Works will cause major traffic disruption in Mayo town for several weeks

Works taking place in Swinford as part of the North Connaught 110kV Cable Project are set to start next month.

Councillors in the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District heard a presentation from EirGrid at their recent meeting about the advanced works that will see the ducting of a section of one kilometre of roadway from the courthouse as far as the Kilkelly Road. There are plans to overlay this route and it will not be possible to dig this stretch up again.

A 100-metre section at Davitt Place will be complete before schools reopen and the remaining 800-metre stretch will take eight to ten weeks. There will be single-lane closures to minimise traffic disruptions.

The start date of August 12 was targeted to avoid clashing with the Síamsa Sráide festival.

Welcoming the news, Cllr Adrian Forkan said the sooner the works are done, the better.

The overall project, connecting the Moy Substation in Ballina to Tonroe Substation in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, is expected to commence next year. When completed, it will increase the capacity to allow renewable energy sources onto the grid.