Dundalk councillors call for safety measures at Dublin Road junction

Cllr Emma Coffey has asked Louth County Council if anything could be done in relation to the junction at Sexton's Pub on the old Dublin Road, following “another” accident at the junction involving two cars.

Cllr Coffey raised the matter at the Dundalk Municipal District February meeting, saying that the junction has been raised by all Dundalk South councillors in relation to safety and that due to the level of traffic getting on and off the junction, that “nearly every month there is a car accident”.

“It's not before long that there will be a really serious accident”, Cllr Coffey warned, adding that there is a huge amount of residential development going on in the area, along with schools that are oversubscribed, and that she was not the only councillor “here who is being called by very concerned people that there's going to be a serious accident there.”

Replying to Cllr Coffey, Senior Executive Engineer Paddy Connolly said that the junction is within the Active Travel projects and that the project is being worked through at present.

Mr Connolly said that in the meantime Louth County Council has agreed to renew the road markings at the junction as a short term measure, but in the long term, the junction and its alignment would be dealt with in the Active Travel scheme.

Cllr Marianne Butler put forward that as well as renewing road markings could something like rumble strips be laid, to help slow cars down, while waiting for the Active Travel meaures put in.

Highlighting a recent accident at the location, Cllr Kevin Meenan added that it was a “huge drain” on resources, including gardaí and emergency services.