€31.5 million funding announced for Offaly roads

Offaly roads will benefit to the tune of over €31.5 million in 2009, following the announcement of the Government"s €1.44 billion investment in the National Roads Programme 2009 on Wednesday last. While the bulk of the funding, some €29.25 million is earmarked for the Tullamore by-pass which is due for completion in 2010, there is some good news for some long-running road projects in the county with over €165,000 earmarked for long awaited traffic lights at Seffin and Military Road, Birr, funding for bridge rehabilitation works in Ferbane and safety work at Charlestown Bridge, Clara. Monies have also been set aside for safety work in Kilcormac, improvements to the Tullamore to Kilbeggan Link road and work on the Tubber northside stretch during 2009. Welcoming the Offaly road grant allocation this week, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he was very pleased that Offaly County Council has been awarded this major funding. 'It continues the Government"s investment in infrastructure in the county and will help the local authority deliver a modern, safe and efficient roads network throughout the county. €30.6 million of the allocation is earmarked for improvement works and €910,569 is being set aside for maintenance works.' He added : 'The biggest project to be funded this year is the Tullamore by-pass, with an amount of €29.25 million being provided. Other major investments in the county include major safety works at four locations including, Kilcormac, Seffin-Military Road, Birr Charlestown Bridge Clara and Tubber Northside, bridge rehabilitation in Ferbane, and the Tullamore to Kilbeggan link road. In addition funding for pavement and minor works along with allocations for national primary and secondary maintenance projects will assist the County Council with improvements to the roads network'. Meanwhile, Birr Town Council Chairman Sean Doorley has welcomed the money allocated for traffic signals at Seffin and Military Road in Birr, a long running safety issue in the area over many years. Mr Doorley has been told by the National Roads Authority that following a review carried out by Offaly County Council and funded by the NRA, funding of €165,000 has been allocated to the local authority this year to provide traffic signals at both Seffin and the Military Road Junctions. The NRA added that these junctions are located within 100 metres of each other and it would have been very difficult to treat one junction by itself, so both are going to be combined into the one traffic management system. The Offaly road grant allocations were officially announced earlier this week by the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey and CEO of the National Roads Authority, Fred Barry. 'This Government is committed to progressing projects that will maintain employment and underpin national and regional development. The funding allocated for national roads in 2009 will deliver safer, better roads right across the country helping business and improving the quality of life for locals,' Mr Dempsey said. 'The works announced today for County Offaly are particularly valuable in these challenging economic times. What is common to all of these projects is that they make for easier, safer, road journeys in less built-up traffic,' the Minister added. Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the NRA, Fred Barry commented that in 2008 the National Roads Authority completed all projects on average approximately four months ahead of schedule. The programme is being delivered below budget, and an outstanding economic return is being achieved. These road project investments are typically delivering returns of over twice the investment cost, he concluded.