VIDEO: Plan to raise level of Cork-Waterford road above floods

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has confirmed it will fund proposals to raise the level of a national road in Co Cork which has been closed to flooding for almost a week.

Traffic detours have been put in place on the N25, the main Cork-Waterford road since last Friday, after a section of the road near Castlemartyr was severely flooded.

The council has been using large pumps to try and solve the problem in East Cork but, as yet, to no avail.

According to local authority officials they are hoping the rain will ease to permit the reopening of the route by the weekend.

The reopening, however, will be temporary as it is hoped to secure the services of a contractor into the area within the next couple of weeks to raise the levels of the road surface.

Flooding has inundated a 400m section of the main road, 1km east of Castlemartyr on the Killeagh side.

A council spokesman said the only way to ensure the road was not flooded again was to raise the surface level. Earlier this week, it sought funding from TII for the project.

“We hope to get a contractor on site as soon as possible,” the spokesman said.

TII spokesman Sean O’Neill said the road was a key primary route as identified by the EU within its strategic trans-European transport network.

“Cork County Council have been requested by TII to commence the necessary works immediately. It is anticipated the works at the location will take a number of weeks to complete.”

In the meantime, the council is appealing for HGV traffic to avoid local detours as byroads in the area are not suitable for heavy traffic.

The spokesman said HGV traffic should detour at Cahir for access to Cork and Waterford and use the N72 through Dungarvan, Lismore, and Fermoy.

Meanwhile, part of another national road in North Cork has been severed due to flooding. The council has been dealing with two incidents in the vicinity of Shanahan’s Car Sales, west of Killavullen on the N72 on the Mallow-Fermoy route.

Outdoor staff managed to clear one flooded section but another remained impassable for much of yesterday.

Traffic travelling west on the N72 was advised to detour via Castletownroche/Skenakilla Cross onwards to Mallow until the road reopened. Some minor roads around the county also remain flooded.