Great Western Greenway access to be maintained while N59 road is upgraded

Mayo County Council has said that access for people walking and cycling along the Great Western Greenway will be maintained while the construction of the N59 Derradda to Newport Road project is ongoing.

The project will also include removing a problematic at-grade crossing (pictured) where greenway users had to dash across a national road.

John Philbin, Mayo County Council’s project manager for the N59 Derradda to Newport Road upgrade, said: “During the construction period, it is planned to keep the Great Western Greenway open to cyclists and pedestrians at all times, subject to safety. This will be facilitated with a combination of phased temporary traffic safety management systems including localised diversions, shuttle led systems and manned stop and go.”

In an email last month, Philbin said that Fox Building & Engineering Ltd, who were awarded the construction contract for the €31.5 million project, are currently preparing plans for Mayo County Council’s review and approval.

The project starts north of Newport town and runs 5.1km to Derradda. The construction commenced in March 2025 with a 32-month construction period.

Works include a mix of “on-line road widening and off-line road construction”, in other words, it includes sections where the current road will be reformed and sections through fields where the road will, for example, be straightened out. Transport Infrastructure Ireland is funding the work.

Philbin said: “Major infrastructure improvements to sections of the existing Great Western Greenway have been incorporated into this scheme offering a safer and more enjoyable experience for the active mode user.”

He said; “This includes the construction of approx. 1.0 km of off-road cycleway/walkway as well as a signature Greenway bridge structure over the N59 carriageway realignment (Kiltarnaght Greenway Overbridge) which will remove the at-grade crossing point is currently a conflict point between road and active mode users.”