Fresh hopes for N17 review
FRESH hopes have arisen that the N17 may at long last get an upgrade.
One of the most positive aspects to emerge during the Council’s annual budget meeting last week was that the N17 will be looked at again.
An upgrade for the Sligo- Mayo route was controversially shelved in 2001 and nothing has happened since.
Director of Services Mr Tom Kilfeather told members that on Friday 18th November the first Managment Advisory meeting was held with Transport Infrastructure Ireland ( TII).
“They are undergoing a mid- term review and I was told that the N17 will be part of it. We can only view that as positive,” he said.
The news was welcomed by all councillors, particularly Cllrs Jerry Lundy and Margaret Gormley.
“Mr Kilfeather has saved himself with that news,” said Cllr Gormley, “because I was looking at this with no mention of the N17. Since 2000, 13 people have lost their lives - these families deserve some form of recognition by having the N17 improved,” she said.
“It’s 15 years since we first selected the route. To think in that length of time so many people have lost their lives. We’re getting bits here and there but what’s needed is a complete overhaul. It’s not safe to travel. There is a very good case for it to be put back on track,” she said, thanking Tom Kilfeather for “bringing it to the attention of the powers that be.”
“I’m probably the only councillor who lives on it,” said Cllr Lundy. He added that the junction at Cashel Gates needed to be addressed as motorists exiting it were “fearful of accidents” there.
It’s estimated that almost ¤ 22million euro will be spent on Sligo’s roads by the Council next year - some 37% of their total annual budget for 2017.
Some of the major road projects in the pipeline for 2017 include the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin scheme, the Western Distributor Road ( WDR) and the N4/ N15 Sligo Urban Improvement Scheme past Hughes Bridge.
Cllr Seamus Kilgannon welcomed the news that the WDR was one of the key projects for next year. “That piece of infrastructure is so important. Let’s hope the IDA are putting on pressure and will make this area more attractive to investors,” he said.
“Thousands of jobs are announced each week elsewhere and Sligo has not been getting even 100 new jobs over the last couple of years,” he added.