Councillor warns road fatalities toll could rise
Kerry County Council has already spent around €250,000 on traffic calming measures, but more needs to be done, according to Killarney Independent councillor Donal Grady.
There were two crashes on the road last week, none fatal.
One of the crashes involved three cars and, in the second crash, a car overturned, trapping a woman inside.
Acting senior executive roads engineer Padraig Teahan said the council had no further plans for work on the road but would be carefully studying official garda reports on last week’s accidents.
“We will be trying to determine whether there’s anything further we can do to make the road safer. A lot of work has been done and it has been fully safety audited,” he added.
Mr Teahan also pointed out that driver error could be the cause of accidents.
The council is also to consider reducing speed limits on the road, at next month’s meeting.
Cllr Grady claimed the traffic calming measures were not having the desired impact and were “more of a hindrance” than anything else.
He said the junction just above Fitzgerald Stadium was the most dangerous part of the road and scene of many accidents.
“There should be an underpass at the junction. Engineers say that’s not possible because of the railway line and other factors, but engineers are trained and paid to solve problems like that,” Cllr Grady said.
He also called for lower speed limits on approaches to the junction from both sides of the bypass.
“At least four people have been killed along this road and there will be more deaths if it’s not made safer,” Cllr Grady remarked.
“Also, many young people have to cross this busy junction on their way to playing pitches on the other side and they are also in danger of being killed, or seriously injured.”
Calming measures already introduced including new road lining, traffic islands and signage.
An underpass is not being considered by the council, at present.
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