

A total of €14,246,503 was allocated by Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DOEHLG) towards the maintenance and improvement of Non-National road network in County Sligo in 2007.

A further €1.013 was allocated towards the upgrade of 53 number non public roads under the Local Improvement Scheme.

The Clar Programme co-funded a scheme with the DOEHLG which enabled expenditure of €224,000 on the upgrade of 18 number public roads in Clar areas in County Sligo in 2007.

Road Restoration Programme 2006 – 2008

Considerable progress was made in implementing the above multi-annual programme.

A total of €9,308,000 was invested in non-national roads infrastructure in 2007. Such has been the progress that the DOEHLG invited submissions for a new multi-annual plan for period 2008 – 2010.

This programme has been submitted following approval at local area meetings.

It is hoped subject to funding from DOEHLG to commence this programme in 2008.

Local Roads Maintenance

In 2007 the “own resource allocation” of Sligo County Council provided in estimates towards the upkeep of local road network was €930,000 of which €158,750 was dedicated towards councillors proposals.

It is proposed to increase the Council’s contribution to €1,000,000 in 2008 ( representing an increase of 7.5%) which is in excess of the 5% annual increase recommended by the DOEHLG.

A sum of €1,790,880 was invested in maintenance of local road network in 2007 under the Road Restoration Programme.

Regional Road Maintenance

A sum of €645,800 was expended on maintenance of regional road network in 2007 under the Discretionary Improvement Grant.

A sum of €483,000 was expended on Regional Road network under the Road Restoration Programme.

Road Improvement

A total of €3,016,000 was allocated towards the following projects in 2007.

Specific Improvement Grant Scheme

Route	Nature of Work	Cost
R292	Realign Strandhill Rd/Knappaghmore	300,000
R284	Realignment Drumiskabbole	450,000
R294	Mullaghroe Realignment	366,000
R297	Realignment Muckduff	400,000
L501	Carrownagilty Bridge	54,000
L64101	Pollacheeney Bridge	265,000
L7205	Derry Bridge	81,000
R277	New Airport Road, Strandhill	50,000
R286	Bellanode/Hazelwood	500,000
R286	Markievicz Bridge	75,000
R292	Sea Road	300,000
R292	Rathbraughan Bridge Upgrade	75,000
R293	Ragwood Bridge	100,000

 

Approval was obtained to expend a further €1.7m from DOEHLG in August, 2007 on substantially completing schemes on R284 Drumiskabbole, R294 Mullaghroe and R292 Knappaghmore before end of 2007.

These ongoing improvements will improve access to our rural communities, improve the safety of roadusers and promote social inclusion in remote rural areas.

The improvement of regional road infrastructure will also help to promote economic activity in the region.

Discretionary Improvement Grant

A total of €577,000 was expended on maintenance of Regional Road Network and improvements to local network in County Sligo in 2007 under the above grant. These improvements included:

• Construction of 2km of public footpath in towns and villages of County Sligo. A total of €500,000 was expended on this project. €250,000 from Discretionary Improvement Grant was matched by €250,000 from development levies.
• Improvement to public lighting network.
• Improvement to road signage.
• Improvement to bridge infrastructure.

Footpaths were improved in the villages/towns of Tobercurry, Gurteen, Collooney, Grange, Strandhill, Ballymote, Dromore West, Enniscrone, Ballysadare, Cliffoney and Coolaney.

Funding was also provided towards the promotion of Road Safety and the running costs of Material Testing Laboratory at Belladrehid.

Improvement to local road junctions was also undertaken while traffic calming measures were implemented in some towns and villages.

Regional Road Improvement/Restoration Programme

A total of €1,756,122 was expended on surface dressing and the road restoration of regional road network in County Sligo under the multi-annual road restoration programme.

Local Road Improvement/Restoration Programme

A total of €7,551,878 was expended on surface dressing and the road restoration of local road network under the multi-annual road restoration in County Sligo in 2007.

Local Improvement Schemes

Over €1.1m has been expended on the upgrade of 53 number nonpublic roads under the above scheme in 2007. A backlog of approximately 100 number schemes remain to be undertaken in Cunty. Sligo. At the moment a sub-committee of Sligo County Council is examining the existing policy of administering scheme.

Road Traffic

The Roads Department in conjunction with NRA/DOEHLG and cooperating with an Garda Siochana will continue to target collision locations and to apply engineering measures where appropriate to resolve high collision locations on road network in County Sligo.

Bi-monthly meetings are held with An Garda Siochana and Roads Dept. to exchange information under a collision prevention programme.

In 2007 €244,000 was allocated towards schemes targeting specific locations where the incidence of collisions was high historically. 14  number such locations were identified and treated. Engineering measures such as renewed signing and lining, improved junction definition, pedestrian crossings have been introduced at these locations.

The Road Safety plan for County Sligo will be reviewed regularly. The Road Safety Officer has raised the issue of road safety to a new level of public consciousness by promoting initiatives on the awareness and print media particularly on occasions of major public events.The issues of visibility of pedestrians at night and the correct wearing of seatbelts has also been highlighted.

A new policy initiated by the NRA and An Garda Siochana will require all collision locations to be jointly inspected by the regional Garda Inspector and Area Engineer within 24 – 48 hours after a fatal or serious injury collision.

Any engineering factors that may have contributed to the collision can then be addressed immediately. Sligo County Council Roads Department will be implementing this new policy initiative immediately.