Hard decisions will have to be taken to address safety on N5 Mayo bypass

ADDRESSING safety issues on the N5 bypass at Swinford will involve closing roads.

Some difficult decisions will need to be made and that is the reality, local councillors have been told by the head of roads, Paul Dolan.

The roads design office in Mayo hopes to receive funding in 2024 for an appraisal of the five-kilometre stretch, which has 13 junctions and accesses, to look at various interventions to improve safety, Paul Hyland told a Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District meeting. This may involve closing roads, amalgamation of roads or rationalisation of junctions, with hard decisions to be made, he stated.

Consultants will have to be appointed and then the assessments can start.

Councillor Adrian Forkan agreed it wasn't going to be 'an easy fix' but something has to be done. There was another accident at the Ballyglass turn-off recently, but Culmore and the Corrib junctions are the serious ones, he said.

Councillor John Caulfield described the Corrib junction as 'a living hell' and he hoped funding will come to address the issues.

A 'yellow pack' solution to close the old dump road junction had been suggested previously, said Councillor Neil Cruise. From those discussions came a safety report suggesting two overpasses and he asked where that was at.

Councillor Forkan acknowledged the overpass in Charlestown, which made it one of the safest roads in the county. “That is the difference,” he stated.

Mr. Dolan said the Swinford bypass was built at a time when standards were different.

There was a safety report done but now TII's allocation would allow for a deep analysis.

Before that, a preliminary design is being prepared in respect of the Kiltimagh junction to improve safety.

“We cannot wait for long-term solutions,” he said. “We also have to look at short-term solutions.”

Long-term, difficult decisions will have to be made.

“We are going to be closing roads. That is the reality.”