Speaking ahead of tonight’s meeting between Roads Service and Fermanagh District Council, the Minister said: “Design work on a number of carriageway improvement schemes on the A32 Omagh to Enniskillen Road is progressing well. A scheme to realign and widen the carriageway at Sidaire is currently well advanced and work could commence later this year if land acquisition is successful.
“The A32 Cherrymount Link Road continues to make good progress with the Environmental Statement, Notice to Proceed Direction Order and Vesting Order being published in March 2009. It is the intention to commence on site during 2010.
“Roads Service had appointed consultants to commence route selection work for the proposed Enniskillen Southern Bypass. This proposal involves the provision of single-carriageway to bypass Enniskillen from the A4 Belfast Road to the A4 Sligo Road.
“Strategic road improvement projects currently under construction which will benefit County Fermanagh are the A4 Dualling, from the M1 motorway to Ballygawley, due to open to traffic in Winter 2010, and the A4 Annaghilla realignment, due to open to traffic in Autumn of this year.”
Mr Murphy welcomed the road maintenance schemes progressed in the Fermanagh area last year. He said this year’s increased allocation for structural maintenance would allow a larger number of major trunk road resurfacing schemes such as a 3km stretch of the A4 Belfast Road at Maguiresbridge, (Aghavea) to proceed.
Road Service’s Divisional Roads Manager Pat Doherty also welcomed the planned investment in local transport and safety measures in the Fermanagh Council area, which includes traffic calming, collision remedial, pedestrian measures, cycling measures and safer routes to schools.
He said significant schemes which will be taken forward in the area this year include: completion of the replacement of Belcoo Bridge; replacement of Thompsons Bridge on the A509 Enniskillen to Derrylin Road; traffic calming throughout Irvinestown; Safer Routes to Schools projects at St Joseph's and St Michael's, Enniskillen and Tempo PS; and provision of a controlled crossing on Cornagrade Road at Rooney’s Shop.
Mr Doherty highlighted some of the schemes already completed in 2008/09. These included the A4 Henry Street Enniskillen widening scheme, a collision remedial scheme at A3 Cavan Road, Newtownbutler, carriageway resurfacing schemes on the A4 at Tamlaght and the A4 Sligo Road at Letterbreen, a new pelican crossing at Johnstons Bridge, Cornagrade Road, Enniskillen and safer routes to schools projects at Florencecourt PS, St Ronan’s PS and St Comhgall’s HS, Lisnaskea and Mullymesker PS, Bellanaleck.
Roads Service has also been in consultation with local government representatives on matters arising from the Review of Public Administration. These included the details of functions to be transferred to local government in 2011 and the arrangements to allow the new councils to influence roads programmes.
Notes to Editors:
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