— Project aimed at junction capacity for motoring.
In a week dominated by news coverage of the COP26 and the Government’s Climate Plan, Limerick City and County Council has ended its public consultation on a large road junction without even continuous cycle paths.
The junction, located east of the University of Limerick campus, is where the R445 Dublin Road and the R506 Cappamore Road meet.
In a notice signed by Brian Kennedy, Director of Services for Transportation and Mobility Directorate in the council, the project is described as including “the construction of new footpaths, new cycle lanes, new junction slip lanes, new controlled pedestrian crossings, new public lighting scheme, new surface water drainage system, improved road markings, new traffic signal control, signage and carriageway resurfacing.”
Despite the council planning to widen the road and add slip turns, the project mixes walking and cycling at the junction.
A Road Safety Audit found there was a “significant road safety hazard and may lead to collisions with passing vehicles” at the merging point for the cycle lane towards Limerick City.
The audit outlined solutions: “Either install a continuous cycle lane onwards on the R445 or re-introduce cyclist onto the trafficked carriageway on the R506, in advance of merging onto the R445” — the public consultation drawings for the project shows that the council chose not to prove cycle route towards Limerick City and instead just cut back the merging point to happen with the slip turn for motorists.
Full details can be found on the council’s consultation page.