The N56 – Turris Hill to Drumbeigh, Mountcharles improvement scheme in South West Donegal is now at tender stage, says Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher Leas Cheann Comhairle. The project is to cost an estimated €15.4 million when the two phases are complete.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have confirmed to Pat the Cope that the N56 improvement works at Mountcharles covering from Turris Hill to Drumbeigh are now out for public tender.
The phase from Turris Hill to Drumbeigh is currently out for tender and tenders are to be returned by the end of October.
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 and continues to Drumbeigh.
Pat the Cope Gallagher has welcomed the confirmation from TII and was advised that it is intended a contractor for the new road project will be appointed shortly after the October deadline. Road construction will commence immediately thereafter.
Pat the Cope said, “the project will 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.
“Appraisal was done as part of the main scheme (N56 Mountcharles to Inver) and a great deal of preparatory works has been carried out over the past number of years for this project.
“The construction timeframe outlined by the TII is estimated to take 18 months with the project to commence in the last quarter of 2017 and completion in early 2019.
“It is therefore essential that both the TII and Government now give immediate focus to this project and ensure its timely delivery, without any further delays and that the Government ring fence the necessary funding for the project in order to deliver it in line with the outlined timeframe.
Pat the Cope stated, “the N56 Mountcharles to Drumbeigh is an essential project for improving access to Southwest Donegal and the Port of Killybegs, but more improvement works need to be done to the N56 right throughout Donegal.
“It must now be a priority for TII, the Government and Donegal County Council to put in place further plans for improving the remaining sections of the N56, so that a proper roadway of acceptable standards is constructed to the Southwest of Donegal and the port of Killybegs.
“I wish to compliment those who have worked on this phase of the N56 project in TII and Donegal Co Council. It is essential though that we redouble our efforts and focus on the remaining sections of the N56 which need to be improved, it is necessary for the TII to prepare plans for these sections now in order to carry out other improvement works in the future.
“Work on the N56 will never be complete until all of west Donegal through which the N56 services is fully upgraded; and in order to ensure complete delivery of the N56 we need to be setting in place the future plans to deliver those necessary improvements in the years ahead,” concluded Pat the Cope.
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