Gardaí urged to monitor new four lane roadway

By Emma Ryan

GARDAÍ have been urged to monitor the new four lane road in Letterkenny while the traffic lights are initially turned on.

Work on the four lane road is coming to an end with the final sections of the project nearing completion.

The major road project, on the main Derry road into Letterkenny, has seen the addition of traffic lights close to the Clanree Hotel and further in towards town on the Pole Star Roundabout.

Speaking at the Joint Policing Committee meeting on Friday in Lifford, Cllr Donal Coyle urged the Gardaí to patrol the area when the traffic lights are first turned on.

He said the presence of Gardaí may help with the introduction of the lights.

“The four lane project is not going to make a difference to the volume of traffic coming into Letterkenny and the only solution to this is the bridge across the Swilly for the Bonagee Link Bridge,” Cllr Coyle said.

“We have seen the addition of traffic lights and when the lights are switched on initially I would ask Gardaí to monitor the traffic lights because I do see that there may be a problem at the Clanree Hotel as I can see tailbacks occurring there.”

He added that it takes time for motorists to get used to traffic lights.

“It takes a while for people to get used to traffic lights and the introduction of them in busy areas.”

Cllr. Coyle also made reference to the recently installed traffic lights on the town’s Pearse Road.

“The Pearse Road traffic lights do seem to be working well and there is not nearly the same amount of delays there as there was when they were previously installed,” Cllr. Coyle added.

“I would ask Gardaí to monitor the traffic along the four lanes.”

Garda Inspector Seamus McGonigle said the four lane project has been a major success and added that there is a huge volume of traffic using the road, but no amount of lights will help with that.

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