Frustration over safety works at accident blackspot on busy Limerick road
There have been a number of serious accidents at the junction on the N21, including one fatality, in recent years
ELECTED members in the Newcastle West Municipal District have reiterated their calls for safety works at an accident blackspot on the N21 to be prioritised.
At their September meeting, they expressed frustration regarding the lack of progress at Devon Road Cross, close to Templeglantine.
There have been a number of serious accidents at the junction, including one fatality, in recent years.
While the Mid West National Road Design Office (MWNRDO) is currently progressing the project on behalf of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), councillors have criticised the pace at which it is proceeding.
Local representatives have been campaigning for years for urgent works to be carried out to improve safety at the junction.
In a written reply, circulated at the September meeting, Tim Fitzgerald, Senior Engineer at MWNRDO, said it is currently “progressing the project through the preliminary design stage, with the necessary site investigations and surveys being advanced to inform the ongoing design development.”
It’s understood an underground utilities survey and a CCTV survey are due to be completed in the coming weeks and that tender documents are also being prepared to appoint a specialised geotechnical consultant to provide geotechnical support to the design and preparation to the preliminary design report.
Councillor Liam Galvin dubbed the junction “one of the most dangerous junctions on the N21 from the Kerry border right down to the city,” requesting that a representative of TII be invited to attend a special meeting to update elected representatives.
“If they are serious about road safety and saving lives, let's get out to the Devon Road,” he told the Limerick Leader.
In a post on social media, Councillor Michael Collins also called for action. “The Junction at Devon Road Cross, Templeglantine is and has been a serious safety hazard for many years. It has been the cause of many accidents and unfortunately fatal ones too,” he said.
TII has been contacted for comment.