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Tag Archives: Transport Infrastructure Ireland

Call for TII to be hauled in over delays to Ennis safety measures

TRANSPORT Infrastructure Ireland should be brought “kicking and screaming” before Ennis councillors to answer to ongoing traffic issues including the “serious accident waiting to happen” at the Shanaway Road and N85 junction and safety concerns at the Clareabbey Roundabout. That’s according to Ennis’ Deputy Mayor, Councillor Mary Howard who at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District suggested a so-called ‘courtesy junction’ could help alleviate traffic at the Shanaway Road junction until a permanent solution is found. She explained this would involve signage being placed ahead of the junction urging motorists to be courteous of those attempting to join the Lahinch Road from Shanaway. “It is very hard on people living and working there, on those going to play golf or staying at the hotel. They find it very hard to access the Lahinch Road and this is a new idea that could be a good solution in the interim until there is a permanent solution.” John Gannon, senior …

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Frustration as busy junction works are delayed again by TII

THE “huge frustration” felt by residents awaiting works to be carried out at the junction of the Shanaway Road and the N85 Lahinch Road has been highlighted, as the route to the coast is expected to become even busier with the resumption of travel within the county this week. A meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard this week that revised design options are being prepared by the Council’s Road Design Office following a request from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Councillor Mary Howard raised the issue in a notice of motion asking for an update on “proposed traffic controls” at the junction which sees traffic “backed up every day”, describing the current situation as “crazy”. The councillor questioned if there had been any recent engagement with TII; what funding has been allocated for the project; has there been engagement with local property owners and is there a proposed timeline to start and complete the necessary works? John Gannon, senior executive …

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Ennis residents “in fear of their lives” over junction

THE brakes have been pulled by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) on a proposal to install a right turning lane at an Ennis junction despite residents being “in fear of their lives”. The need for a traffic island to accommodate traffic coming from the Ennis side heading to West Clare and reinstatement of a hard shoulder at Kilmorane was highlighted at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. Councillor Pat Daly stated that this junction is close to six residential houses and a business with a “serious health and safety issue there”. He stated that residents are “living on their nerves every day” describing the route as “very, very dangerous”. He added that the new business has seen the creation of 10 jobs, and a right turn is essential in ensuring its sustainability. However, John Gannon, senior executive engineer replied, “The TII have inspected and reviewed this junction and have assessed that the traffic movements do not validate a right …

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CEO to pursue roads funding ‘with venom’

THE CEO of Clare County Council has vowed to “pursue with venom” funding needed for a number of key roads projects in the county with Transport Infrastructure Ireland [TII], including improving the road to Shannon Airport and Blake’s Corner. Pat Dowling has confirmed that there are ongoing discussions between Clare County Council and TII in relation to “a small number of key critical projects”, saying that the council will continue to pursue these projects with the national roads authority. He was speaking at the monthly meeting of Clare County Council where the importance of funding to extend and upgrade the N19 road to Shannon Airport was highlighted. Councillor John Crowe, who raised the issue, insisted, “By extending this small section of road, access to the airport would be enhanced and it would make easier access for traffic and pedestrians”. He stressed the importance of improving the route. “For people travelling from the south or west, they are driving on first-class …

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Lay-by potholes ‘the size of craters’

POTHOLES “the size of craters” in a lay-by along one of the busiest routes in the county are to be brought to the attention of the gardaí. Councillor James Breen has vowed to make contact with gardaí in Ennis and Ennistymon in a bid to prevent farmers and those driving heavy machinery from being prosecuted for not pulling in to allow cars pass due to the state of the lay-by. At this week’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, the councillor urged that the passing bays on the N85, both east and west of Kilnamona Cross, be upgraded. Photographs of the waterlogged potholes were presented to the council, with Councillor Breen saying that he will also be sending the images to the gardaí. Councillor Breen stated, “I was going to bring my dog with me to take the photographs to show the size of the holes. He’s a fairly big dog but I was afraid he’d get drowned.” He continued …

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Plenty of rock salt to treat roads

Clare County Council has sufficient supplies of rock salt to treat the county’s regional and national roads over the winter months. The local authority’s depot/maintenance facility at Beechpark, has 1,600 tonnes of rock salt, which the council notes is sufficient to facilitate up to 30 applications on the county’s strategic road network. Salt stocks will also be drawn down by the council during the winter from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly the NRA) and the Department of Transport. Further stocks will be available if required in an emergency situation from TII’s strategic salt reserve.

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New transport infrastructure agency

The passing for the Roads Bill 2014 paved the way for the establishment of a new agency -Transport Infrastructure Ireland – through the merger of the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA). The merger of NRA and RPA is intended to demonstrate the best and most efficient use of public resources consistent with the Government’s public sector reform agenda and, in particular, its Agency Rationalisation Programme, Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe said, “’The new merged body will benefit from the sharing of technical and professional expertise developed over the years in the RPA and NRA. This will help to create a new streamlined organisation which will play a key role in maximising the contribution that the State’s investment in transport can make to supporting our growing economy and to meeting Ireland’s longer-term economic and environmental objectives’. The ministerial orders, giving effect to the merger provisions contained in the Bill, will be executed in the coming weeks.

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