Council mend road collapse near Virginia

A stop-and-go system was put in place for a period of several days following a partial road collapse caused by heavy overnight rain last week.

Emergency road works were carried out following the incident on the Virginia to Ballyjamesduff Road (R194) on Tuesday into Wednesday, October 18-19.

As a result of the damage caused the council urged local road users to choose an alternative route if possible.

Bridge widening

The local authority meanwhile have signalled their intention to close the R194 Ballyjamesduff to Killyfassey for a three-day period between the hours of 8am on Monday, November 14 to 6pm on Friday, November 18 to facilitate essential road reinstatement works. The works are associated with the Derrylea Bridge Widening Project.

Derrylea Bridge is a two-span masonry arch over the Claddagh River and is located on a dangerous bend on the R194 road, close to the junctions of three minor roads with the R194.

The proposed development includes the realignment of the R194 on the approaches to the bridge; the widening of the bridge on both sides using reinforced concrete arches, matching the existing profile and faced in masonry to match the existing. There will be some minor repairs to the existing bridge also.

Alternative

An alternative route has been provided for motorists coming from Granard/ Mountnugent while the road in closed in November. Road users should divert by Kilnaleck via the R154 and Crosserlough to Ballyjamesduff, while traffic from Ballyjamesduff meanwhile should be diverted by Mountnugent back to Killyfassey junction.

Local traffic in the area will be accommodated “as far as possible”, say the council, either side of Finaway Cross area.