Redevelopment of notorious Carlow road accident blackspot granted approval

Sarah Slater

An accident blackspot in Carlow where five young people lost their lives in two separate road collisions over a 22-month period is to be upgraded following approval by An Coimisiún Pleanála.

The 115km long N80, which runs from Offaly to Wexford, has claimed the lives of not only the five young people this year and last, but several other people over the past decade in areas known as Leagh Bends and Graiguenaspiddoge in Carlow.

An application to Coimisiún Pleanála was made by Carlow County Council in December last year.

Last January, Bhargav Chitturi (23) and Suresh Cherukuri (24) died when the car they were travelling in crashed on the N80, which is a national secondary route in Leagh, Rathoe, at about 1:15am.

Two other passengers, a man and woman in their 20s, suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries.

The crash occurred on the first anniversary of the deaths of three friends killed in another fatal collision along the same stretch of road.

Katie Graham (19) from Arles in Co Laois, Daryl Culbert (21) from Kiltegan in Co Wicklow, and Michael Kelly (25) from Nurney in Co Carlow, all died in a car crash in Carlow on Wednesday, January 31st, 2024. Another man, who was a passenger in the car, suffered serious injuries.

The development, which is due to begin next year following a statutory process, involves the realignment and upgrading of approximately 3km of the N80 between Graiguenaspiddoge and Castletown. The final costs on the road improvements have yet to be announced.

The national planning authority has also approved the compulsory purchase order for lands around the area being upgraded.

Other works include the diversion of the Kilmeany Stream and replacement of the existing culvert, which is a covered channel or large pipe that conveys water, such as a stream or surface runoff, under an obstruction such as a road.

A drainage system, all necessary ancillary civils and accommodation works.

Local Minister of State Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said she will continue to work with the council and Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien “to get these works underway as soon as possible”.

The Fianna Fáil deputy explained that there will be an eight-week observation period and that then the council will “put together a detailed design and start the tender process".

“We are looking at next year for diggers to be working on the road but it is just such positive (news). This is slower than anyone would want but there is a statutory process which has to be followed", she said.

“Road safety is so important and I know the people in this area will really welcome this work."

A new static camera was installed along the particular route last May.