Calleary opens new N17/R320 Lisduff Upgrade Road Project

MINISTER of State, Dara Calleary TD has officially opened the new N17/R320 Lisduff Upgrade Road Project.

The upgrade will see a reduction of direct access and the elimination of right hand turns on the N17 in the vicinity of the upgrade, improving safety for all road users by reducing the frequency and severity of collisions.

The location had been identified as a High Collision Location in 2018 by a Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) collision cluster analysis and a feasibility study followed which recommended this new improvement scheme.

The project has seen 0.85km of link roads and an overbridge built over the N17, along with the installation of two roundabouts and the closure of the existing N17/L/5565-0 Mellick More Road junction.

Mayo County Council’s National Roads Office (NRO) managed the project, which was guided by a steering group that comprised of the members of the NRO, Barry Transportation Consulting and senior management from Mayo County Council and TII.

The official opening was performed by Minister Calleary, alongside Cllr Michael Loftus, Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council this afternoon (Friday, July 28). 

The upgraded junction is the largest project funded to date by TII's Safety Section.

Speaking at the opening of the new upgrade, Minister Calleary described the junction as 'a much-needed upgrade' that would provide greater safety for all road users. 

"Road collisions have a devastating impact on individuals, their families, and their communities," the Fianna Fáil TD said. 

"This area has seen a number of dangerous collisions that has unfortunately led to serious injury and tragically the loss of life, most recently in 2017, but I hope the improvements made under the upgrade will reduce collisions and make this road safer for all. I want to thank all those involved to deliver this important upgrade, and whose work and dedication will result in greater road safety.

Cllr Michael Loftus said he was 'delighted' to see the opening of the new junction.

"The N17 is a major artery in and out of Mayo and sees thousands of vehicles using it every day, we had a very unfortunate tragic accident at this location in 2017, where three people lost their lives and if even just one life is saved in the future thanks to this upgrade it will have been a worthwhile investment for the county," said Cllr Loftus. 

Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, Kevin Kelly, thanked everyone involved in the project, 'and in particular the 22 landowners who were affected by it and all the local population who were behind this project from its inception right up to its delivery'.

Geraldine Fitzpatrick, TII’s Head of Roads and Greenways Capital Programme, described the N17/R320 Lisduff Junction Upgrade as 'an excellent example of how delivering a project of this scale will have significant safety benefit for road users'.

lasdair Henderson, Executive Director, BAM Ireland thanked all involved in the road's construction and the local community for their support in delivering a 'milestone piece of infrastructure that will significantly improve the safety of vehicle users, pedestrians, and cyclists in the area'.