The preferred route for the N60/N83 Ballyhaunis outer bypass went on display earlier this week in the town. The chosen route for the bypass is a variation of Route C which was put on display earlier as one of five possible routes and was chosen as the most appropriate one following engineering, environmental, human, and economic assessments of each route option and a review of submissions received from the public on the routes. The designers of the route had to make a slight variation to the route to deal with concerns from the public and from environmental concerns following their investigations.
The planning process for the route showed that route A was the most preferred route following submissions, while the eventual route C was the route which had the most opposition. But following strenuous ecological assessments, archaeological assessments, geological and hydrology assessments, and cost benefit analysis route C emerged as the preferred route for the bypass.
Because of some concerns that came up in relation to route C it was modified to reduce the severity on an important ecological site at Hazelhill and to avoid a complex of esker ridges in Devlis at either end of the bypass. There was also a realignment of the N60 Castlerea road exit following submissions from the public.
The route is now out for public consultation and submissions are invited which must be received by Thursday April 9. If the route is ratified by Mayo County Council the lands will be sterilised for planning applications and it will be included on the Ballyhaunis local area plan and the Mayo County Development plan. Also any planning applications which were being held up due to the other possible routes will be released back into the planning process.
