The 2011 proposed roadworks’ scheme for the Westport Electoral Area was approved by councillors during a special meeting on Monday.
Council engineer Ger Reidy outlined that on the eight kilometres of national primary road in the electoral area, €200,000 will be spent on a low cost accident scheme at Knockbrack on the N5 where there is a dangerous junction. Glenhest has also been recommended for a low cost accident scheme for regional roads.
As for national secondary roads, surface dressing will commence in Liscarney, with €48,437 set aside for this. The regional Westport to Louisburgh road and the Newport to Castlebar road will see money spent on surface dressing at Gloshpatrick/Murrisk, Moneen/Fladuf, and at Derrinumera. Work on these three sections will cost €149,801.
Footpaths and street maintenance in Louisburgh have been proposed, as has more footpath work on Mill Street, Westport.
€322,916 is to be spent on road strengthening in Lecanvey as the road in the area has been badly damaged for several years.
Salt and gritting expenditure of €95,380 on regional roads is also proposed and hedge trimming on local roads has been budgeted at €13,200.
A total of €251,059 is to be spent on surface dressing on local roads and €669,751 on strengthening on local roads. Mr Reidy said that road strengthening works will be based in priority of roads which were damaged from the recent bad weather and he said work should start immediately on these roads.
Special improvement money of €19,000 for Sandymount in Newport and €3,400 for the Lodge Road was also proposed.
Councillor Peter Flynn said that as only €230k was allocated for low cost accident schemes on national roads, €30k will be left to deal with the 8km of roads, after the Knockbrack scheme, “which is a load of baloobas”. The councillor said he thought the junction at the GAA pitch and Kings Hill in Westport, which is lethal, should have been included for a low cost accident scheme. “Not a month goes by” when there is not an accident at the junction, he added. The Fine Gael councillor asked if there is no money from the NRA, “Can we at least put up a sign saying that there is a concealed entrance ahead?”
The councillor also apologised on behalf of the council for the state of the Lodge Road, “which is a crucial road in the town”.
Mr Reidy said that money is available for work on the Lodge Road and as soon as the proposed scheme is passed “we can get stuck in” and “I am confident that the Lodge Road will be brought up to standard.”
A survey on the Kings Hill junction is also being carried out and Mr Reidy said that he is “quietly confident” that there may be some money available for a low cost accident scheme.
Chair of the area Cllr Austin Frances O’Malley welcomed all funding and the scheme was proposed by Cllr Flynn and seconded by Cllr John O’Malley.
