By Chris Ashmore
A DONEGAL councillor has suggested that the hotel that he works for may do work themselves in order to get a storm-damaged bridge near them back open again.
Cllr. Micheal Naughton made his comments during a debate at a meeting of Donegal Co. Council on funding for repair works to bridges around the county.
Like other councillors, he expressed frustration with the lack of funding available to carry out important works on many bridges in the county.
In particular, he highlighted the small bridge behind the Clanree Hotel in Letterkenny that has been closed since Storm Eowyn.
He estimated that in the region of €250,000 is required to repair the small bridge on what is an increasingly used back road behind the hotel.
He said that the road “has got ten times busier since the opening of the four lane road between the Dry Arch Roundabout and the Polestar Roadabout.
Many people using the hotel who are going south to the likes of Ballybofey and Donegal Town do not exit the front of the hotel – where you can only turn left – but choose to go over the back road to save time.
He also pointed out that the back road is busy at times of big events like the rally, and is also used by the emergency services.
If the bridge is not repaired and the road is not reopened he said that they would have to do a “temporary measure” themselves.
“It is unacceptable that it is not going to be done,” he continued. “We cannot afford to leave it closed, it is having a serious impact on our business and that is the reality. We need to apply for funding as a matter of urgency,” he stressed.
The meeting heard that funding of €250,000 has been granted under the Non-National Roads Bridge Strengthening Programme for 2025. This will be split evenly between ten bridges, at Meenybradden, Frosses, Drimadoan, Treakkill, Lough Errig, Tievebrack, Carrickmagrath, Strath and Skeoge.
Cllr. Ciaran Brogan also expressed dissatisfaction about the Bonagee bridge issue, and said that it was “very disappointing” that it is still closed.
He was informed that “a team is working on it in the coming month or so” and will then be looking for a package.
He was assured that the Council is working on an interim solution to have the bridge opened as soon as possible.
Cllr. Patrick McGowan, meanwhile, raised the issue of Logue’s Bridge in Ballybofey, while Cllr.Donal Mandy Kelly raised issues about a bridge in the Glenswilly area.
Any money for bridges is to be welcomed, Cllr. Michael McClafferty noted. He also pointed out that some of the funding for bridges will be included in bigger road projects.
Indeed, Donegal Co. Council has been awarded €755,000 for works on 16 bridges around the count on what are termed “high priority roads”.
Among the bridges are Binbane, Croaghs and Stanaroey in the Glenties Municipal District Area, Lossett, Drumcaveny and Craigmaddyroe (Letterkenny MD), and Drumboe Avenue, Meenreagh and Glencovitt (Lifford-Stranorlar MD).
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