Works begin to remedy dangerous stretch of road

WORKS are to begin this week to upgrade a dangerous stretch of road between Clogher Cross and Waterdyke, near Shanballymore, which will see speed limits on the road reduced for nine months.

East Cork Fianna Fáil TD James O’Connor confirmed that works on the N73 Clogher Cross to Waterdyke will be in progress from today until July 11, 2023.

There will be a reduced 60km/h speed limit over the next nine months to facilitate the works, which Mr O’Connor said will “straighten out” a dangerous piece of road “once and for all”.

Following an emergency meeting last October between Mr O’Connor, the Taoiseach, and the ministers for public expenditure and transport, there was an agreement that the N73 Clogher Cross to Waterdyke scheme would be prioritised, after funding concerns arose in 2021. 

“I am delighted that nearly 12 months since my urgent intervention with Government, the N73 Clogher Cross to Waterdyke project will start,” Mr O’Connor said. 

“I made it clear in last year’s meeting that this project needed to be completed for the people of North Cork who regularly travel this road to get to the M8 Cork-Dublin motorway and I could not stress enough how important it was. 

"This will bring huge improvements to road safety for road users between Mitchelstown and Mallow, including the Kildorrery and Shanballymore areas,” he added.