Almost €13m in road funds for county

There has been a near 16% increase in the level of funding for the repair of regional and local roads in Cavan, with the announcement last week that almost €13 million has been allocated to the county for 2019.
It is a significant increase on the allocation awarded last year, and will see the Council pursue a broad scheme of works that will include a widening of the Dunancory Bridge near Virginia.
A sum of €75,000 was been allocated for the long-awaited work on the bridge, which traverses the Blackwater River; while almost €580,000 has been included to further the Community Improvement Scheme that assists local residents and landowners for the restoration of public roads.
Elsewhere, €100,000 has been allocated to progress plans to develop the East-West Link, a route connecting Sligo to Dundalk via Cavan that is seen as vital to future economic expansion in the region.
Between 2007-2014 over €2m was provided to progress the regional road element of the project to preliminary design, with overall cost expected to eventually be in the region of €150m.
A spokesperson for Cavan County Council welcomed the €12,896,209 in funding, but noted that extreme weather events have had a major impact on the regional and local road network.
They added the funding will see essential maintenance and strengthening improvements carried out.
A total of €6.6m has been allocated to the Council for restoration improvements; €2.3m under discretionary grants; €1.2m for restoration maintenance; just over €480,000 for supplementary restoration maintenance; and €634,000 to deal with drainage issues.
Along with that, €75,000 has been allocated for specific improvement grants; just over €52,000 for training; and €10,850 for speed limits.
“2018 was a particularly challenging year for the county’s road network, with an extreme cold patch followed by an unseasonably warm summer accelerating wear and tear on road surfaces. As such, Cavan County Council welcomes the increase in allocation for regional and local roads funding in 2019, and hopes this upward trend in funding allocations for vital infrastructure continues,” said a spokesperson.

Projects in the pipeline

Along with work at Dunancory, rehabilitation works will be carried out at 18 other expanses at a cost of €492,600.
They include R162 Shercock Bridge (€42,000); L6101 Lisnagoon (€29,300); L1520 Laheen (€30,500); L6109 Corcloghan (€20,800); L6532 Cloggy (€34,900); L2011 Creenow (€23,300); L5515 Foalies (€28,500); L2013 Shankill Upper (€24,800); R178 Annalong (€21,900); R191 Drumgoon (€32,500); R205 Derryginney (€32,900); L2011 Lisatoo (€18,800); R191 Enagh (€18,000); L3535 Gallonboy (€15,300); L6141 Killynacloghan (€18,100); L2014 McShanes (€30,900); L1520 Derrindrehid (€44,900); and R198 Tircullen (€25,200).
The local authority will also carry out safety improvement works on nine separate regional and local road at a total cost of €264,500.
A sum €55,000 will be spent on road works on R2122 Cathedral Road in Cavan Town, in the vicinity of Cavan Institute and Con Smith Park; €40,000 to address an “accident cluster” at the roundabout at the bus station on R212 Farnham Street; and €30,000 for work on the R188 Cavan Road approaching industrial parks near Cootehill. 
It also includes works on the R165 Lavey to Bailieborough road (€10,000); R191 Bailieborough to Cootehill (€15,000); R178 Bailieborough to Virginia (€7,000); L3026 Crosskeys Village (€20,000); R162 Dublin Road to Kingscourt (€37,500); and R178 Virginia Road, Bailieborough (€50,000).
The funding allocation was welcomed by Cavan Fine Gael Senator Joe O’Reilly, who said: “I know this funding will greatly assist in the repairs and ensure our road network in Cavan is of the highest standard."
Noting that the funds should allow approximately 2,400kms of regional and local roads to be maintained and 2,150kms to be strengthened this year, Sen O'Reilly added: “These grants are to supplement local authorities’ own resources and expenditure on regional and local road and are just part of the total investment in regional and local roads for this year.”