Over €14 Million Invested in Completing the N60 Oran Road Project

N60 in County Roscommon

• Safety Benefit: Removal of dangerous bends combined with poor road layout and seriously deficient cross-section over a 3.4km section of N60 national secondary road.

• Contracting Authority: Roscommon County Council.

• Managed: Roscommon National Roads Regional Office

• Main Contract Administration and Supervision: Roughan & O’Donovan, Consulting Engineers.

• Contractor: Wills Bros Ltd.

• Construction Schedule: Completed in 18 months.

This existing section of the N60 has a very poor safety record and was identified among the worst 50 bends on the entire national road network from a road safety perspective. The implementation of this project eliminates these notorious bends and significantly improves road safety.

Project Background

The N60 Oran Road Project involves the improvement of approximately 3.4km of the N60 National Secondary Road at Oran circa 10Km northwest of Roscommon Town.

The project includes the construction of 3.4km of rural all-purpose road with Type 1 single carriageway cross section, comprising 1.7km entirely off-line route through greenfield coupled with 1.7km of online widening along the existing road. In addition, the project provides for the realignment of approx. 0.6km of local roads and the construction of four at-grade junctions.

Minister for Climate Action, Communication Networks, and Transport, Eamon Ryan, TD, said; “Since the inception of the programme for Government it has been a core objective to develop safer and more sustainable transport infrastructure in Ireland. This development is a significant step in the right direction on both fronts for the Mid- West region and I aim to see other similar schemes for our national road network completed over the course of this Government.”

Minister of State for Transport, Hildegarde Naughton, TD, said; “As part of our investment in the national road network, I am very conscious of the need to ensure that our rural villages and towns are well connected and above all else that our road network is safe. This particular improvement to the N60 Oran Road will ensure that those who live and travel in County Roscommon can do so much more safely.”

Michael Nolan CEO TII said; “The N60 Oran Road Project offers significant long-term safety benefits for all road users and removes one of the most notorious bends on the national road network. On behalf of TII, I want to thank Roscommon County Council, our team in the National Roads Office as well as the Consulting Engineers Roughan & O’Donovan and the Contractor Wills Bros Ltd for a job well done!”

Cllr Laurence Fallon, Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council said; “This new piece of infrastructure highlights the importance of delivering on the much-needed improvements along the national secondary road network. I would like to thank Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Roscommon NRO, Roughan & O’Donovan, Consulting Engineers and the appointed contractor, Wills Bros Ltd. for bringing this project to fruition. We will continue to focus our resources on maintaining and improving the national road network throughout the county.”

Eugene Cummins, Chief Executive of Roscommon County Council said; “The completion of this important road project improves road safety and will benefit the industrial, economic and tourism development of County Roscommon and the west region generally.

I would like to thank the local landowners for their co-operation throughout the planning and construction processes involved. I also express gratitude to Transport Infrastructure Ireland for their support and the provision of the necessary funding in these challenging times.”

ENDS