Consultant appointed for Thompson's Cross study
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| Patch job on potholes last February: this has long since disintegrated. |
Consulting engineers have been appointed to make recommendations on improving safety at the Thompson's Cross junction, writes Brian Byrne. They are Clandillon Consulting Engineers, and though no defined timeline has been announced, the Diary has been told it is hoped to have their report 'in a few weeks'.
The appointment has been welcomed by Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer, who says if the recommendation is low cost, the matter will be referred to the Municipal District Engineer's office. If significant land acquisition or construction works are needed it will be referred to the Department of Transport for further funding.
The junction has been dangerous since the realignment of local roads with the completion of the M9 in the Kilcullen area. With a long history of crashes there since then, attempts to make the intersection safer have failed and are widely considered to have been 'tinkering' with the problem.
Cllr O'Dwyer has been working with local Garda to try and have something substantial done. In February of last year, Kildare County Council announced that a consultant would be appointed to investigate how to best deal with the dangerous nature of the junction — along with nine others in the county. A tender to find a consultant was completed last July.
Meanwhile, a repair job on potholes carried out last February at the junction has long since disintegrated, and vehicles going through it are subject to potential suspension damage as well as increased danger of a serious incident. The real possibility of being bounced out of control during a crucial acceleration and turn is ever-present.
Dealing with this immediate issue can not wait for a consultant's report.
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