N59 roadworks set for twelve month tailback

It now appears that it could be over a year before any resurfacing work is carried out on the N59 – with efforts stymied by the presence of the protected pearl mussel in the Owenriff River catchment area.

Planning permission has already been granted to the TII (formerly the National Roads Authority) to upgrade the road from Oughterard to Clifden, on the condition the National Parks and Wildlife Services agreed to the works programme.

The Council have gone back to the drawing board a number of times to satisify their demands and though the NPWS have agreed to two works programmes, a final decision is expected by September 16 on a number of others covering various aspects of the work entailed.

But Liam Gavin, Director of Services for Roads and Transportation, told the Connemara Municipal District this week that it is impossible to go ahead with the upgrade without an agreement between the TII, Galway County Council and the NPWS.

Their concerns relate to a five kilometre section of the N59 between Oughterard and Maam Cross near the Owenriff River which might be threatened by any construction work.

Cllr Tom Welby said that he attended the oral hearing into the road project and that there were only a few landowners who objected as most people wanted to see the N59 improved and upgraded.

However, Mr Gavin did say that a resurfacing of about 17 kilometre of the road would cost €2.5million and could start next year if the TII made funding available.

The resurfacing of the road would certainly improve the road, known as probably the busiest routes in the country thanks to its popularity with tourists.

But Connemara councillors are afraid that such an outlay from the TII at this stage would put the N59 upgrade on the long finger.

Certain stretches of the road have been black tarred over the years but proposals to carry out a much bigger upgrade has meant this maintenance hadn’t been carried out and the road has fallen into disrepair in many spots.

Indeed, a campaigning group, mostly made up of Clifden business people, has been putting pressure on the Council and the TII to address the issue.

Councillors expressed their frustrations at this week’s meeting saying that the consultants hired by the Council are experienced and have given assurances that they can carry out the upgrade without infringing on the pearl mussel species.

There were high hopes for an upgrade for the N59 and both councillors and local people had been patient in recent years.

However, this week, councillors and officials appeared to be resigned that resurfacing work would have to be carried next year in the interest of road safety as the road was rapidly deteriorating waiting for the upgrade.