Proposals for change at Lewis Road junction

THE Lewis Road junction on the Killarney bypass – deemed one of the worst junctions in the county – could finally be on the way to a resolution. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has given the go-ahead to the local authority for proposals to make safe the controversial junction and final plans are being drawn up by Kerry County Council in the coming weeks.

The issue was raised at last week’s Killarney Municipal District meeting and three options are on the table for discussion. Two of them are long-term plans and include the construction of new roads and the other is a safety improvement plan for the actual junction which will be put before councillors later this month. They are listed below: The safety plans are currently being drawn up by council engineers and will be put before councillors on May 25. This includes the possibility of turn left only at the Lewis junction. This has been discarded by council officials previously over concerns about motorists doing U-turns on the bye-pass and traffic congestion at Cleeney roundabout. The carriageway is also to be narrowed under these plans. Speed may also be reduced on the bypass in the speed review. The second plan is the construction of a relief road from the Killarney bypass to Deerpark. This would mean that the Kilcummin junction would be relocated towards the Killarney side of the byepass near Killarney Fire Station where a roundabout would be put in place and a new road down to Deerpark and onto Park Road near Mc Donalds. This would require land acquisition and would take 2-4 years. The construction of a new bye-pass. A bye-pass from Killarney to Farranfore was mooted more than 10 years ago but was shelved but could now be back on the agenda. Councillors have called for this byepass to be constructed from Lissivigeen to Knockeendubh on the main Tralee road. The route to Farranfore would be longer and more costly, so this option would relieve Killarney of traffic congestion and solve the Lewis Road junction as well. The full byepass to Farranfore would take 10-12 years but the shorter bye-pass would be 6-7 years down the line.