Junction madness is set to continue

105 HOMES FOR RATHMULLEN ROAD BUT NO MONEY TO SOLVE JUNCTION WOES

COUNCILLORS have agreed to the construction of 105 new homes at the bottom of the Rathmullen Road, despite ongoing concerns about the notorious junction leading to the new esatate.

The vital social housing scheme, on a site close to St Dominics Park, has been very much welcomed, but will be constructed without any guarantees about upgrading the junction with the nearby dual carriageway.

Funding has been sought in the past for it at goverment level, without success.

Local residents have expressed their concerns about the impact the extra traffic will have at the junction.

In a submission to the council, the Highlands Residents Association said they believed the new development would have an impact from the additional traffic, particularly at the junction on the Rathmullen Road and the dual carriageway.

They proposed that the development ‘should be required to include plans to widen the junction’.

Councillors unanimously accepted the chief executive officer’s report on Monday night. BY FIONA MAGENNIS

Fears have been expressed that the 105 new houses planned for the Rathmullen Road will lead to traffic chaos at the notorious junction with the Bridge of Peace.

The junction has been an accident black spot for a number of years and the council has already formulated a plan for remedial works to try and stem the number of crashs at the site.

However, it was revealed at last Monday’s meeting of Drogheda Municipal District that these works will not be carried out in advance of the new estate being built.

Local residents have expressed their concerns about the impact the extra traffic will have at the dangerous junction.

In a submission to the council the Highlands Residents Association said they believed the new development would have an impact from the additional traffic, particularly at the junction on the Rathmullen Road and the dual carriageway.

They proposed that the development ‘should be required to include plans to widen the junction’.

‘ The junction is a known black spot for accidents, the opportunity should be taken to upgrade and improve safety at this junction. Traffic lights are suggested as a possible option,’ the submission from the residents said.

Councillor Paul Bell also expressed his concern about safety at the junction in a submission to the council.

He asked that the council secure the necessary funding for the redesign and reconstruction of the junction entering the dual carriageway and the Bridge of Peace.

Councillor Bell also asked that the council install traffic lights for the purpose of ensuring safe access and exit from the estate and install physical traffic calming measures and structures to deter motorists from speeding on approach to the new junction having regard to the curve in the road and the incline and decline to the east and west.

He also asked that the measures are taken to ensure the safety of all road users when entering the new complex from the east as these motorists will be forced to turn right into facing oncoming traffic.

An internal report from the council said that having regard to the volume of traffic that will be generated by the proposed development, it is not considered necessary to upgrade the junction to facilitate the new housing scheme.

It also noted that the proposed development includes a redesigned junction off the Rathmullen Road to facilitate vehicles entering and exiting the new estate and it said the provision of traffic lights is not warranted here.

Councillors at Monday’s meeting unanimously accepted the Chief Executive’s Report in respect of the Part 8 for the new houses.

Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Pio Smith also raised concerns about the Rathmullen Road/Bridge fo Peace junction.

‘I know the extra houses in this scheme isn’t going to have enough impact for this work to be done but is there any indication on when this might be carried out,’ he asked.

Drogheda Borough Council Engineer Pat Finn said there was no specific timeframe at this stage for the work to be carried out.

He said that while the design for improvement works at the junction has been done, there is currently no funding available to carry out these works.

‘It is something we want to progress as quickly as possible,’ he added.

The council had applied for national funding last year under the low cost safety measures programme but this application was not successful.

The proposed works included the installation of new traffic lights and a new road layout and kerb realignments to reduce the cluster of accidents at this site.