County Council receiving €34 million for regional and local roads

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Galway Daily news Some traffic disruption is expected at the Galway-Roscommon county line today near Mountbellew due to roadworks taking place

Galway County Council has been allocated €33.8 million for the maintenance and construction of regional and local roads in 2020.

Of that funding €26 million will be spent on overall maintenance of county roads, while an additional €1. million will go towards drainage works, and almost €1 million is for Community Involvement Schemes.

Aside from maintenance works the funding pot also includes millions for infrastructure development such as €1.2 million to go towards the Athenry Ring Road.

Galway East TD Seán Canney said that this is an extremely important investment in a major infrastructure project.

Other construction works being funded this year in the county include €500,000 for improvement works on the R332 Kilbannon, and €50,000 each for a footpath on the L3103 Athenry school road; safety works on the Galway Road, Tuam; and similar works on the junction of Georges St, Gort with the Loughrea Road.

This year’s roads funding marks a €5 million increase on what was allocated to the county council last year according to Deputy Canney.

Additional safety works taking place include €30,000 for the R348 in Kiltullagh village, €10,000 for the junction of the R380 Loughrea to Gort road with the L8529 Ballynabucky and €105,000 for driver feedback signs at various places including Headford, Belclare, Laurencetown and Castleblakeney.

Bridge Rehabiliation Works grants include €55,000 for the L61603 Derreen, Abbeyknockmoy, €50,000 for the L82652 Ballingarry, Kilchreest, €50,000 for the L74011 Lisgub East, Ballymacward, €60,000 for the L85144 Derreen Footbridge, Gort and €75,000 for the R328 Richmond, Clonbern.

Minister for Transport Shane Ross announced today that an investment of €525 million in regional and local roads for 2020, an increase of 8% on last year.

The Minister said that this will allow 2,700kms of roads to be maintained and 2,300kms to be strengthened.

“Well maintained roads are crucial to road safety, to saving lives and to minimizing road collisions. Road fatalities and injuries can be cut drastically by smart investment in better roads.”

The Minister said that he believes local authorities are the best suited to determine which roads in their area are most in need of maintenance and upgrade, and that they have considerable autonomy in directing this funding.