Major road safety risk for Ballina estate highlighted

A local councillor fears that a turn-off for a Ballina housing estate will become an accident blackspot if traffic calming or appropriate signage is not put in place.

Speaking at last week's municipal district meeting, Cllr Annie May Reape called on Mayo Co Council to erect traffic calming or warning signs for road users on the N59 Sligo Road to facilitate residents turning into their homes at Cuig Ard, Quignalecka. The estate is in a 60km/hr zone just 130m away from the 100km/hr speed limit zone on the Sligo road.

"There needs to be a sign to show there's an entrance here, otherwise there'll be an accident. It will be like the Swinford bypass where people don't realise there's a turn-off," she said.

Area engineer Orla Bourke said the logger will be deployed to this area to record actual speeds in the coming weeks and the outcome will determine if the council needs to take action. Ms Bourke said the speed limit may be reduced should it be impacted by proposals to reduce the speed limit of national secondary roads to 80km/r next year.