Moydrum/Blyry
1.
Do the Executive not feel that the Athlone Electoral Area should have it’s own full time procedures and methods in place to carry out verge cutting when required on all our National, Secondary, Regional & Local roads instead of waiting for the Mullingar Area to release their machines?
Reply:
This activity is coordinated by the Director of Transportation & Infrastructure and the matter will be taken up with him to ensure a satisfactory service to the Athlone area in 2005. If necessary the Athlone area will revert to a local contractor.
2 - May 2005:
‘ That this Council discuss the special speed limit guidelines recently released by the Minister with the objective of making our roads safer’.
Reply:
his Council has received guidelines from the Department regarding the preparation of byelaws in this regard. A report in the matter is expected to be placed before the Transportation & Infrastructure Strategic Policy committee at their next meeting on the 8th June 2005.
3 - July 2005:
That this Council discuss the need to have development levies collected in the Athlone Electoral Area ring fenced to be spent on projects in the Athlone Electoral Area.
Reply:
This matter will be considered by the full council at it’s next meeting based on report recently circulated to the members. There is no provision for ring fencing unless they are special levies for specific projects.
4 - July 2005:
Can this Council please erect directional signs on the Cornamaddy Road R916 to stop articulated lorries from taking the wrong turn up the Bliary/Moydrum Road L1427 in the interest of good traffic management?
Reply:
Roads Design Office has been requested to carry out a study of traffic management in these areas, which will include for provision of adequate signage.
5 - September 2005:
That this Council provide money in our forthcoming estimates to provide traffic calming measures on the Blyry/Moydrum road in the interest of public safety.
Reply:
To be considered in 2006 Budget which will be considered shortly.
6 - September 2005:
When will this Council start the process of putting special speed limits in place at all our schools and also on our local and regional roads?
Reply:
The Roads Section has prepared a procedure for the implementation of special speed limit bye-laws. It is intended that Area Committee would now identify locations where it is considered a special speed limit should apply. All identified locations throughout the County will be referred to Road Design for consideration against the special speed limit implementation policy agreed by the members at the July meeting. This will be followed by a consultative process following which the adoption of the bye-laws is a reserved function of the County Council.
7 - November 2005:
That this Council as a matter of urgency provide adequate directional signage on the R916 to prevent articulated lorries taking the wrong turn up the L1427 on the Moydrum/Blyry Road.
Reply:
Road Design has been requested to carry out a survey of the R916. Upgrading of road marking and road signage is to be assessed as part of this survey. In addition all vegetation around current signage will be cleared. Athlone Area will investigate the possibility of erecting a new sign to clarify the existing road layout.
8 - November 2005:
Has this Council a budget to erect proper ‘No Littering’ signage at sites in Annaghorta Bog, Crosswood Bog and along the Tully Road?
Reply:
The Environmental Section in conjunction with the Area Office will examine signage requirements. It is also hoped to work with the community/landowners in combating illegal dumping in the area.
9 - March 2006:
What is the status of the proposed special speed limits submitted by the Area members last Autumn?
Reply:
The Area Office is completing a survey of the speed limit locations as required by the Speed Limits Implementation Policy adopted by the members. Area Office and Road Design will liaise in advance of finalizing the recommendations for the full Council.
10 - May 2006:
Further to the excellent work carried out by this Council in erecting signage in the Athlone electoral area, can this Council now consider a programme of work erecting directional signs at all junctions on our roads in the area?
Reply:
There is an ongoing programme of replacement of directional signs on our local roads in the Athlone Area.
11 - May 2006:
When will we have a report on the proposed special speed limits for the Athlone Area?
Reply:
The Area Engineers are finalizing the proposals for 2006. Each area has had to validate many proposals as a result of the proposals received from members. This validation involves the assessment of current speeds, review of accident history and inspections of the road environment at each location. As soon as all areas have submitted their validated proposals, Road Design will commence the statutory processes for these locations. This is a countywide exercise and thus delays from any one area may cause some delay to the finalisation of draft by-laws. This is necessary because any special speed limits are affected by such by-laws. During the policy formulation process it was considered that the publication of speed limit by-laws more that once a year would not be efficient. We are expecting that this process will be completed 3 to 4 months ahead of the schedule given in the policy document.
12 - November 2006:
That this Council discuss the need to provide a temporary roundabout at the junction of L1427 ( Moydrum Road ) and R916 ( Cornamaddy Road ) to relieve traffic conjestion.
Reply:
Due to road safety issues, it is not possible to provide a small scale temporary roundabout solution at this junction. The Council does intend to identify the appropriate traffic management solution for this location, including the N6 slip roads and the Moydrum Road and to implement this solution as soon as appropriate funding is made available.
13 - May 2007:
That this Council provide traffic lights at the junction of the Moydrum Road ( L1427 ) and the Cornamaddy Road ( R916 ) to alleviate traffic congestion.
Reply:
The traffic issues associated with this junction can best be rectified in conjunction with measures to manage traffic at the ramps on the N6 Garrycastle Junction. The Council will continue to liaise with the NRA to have these junctions improved before the opening of the new N6 from Kilbeggan to Athlone. Supporting this motion Cllr. Keena expressed concerns about NRA involvement.
14 - July 2007:
What is the delay in erecting the special speed limits signs that were adopted by the Council about six months ago?
Reply:
Athlone Area Office received details of the agreed locations from road design and will arrange the erection of these signs asap. In response to Cllr. Keena it was confirmed that the operative speed limits are as approved in the respective areas but that they are ineffective pending the erection of appropriate signage.
15 - September 2007:
That this Council discuss the need to install traffic calming measures on the Moydrum/Blyry road in the interest of public safety.
Reply:
This road will be examined and a report on the need for traffic calming measures will be prepared. Cllr. Keena expressed his concerns over safety, adequate signage and speed limits in the area.
16 - September 2007:
Now that the funding is available to upgrade Blyry Business Park, can this Council explain the reason for the delay in starting the work?
Reply:
A Contractor has been appointed to commence works in the Area on the 17th September. It is intended that this work will be undertaken as part of the works programme.
17 - November 2007:
Did this Council receive the design proposals yet from the consultants for better traffic management at the Moydrum road/N6 ramps/Cornamaddy road junctions?
Reply: The consultants report is expected in about two weeks.
18 - November 2007:
What is the present status of the proposed Garrycastle Bridge re-alignment project?
Reply:
The Oral Hearing for the Garrycastle CPO was held on the 6th November 07. It is anticipated that the result of this will be known within the next four months. In the meantime the process of procuring consultants for the construction work will commence. However we will not be in a position to engage the consultants until such time as the CPO is confirmed. Westmeath Co. Co. has made application to the DOT for funding for the year 2008 for this work and it is anticipated that the amount of this will be known early in the new year.
