ACCIDENT BLACK spots, bottlenecks and congestion will be the main areas to benefit from €100 million in road-project funding announced by Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar.
With a drastically reduced budget for 2012 Mr Varadkar said his priority “is to maintain roads and prioritise safety projects, followed by road improvements” and then new projects.
The upgrading and maintenance will be done through the National Road Authority’s work programme and the Minister said it would support about 1,200 jobs.
The road safety and upgrading funding “will be used to improve safety at major black spots, such as removing bad bends or hazardous conditions”, he said in a statement.
“In a number of cases the funding will be used to remove bottlenecks and tackle congestion.”
Work will start on 30 schemes this year. Planning work will also be carried out on another 30 projects but construction will not start unless further funding is provided.
A number of small-scale projects start this year including the creation of new road surfaces, minor safety works and improved signage.
Funding of €18 million will go towards small-scale safety schemes with a further €18 million allocated to remedial work on bridges in Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kildare, Kerry, Galway, Longford, Meath, North Tipperary, Offaly and Westmeath.
Construction is expected to start this year on the N5 Ballaghaderreen bypass in Co Roscommon, the N7 Newlands Cross upgrade, in south Dublin, and on the N11 from Arklow to Rathnew in Co Wicklow.
Construction will also continue this year on the N3 Belturbet bypass in Co Cavan; the N4 in Co Westmeath; the N5 Longford bypass; the N22/N69 Tralee bypass; the N25 south ring road, Cork City; and the N52 from Carrick Bridge to Dalystown in Co Westmeath.
