Dual carriageway for N80 a ‘20-to-30-year project’

THE PROSPECT of the N80 becoming a dual carriageway “in reality is a 20-to-30-year project” that is out of the council’s control.

So revealed chief executive Coilín O’Reilly as the issue of the N80 was once again raised at a local authority meeting.

Fianna Fáil's councillor John Pender called for a safe audit of the entire N80 from Carlow to Bunclody, with particular emphasis on improving safety at junctions.

He stated that right along the N80, safety issues had been raised at a number of location including Lough Bends and Kilbride.

Mr O’Reilly stated that as part of the national speed-reduction programme, the N80 would be reduced to 80kph and this process had started. 

He accepted the large volume of traffic and how narrow the N80 is; however, he pointed to how long the process had taken to secure the road realignment project at Lough Bends.

He stated that as part of the CPO process, he would be inviting the landowner in to see the design and outline the project and then hopefully lodging the CPO “in the next two to three weeks”.

“The road may need a dual carriageway, but that’s a 20-to-30-year project,” added Mr O’Reilly.

Cllr Pender, however, encouraged the council executive to “look at the junctions”, adding that even “modest improvements would improve sightlines”.