Primatestown and Kilmoon Cross Update
5/12/16
In early November, a group of local Councillors met with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to discuss the N2 and find out what plans the TII had in relation to future progress when upgrading the road itself.
Previously when the State was in a position to invest heavily in roads infrastructure, the N2 or M2 was to be upgraded to motorway standard. This link would have meant that Derry would be connected to Dublin with a dedicated motorway and it would mean that every city in the island of Ireland would have been connected by the motorway network. It would have also opened up the entire North West and counties Derry, Donegal, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Sligo and Cavan. These plans were shelved with no immediate initiatives to get an ambitious project like this off the ground.
The purpose of the meeting was to air our concerns, give some suggestions and see what could be done in the medium and short term to solve the traffic problems endured on a daily basis by commuters. Each week, Councillors in the Ashbourne District receive complaints about the N2. Delays of 30-40 mins are not unusual in the mornings travelling to town and again in the evenings when commuters are travelling home, looking forward to seeing their families after a day’s work. As a result of such delays, an extra 5-6 hours per week are put on people's journey times. The delays also encourage people to use narrow local roads as rat runs, meaning that these roads are now unsafe for farming activities and people walking, cycling or exercising horses.
Ideally, we need a new trunk road from the new roundabout at Tayto Park to Kilmoon Cross; this would mean that Primatestown junction could be removed altogether; however, cost here is a major factor as compulsory purchases of land would need to be initiated.
I have asked for TII to look at Kilmoon Cross in particular. The fact that it is a 100km/h stretch of road and a very busy junction is a very serious issue; this speed limit is neither practical nor safe. Traffic coming from the local road or Snail Box side have a problem exiting this part of the road as the N2 from the Ashbourne side is a dangerous blind bend. For this reason, I have asked that this section should be a 60k/h zone. The Kilmoon Cross exit is not a "Yield", it's a junction with a "Stop" sign. I have also asked that this junction be assessed: either it is a junction or a slip road to the N2, but it cannot be both.
Finally, a new loop system was put in to the road at Primatestown; this upgrade cost €20k. It is designed to sense heavy traffic volumes and adjust the lighting sequence accordingly. This came into operation the first week in December and I am asking those that travel the road on a daily basis to please send me feedback so I can forward it to TII and our engineers. You can email me alan.tobin@members.meathcoco.ie or customerservice@meathcoco.ie
