Fatal crash site to be tackled this year

By TONY GALVIN A SUBSTANTIAL sum has been allocated to realign the notorious accident blackspot at Carrownurlaur between Milltown and Ballindine where four young NUIG students lost their lives in 2009. The sum of €1,900,000 has been earmarked in the Co Council's Draft Roads Programme for 2012. As there are still objections to the compulsory acquisition of land for the project, the process recently went to an oral hearing. The findings of the adjudicator are awaited but a council spokesperson said they were optimistic that these matters can be ironed out and it is hoped to have the project under way by the end of the year. A campaign headed by local people to have this realignment carried out had been ongoing since the four girls were killed on a foggy night in November 2009. Sarah Byrne (20) from Headford; Maire Ní Chonghaile (19) from Baile na hAbhann, Connemara; Teresa Molloy (19) from Leitir Móir and Sorcha Rose McLaughlin (19) from Mulgannon, Co Wexford died as a result of a road traffic accident at Carrownurlaur. A fifth girl, the driver of the car which collided with an oncoming truck in inclement weather conditions, Michelle O'Donnell from Inis Móir, was very seriously injured. The 2012 budget for Co Galway roads is down by 45 per cent on last year. In 2011 the budget was €70 million but this has been reduced to €36.5 million for this year. However, Director of Services for Roads and Transportation with Galway Co Council, Frank Gilmore, has assured the public that the drop is caused by the completion of the Galway section of the Dublin-Galway motorway and the funds allotted for primary, secondary and local roads are more or less on par with last year's allocation. Over €5 million has been allocated for another dangerous stretch on the N17 between Tuam and Milltown. The bend at Castletown is to be realigned. This move has been welcomed by Cllr Sean Canney who said he was happy to see these two dangerous bends taken out in a process that will make the N17 safer for all road users. He added that he was optimistic that the concerns of landowners in the Carrownurlaur area would be dealt with to their satisfaction. The major concern is that when the M17 motorway gets the go-ahead, the area will have two major new stretches of road infrastructure running through it, and this could make access for some farmers difficult. On the issue of the M17 Gort to Tuam motorway, the Co Council has allotted just over €12 million in the budget for this project. However, this is understood to be earmarked for land acquisition and there is no sign of the project beginning any time in the near future. Frank Gilmore told a meeting at County Hall on Friday that the M17 plan had definitely not been abandoned. He said there was no news in this regard but negotiations are ongoing with the lowest bidder in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) process. 'It has not been abandoned. This is a major project and a vital piece of infrastructure fore the West and for the county and we will certainly be pressing for it to begin as soon as is practical,' he said. It is understood that the construction companies involved are reluctant to commit to the investment involved until there is more confidence internationally in Ireland's credit rating.