Speaking ahead of tonight’s meeting between Roads Service and Omagh District Council, the Minister said: “Work will commence this year on the construction of a 2+1 climbing lane at Castletown on the A5 between Omagh and Newtownstewart. At a cost of £1.3million the carriageway widening will create over 1km of overtaking lane for south bound vehicles.”
The Minister identified a number of other schemes which will be taken forward in the Omagh District Council area in the 2007/2008 financial year. These include the road widening scheme at Mountjoy Road, Omagh; the replacement of Glenlark Bridge near Gortin; and traffic calming schemes at Fintona and Killyclogher. Resurfacing schemes will also be carried out on the A505 Barony Road through the Seven Sisters at Campsie, Derry Road and Dublin Road in Omagh.
Road Service’s Divisional Roads Manager, Pat Doherty said: “Roads Service faces some very significant challenges over the next few years as it gears up to deliver a demanding programme of Strategic Road Improvements while planning to restructure in line with the outcome of the Review of Public Administration.
“The Strategic Road Improvement Programme envisages an investment of £1.4billion in the period up to 2015. Around £1billion of these schemes have already been identified and a consultation on a further £400million of schemes was completed at the end of 2006. In addition, the Republic of Ireland National Development Plan 2007-2013, contains proposals on the inter-urban routes linking the main population centres of Dublin, Belfast and the North West.
“It is also proposed that the Review of Public Administration will see responsibility for the maintenance and development of local roads, approximately 23,700km of the total 25,000km of public roads, transfer to the seven new Councils in May 2009.
“Despite these challenges, Roads Service will continue to concentrate on scheme delivery in Omagh Council area. To minimise the disruption that will arise from our works we will also be making every effort to give motorists advance warning of roadworks through signage and information prior to works. There will be updated information on our website and radio traffic reports.”
Mr. Doherty also took the opportunity to highlight some of the schemes taken forward in 2006/07. These included the completion of Stage 3 of Omagh Throughpass, the overtaking lane on the A5 at Garvaghey and resurfacing on the A5 Doogary Road at Ranelly. A significant scheme at Hospital Road, Omagh, which included provision of a link footway, a right turn lane, traffic calming measures and resurfacing was also completed as well as a traffic calming scheme and junction improvement in Carrickmore. Mr Doherty also pointed out that land acquisition, which in recent years has commanded an increasing percentage of the budget, was also progressed at Mountjoy Road, Omagh and Dromore Road, Fintona.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Media queries to: Emma Flynn Davies, Press Office, Department for Regional Development, Tel: 02890 540372
