WITH concerns raised about traffic gridlock at the entrance to a busy supermarket, very close to a major roundabout, Kerry County Council officials have insisted that it is not feasible to provide a filter lane to ease congestion.
Cllr Niall O’Callaghan had called for a review of the roundabout at Daly’s SuperValu and he asked if it is possible to remove a grass margin and create a separate lane entering the supermarket to ensure a smoother flow of traffic and to avoid holding up traffic heading towards Cork.
But local authority officials said the existing entrance is approximately 40m from the roundabout and the creation of a filter lane would have the effect of moving the junction access closer.
It would possibly increase the risk of rear-end collisions if vehicles brake suddenly to turn into a filter lane and the policy is in keeping with Transport Infrastructure Ireland which governs traffic management systems, Cllr O’Callaghan was told.
The creation of a filter lane would also increase vehicle speeds in an urban area, on the approach to a pedestrian crossing, and it would reduce sightlines for vehicles exiting from the supermarket, raising the risk of collisions, the council engineers reported.
“The build-up of traffic on the N22 back towards the roundabout may be the result of the internal layout of the supermarket car park and the volume of traffic now using the facilities,” the council said in a written reply to Cllr O’Callaghan’s motion.
“In the first instance, the owners of the premises should be encouraged to review the internal layout of the car park and, if required, take steps to implement changes internally to reduce the impact on traffic congestion on the N22,” the officials stated.
In the meantime, they suggested, patrons of the business should be encouraged to use the rear car park.
The roundabout close to the supermarket is the busiest in Killarney as it links traffic travelling to and from Cork and the Spa and Tiernaboul area and vehicles travelling to and from Park Road and the busy bypass.
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