Transport Infrastructure Ireland Are Making A Mistake By Narrowing Certain Junctions On N59

The Independent Ireland Councillor, Noel Thomas, has called on Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to re look at the criteria they use to assess when carrying out amendments to junctions on the N59 Galway to Clifden Road. Councillor Thomas, said that the TII is applying the same rules to rural junctions as they do to junctions in urban areas. 

“The TII want to make all junctions on the N59 the same,” Councillor Thomas said. “All new junctions are standarised now. That’s what they are going to do with these junctions - make them narrower. There are several junctions that are due to be amended under the Minor Safety Works Scheme.

These include Oranswell Rd, Barna Rd and the Cloonabinna junctions. There are plenty of things that the TII can do to improve the N59 but narrowing the junction at Cloonabinna is certainly not one of them. This junction as it stands is very safe. Sight lines for traffic exiting the junction are good and the area is wide enough for a bus to pull in for example.

I think it is wrong to alter this junction and make it narrower when it is perfectly fine as it is. I have suggested to the TII that the money allocated here should be used on some of the existing dangerous junctions on the N59 that need it more.

There are plenty of other roads that need improvement safety wise along the N59. This isn’t one,” Councillor Thomas said. “The same rules shouldn’t apply to rural junctions as do in towns and cities where there are more vehicles and pedestrian traffic.”