Increased road funding for national roads

Increased road funding for national roads


Anton McNulty

Mayo County Council has been allocated nearly €19 million in funding under the 2011 National Roads Allocation which is an increase of almost €7 million on last year.
The allocation of €18,888,978 was made by the Department of Transport with increased funding for National Secondary pavement and minor works and a €2.6 million allocation for a major scheme from Mulranny to Westport along the N59.
A total of €14 million has been allocated to the county’s National Secondary routes with €9.2 million allocated for National Secondary pavement and minor works. Mr Joe Beirne, Director of Services with Mayo County Council welcomed the increased funding for National Secondary Route and told The Mayo News that the scheme between Mulranny and Westport should get underway in the autumn.
“This is the low volume scheme we have been talking about and subject to Part 8 approval. We hope to get the construction started around August or September. The section we will begin with is a 3km section on the Westport side of Newport which will include full road realignment and will tie in with the Greenway. The construction should take about 15 months to complete and we would be expecting a further allocation of funding,” he said.
The only significant funding for a National Primary Route was €1.9 million for the N5 Westport to Bohola scheme which is expected to go to get NRA approval by the end of the year. Mr Beirne said this scheme had been reduced from 40km to 28km and was a scheme the council would like to get to construction phase in the next couple of months. No funding was made available to the N26 from Ballina to Bohola.
The allocation of funding was welcomed by Minister Dara Calleary who said it ‘shows this Government’s commitment to progressing projects that will enhance quality of life for people’.
“The funding allocated for 2011 will allow for more new and better roads that will help road-users go about their daily lives in a more efficient way.  Better roads also facilitate greater competitiveness. Business can do business in a more effective way,” said Minister Calleary.
The allocation of €800,000 for the resurfacing work along the Newport to Mulranny road at Knockbrega, along with €100,000 for footpath design in Mulranny was welcomed by Cllr MicheΡl McNamara.
“This funding has to be welcomed especially the funding for the N59 at Knockbrega. I made representatives to Noel Dempsey and there has been substantial funding made available in the south Belmullet Electoral Area,” he said.