[PR] Phase Two of the N56 Mountain Top to Illistrin open

Victor

http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,11197,en.html

Minister Coughlan Opens Phase Two of the N56 Mountain Top to Illistrin Scheme in Donegal

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mary Coughlan TD, today opened Phase two of the N56 Mountaintop to Illistrin road in Donegal. The Minister said that the success of this project s reflected in the fact that improvement was finished 12 months ahead of schedule, and on budget at a cost of €29.59 million.

This entire 5km stretch has been constructed in two phases. Phase 1, which is 1.5km in length, was completed in September last year and incorporates a major new roundabout at the Calhame junction. Phase 2 is 3.5km in length and extends from the Calhame Junction, continuing to Illistrin.

Minister Coughlan said that the recent opening of the N2 Castleblayney Bypass, coupled with other high-quality road infrastructure projects such as N2 Carrickmacross and Monaghan Bypasses and the completed motorway schemes on the M1, provides an important step forward towards a rapid and predictable road transport artery from Derry and Donegal to Dublin.


“The improvement of the infrastructure to Donegal and its surrounding area will make Donegal and the North West region as a whole a more attractive location for enterprise creation, particularly as it marks the transition from traditional to more modern and higher value added industries. We have the beautiful scenery and plentiful hotel and guesthouse accommodation. Improved infrastructure will also greatly enhance Donegal as a tourist destination.” said the Minister.

The development of the Atlantic Road Corridor from Letterkenny through Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford will connect the National Spatial Strategy Gateway Cities. It has been a longstanding concept in the national roads upgrade programme and has now been re-enforced by Transport 21. It is envisaged that the route will be upgraded substantially to dual carriageway road standard. Schemes already completed in Co. Donegal on this route include the N15 Bundoran Ballyshannon Bypass and N15 – Clar/Barnesmore. Other schemes are at varying stages of the planning process, including the N14/N13 Junction (Manorcunningham) to Lifford / Stabane and N15 Ballybofey/ Stranorlar Bypass.

Minister Coughlan said that her colleague Mr. Brian Cowen TD Minister for Finance announced in April that the Irish Government has made available funding of €580 million towards road improvements in Northern Ireland. Together with the UK Treasury funding, this will support an unprecedented package of infrastructure investment, including a major new roads programme to provide dual carriageway standard on routes within Northern Ireland serving the north west gateway of Letterkenny and Derry and on the eastern seaboard corridor from Belfast to Larne. The agreement to develop a dual carriageway standard road to Derry and Donegal removes the single greatest impediment to the future development of the north west and the border counties.

Minister Coughlan added that the BMW region national road investment is at an all-time high. Projects under construction include the N6 Galway to Ballinasloe, Phase 2 of the N6 Kinnegad/Athlone, and the N6 Ballinasloe to Athlone. Recently the N5 Charlestown Bypass, N2 Clontibret to Castleblayney and the N4 Dromod/Rooskey were opened. Schemes at varying stages of the planning process include the N3 Belturbet Bypass, N17 Tubbercurry Bypass and N17 Tuam Bypass amongst others. The upgrading of our national transport network is a key element in enhancing regional accessibility and more balanced regional development.

Under Transport 21, €1.53 billion of funding is being provided for the National Roads Programme in 2007. It is the largest single annual investment in roads and this level of investment will be maintained in 2008. A total of over €16 billion will be spent on national roads during the lifetime of Transport 21, equivalent to more than €125 million every month.

The Minister added “What is common to all the national road projects, whether big or small, is that they make for safer roads. Road safety is of paramount importance and better quality roads make for easier, safer, road journeys in less built-up traffic. The high quality dual carriageways and motorways we have been building have been proven to be seven times safer than the roads they replace. By opening over 100km of new roads in 2007, we are adding to the safety of our national road network. In remembering to slow down, fasten safety belts and never ever drink and drive, we should bear in mind that when we get behind the wheel, our lives, and those of other road users, depend on our behavior.”

Peter Malone, Chairman of the National Roads Authority commented: “The completion of phase two of the N56 Mountain Top to Illistrin scheme marks another milestone in the continuing development of the national road infrastructure in the Border, Midland and Western Region. The N56 is the main link from Northwest Donegal to Letterkenny and the rest of the country and demonstrates the National Road Authority’s commitment to balanced regional development in line with Government policy. The benefits of this scheme will have a huge impact locally – improving safety and access to the region. This new road will encourage commercial development and improve the tourism potential of this wonderfully scenic area. It is important that we have a vision for the future in order to remain competitive. The development of the Atlantic road corridor from Letterkenny through Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford, under the Transport 21 Plan, will ensure that the northwest will be in a position to capitalise on opportunities in the future.”
In conclusion, Minister Coughlan thanked everybody who was involved in the successful completion of this project, including Noel Regan & Sons, Grontmij/Carl Bro-Bridge Design, Golder Associates/Soft Ground, the NRA and Donegal County Council, their staffs and anybody else who had a role in bringing this project to fruition.

The Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 financed this scheme.

Ends

murphaph

That's a lot of hot air for 3 miles of road!

DWCommuter

Amazing how a speech about a micky mouse road in Donegal turns into a highly strung out PR stunt on roads all over the place.

Joseph Goebells is alive and well in FF. Bertie is a "working mans" Hitler apparently.:D Facism with a vote and some CRH thrown in.

E92

Sure isn't it great that the roads in this country are so wonderful that we can now afford to spend €580 million on a jurisdiction that contributes SFA to our taxes:rolleyes:?

L1011

E92 wrote: »

Sure isn't it great that the roads in this country are so wonderful that we can now afford to spend €580 million on a jurisdiction that contributes SFA to our taxes:rolleyes:?

Improvements along the N2 corridor will assist East Donegal hugely. Now, if we could only build them as old-fashioned permissery roads with no way out in to the north

D'Peoples Voice

MYOB wrote: »

Improvements along the N2 corridor will assist East Donegal hugely. Now, if we could only build them as old-fashioned permissery roads with no way out in to the north

Yeah, I remember coming back from Enniskille Dublin via the M1(Dundalk),
the N53/A37/A3 is very poor

Ham'nd'egger

DWCommuter wrote: »

Amazing how a speech about a micky mouse road in Donegal turns into a highly strung out PR stunt on roads all over the place.

All the speeches made when roads are opened are exactly the same;re-arrange the road numbers and delete when opened.

Wishbone Ash

DWCommuter wrote: »

a micky mouse road in Donegal

While the improved part may only be 5km in length, the N56 could hardly be described as 'mickey mouse'. It is probably one of the longest National Secondary Roads in the country as it goes from Letterkenny all the way around the coast to Donegal Town.

RadioCity

Didn't it used to start in Stranorlar before it became the N13?

Donegal has to be one of the oddest counties where some Regional Roads are better than the National roads.

The R251/255 between Termon and Dunlewey is vastly superior (and quicker) compared to the N56.

Another fine stretch of regional road is the R252 from near Dungloe towards Doochary.
Link to a picture of it: Attachment not found.

murphaph

A lovely, barren bit of wild landcape, ruined by a manky bungalow and associated rural telephone/electricity infrastructure.

The road looks like one I'd like to take the bike down though.

Wishbone Ash

RadioCity wrote: »

The R251/255 between Termon and Dunlewey is vastly superior (and quicker) compared to the N56.

Yes, that road has improved a lot over the years. 30 years ago it was very narrow and twisty but all the severe bends have been removed and it has been widened. Artics going to the industrial estates in Gweedore used to use it then but they needed both sides of the road to negotiate some of the bends. I think heavy vehicles were supposed to use the N56 but it never seemed to be enforced. It always appears to be busier than the N56.

RadioCity

Another picture actually of Mount Errigal but the R251 can be seen in the foreground. The picture is taken near the junction with the N56 at the Gweedore end. Lough Nacung is on the right of the picture.


Picture: Attachment not found.