Louth County Council to spend almost €14.5 million on Road Works Programme for 2023

Louth County Council is to spend €14,472,881 on its Road Works Programme for 2023, including €2,318,115 for grant specific works in the Dundalk Municipal District, councillors learned at the Dundalk Municipal District March meeting.

It is an increase of over €2 million, or 17%, on the €12,349,814 in last year's programme. Included in the funding for grant specific works in the municipal district is for works in Lordship Village; the R175 from Cooley Hall to Rogan's Cross; Ramparts Road and St Alphonsus Road; and Hawthorn Crescent in Dundalk.

Funding for Low Cost Safety measures has been allocated to roads including for the R178 Dundalk to Carrickmacross Road at Mullabohy and also at Donaghmore; and for the R215 Dundalk to Ardee Road at Mapastown, and also at Gibstown.

€22,450 has been allocated for speed limit signage in housing areas and a further €45,000 has been allocated for speed limit signage in rural areas.

Commenting on this year's allocations, councillors welcomed the news but also enquired about areas not being covered this year, including some housing estates.

Cllr Maeve Yore asked if Wallace's Cove in Blackrock would be resurfaced and voiced her dismay that it was just potholes that would be filled and not a full resurfacing of the road.

Cllr Marianne Butler remarked on how few estate roads there are on the roads programme and asked if funding becomes available that some of the estates in Dundalk be looked at.

Cllr Sean Kelly pointed out that Bachelor's Walk and Market Street in Dundalk had previously been mentioned for resurfacing but are not on the programme. He also highlighted Fatima Estate saying that it was in need of resurfacing as well as Ard Easmuinn.

In response to queries about housing estate roads, Senior Engineer Paddy Connolly told the members that there was a limited budget available and were not in a position to resurface more than one or two a year.