Good and bad news for Sligo’s motorists on road works front
END IN SIGHT FOR HUGHES BRIDGE BUT BALLISODARE WORKS DELAYED
THERE’S good news and bad news for Sligo motorists with Hughes Bridge roadworks to be finished within the month while Ballisodare works have been pushed back to August.
Construction work on the widening of Hughes Bridge is “fast approaching 85 per cent completion” with a finish date set for July 17th, a spokesperson for the County Council told The Sligo Champion.
It means the bridge should be fully widened and re- opened well ahead of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann on August 9th- 16th.
Director of Services Mr Tom Kilfeather said the work, which began on October 30th, has now “entered the most challenging phase of the project.”
Traffic is currently restricted to a single lane in each direction on the bridge, causing long delays for motorists at morning and evening rush hours. It was particularly bad last Friday evening when large queues stretched as far back as Carraroe with drivers facing a 40 minute delay to clear the bridge. There was extra traffic passing through Sligo due to the Sea Sessions in Bundoran and the Donegal motor rally.
“These lane restrictions will remain in place for the coming four weeks if we are to achieve our 17th July project deadline,” said Mr Kilfeather. He said the project was at a “critical stage” and “minor additional delays may be experienced from time to time.”
Meanwhile, in Ballisodare “unforeseeable” cast iron piping and poor ground conditions have delayed the roadworks completion by another six to seven weeks.
As a result, the lengthy tailbacks often running the entire length of the village, look set to continue until the first week of August.
“This however is dependent on ground conditions encountered” said the Roads Department.
The roadworks were originally scheduled to be finished by this month.
Local County Councillor Thomas Healy said the con- tractors Gerard Love “had to change over to new piping and put more stone on the ground to improve the drainage due to the volume of surface water.”
The delay will cost more money but Cllr Healy has confirmed that the National Roads Authority which is funding the project, will pick up the tab.
“I welcome the fact that no extra cost will be borne by Sligo County Council as a result of the roadworks in Ballisodare,” he said.
Both the Council and the contractor have thanked motorists and the local public alike for their “continued co- operation”.
Once completed, the roadworks will provide improved pavements, kerbs and footpaths, a better surface water drainage system, new pedestrian crossing at the Cloondara estate entrance and better traffic calming measures such as kerbing, lining and signing.