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Road Transportation and Safety

NATIONAL ROAD DESIGN

Route selection has been carried out and a preferred route has been identified for all National Primary routes in the county, including the N4 (Dublin Road), the N15 (Donegal Road), the N16 (Manorhamilton Road) and the N17 (Galway Road).

N17 Tobercurry Bypass

A Peer Review was carried out in early 2008 which recommended that the design should be changed at the northern end of the scheme. Following this the Preliminary Design and environmental studies were revised. A cost estimate was prepared which was followed by a Risk Assessment Workshop in accordance with NRA’s Project Appraisal Guidelines.

N17 Collooney to Tobercurry

Work continued in relation to preliminary design and environmental studies on N17 Collooney to Tobercurry.

N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin

A traffic study was carried out in relation to N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin scheme which assessed the long term capacity of the roundabouts at Collooney.

N4/N15 Sligo to County Boundary

A route for the N4/N15 Sligo to County Boundary was adopted by Sligo County and Borough Councils in 2006. Ryan Hanley WSP Ltd., Consulting Engineers were appointed in November, 2007 to advance the design through Preliminary Design, EIS and CPO stage. In 2008 the Ground Investigation Works and Topographical Survey were carried out and the Preliminary Design and Environmental Studies were progressed.

Sligo Western Bypass

In 2008 a Feasibility Study and Environmental Report were completed for a Sligo Western Bypass.

ROAD TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY – NATIONAL ROADS - 2008

1. National Primary Pavement Improvement Works

   1. N15 South of Castlegal (North of Cliffoney): 2.5km of the N15 was improved under a pilot strengthening scheme. The pilot scheme consisted of in-situ recycling of the existing pavement utilising bituminous stabilising agents and cement. The recycled layer was 300mm in thickness and was overlaid with a conventional hot rolled asphalt surfacing course. The contract was carried out by Northstone (NI) Limited and the recycling element of the works was undertaken by specialist subcontractors using specialised recycling plant and equipment. The overall scheme was 2.5km in length and consisted of approximately 19,500 sq metres of road payment. The process is a more environmentally friendly solution to the upgrading of road surfaces than the more conventional method of laying new bitumen macadam on top of the old as:
      • It reduces the need for vast numbers of lorries drawing material to the site and the associated carbon emissions.
      • It reduces the need to quarry materials.
      • It reduces the amount of bitumen (oil) required as it utilises the bitumen already present to provide strength.
      • It reduces the impact on the road network in general as it reduces the numbers of heavy goods vehicles on the road.
      
       
      This is the first time this process has been tried in Ireland and it has created much interest in the industry. The grant received was €1.405m.
   2. €25,000 was allocated for National Primary Roads pavement assessment.

    

2. N59 Pavement and Minor Improvements 
   The N.R.A. funded the design and the archaeology survey for the future realignment of N59 from Farranyharpy to Ballygreighan.

3. National Primary Accident Remedial/Safety Measures  
   The National Roads Authority allocated a grant of €175,000 in total for schemes at:

   • N4 at Ardloy (€35,000)
   • N17 at Templehouse (€20,000)
   • N4 at Collooney Roundabout (€70,000)
   • N17 - Pedestrian Crossing at Ballinacarrow (€20,000)
   • N17 - Cross-roads at Templehouse (€20,000)
   • N17 – Junction at Drumbaun (€30,000)

    

4. National Primary Accident Remedial/Safety Measures 
   A grant of €185,000 was allocated for National Primary Road Winter Maintenance and €40,000 for N59 Winter Maintenance. This was used for spreading salt on the roads during frost and snow periods.

5. National Roads Ordinary Maintenance Grants 
   The N.R.A. allocated a grant of €493,000 for National Primary Road Maintenance. A grant of €147,498 was granted for N59 Ordinary Maintenance.

6. National Road Special Maintenance 
   Grant of €60,843 was allocated for National Primary Roads and €16,019 for N59. This grant related to the treatment of noxious weeds along the roads.

7. National Primary Road Annual Resurfacing 
   The N.R.A. allocated a grant of €225,550 for National Primary Road Resurfacing. Surfacing was carried out at the following locations.

   • N15 at Cliffoney
   • N15 at Grange
   • N15 South of Borough Boundary.

    

8. National Road Bridge Maintenance 
   A grant of €45,000 was allocated for National Primary Bridge Maintenance and €16,000 was allocated for N59 Bridge Maintenance. This was used for doing minor repairs/maintenance at bridges.

NON-NATIONAL ROAD GRANTS - 2008

1. Specific Improvement Schemes
   1. R292 Strandhill Road/Knappaghmore 
      A grant of €606,608 was received for this scheme. Road re-alignment, accommodation works, undergrounding of services and new services were laid for the scheme. The scheme is now substantially completed.
   2. R284 – Drumaskibbole/Glenagoolagh 
      Rock excavation /earthworks and drainage continued along the realigned road section.
      A grant of €470,592 was received for this scheme.
   3. R294 at Mullaghroe 
      Accommodation works were carried out in 2008.
      A grant of €856,941 was received for this scheme.
   4. R286 – Ballinode - Hazelwood 
      Land Acquisition, Accommodation Works etc. were carried out.
      A grant of €274,184 was received for this scheme.
   5. R292 Tully 
      Approval to expend €225,000 was received from Department of Transport for stabilising the road embankment. The work was carried out and the department paid for this in 2009.
   6. First Sea Road to Finisklin Industrial Estate 
      €53,166 was received for this scheme.
   7. R297 - Castletown 
      
      A grant of €49,695 was received for the commencement of a scheme to realign the road. Part 8 process completed and some land acquisition/accommodation works carried out.

RESTORATION IMPROVEMENT GRANT

A grant of €7,034,000 was allocated by the Department of Transport in 2008 which funded restoration improvement of regional and local roads. This work involved laying bitumen macadam/CL 804 to strengthen/ shape the roads.

Roads with a bitumen macadam surface located outside the 50 km/h speed limits were surface dressed to provide better road skid resistance.

Roads strengthened/shaped with CL 804 stone were double surface dressed.

The length of Regional and Local Roads strengthened under this programme was 101.5km.

RESTORATION MAINTENANCE GRANT

The length of Regional Roads and Local Roads surfaced under this programme was 56km.

A grant of €2,386,000 was allocated by the Department of Transport for this work.

DISCRETIONARY IMPROVEMENT GRANT

A grant of €702,000 was received from the Department of Transport. This grant is used for signage improvements, public lighting improvement, minor road re-alignment schemes, drainage improvements etc.

FOOTPATH IMPROVEMENTS

€87,500 was allocated from the Discretionary Improvement Grant [with matching funds from Development Contributions] for footpath improvements at 19 locations throughout the County.

DISCRETIONARY MAINTENANCE GRANT

A grant of €830,000 was allocated for this work. This grant if used for Maintenance (pavement maintenance, road drainage, verge maintenance, road markings etc.) of Regional Roads.

LOCAL IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES

A grant of €507,000 was allocated by the Department of Transport. This funded 17 schemes. This grant is for the improvement of non-public roads. The beneficiaries pay a contribution towards the cost of the schemes.

LOW COST SAFETY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

A grant of €180,000 was allocated from the Department of Transport for 8 schemes throughout the county.

BRIDGE WORKS CARRIED OUT UNDER SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENT GRANTS IN 2008

Sligo County Council carried out a programme of valuable work to maintain bridges within the county during 2008. A considerable portion of the bridge stock is over a century old and these old structures can still function satisfactorily if maintained and in some cases strengthened. Such works are usually cheaper than replacement and also help maintain the often over looked historical value of this important part of the built heritage of the county and nation.

This year substantial works were carried out to a number of bridges under the specific improvement grant scheme funded by the Department of Transport. Included were Annasheetagh Bridge near Ballintogher, Rinn Bridge, Collooney, Leekfield Bridge, Skreen and Mullanabreena Bridge R294 near Tubbbercurry. Design and planning work was also progressed on the Footbridge project for Markievicz (New) Bridge in Sligo City.

  
Leekfield Bridge, Skreen

 
Cartron Plank Bridge, North Sligo