Tullamore to Portarlington road to close next month

Offaly County Council has informed motorists that a 25km stretch of the R420 road between Tullamore to Portarlington is to close for a two week period next month to facilitate the installation of new traffic signals.

The road closure will come into effect between the period of Thursday next, October 31 and Friday, November 29, while works progress to install new traffic signals at Derrykillane and Derreen Bridges in the village of Cloneygowan.

Local access for residents and property holders will be facilitated where possible, and a number of traffic diversions have been put in place for the duration of the road closures.

Cars travelling North from Portarlington towards Geashill on the R420 will be required to divert at Portarlington onto the Traffic Management Diversion Route (Spa Street via the R419, left onto the R400 and then left again onto the L10130) to continue North on the R420.

Cars travelling North from Portarlington in the direction of Cloneygowan will also divert in Portarlington onto the Traffic Management Diversion Route (via the Mountmellick Road R423, and then turn right onto the L1013) to continue North on the R420.

Cars travelling South from Geashill towards Portarlington on the R420 will divert outside Geashill onto the Walsh Island Road via the L1013 and then turn right onto the R400 and right again onto the R419 to continue towards Portarlington.

For cars travelling South from Cloneygowan towards Portarlington on the R420, they will divert onto the Cloneyhurke Road via the L1015 and then turn left onto the R423 to continue towards Portarlington.

All diversion routes will be clearly signposted. Offaly County Council regrets any inconvenience to road users as a result of the closure, which they say is “necessary to undertake the required works in a safe manner.”