15th May 2024 – The Argus
Minister reverts on local issues after visit to community
THE Junior Minister for Transport Jack Chambers has written to his party’s local election representative Shane McGuinness with regard to his recent visit to the community.
The Minister carried out a follow up visit to the parish to see for himself issues raised by Mr McGuinness at the meeting the Fianna Fail pair had some little time ago about them.
The Minister updated Mr McGuinness on the situation with regard to the issues of concern and said he appreciated the work the local representative carried out to improve local transport connectivity and road safety and highlight the various transport issues.
These included the unfinished footpath scheme at Road Rock as well as the problems at the Dublin Road particularly at Sexton’s Junction and the stretch between the crossroads and the Greengates, along with completing the inner relief road between the Marlbog roundabout and the Dundalk inner relief road.
The Minister reported the Department has advised the proposed upgrade at Rock Road will be included in the Dundalk Local Area Transport Plan and Area Based Transport Assessment. This will provide the necessary policy backdrop to its future funding from the Department.
Regarding Sexton’s junction, the NTA has allocated €160,000 to the local authority to progress a scheme which will provide a segregated cycle path 2.64km in length on both sides of the R132 from Xerox Junction to Greengates.
This project will incorporate a number of pedestrian and cyclist crossing points to allow vulnerable road users to cross the road from East-West in a safe manner and will also include a number of junction upgrades.
A non-statutory consultation is planned for early quarter two this year.
The Department has advised further works to the road from Marlbog Road would be a matter for Louth County Council in the first instance. The Department has not received any applications for funding on this scheme to date.
The Minister said he was happy to continue to work with the local election candidate to progress the matters.
