AFTER years of planning, campaigning and driver frustration, work will finally commence this year on the development of a new bypass of Macroom and Ballyvourney as well as the long-promised Adare bypass.
It will signal great news for drivers travelling to and from Kerry who have been experiencing extreme delays on both the Cork and Limerick roads for several years.
€40 million has been allocated to Cork County Council by Transport Infrastructure Ireland to progress the construction of the N22 Macroom Ballyvourney bypass while €6 million has been allocated to Limerick City and County Council to progress the planning consent for the N21 Adare bypass scheme as well as for planning for the Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West relief roads.
Meanwhile, Killarney Municipal District Council member, Cllr Marie Moloney, has welcomed the decision to allocate €250,000 to implement safety measures on the dangerous Aghadoe Junction which leads on to the N22 Killarney-Tralee road.
Residents in the area had a path worn to the town hall to complain about the dangers faced by drivers, cyclists and pedestrians on a daily basis.
As far back as November 2016 a group of 20 residents from Aghadoe, Barleymount, Ballyhar and Knockasartnett brought a deputation to the council to outline their concerns about the lethal junction at Madam’s Hill.
They said they were putting themselves at risk every time they used the notorious turnoff and they feared lives would be lost or somebody would be maimed.
Spokeswoman Patricia Harte said it was virtually impossible to gain access to the main road and they have to rely on the goodwill of other drivers to stop and allow them to cross but, even then, they encounter vehicles travelling at speed in the other direction.
“We are like lambs to the slaughter,” she remarked.
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