Preferred route for new N55 road revealed

 

The controversial plan for the realignment of the N55 Athlone to Ballymahon road took a significant step forward this week when details of the preferred route were publicly unveiled for the first time.

The Emerging Preferred Route Corridor is an amalgamation of the yellow and magenta routes which were originally displayed at the second public consultation, which took place just over a year ago.

The preferred route which was unveiled at a consultation in Tubberclair Community Centre today (Wednesday), starts at Cornamaddy roundabout and will bypass the villages of Ballykeeran, Tubberclair, Glasson and Tang, as well as incorporating parts of the existing route, before it joins up with the N55 just south of Ballymahon.

A number of landowners who will be adversely affected by the chosen route met with staff from Westmeath County Council earlier this week, ahead of today's consultation. It is understood that at least one homeowner will have to be relocated, and the preferred route will run in close proximity to a number of other houses.

A number of farms will also be dissected by the proposed route, and there are also deep concerns within the communities affected in relation to the implications for planning.

Project Engineer in Westmeath National Roads Office, Ann Marie Corroon, said that the timeframe for the project is “between eight and thirteen years” and she confirmed that funding is only available for the finalisation of the selection process and the Council will have to approach Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) for funding in order to be able to move to the preliminary design phase.