The Four Lane road safety project is set to be substantially completed by March 2023, Donegal County Council confirms.
The major works on the N56 into Letterkenny are running behind schedule due to several delays.
In an update to Letterkenny-Milford councillors, the council said the majority of setbacks were “exceptional matters arising out of particular and unforeseeable external factors”. The issues related to Covid-19 and national and international supply issues.
This contract has been subject to the worst effects of inflation and supply issues as well as catching the last Covid surge, councillors were told.
The contract was tendered in 2020 at a value of €6.56million plus VAT. This is now expected to increase, and the Contractor and Donegal County Council have agreed to engage with the government’s ‘Inflation/Supply Chain Delay Co-operation Framework Agreement’ for financial recoupment and added time/suspension of liquidated damages.
Despite the delays, works are progressing and work to the inbound carriageway is nearing completion, the council said.
Both sides are endeavouring to complete the works as soon as possible, considering the critical nature of the road and the significant restrictions on construction operations to maintain traffic flow.
