N59 road (Ireland)
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| Length: | 297 km (185 mi) |
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The N59 road is a national secondary road in Ireland. It commences in County Sligo, south of Sligo Town at the Belladrehid interchange with the N4 north of Ballysadare. The route circles around the west of Ireland, passing west from Sligo into County Mayo and through Ballina. The N59 continues around Mayo, proceeding indirectly to Westport. Continuing south through Mayo into County Galway, the road passes through the village of Leenaun. The 182 year-old bridge in the centre of the village, carrying the road across the River Lahill, collapsed in floods on 18 July 2007. Due to the local terrain and road network, the diversionary route for getting from the south of the village to Westport was 110 km long. A temporary bridge was opened eight days after the floods, on 27 July. It has since been replaced by a new bridge.
South of Leenaun, the N59 proceeds southwest through Connemara to Clifden. From there, it returns east through Maam Cross and to Oughterard, from which it proceeds southeast to Galway city. The N59 ends at a junction with the N6 at Quincentenary Bridge. Top Gear Magazine has called this road one of "the world's greatest roads".
Road Length (2006)
| Local Authority | Route Lengths By LA (km) | Total Route Lengths (km) |
|---|---|---|
| Sligo | 47.641 | |
| Mayo | 137.346 | |
| Galway | 109.399 | |
| Galway (City) | 2.669 | 297.055 |
Infrastructural Upgrades
Co. Mayo Ballina Orbital Route Project The objective of the Ballina Orbital Route Project is to provide an orbital link around the town connecting all existing and future National Primary and National Secondary Roads, all existing Regional Roads and all existing Local Roads radiating from the town. The consequent benefit will be a reduction in traffic congestion due to traffic having the opportunity of avoiding the town centre. It will also serve to open up lands on the periphery of Ballina for future development. Project webpage
Ballina to Crossmolina This scheme will provide either an up-grade of the existing road or an off-line new route that will serve to bypass the town of Crossmolina on its western terminus, will link the towns of Crossmolina and Ballina and finally integrate with the preferred route for the Ballina Orbital Route on its eastern terminus. The project will be approximately 13 km long with at-grade junctions where necessary providing opportunities to interact with the existing road network.[1][2]
Co. Galway Moycullen Bypass Project
- Galway Route Selection and Preliminary Design Complete 2001, but as of May 2009 the project is in review with a view to canceling.[3] It is no longer on NRA website as a programmed project.[4]
See also
- Roads in Ireland
- Motorways in Ireland
- National primary road
- National secondary road
- Regional road
References
- Connemara motorists facing 110km diversions, RTÉ News, 18 July 2007.
- Temporary bridge opens in Leenane, RTÉ News, 27 July 2007.
- Roads Act 1993 (Classification of National Roads) Order 2006 – Department of Transport
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