Transport

Minister Ross Announces €324 Million for Regional and Local Roads

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, recently announced details of the €324 million investment programme for 2017 for regional and local roads.

Speaking about the investment, Minister Ross said: “I am announcing the 2017 grant allocations for regional and local roads which will allow Local Authorities to plan ahead and decide their annual work programmes. While the funding in 2017 will largely continue to support the maintenance of our current regional road network I am also pleased to announce funding for a small number of larger road improvement projects.

The Minister added that the priority in 2017 continues to be the maintenance of our existing road network which will enhance safety and support job growth in local areas.“I am delighted that the allocations to local authorities will see an increase of about 9% in 2017. This increase has the potential to allow an additional 210kms of road to be strengthened in 2017. The overall funding package will allow approximately 1980kms of regional and local roads to be maintained and 2035kms to be strengthened this year.”

“As well as expenditure on maintenance and strengthening, the 2017 investment programme also allows for a number of Capital Plan projects to progress, including:

  • Bettystown to Laytown Link Road in County Meath and the
  • Dingle Relief Road (Phase 4) in County Kerry
  • Sallins by-Pass/Osberstown Interchange
  • Shannon Crossing in Killaloe, County Clare
  • Athy Southern Distributor Road in County Kildare
  • Portlaoise Southern Relief Road
  • Eastern Garavogue Bridge in Sligo
  • Grange Castle Business Park Roads in County Dublin“A number of projects will also support industry and facilitate increased employment including road infrastructure improvements in the vicinity of the proposed Center Parc development in Longford.

“Projects also include:

  • Sallins Bypass / Osberstown interchange (Kerry Group)
  • Grange Castle roads (IDA)
  • Western Distributor Road, Sligo (IDA)
  • Tralee to Fenit Road (IDA)

“In addition there are urban regeneration projects:

  • Coonagh to Knockalisheen (Moyross) in Limerick
  • Eastern Garavogue Bridge in Sligo

“Other improvement projects that have received an allocation in 2017 are:

  • Road improvement schemes in County Longford
  • Tallow Link Road in County Waterford
  • The rehabilitation of a number of critically deficient bridges on regional roads around the country including:

– Latoon Creek Bridge in County Clare

– Curraheen Bridge in Cork City

– Cockhill Bridge in County Donegal

– Thomond Bridge in Limerick City

– Ardfinnan Bridge in County Tipperary”

“There is also provision for 219 bridge rehabilitation schemes and 185 safety improvement projects to be carried out. The main focus of the safety improvements scheme is to improve safety at locations where collisions have taken place.”

“The main features of the investment programme include:

  • €165m for road pavement strengthening works;
  • €41m for surface dressing;
  • €69.5m for maintenance and strengthening works for which Local Authorities have discretion in the selection of roads;
  • €26.6m for Specific and Strategic Regional and Local Roads Projects;
  • €9m for bridge rehabilitation works;
  • €6.1m for Safety Improvement Works;
  • €7m of miscellaneous grants including, training, speed limit funding, salt purchase, road surveys and a programme to tackle the spread of Japanese Knotweed.”

“Funding of over €1.3m will be allocated to local authorities to continue with the implementation of 30km/h speed limits in housing estates across Ireland.

I would also like to emphasise that I consider that local authorities are best placed to assess priorities within their areas and considerable autonomy is therefore given to local authorities under grant headings to decide their work programme. I would also explain that these grants supplement local authorities own resources expenditure on regional and local road projects and do not represent the total investment in regional and local roads for this year.”

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