Mayo junction has become a 'death trap'
The works have caused concern to householders in the area.
Residents have told a meeting of Castlebar Municipal District that there will be a fatality on their road unless meaningful action is taken.
The junction at the Breaffy end of Balloor is to be narrowed as part of the Breaffy Active Travel Scheme. An on-site meeting took place in recent weeks where residents' concerns were outlined to Mayo Co Council's Roads Design Office. They said works carried out to date have created further problems rather than solving them.
"While the Roads Office has carefully considered the issues raised at the recent on-site meeting, any adjustments must remain consistent with the established design parameters and safety requirements,” David Mellett, head of Castlebar Municipal District, told councillors.
The Roads Design Office is prepared to carry our road widening south of the junction, minor works at a transition point between Balloor Road and the R308, and a review of kerb alignment.
Mr Mellett said the works being carried out will mean that driver behaviour on the section of road where more than 50 houses are located will have to change.
Balloor residents attended last week’s meeting of Castlebar Municipal District.
Resident Frank Forde said it is “not safe” to use the road and the council response has given them little confidence.
“We need to know that there will be changes made to that junction. Let’s not wait for someone to be injured or a fatality,” he commented.
Balloor resident Kathleen Gillespie said the "improvements" carried out so far have turned the junction into a “death trap”. Cllr Blackie Gavin said action needs to be taken on a steep hill at the “dangerous” location and called for the road to be widened.
“The design introduces a heightened level of risk,” said Cllr Harry Barrett, who backed residents calls for a formal review of the project.
“At the end of the day residents have to live with this,” he added.
Cllr Cyril Burke said that now that the junction has been narrowed it is creating traffic issues for motorists attempting a right turn and stated that the road’s camber is blind for people exiting the junction.
Cllr Al McDonnell said he was disappointed with the “inflexibility” he encountered from the Roads Design Office at the recent on-site meeting, adding: “It was rammed down my throat that this was in the interest of pedestrians almost exclusively."
He said nobody was able to tell him what the projected footfall would be at the location.
- Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
