€12 million needed for Waterdyke Clogher Cross on N73

Local councillors welcomed funding to the tune of €1.5 million allocated to works on the realignment of the Waterdyke to Clogher Cross section of the N73 (Mallow to Mitchelstown road) under Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s (TII) 2021 allocations.

News of the initial funding comes as part of a total expected budget of €12 million for the works, revealed by the council following a motion put forward by local councillor Frank O’Flynn at this week’s Northern Committee Meeting.

“I’m delighted that we have got funding in the 2021 TII allocation. This has been going on now for the best part of 12 long years. It’s by far the worst section of road in all of Ireland.

“The Hauliers have suffered down through the years, two lorries cannot pass on this road at the moment, cars cannot pass. The number of breakdowns due to this road is absolutely unbelievable,” Cllr O’Flynn said.

He went on to query the total expected cost of works on the N73 as well as requesting a time frame within which works would be carried out.

The motion was supported by the majority of local councillors who welcomed the funding and looked forward to the commencement of works.

Cllr William O’Leary said that the issued had gone on ‘long enough’ and echoed sentiments from Mallow councillor John Paul O’Shea regarding the road’s impact on North Cork tourism.

“The upgrade of this road is beyond vital for the connectivity and the growth of the North Cork region and that’s the reason that this committee is here to support it. This whole project should be goal number one for this committee. As a committee, as a whole, we really need to progress this in 2021,” Cllr O’Leary said.

Senior Executive Engineer with the National Roads Office Kieran McKeone, informed the council that a grant allocation of €1.5 million was provided for the N73 Clogher Cross Waterdyke Realignment Scheme under the Grant Allocations 2021 by TII for National Road Schemes in the County of Cork.

“The budget for the scheme is approximately €12 million and hopefully we would be coming in under that. The timeframe would be approximately 9 months and hopefully, we would be completing that in a shorter timeframe as well.

“This allocation is sufficient for construction to commence in the second half of the year. Construction will continue over winter and is expected to be completed towards the middle of 2022,” Mr McKeone said.

Cllr O’Flynn also welcomed news of a cycle path being developed alongside the road realignment. However, he queried whether this would also include a footpath.

Mr McKeone noted that the development would be wide enough to incorporate both a cycle lane and footpath of the same width. However, Director of Services, Roads and Transportation, Padraig Barrett said he ‘wouldn’t imagine’ that a footpath would be installed.

“I wouldn’t imagine that we would be installing footpaths in a rural location but cycleways are certainly being considered for inclusion in the project and we are working on that design at the moment,” Mr Barrett said.

Explaining that he cycleway design is what is currently delaying the council from going to tender, Mr Barrett said thowever, it is expected that the council will go to tender before the summer and appoint a contractor thereafter.

A second motion regarding the N73 Waterdyke Clogher cross area was put forward by Cllr Deirdre O’Brien who sought for signage to be put in place to warn road users of the bad surface and danger posed by such.

“It is a dangerous area, but it is when they hit it that they realise that the surface is really bad and I suppose we need to be highlighting this. There are cars getting damaged. It is just appalling, the whole surface of it.

“I’m looking for signage in the sense, to give people a warning. I just hope that signs could be put up in the interim for warning to save them from damaging cars and maybe causing accidents,” Cllr O’Brien pointed out.

Cllr O’Leary supported the motion, calling for signage as a short term measure to ensure safety on the road, however, Cllr Kay Dawson called for something more to be done.

“I actually think the surface is so bad I think we need to be doing something with it now. I don’t think it will last until September, it seems to have really deteriorated. I suppose it’s this time of year with all the rain and the frost and the surface is in such a bad state , that it’s not like driving on a road in parts of it anymore,” she said.

Director Padraig Barrett accepted the points made by councillors in regards to the current condition of the road and the need for safety measures in the interim.

“I will look and see if emergency repairs are required in that location so we can do whatever needs to be done there,” Mr Barrett said.

Executive Engineer McKeone said warning signage is currently in place indicating a damaged road surface.

“Additionally, there is a ‘road narrows’ sign warning of oncoming traffic in the middle of the road. Construction of the scheme will remove the need for signage along this section of the N73,” he added.