The ongoing rush hour congestion in Adare is continuing to force drivers to use small county roads from Anhid Cross to Lees Cross as a rat run. And these cars according to Councillor John O’Donoghue are travelling at speed.

“People along the road can’t get out of their own gates because of the volume of traffic particularly on Friday evenings”, he said.

And his fear is that the proposed improvements of Lees Cross and Chawkes Cross on the Bruff line will only make things worse.

His comments came following a report on the upgrades of both junctions from senior executive engineer, Gerry O’Connor, to a meeting of Adare/Rathkeale councillors. A topographical survey of the junctions had been carried out he said and had been passed on to the designers. A draft design was currently being developed Mr. O’Connor said and an initial design had been drawn up. “We have asked for some alterations” he said. The preliminary designs and cost estimates would be presented to the councillors when ready.

There was no guarantee that the funding for the two junctions would be forthcoming from Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Mr.O’Connor said. “We ae promoting two extremely dangerous five legged junctions” he said. But he conceded to Cllr O’Donoghue “it is not going to solve the speed problem”

Meanwhile councillors Keary and Teskey were also exercised by the holdups to traffic caused by pedestrians in Adare who don’t use the designated crossings, but instead step out on the road, forcing traffic to slow down. Cllr Teskey argued that an overhead pedestrian crossing was the only way to solve the problem.

“If the actual pedestrian crossings were properly indicated then they would be more used” Adare Bridie Collins said and she reminded her fellow councillors that 17,000 vehicles a day pass through the village of Adare and this figure rises to 24,000 at weekends. She proposed a review of speed limits in Adare with a reduction to 30 kph to ensure safety while we wait for the bypass. Unfortunately she said the decision on the bypass has been pushed out, yet again.

 

From the Limerick Leader.

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