Major funding boost for next phase of Edenderry Inner Relief Road project

Phase 2 of the Inner Relief Road for Edenderry received a huge funding boost this week with confirmation that €2 million has been awarded to the project from the Department of Transport.

Phase 2 will link Fr McWey Street, at the rear of the Dunnes Shopping Centre, to Eden Business Campus, providing a route onwards to Rhode via the R441.

The long-awaited project is considered to be a vital piece of road infrastructure for Edenderry which will ease traffic congestion in the centre of the North Offaly town and improve connectivity to all parts of the town. It will also allow for safe walking and cycling routes throughout the town.

The funding for Phase 2 of the Edenderry Inner Relief Road was granted to Offaly County Council as part of a larger €15.5 million funding announcement from the Department of Transport to improve regional and local roads throughout the county.

Total funding of €626 million for regional and local road improvements nationwide was jointly announced on Tuesday of this week by Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan and Minister of State, Jack Chambers, and will go towards maintaining 3,100km of regional and local roads and strengthening a further 2,500km of the road network.

Phase 1 of the Edenderry Inner Relief Road was opened by local Green Party Minister, Pippa Hackett, in July of last year. The new road runs from Clonmullen linking across to the St Conleth’s Road (R401) via Clonmeen Rise and enables traffic coming from the Dublin Road (R402) to access the north side of Edenderry town while avoiding JKL Street/Main Street.

Over €1.5m was allocated to Phase 1 of the Edenderry roads project by the Department of Transport in last year’s roads allocations – announced in February – with an additional €700,000 allocated for Phase 2.

This week’s announcement of €2 million for Phase 2 of the Inner Relief Road in Edenderry is seen as a significant investment in a vital piece of infrastructure to ensure the future development of the town.

Among the other roads to benefit in Offaly from this week’s funding announcement is the Birr Distributor Northern Road project which was granted €100,000 under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme and is due to receive an additional €50,000 under the allocations for strategic regional and local roads.

The L-1014 road in Walsh Island village, outside Geashill, is to receive €100,000 for safety improvement works, while allocations of €90,000 and €80,000 have been allocated respectively for works on the R420 Portarlington to Cloneygowan Road at Derreen and also at Cloneygowan.

Among the bridge rehabilitation works which are due to funded under the latest round of funding from the Department of Transport are at Ballycowan; Rahan; Ballycommon; Rhode; Carrig Bridge and Aghagurty Bridge in Kinnity and Park Culvert in Shannon Harbour.

A total of €388,650 has been allocated for climate change adaptation and resilience works in Offaly, which has been warmly welcomed by local Green Party Minister, Pippa Hackett.

“This is a strong funding announcement for North Offaly and I am glad to see that safety works are included on the Portarlington to Clonygowan road at Derreen and Portarlington to Geashill at Clonygowan. I am also happy to see funding for the Cloncreen Peat Road Reconstruction and Raheennakeernan, Walsh Island of €75,000 for each project,” said Minister Hackett.

She pointed out that, in addition to the projects named in the announcement there is “additional funding allocated to road safety schemes and signage that target improved road safety for vulnerable road users and vehicular traffic.”

The funding announcement has also been welcomed by local Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen who said it will allow Offaly County Council to “repair, strengthen and maintain our roads across the region, ensuring they are fit for purpose. We are dedicating resources towards initiatives such as road repair, bridge rehabilitation, road safety measures, community engagement, drainage improvements, and climate change adaptation.”

Deputy Cowen said maintaining and improving the road network is “crucial to sustaining and developing our local economies across rural Ireland. These roads are imperative for children getting to school and people getting to work safely. Rural regeneration is a key priority for the Government and this investment programme for 2023 is further evidence of this,” he added.