N21 Thread

CantonaDieu wrote: »

The overbridge on the pound rd en route to the Maum opened today! Good news for Curranes school users and the locals who were cut off from town!!

Protesters call NRA's proposal for N21 an economic bypass of Limerick



THE N21 Abbeyfeale to Adare dual carriageway is an economic bypass of West Limerick and a boom for Kerry tourism and industry believes Ger Kearney of the N21 Group Action Association.
Mr Kearney was speaking at a special meeting of Limerick County Council on the "N21 Abbeyfeale to Adare road improvement scheme".

Over 100 people from West Limerick travelled to the council chamber in Dooradoyle to voice their anger at the proposals.

The N21 Group Action Association wants to see bypasses of Adare, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale straight away at a cost of around €40 million compared to a 42km dual carriageway which Mr Kearney says will cost €400 million.

"If it goes ahead it will sound the death knell for tourism in West Limerick as well as putting a lot of farmers out of business unnecessarily.

"Also if it is not built for the next 10 to 20 years because of our present economic climate, and if a route is selected in the meantime then the land that the carriageway will be built on will be sterilized for that 10 to 20 years. That will stagnate farming and business and depress the economic situation in West Limerick and the general public will still be faced with traffic jams in Adare, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale," said Mr Kearney.

David Leahy, senior executive engineer of the Mid-West National Road Design Office, Limerick County Council, who opened the meeting, said the dual carriageway, or improved N21, from Abbeyfeale to Adare would reduce accidents, fuel consumption, travel times and through traffic for Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West town centres.

He said they were working in consultation with the NRA to progress the N21 improvement scheme in accordance with NRA project management guidelines.

Following a constraints study report six route corridor options were chosen and currently the Mid-West National Road Design Office is choosing the preferred route.

"This may be any one of the three options from end to end or an amalgamation of any of the three options. The NRA will carry out an independent assessment of the preferred route corridor," said Mr Leahy.
While member of the N21 Group Action Association listened to Mr Leahy's presentation they don't want to see it realised.

Mr Kearney said the dual carriageway will cost €400 million with no European money available.

LIVELY DISCUSSION AT MEETING: Opposition to the proposed new N21 motorway is growing in the locality as was evidenced at last week's large meeting of parishioners. Even people who would not be affected directly by any of the proposed routes are strongly of the opinion that the expenditure of such vast sums on the project in a depressed economic climate is not justified. The alternative of bypasses close to the neighbouring towns and upgrading of the present N21 is in the opinion of many, a far more realistic and suitable option. It has been noted also that there has been a marked drop in the volume of traffic, coinciding with the downturn in the economy. After last week's meeting the local action group issued the following statement, "TEMPLEGLANTINE MOTORWAY – NO WAY" - On Tuesday 2nd February a large crowd attended a meeting in Halla Inse Bhán in relation to the proposed motorway. This motorway will split the parish in two with absolutely no benefit to the parishioners. In fact the meeting concluded that it would be detrimental to our local shops and hotel and to the farming community and all present were unanimously opposed to the motorway. A number of people were nominated to attend a follow up meeting in Knockaderry on the following night 3rd February. At this meeting it was decided to have a protest outside the County Hall, Dooradoyle on February 15th at 2.30pm. It is vital that we get good support for this protest. All parishes and towns along the proposed route are asked to support the protest in large numbers. When sufficient numbers are available a bus will be provided. Names will be taken at the next meeting which will be held on Thursday 11th February at 8.30pm in Halla Inse Bhán where it is hoped that many more people will show their support.

OPPOSITION in Abbeyfeale to plans for the major redevelopment of the N21 through West Limerick as proposed by the National Roads Authority is expected to be voiced at a public meeting on Sunday night.

Currently at routeselection stage, the National Roads Authority are hoping to develop a 45km section of dual carriageway from Adare to the Kerry border outside Abbeyfeale, bypassing both Newcastle West and Adare.

However, the plans are meeting with opposition in the town of Abbeyfeale where locals are concerned the town would be left 'completely isolated' by all three of the proposed routes — which they say would bypass the town too far to the south.

"Under NRA policy itself no town is to be left isolated by a bypass, but this is exactly what would happen with Abbeyfeale," objector James Hartnett told The Kerryman.

" The whole project will come in at an estimated cost of €400 million, which is exorbitant, and we will be looking at a project that might not get off the ground for at least 10 years," Mr Hartnett said.

He claimed that a majority of townspeople are opposed to the plan, despite the town's problems with traffic congestion at peak times.

" Rather than having this golden road begin in 10 years time, we need to see the congestion alleviated now through two ring-roads with upgrading works to the existing roads. The proposal simply doesn't make sense and Abbeyfeale would probably be one of the worst affected of all the towns concerned as the three proposed bypasses of the town will take the road out by Tournafula, much too far away to facilitate easy access to the town," Mr Hartnett said.