Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A €200M PROJECT to replace “one of the worst sections of primary road in the country” has been given the green light.
Cabinet approved construction on a new single carriageway across Roscommon today.
The N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road Project can now progress to the construction phase, which will see around 34km of new single carriageway road.
The project is expected to take three years.
The carriageway will connect the western end of the existing N5 Ballaghaderreen Bypass to Scramoge, Co Roscommon.
It will bypass the towns of Frenchpark, Bellanagare, Tulsk and Strokestown.
New pedestrian and cycle facilities are to be provided in Strokestown between the Lavally and Kildalloge roundabout and on the N61 west of Elphin between the N5/N61 and roundabouts.
Additional pedestrian and cycle measures are currently being considered.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan described the existing route as “one of the worst sections of primary road in the country”.
“By completing the missing links in the N5 corridor, it will improve access to the north west,” Ryan said.
It’s hoped that the new route will help to divert heavy traffic, trucks and other heavy goods vehicles out of town centres.
Minister of State for Transport Hildegarde Naughton said the project “will eliminate sections of the N5 that have had collision rates nearly twice above the national road average”.
“The N5 road scheme which now moves to construction phase will improve safety for all road users including pedestrians and cyclists,” Naughton said.
“Dramatically improving the safety of the N5 corridor, the new route will also benefit road users by improving overall journey times and reduce travel costs,” she said.
Mayo TD Alan Dillon said that the move was a positive step for people in Mayo and “any road users who depend on the N95″.
“As the primary access road to our county, it has been a long road in getting to this point of project approval,” Dillon said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
“pedestrian and cycle measures are currently being considered.”
For €200m ya think they could have included segregated cycle lanes and footpaths.
Will the towns bypassed have some road space allocated back to footpaths and outdoor amenity spaces? Think places like Ennis. Otherwise the traffic is still going to be in every ones face.
@Mark: it includes a cycle path
@John Mulligan: Only at selected tie-ins such as Strokestown. Not along the route itself. The ambition and vision needs to be set higher or we just keep getting more dependent on costly cars.
5 and 10k distances are easily doable on a bike with the right segregated cycle lanes.
A bike costs zero to run compared to hundreds a month for a car.
@Mark: For you maybe but not everybody.
@Mark: The new Sallins bypass has only shared path on one section and nothing on another section, shocking bad design. Designs all done for TII who are are totally car focused.
Ok, this is where everyone will know a worse road.
So let me start with the N16 Sligo to Blacklion
@Kieran Henry: I suppose it comes down to how busy they are too. The enigmatic Limerick to Cork motorway still looms on the horizon.
@Kieran Henry: for fatalities N24
@michael: m20 badly needed
Well overdue, but it needs the Longford to Edgeworthstown bit done as well.
A Jay’s no dual carriageway and loads of space for it all the road space used up in lawns and greenery but still better than nothing. Same on the ballymoe roscommon road took a load of land and left it single carriageway. Waste of space.
Badly needed.
Better be overtaking lanes in both directions. Cause getting stuck behind slow motorists causes many accidents.
have your say