Laois Council gives update on €2.5m N80 works that are set to continue

Work on the Mountmellick to Portlaoise stretch of busy N80 through Laois looks set to continue right through September but diversions are ending while a special provision is being made for the Electric Picnic and National Ploughing Championships.

Work on the €2.5 millon upgrade commenced on the N80, which runs across a bog, commenced on July 17. It was shut to traffic for most of the time since and was due to open again on August 18.

Since its closure motors and trucks have diverted via the official and unofficial routes to travel between the two Laois towns. The council announced on August 18 that the closure would be extended for a further week.

The Leinster Express / Laois Live sought an update from Laois County Council on August 25. Paul McLoughlin, Senior Engineer, Roads, Transportation & Capital Projects give the up-to-date timeline for completion in a statement.

"The N80 works were originally scheduled for 12 working weeks with the first three weeks work (Phase 1) being undertaken under stop/go traffic management arrangements.

"The initial phase was followed by the Phase 2 works on the most constrained section of the road which required a road closure for the works to be undertaken and for traffic to be managed in a safe manner. This closure was for a period of six weeks in total.

"The N80 will reopen this evening to two-way traffic. There will be traffic management via Stop/Go on site on Monday to complete the last of the Phase 2 works.

"The works will step down for a week from Tuesday, August 29 recommencing on Tuesday, September 5 when the final Stage 3 works will commence under Stop/Go arrangements. This last phase is programmed to take three working weeks with allowance being made for works to be stood down to accommodate the high volume of traffic expected for the National Ploughing Championships.

"It is expected that works will be complete by the end of September," concluded the statement.

Laois County Council received €2.5 million for work on the stretch of the N80 between Kyletalesha near Portlaoise to Mountmellick. It's Phase 2 of an ongoing project on a national road that was previously described as not fit for purpose by the CEO of Laois County Council. A total of €2.2 million was allocated in 2022 to other work on the road.

The N80 is one of the key national roads that crosses the Midlands and is part of a chain of routes that links the west of Ireland to the seaports in Wexford.

Meanwhile, Work is ongoing on the N77 Abbeyleix Road between the Togher Roundabout and the Fr Browne Avenue junction. This road improvement project, which was the subject of a €90,000 grant,  began in April and is due to conclude on Friday, September 15.

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Work started on the Stradbally Road, also the N80, in August to facilitate work needed to build a new school on the Block Road. The closure of a small section of the N80 necessitated a diversion via Dublin Road.