€107m has been allocated for work next year on national roads in Sligo, Donegal and Leitrim.
€55m is to go to Sligo, €44m to Donegal and €8m to Leitrim.
The largest chunk — €40m — of the national roads allocation for Sligo will go to the Collooney/Castlebaldwin road project.
Work on that project, one of the largest in the country, is ongoing and is expected to be completed in 2021.
Overall, County Sligo is getting more than €54.5m.
Other projects to benefit include N4-N15 urban road improvement and the Hughes Bridge Widening Scheme in Sligo town, and work on the N16 to the border with County Leitrim from Lugatober to Gortnagrelly.
€1m is to go for a resurfacing project on the N15 between Grange and Cashelgarron.
€1.5m has been allocated for planning design and route selection work on the N17 Knock to Collooney road, while there’s almost half a million euro for schemes on the N59 Ballisodare to Ballina road.
Almost €8m has been allocated to Leitrim for national roads funding for 2020.
Tom Kilfeather is a director of services with Sligo County Council.
He has responsibility for infrastructure in the county.
The money for national roads is part of more than €450m announced for 2020 by Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Transport Minister Shane Ross, of the Independent Alliance.
Sligo Independent Alliance Councillor Marie Casserly says it’s a welcome news before Christmas.
Because of the upturn in the economy and the increase in civil engineering works, some local authorities and employers have been finding it difficult to retain or recruit engineers, particualrly for short-term contracts.
Cllr Casserly says the message should go out to engineers and workers abroad this Christmas that there is now demand for their services at home in Ireland — and in the north west.
Meanwhile, more than forty-four and a half million euro has been announced for national roads in County Donegal.
Roads to benefit under major schemes include the N56 Drumbeigh to Inver and the N56 Mountcharles to Drumbeigh road.
There’s also money for pavement works, with more than €1.5m for the N56 Dunkineely to Bruckless overlay and €600,000 for the Mountcharles bypass pavement scheme.
Donegal Fianna Fail Deputy and Leas Ceann Comhairle Pat the Cope Gallagher:
