The Government has announced details of a €626 million investment programme for 2023 for regional and local roads nationally – Roads in Cork County will receive just over €71 million.
This represents an increase in funding of €20m for road pavement and rehabilitation works. The funding package will allow approximately 3,100kms of regional and local roads to be maintained and 2,550kms to be strengthened.
North Cork Fine Gael Councillor John Paul O’Shea said: “The Governments main priority in 2023 continues to be the protection and renewal of the existing regional and local road network because that is the one thing you don’t curtail. It makes more sense to protect and repair our roads quickly rather than letting them fall into more expensive disrepair”.
The Government are providing funding for a range of schemes from larger strategic road improvements to smaller scale road improvements and critical bridge rehabilitation works. An important part of this allocation is the climate change adaptation grant which was introduced for works on roads at risk due to the impact of climate change and severe weather events. This funding will continue in 2023 with €16 million being allocated for 329 climate change adaptation projects.
Cllr. O’Shea added “This funding is allocated to a broad variety of road maintenance and improvement aspects. €11 million is being allocated to road safety schemes that target remedial measures to improve road safety for vulnerable road users and vehicular traffic. This funding will allow in excess of 300 safety projects to be carried out. This also includes provision to continue on a signage programme which includes signage to support lower speed limits in housing areas, rural speed limit signage and a “safe passing” cycle sign.”
Funding of €26 million is also being provided under the Specific Grant category for smaller scale road improvements. These grants comprise a mix of schemes, including bridgeworks, measures to improve safety, such as junction reconfiguration, together with schemes to alleviate traffic congestion in towns and improve access to centres of education, businesses and public transport.
Further Information:
The main features of the 2023 investment programme include:
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€298 m for road pavement strengthening works
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€75m for preventative surface dressing work
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€84m for maintenance and strengthening works for which Local Authorities have discretion in the selection of roads
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€70m for Specific and Strategic Regional and Local Roads Projects
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€16m for Bridge Rehabilitation works
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€11m for Safety Improvement works
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€20m for Drainage works
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€13m for Community Involvement Schemes
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€16m for Climate Change Adaptation/Resilience Works
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€12m for Former National Roads
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€11m approx. of miscellaneous grants including, salt purchase, Training, Asset Management, velocity patching machines together with a number of pilot initiatives
These grants supplement local authorities’ own resources expenditure on regional and local road projects and does not represent the total investment in regional and local roads for this year.
Allocations specific to Cork County are include in pictures below:
