Two bridges proposed to address safety concerns on N5 by-pass

TWO bridges are proposed for the N5 Swinford by-pass at the Kiltimagh Road and Corrib Oil junctions.

Local councillors have agreed to extinguish a right of way at the old bog road near Applegreen but it will not close until the new infrastructure is in place.

There had been local objections to the road closure at Carrowbaun and councillors requested that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) come up with a plan to improve safety at all junctions on the route.

The proposal from TII to have two flyovers was welcomed at the monthly Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District meeting.

The extinguishment of the right of way on the old bog road, which is a widely used local link onto the N5, was before members for agreement.

Noting the maps before them with the two bridges, Councillor Neil Cruise said the bog road should be accessible from the first bridge proposed and there would be no closing of any road until that new infrastructure is in place.

He was supported in this proposal by Councillor Gerry Murray who said this stretch of the N5 has been an accident black spot for 20 years and what is being proposed for the Kiltimagh and Corrib junctions was to be welcomed.

The council were acting now and bouncing the ball back into the court of TII, and he encouraged them to proceed with the two bridges at the same time if possible.

The flyover at the Kiltimagh road had come up a lot, he said, and there was also pressure for the Corrib junction to be resolved too

This was a two decades old scenario, with many fatalities and crashes at both junctions, and they now had an opportunity to resolve this road safety issue for the next generation.

He hoped TII will expedite matters as soon as they can and that government will provide the funding.

Councillor John Caulfield said to stand out on the N5 and take a turn was like playing Russian roulette.

He did not think the initial proposal that came before them - to close the bog road - had been enough.

They were duty-bound to make the roads as safe as they can be.