N59 alignment of Kilmeena to begin in 2014

N59 alignment in Kilmeena in 2014


Anton McNulty
antonmcnulty@mayonews.ie

The continuation of the alignment of the N59 between Newport and Westport is expected to go to construction phase in 2014, local councillors were informed.
A presentation on the improvements works along the N59 between Newport and Westport were presented to local councillors by engineers from the Mayo Road Design Office. Following the completion of the Kilbride phase of the road outside Newport, the next phase will be a 1.6km stretch from Kilbride to Kilmeena.
This includes the removal of bends at Rossow which involves an offline section of 600 metres and a 90m cut in the drumlin. It will also involve the construction of two new river bridges, one bridge widening and the removal of the Greenway crossing at Kilmeena.
This will be replaced by a Greenway underbridge at Rossdooaun which will mean pedestrians and cyclists will not have to leave the Greenway and cross the N59 when travelling between Westport and Newport. This phase of the project will then finish at Mid West Furniture in Kilmeena before plans will begin for the final section at Barley Hill into Westport.
Marian McHugh, an engineer with the Road Design Office told yesterday’s meeting of the Westport Electoral Area Committee that the CPO of land has been approved in August and 22 landowners will be forwarded with a notice to treat. She added this will start immediately and must be completed by February 2014. She added that a project appraisal had presented a very strong economic case for alignment of the road.
Her colleague, Pat Staunton explained that they did not envisage any problems and they were hopeful the project will go to construction stage in 2014.
The final phase of the N59 is planned to come into Westport at Áitereesh and Cllr Peter Flynn asked if there were any question marks over where it was to join with the new N5 plan. Mr Staunton said the N5 was preparing to go to CPO approval and if it was given the go-ahead, he said the N5 would ‘supersede’ their design.
Meanwhile, councillors were informed that reports from homeowners that the new surface from local roads leading onto the new N59 at Kilbride was not the fault of the new surface. Cllr Johnny O’Malley raised the issue after he claimed he received numerous reports and complaints that the road surface was ‘slippery’ and residents feared losing control of their vehicle when coming to the junction.
However, he was told that the surface was the standard hot rolled asphalt used all over the country and there were no complaints anywhere else.
“It was the same treatment as the N17 and the Charlestown by-pass and I checked with those area offices and they did not report any problems with the surface on local roads,” explained Senior Engineer, Padraig Walsh.
He explained that 90 per cent of local roads were not treated during the winter and urged motorists to be extremely cautious while driving.
Cllr O’Malley said all the residents could not be wrong and asked the council to monitor the situation.

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