Major road upgrade planned for rocky street in Tidy Town champion Laois town

A major road upgrade and roadworks are being proposed for the national 2023 Tidy Towns winner in Laois.

Over half a kilometre of the Main Street in Abbeyleix is to be dug out and resurfaced, with Laois County Council confirming its plans. 

Details were given to the April meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, following a motion by Cllr John Joe Fennelly.

Cllr Fennelly is requesting resurfacing of the busy town centre traffic lights junction, and asking for new light sensors.

"Coming off Main Street towards Ballinakill, you're rocking in your car, even doing 20 or 30km/h," he said.

Regarding the traffic sensors, the council say they are about to replace the "induction loops" on the Ballinakill road side of the crossroads only.

"That's the only part I'm not happy with, all of the loops need to be done," Cllr Fennelly said.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) wants to "retexture" 570 metres of the top coating on Main Street, from past Clelands supermarket, north through Stucker Hill.

However council engineers say a deeper resurfacing job is needed, according to road designers.  

"The condition of the N77 in Abbeyleix has deteriorated beyond the junction. We have proposed to TII that the pavement condition demonstrates that this needs resurfacing. TII have agreed in principle with our proposal," the road designers say. 

Director of Services is Simon Walton.

"Retexturing is restoring the friction of the surface for better skid resistance, as an early intervention. It is not replacement of the surface. Beyond that is strengthening.

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Cllr Fennelly welcomes the plan as "great news".

He asked for a timeframe but Mr Walton said there is none yet.

Cllr Barry Walsh seconded the motion.

"It will be good to see that done, it's an improvement for the area," he said.