LETTERKENNY roads congestion will need three bridges to sort it out, Cllr Gerry McMonagle told Tuesday’s Letterkenny/Milford Municipal District meeting.
His statement came on foot of a motion at the meeting from Mayor Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly calling for all roads service management and design teams to come to a workshop with elected members to try and ease the traffic issues he said were driving business away from the town.
Cllr Kelly said he wanted to see a detailed report on future roads projects “as a matter of urgency”.
“I am aware a meeting on this was held last December but it is no further forward. The congestion in this town is unbelievable – it is shocking out there at the moment. It seems to be getting worse mornings and evenings.
“A few business owners are suffering because of it, I had two people approach me who were thinking of setting up businesses in the town and the traffic problems have put them off. Even if all the planned roads are completed we need a bridge over the River Swilly,” Mayor Kelly said.
He added that he is anxious to see how the new traffic lights near the Dry Arch Roundabout will be programmed.
“In my mind it is a disaster waiting to happen”.
Seconding the motion Cllr Ciaran Brogan pointed out that the traffic lights at the Port Bridge were still not up and running. He called on the senior management level in Lifford to be more productive towards Letterkenny.
“To get everyone in the one room would be a good exercise,” Cllr Brogan added.
Cllr Gerry McMonagle told the meeting that it was not one but three more bridges that were needed to ease traffic congestion in Letterkenny – the Bonagee Link road bridge, one on the Neil T Blaney Road and one on the road out towards Glenties.
“We are confined to the roads we have in Letterkenny Town but if we get bridges we can make it work. We need three bridges.
“It is important that the powers that be work with us and understand that this council and previous councils tried to get the Bonagee link bridge built,” Cllr McMonagle said.
Cllr Liam Blaney told the meeting it took him 35 minutes to get to the meeting in a journey which should have taken five minutes.
“There should be more urgency for this bridge across the Swilly – Letterkenny needs that bridge.”
Senior Executive Engineer David McIlwaine said he could arrange a report to update members and he could also request a meeting with the various people involved in the different road schemes.
“These things take time. There is no easy solution,” he added.
Mayor Kelly said there was “no room for anything in the town. I feel for the businesses in the four lane project. By the time people manage to get into the town they don’t have time to spend time here,” the mayor added.
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)