Opening of last section of N22 bypass pushed back to next month

The last section of the N22 bypass of Macroom and Baile Mhúirne was due to open on October 27 but this has now been pushed back until early November, a spokesperson for the project has confirmed.

Work is ongoing on verges as well as rock bolting and other elements of the €280m project and crews are working to ensure the last section, a stretch of 6km from Toonlawn (Tún Lán) to Slievereagh (Sliabh Riabhach) on the western side of the Gaeltacht Mhúscraí village, is finished as soon as possible, Cole Stephens, the N22 Project Liaison Officer, told The Echo.

A 60km speed limit had been put in place on the last 70m of the second section of the bypass – between Carrigaphooka and Toonlawn – when it opened in early August but this was due to expire on October 27 when the third and final section opened.

“It’s going to be the first or second week of November before it’s open now – and they’re going to need every bit of the time,” said Mr. Stephens.

There had been local suggestions of a landslide on the last section causing the delay but these were discounted by the Project Liaison Officer who said, while some rock bolting was being carried out, this was to prevent such incidents happening and that there hadn’t been any landslide.

He said that a small 500m section of the new bypass would be opened this week on the western side of Baile Mhúirne village to allow motorists coming from the Kerry side access a new slip road which would bring them into the village.

Next Saturday a Macroom-based athletics club, West Muskerry AC, is holding a 5km pop-up race on the new section of the bypass, aimed at raising funds for the Ionad Lae (Day Centre) in Baile Mhúirne as well as the local GAA club, Naomh Abán.

Representatives of the local development co-operative, Comharchumann Forbartha Mhúscrai, are also scheduled to meet Transport Minister Eamon Ryan this week when he visits Macroom, where his father was once the local bank manager, where they will discuss their concerns about the lack of signage of the bypass to the Gaeltacht Mhúscraí region and its villages.