Deliver bridge over N5 to address east Mayo road safety concerns
COUNCILLORS are leaning towards closing an old bog road that leads onto the N5 near Swinford, but not until a bridge is put in place to deal with safety issues at the Swinford-Kiltimagh junctions.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have asked the council to extinguish a right of way from the road at Carrowbaun to allow for safety improvements at the next two junctions - one leading to Kiltimagh, the other into Swinford.
Possible solutions to deal with those junctions include a bridge or roundabout.
One local councillor spoke passionately about the fear people using the N5 experience every day when the proposal to close the road came before the monthly Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District meeting.
Councillor John Caulfield said he wanted to see progress to address all junctions on the Swinford by-pass. Until then, people would be playing Russian roulette with their lives every time they turn off for Kiltimagh and at other junctions.
There have been fatalities on the route for over 20 years now and the proposal before them was 'a sticking plaster', he said.
All he was asking for was that safety issues would be addressed.
When people in the locality hear of a road closure on the N5 on the radio, and a family member has left for work or is due home, they are in fear for them, added Councillor Caulfield.
The meeting was told how a new bridge to address safety issues on the N17 at Lisduff in Claremorris had been fast-tracked and a masterplan should be looked at for all accesses on this stretch of the N5.
Councillor Gerry Murray agreed a similar solution needed to be found in Swinford and TII had to step up to the plate.
He wanted clarification - if the bridge didn't happen the proposed road closure also would not happen.
Senior engineer Conrad Harley said they were all on the same side - making the N5 safer.
The coroner, he said, had asked TII to come up with a masterplan.
Following their assessment, this was the starting point of that plan, which also details what could happen at other junctions along the route.
By agreeing to close the road but postponing it until a bridge is built they were putting the ball back into TII's and the political sphere to deliver this.
By saying no they were not progressing overall safety along the road.
It was agreed that it was a reasonable proposition to close the road but only if a roundabout or bridge is constructed.
Elected members requested time for feedback and clarification and deferred the matter to their next meeting.
At the outset of the discussion, Councillor Michael Smyth absented himself from the meeting, expressing a conflict of interest as he has an interest in lands in the area in question.
Local objections
Over 100 objections have been received by Mayo County Council in relation to the proposal to close the old bog road entrance onto the N5.
Among the issues raised are concerns that it will bring additional traffic to the Lislackagh junction, which is more dangerous.
In response, the council said a safer, albeit longer, route is available to access Meelick.
The old road would still be open for use by pedestrians and people on bicycles, it was clarified.
The long-term solution of a bridge or roundabout could see a direct access being provided to the old road. That could be investigated further at the design and planning stage.
The issue of conflict of interest was also raised in some of the submissions, which said a local councillor had indicated that he intends to apply for planning for a private business venture.
In response, the council said no planning permission has been lodged for any new development in the area.
The TII report was published in September 2020.
No consideration was given to any proposed projects in this area in the development of the TII report.