Roads Service reports on schemes in Limavady area

Transport Minister Conor Murphy welcomed the successful completion of Roads Service's 2009/2010 programme of works and the planned £2.1million for structural road maintenance in the Limavady area this year.

Speaking ahead of this evening’s meeting between Roads Service and Limavady Borough Council, the Minister said: "A range of local schemes has been delivered successfully by Roads Service in the past year.  While the tightening public expenditure environment in the year ahead will be challenging, Roads Service remains committed to ensure it can make best use of our resources and continue to deliver quality public services.”

The Minister noted the ongoing work to improve the Northern Transport Corridor by the proposed construction of a bypass around Ballykelly village. He said: “I announced the preferred route for the proposed Ballykelly Bypass in March of this year. Selection of the preferred route is an equitable balance of economic, environmental and social issues when measured against the Government’s five key transport criteria, safety, economics, environment, integration and accessibility. It is an important milestone in the road project, removing uncertainty about where the road will be built."

Construction of the bypass is expected to start in 2017/18, towards the end of the Investment Strategy funding period.

Improvement schemes completed in 2009/10 included a £183,000 scheme on the B69 Baranailt Road, which involved the replacement of the Drumacarney Bridge, carriageway realignment and the provision of 70m of safety barrier on either side of the carriageway, spanning the Bessbrook River.

Schemes which commenced in 2009/10 financial year and are nearing completion include a £300,000 scheme at the junction of the A37 Broad Road and B66 Ringsend Road. This scheme realigns the bend on the Broad Road, at its junction with Ringsend Road to improve forward sight distance and also provides a right turning lane for traffic on the Broad Road exiting onto the Ringsend Road.

In total 7.73kilometres of carriageway were resurfaced at a total cost of £1.28million, the most significant being 1,250metres of the A2 Main Street, Ballykelly and 1,155metres of the B69 Baranailt Road between Moneyrandel Road and Drumrane Road.

Speaking at the meeting, Jim Campbell, Principal Engineer, welcomed the continued investment in road maintenance, which is helping to rectify the damage caused by the severe conditions last winter.  He said: “A programme of resurfacing works includes 585metres of the C570 Greystone Road, Limavady between Scroggy Road Roundabout and Irish Green Street.”

Roads Service also presented the Council with a programme for local transport and safety measures, which is currently being developed for the area. These projects, which include traffic calming measures on the Roemill Road, Limavady and collision remedial measures on the B69 Seacoast Road, will be delivered as resources permit.

Notes to editors:

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