Council to survey Mullagh road levels

Clare County Council engineers will conduct a survey of the door and windowsill level of houses in the centre of Mullagh village to try and resolve an issue concerning different levels on the main street.

Residents have welcomed the long-awaited upgrading of 13.8km of road along the route of the Quilty and Mullagh Sewerage Scheme, following years of complaints about the poor surface of the route.
About 200m in the centre of Mullagh village, however, has been left without any resurfacing works as the council tries to tackle what has proven to be a difficult engineering problem.
The footpath on the northern side of the village is about six to eight inches lower than the road but the southern side is more akin to the traditional footpath, which is about four inches higher than the road.
Kilrush area engineer Cyril Feeney admitted the situation in Mullagh is unusual. He said there was no “sleight of hand” as the council had conducted discussions with residents following the intervention of Mayor of Clare, Councillor Christy Curtin.
“The council is trying to resolve this issue to everyone’s satisfaction. It is difficult to find a solution that will be acceptable to all parties. A proposal put forward by residents on the northern side could end up causing a problem for those living on the southern side,” he explained.
Resident Tony Garfield, who is an engineer, recalled householders had suggested that the council should plane down the camber of the road on one side at least, which he felt would have been an acceptable solution to the problem. Having measured the road levels, he claimed that the proposal put forward by residents would not exceed the maximum permitted drop in levels.
He acknowledged the council had completed a wonderful job on the rest of the road and residents are anxious to ensure that the whole resurfacing job for the village is fully completed.
Resident Kathleen Hough expressed concern about the lack of consultation with local householders before they met with county council engineers a few months ago.
She claimed her father, who is elderly, would have to park his car near the church and walk back to the church if the council proceeded with its initial plan to go ahead with plans for a railing.
“I only heard by accident that the council were considering this plan, which could have gone ahead if representations weren’t made.
“Residents suggested the council should lower the road in the centre of the village but it seems that the council are not prepared to do this. We got the feeling it might come down to the cost of planing the road.
“If a wall or railing was put up, it would mean that residents would be fenced in at one side of the road. It would also close in the village by narrowing the road, which takes a lot of traffic during the summer,” she added.