‘Painfully slow’ €2.9m roadworks near Spancilhill Cross

“PAINFULLY slow” is how East Clare residents and locals in Spancilhill refer to the progress on the Spancilhill Road Improvement Scheme and as construction nears the three-year mark, the wait might soon be over.
The Clare Champion has learned that this 750-metre stretch of road forming the basis of the Spancilhill Road Improvement Scheme will cost €2.9 million on its completion and will have taken almost three years to construct. 
With up to 6,000 vehicles using the route on a daily basis, frustration with the delay in completing this small stretch of road is mounting and many are wondering when the wait will be over for the completion of the Spancilhill Road.
Indeed, a piece of stone work to mark Spancilhill Cross has been waiting to go in at the cross since March of this year in hopes that works would be completed.
In a statement to The Clare Champion this week, Clare County Council estimate the scheme will be completed in another two to three months.
The reason for the delay in the delivery of this project has been attributed to the “gradually reducing levels of funding, which have been available in recent years in association with this scheme of grants and also because of the gradually reducing workforce, which has been available to facilitate the project through its construction period ­ the latter being a consequence of the employment embargo and the need to transfer staff to other critical operations arising from retirements.”
In addition to this, Tom Tiernan, senior engineer with Clare County Council, confirmed the project is “quite a complex one with particular difficulties encountered in relation to drainage, earthworks and rock excavation”.
The Spancilhill Road Improvement Scheme consists of the development of 750 metres of new, single carriageway road running eastwards from Spancilhill Cross to eliminate three dangerous bends on the busy R352 Regional Route, which links Ennis with East Clare and South-East Galway.
“The project, which has been under construction since late 2009, is due to be completed within the next two to three months at a cost of €2.9m,” the senior engineer pointed out.
The project was funded by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport under the Specific Improvement Scheme of Grants. 
“When completed, a more efficient and safer driving environment will have been provided for up to 6,000 vehicles using the route on a daily basis,” Mr Tiernan stated.
Gearóid Mannion, Spancilhill resident and chairman of the Spancilhill Group Water Scheme commented, “Yes, the scheme does seem to be going on forever, though the more recent works at the cross itself would seem to indicate that progress is finally being made. I understand they ran into some engineering problems and I don’t really know enough about it to be critical of those doing the work.”
Clare County Councillor, Sonny Scanlan says he has been contacted by numerous people over the length of time that this road is taking to be completed.
“It is taking an awful lot of time. There is no work progressing there at the moment anyway [due to holidays] and it’s taking up both sides of the roads, which is an awful inconvenience for people and they’re fed up with it now,” he said.
Upon hearing how much the estimated cost for this road is, the Quin councillor said, “that’s outrageous”.
“It’s too much money and the delay is uncalled for,” he said. Councillor Scanlan said he intends to raise the issue in a motion at area level when the council resumes regular business.
Also speaking on the issue Mayor of Clare, Councillor Pat Daly said, “I’d like to acknowledge the delay in delivering this project has been frustrating, frustrating to the motorists that use the road, the local residents in the area but also Clare County Council, everyone is frustrated.
“I’ve been told that the delay in completing these large-scale projects is due to funding as they are subject to stage funding from the Department of Transport. I’m now calling on the roads section of Clare County Council to make every effort in completing this project as soon as possible.
“Landowners had to be paid, problems in drainage. People are pure fed up with it.  They could only work when they got the funding. It’s been a very slow project but when it is complete it will be a huge asset as the gateway to East Clare from Ennis and Ennis environs,” the mayor concluded.