The long-awaited Ballinrobe Bypass Project is slowly moving forward.
Paul Hyland from the Mayo National Roads Office informed members of the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District that the council is actively trying to hire someone to perform a strategic assessment report on the bypass, and he hopes they will be in place before Christmas.
When this report is completed, Mr Hyland hopes that they can then apply for funding through Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
The N84 Ballinrobe Bypass has been put on the backburner for many years. A preferred route was ratified by Mayo County Council in 2009, and the route was included in the Ballinrobe Local Area Development Plan. However, the project was suspended due to funding constraints at the time.
Fine Gael Cllr Michael Burke said it was not the update he wanted to hear.
“I thought that a person might be in place at this stage, to be honest. However, it’s not going to make much difference because it’s going to be a long haul anyway. We’re back at zero again, literally,” Cllr Burke said. “Even with the best will in the world, and billions out there, it’s going to take four to five years before we see a sod turned in Ballinrobe.
“We have a crisis in Ballinrobe, traffic-wise. It’s the biggest disaster in traffic congestion in Co Mayo currently.”
Cllr Patsy O’Brien said it was a sad day because the councillors were through all this before in 2006 when consultants were hired.
“Ballinrobe never got a fair slice of the cake,” he said.
