TII to consider three more roundabouts for Portlaoise

A decision may shortly be made to fund three new roundabouts on a "totally neglected" national road through Portlaoise town in Laois.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland is meeting Laois County Council to once again hear why the three roundabouts are needed on the N80 road from the town centre towards Mountmellick and Tullamore.

Those roundabouts would be at junctions to Harpurs Lane (pictured), Green Mill Lane and the Ballyfin Road.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley describes the road as neglected.

"It's going on for years, it's total neglect. I can't understand why when Dunnes Stores was revamped, you had every opportunity to put in a roundabout at Green Mill lane. That area alone has the highest accident rate. How this wasn't in the planning conditions is beyond me.

"What is the holdup with the TII?  I thank you for the work you did, the traffic monitoring that recommends three roundabouts. It is a built up area but when you come to Fairgreen the signs are directing traffic into the main town.

"Further up you have a new development at Harpurs Lane, that brought more traffic and you have Scoil Bhride on it. It's a no brainer. It's the only road in town that has been left behind. I want you to put pressure on the TII. I've asked for this to be raised in the Dáil as well. You couldn't even cycle it's that dangerous."

She tabled a motion asking the council to meet the TII, to the April meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District.

Director of Services Simon Walton gave a positive update to her. 

"The TII contacted us this morning with a view to meet. We will meet on this issue in the next two to three weeks. We will now engage and I'll be back with news," Mr Walton told her.

"There are so many pedestrians on the Mountmellick Road, children walking to school. I hops this is a positive meeting," Cllr Dwane Stanley replied.

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Cllr Barry Walsh seconded her motion.

"Diverting the traffic makes sense, this road is too narrow," he said.

The council paid for an expert study of traffic on the road 18 months ago, which recommends the roundabouts, to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the roads, and make it easier for traffic to enter from side roads. It is up to the TII to approved and fund the job, as the road is designated a National route.

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The roundabouts will deliberately slow N80 traffic, making it less attractive for passing trucks and cars to cut through the town centre, so they will instead use the recommended ring road from Fairgreen to the Mountrath Road and on to Fr Brown Avenue.