Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher has called for the approval of the N56 Turris Hill to Inver roadworks if they are to begin on time.
Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher Leas Cheann Comhairle has asked Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to give the immediate go ahead for the N56 improvement works at Mountcharles to Inver.
The proposed works will involve the design and construction of approximately 2.75km of new National Secondary Road to Type 1 Single Carriageway. This scheme commences at the tie-in with the Mountcharles Bypass.
Deputy Gallagher was making his comments following his raising of the matter with TII, in their reply the TII committed to starting the project by autumn of 2017.
Pat the Cope added the project would significantly improve the level of service for road users and enhance the accessibility of South West Donegal including the port of Killybegs and Gaeltacht areas.
Pat the Cope said: “Appraisal was done as part of the main scheme (N56 Mountcharles to Inver) and a great deal of preparatory works have been carried out. The construction timeframe outlined by the TII is estimated to take 18 months with commencement in the last quarter of 2017 and completion in mid-2019.
“It is therefore essential that both the TII and Donegal County Council give an immediate go ahead for this project to move to tender stage in order the project commences by the end of 2017, I acknowledge that the project is at an advanced stage but it now requires final sanction so that the funding can be approved for the 2018 TII budget and that the project is completed by mid-2019 as indicated in the TII reply to me.”
Pat the Cope stated that the N56 is of critical importance to the south and west of Donegal as it is the main route for connecting those areas to the county roads network and as N56 it is also the main route to Killybegs Port it is critical for employment and investment to the area.
“I am also calling on the TII to carry out further improvement works on the N56 Inver Bridge to Killybegs road, as the current state of repair of the road is extremely poor with deteriorating road surface and poor driving conditions in parts of the road.
“It will also be necessary in the medium term for the TII and Donegal County Council to proceed to plan the final stage of the N56 – from Inver Bridge to Five Points in order that the final section of the N56 to Killybegs can form part of the next Capital plan 2021- 2027.
Pat the Cope concluded by stating “ it is now imperative that the TII and Donegal County Council stick to the timeline for delivering the N56 Turris Hill to Inver and allow the project to start by the end of this year and to have the project completed by mid-2019 as committed to in their own plans ”.