Donegal County Council has announced the appointment of BAM Civil Ltd as contractors to the N56 Dungloe to Cloghbolie Road Improvement Project.
This new 7.1km long road and cycleway project is estimated to cost €22 million and will commence at the Little Bridge on the southern outskirts of Dungloe and will finish in the townland of Cloghbolie. It will tie into the previously upgraded road.
This is the fourth phase of the overall 26 km scheme that will see investment of close to €100 million on upgrading this narrow and bendy stretch of the N56.
The newly appointed contractor will be following the government’s national guidance for working outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seamus Neely, Chief Executive of Donegal County Council has acknowledged the funding from Transport Infrastructure Ireland for this important project and the other capital projects that are part of Project Ireland 2040. He praised the work being done by the National Roads Office in Donegal Town and the long term benefits of having such an office located in the county which undertakes advance planning and oversees road projects through extensive planning and environmental processes to the completion of construction. He also said that the cooperation from landowners during the development of the project greatly assisted.
Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Nicholas Crossan thanked Transport Infrastructure Ireland for the substantial funding for the N56 and also acknowledged the positive experience that the Council receive when they attend county delegations to TII each year and make the case for new projects and pitch for funding. He stressed the importance of the need to safely restart construction projects during this COVID pandemic and to help with the recovery both socially and economically. He said that investment in projects like this one was vital to the development and accessibility of the whole northwest region.
Cathaoirleach of the Glenties Municipal District, Cllr John Sheamais O’Fearraigh welcomed the project and looked forward to the completion of the entire stretch. He highlighted the importance of the additional road safety benefits that the project will bring but also emphasised the importance of the new cycleway and said the existing stretches of cycleway are being well used. He pointed out the importance of this Wild Atlantic Way route and the increase of tourists and visitors to the region in past years and the expectation for future growth in this sector.
The project will take over two years to construct and it is hoped that there will be continued cooperation during the construction phase from the general public who will be faced with traffic management and other construction related activities. The successful completion of the project will result in an upgraded road and an additional 7.1km of new cycleway which will compliment the existing cycleways on the road.
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