The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Safety project set for infamous Killorglin road
‘STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH’ SAYS CAHILL, WHO CALLS FOR MEETING WITH TII
KERRY County Council has confirmed a significant pavement and safety project for Killorglin’s infamous Killorglin road – which has been the scene of four fatalities, a deputation explained at a Kenmare Municipal District meeting on Friday.
But there was disappointment when the local authority said it was unlikely Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) would reverse a decision to reverse a raising of speed limits on the route.
Fergus Foley and Austin O’Reilly spoke on behalf of residents of the road last Friday, and they called for a number of safety measures along the N72 route. Among these was a call for an immediate reversal of speed-limit increases implemented earlier this year.
“Before they changed that signage, the speed limit sign was outside my house,” said resident Fergus Foley, “and it was 60km/h from there out to West Caravan park. It was 50km/h from my house to town. It is now 80km/h both ways.”
Mr Foley explained that a continuous white line was changed to a broken white line, another source of contention for the group. The group also called for safety-alert signage, and the extension of a footpath and public lighting along the route, among other measures.
Mr Foley said that the group had campaigned for decades for the restoration of a footpath along the route. This was partially completed in the mid-noughties, but was never completed after the recession hit.
Austin O’Reilly explained that the vast majority of people killed on rural roads are killed within 80km/h zones. He said four people have been killed on the road over the years, and he warned that further bloodshed is possible. The route is already used by many tourists and cyclists, and a number of amenities in the area add greatly to the numbers.
He added that the opening of the new Fexco building would compound this.
“Turning the bend, it’s impossible to see pedestrians on the left as you drive in towards town,” he said. “If we don’t get traffic calming, footpath, road signs, speed reduction, and a few other things, you’ll be calling it Bóthar na Folla [the blood road].”
“There is a substantial project being designed our National
Roads Office in Castleisland incorporating a combined three-metre footpath and cycleway, and a new pavement scheme. That will address a lot of the issues”, Council engineer Pádraig Teahan said.
“The timeline is that it is being designed. Ground investigations are underway. It will need to go to An Bord Pleanála, likely in 2020, with a decision on that in 2021.”
Subject to funding and TII approval following thereafter, Mr Teahan said the project could be completed within the next five years.
He said that speed-limit byelaws require written consent from TII, however.
“I don’t see the speed limit changing until the next review, which won’t be for a significant number of years,” he said. “It’s a long process.”
Councillor Cahill (Fianna Fáil), who called for the deputation, said that completion of the project within five years is “still not good enough”.
He repeated his calls for an immediate reversal of the raised speed limits, and he requested a meeting with TII, preferably on site.