Minutes of Special Meeting of Athy Area Committee with the National Roads Authority held in the committee room, St. Marys on the 7th of July 2003 as adopted

Members Present:

Cllr. R. Hendy

Cllr. M. Miley

Cllr. J. Lawlor

Cllr. J. Wall.

Officials present:

J. Coppinger, NRDO.

D.O’ Flaherty, Athy Area.

P. Kelly, Transportation & Environment Directorate.

E. O’ Sullivan, Finance.

D. O’ Grady, NRDO.

1.Signposting on regional roads

Cllr. Hendy stated that progress had not been made on improving the signposting on regional roads in the area.

D. Flaherty stated that a pilot signage scheme in regard to regional signposting had been implemented in three counties in the current year. However, he added that funding was not currently available to erect additional signposts in the area. He stated that there was an additional need to improve the signage that existed on the local roads in the area.

2.Weed Control on the Moone/Timolin By-Pass

Cllr. Hendy stated that the community council was active in the area of Moone- Timolin but that grass cutting and weed control in the area needed attention on behalf of Kildare County Council. He criticised the work of the landscaping contractor in this regard.

J. Coppinger, in reply, stated that he agreed with Cllr. Hendy in that the standard of landscaping work on the road was not to the required standard. He stated that he would make efforts to solve the problem by working with the contractor.

  1. Lighting of Ballitore Junction and provision of bus shelter and motion in the name of Councillor Miley – “The erection of Motorway Lights (5 on each side) on the new N9 at Ballitore Junction.”

Cllr. Miley stated that the NRA should provide these lights. The lack of public lighting was dangerous at night. Cllr. Wall stated that if the buses were stopping at the current location there should be lights provided there.

D.O’ Flaherty stated that there were two distinct problems at the Ballitore junction- these were the issue of the lights at this location and the provision of a bus shelter. In his opinion, the provision of a bus shelter on the National Primary at this location would cause danger to passengers embarking and disembarking.

J. Coppinger stated that the National Roads Authority could not fund public lighting at this location.

Cllr. Hendy stated that Bus Eireann and Kavanaghs had been approached in connection with providing a pickup point in the village but both had refused. He suggested that Kavanaghs and Bus Eireann would be written to requesting that the bus pickup would be made from the village.

  1. Hacklow Junction.

Cllr. Wall stated that the issue at this location was that vehicles coming from Narraghmore/ Calverstown had a high likelihood of being involved in an accident.

J. Coppinger stated that a plan could be established for Hacklow junction. However, there was no current funding for works to take place at this location.

Councillors Questions

5.Councillor Miley

Is the roundabout on the new motorway from Kilcullen to Waterford at Mullaghmass going to be changed to Crookstown?

The members spoke about the proposed relocation. The matters raised included that land acquisition from ten to twelve farms would be involved at the current location of Mullaghmass, the effect on businesses that depended on passing trade at Crookstown and the effect of the proposed roadway on the economy of Athy.

J. Coppinger stated that representations had been received by the NRA in regard to proposed changes to the scheme. These representations had been studied by the consultants but changes to the current scheme were not envisaged. In regard to Athy, he stated that long term plans would provide for a link with an outer relief road to Athy, should funding be provided.

  1. When is the upgrading of the road from Crookstown to Kilgowan going to commence?

J. Coppinger stated that there was no financial provision in 2003 to upgrade this road. The NRA priority was the upgrading of the N9 and it was unlikely that the NRA would consider this road for upgrade until works on the new N9 had been completed.

Cllr. Hendy requested information on the status of the N9 project.

J. Coppinger, in reply, stated that the publication of the CPO would take place later in 2003. The question of funding for the project would also be finalised later in the year. Pending funding being made available, it was envisaged that the project would commence in 2006. Should the programme on the new N9 be subject to slippage, the NRA will need to invest funds into the old N9 and would this be evaluated on a section by section basis.

  1. When is the roundabout in Castledermot at the Tullow junction going to commence?

J. Coppinger stated that a roundabout at this location would give priority to Tullow traffic but would lead to queues on the Carlow Road. There was no current funding provision for works at this junction. However, a traffic count at this location could be considered.

Motions:

  1. Councillor Miley

“The erection of Traffic Lights at Cope’s Junction in Castledermot.”

Cllr. Miley stated that these were required due to the increased development in the area.

J. Coppinger stated that both pedestrian lights and traffic calming were in situ in Castledermot. There was no provision for further traffic lights in the area.

  1. Councillor Miley

“The development of a roundabout where the Kildare Road Junction links with the N78 in Athy.

P. Cleary stated that a detailed traffic survey of the outer road at the business park could be undertaken with a view to co- ordinating this with a NRA traffic count. D. Flaherty stated that a system is in operation currently whereby the Gardai turn off the lights at peak times. The operation of the system would be discussed with the Gardai.

  1. Councillor Miley

“Traffic Islands to be developed on the N78 at Fontstown and Ballyshannon Crossroads and on the N9 at Halverstown, Kilcullen.”

J. Coppinger stated that at Fontstown, the junction would be examined with a view to remarking the road and installing right turn lanes. A traffic survey would be completed at this location in order to further examine the issue.

In relation to Ballyshannon, D. Flaherty stated that the road was too narrow for the installation of Traffic islands. J. Coppinger stated that the issue at this location stemmed from motorists who speeded up through the section of road and that accidents occurred past the junction. The solution could involve the provision of an island on the north side of the junction. A traffic survey would be completed at this location in order to quantify the issue.

  1. Funding for lighting and footpaths between Moone and Timolin including undergrounding of cables.

Cllr. Hendy stated that the NRA had given a commitment that this work would be undertaken on completion of the Bypass. The NRA had received co- operation on the project from the local community and that lighting was needed for people to negotiate the footpath during the night.

J. Coppinger, in reply, stated that he had listened to representations in this regard at other meetings. However, the NRA had discontinued its scheme of funding bypassed towns – as a result funding was not available from the NRA to do these works.

  1. Village Plans – Kilkea, Ballyroe, Narraghmore and Kilmead.

It was decided that this item would be left on the Agenda for the next area meeting.

Cllr. Wall stated that as this was his final area meeting of the committee that he would like to thank the members of the committee together with the officials of the Council.

The Councillors paid compliments to Cllr. Wall on his understanding of the issues that affected the area and thanked him for his contribution at both a local level and in the Dail.

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