Transport Minister Eamon Ryan and Minister of State Jack Chambers have launched an investment programme of €658m for regional and local roads in 2024.
This represents an increase of €32m in funding this year to allow approximately 2,640km of regional and local roads to be maintained to required standards and a further 2,160km to be strengthened to improve the overall road quality on the network.
Announcing this funding, Minister Ryan said: “My main priority in 2024 continues to be safety for all road users and key to that is the ongoing protection and renewal of the existing regional and local road network. Most of this funding is going towards restoring the network which is essential for maintaining social and economic connectivity, linking people and places across the country. Central to this is the need to ensure that the journeys that people take, whether it’s a quick hop up the road or a longer trip, are as predictable as possible and as safe as possible.
“We are also allocating €16m for 335 climate change adaptation projects to help future proof our roads. Projects to be completed in 2024 under the climate adaptation grant vary from seawall protection works at Malin Head, County Donegal to flooding alleviation works in Camross Oldtown, County Wexford.”
Minister Chambers said: “This is essential investment in our local and regional road network that will benefit towns, villages and communities up and down our country. This funding will enhance connectivity, support businesses and make it easier and safer for families to get to and from school, work and in their everyday activity. To improve road safety specifically, funding is being allocated to allow more than 250 safety projects to be carried out on the road network this year. These road safety schemes will target remedial measures to improve the overall safety of the road network for the benefit of all road users.
“In addition to measures like road safety awareness, policy reform and increased enforcement, engineering solutions are vital in reducing road deaths as well as instances of serious injury, and helping to create a safer transport environment for all.”
Some €50m is being provided to progress a number of strategically important road projects, including projects identified for development under the National Development Plan.
Funding of €20m is also being provided under the Specific Grant category for smaller scale road improvements. These grants comprise a mix of schemes, including bridgeworks, junction reconfiguration projects, together with schemes to alleviate traffic congestion in towns and improve access to centres of education, businesses and public transport. Funded projects in 2024 include the Edenderry Relief Road in County Offaly and Castlestrange Bridge Rehabilitation in County Roscommon.
The €658 million investment programme for 2024 is broken down as follows:
- €303m for road pavement strengthening works;
- €75m for preventative surface dressing work;
- €84m for maintenance and strengthening works for which local authorities have discretion in the selection of roads;
- €70m for Specific and Strategic Regional and Local Roads Projects;
- €16m for bridge rehabilitation works;
- €11m for safety improvement works;
- €18m for drainage works;
- €13m for Community Involvement Schemes;
- €16m for climate change adaptation/resilience works;
- €1m for signage;
- €22.5m for severe weather works;
- €12m for Former National Roads; and
- €16.5m approx. of miscellaneous grants including, salt purchase, training, asset management, conducting pavement surveys and a number of pilot initiatives.
