Mayo residents up in arms over 'recipe for disaster' road junction plan
Residents of Balloor in Castlebar are up in arms over the construction of a new junction from Breaffy Road into their community.
The works are taking place as part of the N60 Active Travel and Safety Measure Scheme to make Breaffy Road and Breaffy village a safer place for motorists, pedestrians and people living in the parish.
However, householders in Balloor believe what is happening at their junction is 'a recipe for disaster'.
Tom Murphy told The Connaught Telegraph that the project is creating a potential death trap because the access junction is being considerably narrowed.
"We met with a representative of Roads Design Office and have been told that the matter is literally a fait accompli.
"We are not prepared to stand for it because, first and foremost, we were not consulted and, if we had, we would not have accepted the type of crazy junction that's in the pipeline.
"It's so bad, two cars will not be able to pass one another at the location, this creating a safety hazard.
"There are over 40 residents living in this area and I can state with certainty that none of them are happy with what's happening.
"We have been in touch with the elected members of Castlebar Municipal District to outline our concerns and fears.
"We expect the matter to be raised at today's meeting of the authority where, hopefully, steps will be taken to find a resolution.
"The layout of the junction is simply unacceptable and creates a safety hazard rather than eliminating one," he added.
David Mellett, head of Castlebar Municiapl District, has spoken with the team in the National Roads Design Office, who are leading the project.
He said the current junction has an approximate width of 20 metres, which is significantly wider than recommended under the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) and Active Travel guidance.
"Junctions of this width tend to encourage higher vehicle speeds and create longer crossing distances for pedestrians and cyclists, increasing vulnerability for non-motorised users.
"The proposed design will reduce the junction width to a level that still accommodates all necessary vehicle movements, including larger vehicles such as agricultural machinery, trailers, and service vehicles.
"These movements have been checked and confirmed during the design process.
"At the same time, the reduction will shorten crossing distances for pedestrians and cyclists, improving safety and accessibility for vulnerable road users.
"In addition, the Active Travel proposals on the main road will reduce carriageway width, which is proven to influence driver behaviour by lowering speeds and enhancing overall safety for all users."
A representative of Roads Design Office met local residents earlier today to walk them through the design rationale and explain the changes in detail.
Following the meeting, Mr. Murphy said it remained a very serious safety issue for all road users and needs to be addressed without delay.
"We are extremely fearful that this could cause a major accident very soon.
"Yes, of course 'vulnerable' road users should be protected, but the road and junction should be safe for all road users. As is currently designed, that does not seem to be the case," he added.