Funding sought for works at ‘death trap’ junction
The council has approached Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) for funding to install a right-hand turn for traffic at Drumsillagh, near Butlersbridge, the scene of several serious traffic accidents in recent years.
The council, which received €100,000 to progress consultancy on the project, was forced to return to the drawing board on a previous approach when it was also asked by TII to consider installing turning lanes at two other junction points slightly further north along the main carriageway.
The matter came before last Friday's meeting of Cavan-Belturbet Municipal District when Independent Cllr Brendan Fay sought an update in relation to the proposed project.
He had previously called on the council to act on what he described as a "death trap" location along the N3 route, building on concerns expressed earlier by Fine Gael's Madeleine Argue.
Senior engineer for the MD, Paul Mulligan, said that once designs are completed, they will then go to tender for the project and complete the process with an application for funding from TII.
"We will do everything we can to progress it," said Mr Mulligan, who said he was "positive the job will happen".
Fine Gael's Peter McVitty fumed that the need for turning lanes was highlighted by local councillors back when the road was first built.
Like Fianna Fáil's John Paul Feeley, he too welcomed the allocation of €100,000 to move the project forward.
"Nothing comes cheap any more," remarked Sean Smith (FF).
Separately, the council heard concerns about safety on the N87 at Killanagher, another area where accidents or extreme near misses have occurred in the past.
Cllr Fay again pressed the council for the need for flashing lights to warn traffic on approach, but yet again the executive pointed to studies carried out by TII, which indicate the effectiveness of such measures wanes after a short period.
Mr Mulligan acknowledged that there was an issue to be addressed in the area and, from a road design point of view, said discussions had taken place.
He said there was existing signage in place and any issues beyond that spoke to driver behaviour rather than what additional measures could be introduced there.
"There is a major job needed there," Mr Mulligan conceded, which would involve a complete realignment of the road, complete with a staggering of the junctions exiting onto the N87.
"But it takes money to do those things," said the council official, who estimated it might take as long as five years to get all the desktop groundwork complete and before a formal application could be made.
"We want to get the best job done," asserted Cllr Smith.
Cllr Feeley lamented that over the years, when work had been carried out, people were confident that the solution was at hand. "Experts are always changing their minds."
Fine Gael's Peter McVitty remembered when councillors met with TII officials in Dublin back in December 2017. Drumsillagh and other areas where safety concerns were identified were highlighted then. "That was four years ago," he pointed out. "I find that very difficult to accept."
Mr Mulligan concluded: "We have to go through the steps."
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