Plans to close lethal junction on Cork-Limerick road ‘heavy-handed’
The daughter of an American tourist who was killed at a dangerous junction on the Cork-Limerick road has described plans to close it permanently as “heavy-handed”.
Diana Baker said full closure of the N20’s Waterloo junction, just north of Cork city, would put an unnecessary burden on residents.
“While the junction is dangerous, only one turn seems to be inflating the risk and that’s the right-hand turn from the N20 to Waterloo road that many tourists are directed to take via their sat-nav systems when travelling to Blarney,” she told the Irish Examiner last night.
Ms Baker was reacting to news that Cork County Council is considering full closure of the junction following the completion of road works in the area.
Her father Jim, 62, and Peggy Adams, 59, both from Indiana, USA, were killed in a crash at the junction in September 2017.
They were among four American tourists in a car travelling southbound which followed sat-nav directions to turn right at the junction for Blarney. They were killed when their car was struck side-on by a northbound truck.
Last April, a US tourist was seriously injured and his partner escaped with minor injuries following a crash in almost identical circumstances at the same junction.
A safer left turn off the N20 to Blarney is just two miles further south.
Ms Baker led calls earlier this year for the southbound right turn off the N20 to be closed off.
But the council confirmed last week that it is now considering full, permanent closure of the entire junction.
Residents say it will split the community and leave some children facing a 60km daily commute to school.
Ms Baker said the accident involving her family on September 11 last year, the couple from Minnesota on April 23, and another involving a local woman just two days later, all occurred when attempting to make a right-hand turn onto the Waterloo road from the N20.
“While I’m certain in the short-run it’s cheaper and more convenient for the council to close the entire junction, it’s pertinent that the council listen to everyone impacted by this decision,” she said.
“In the long-run the complete closure of the junction will cause residents of the community undue hardship in both commute times and fuel costs, not to mention the effect the added travel will have on the environment.
“All the while the closure of the junction will not provide much added benefit to drivers and their passengers over just closing the problematic right-turn from the N20 to Waterloo road.
A single change is all that needs to be eliminated and it alone will significantly reduce accidents without impeding most local residents’ daily travel schedules.
The county council says it has reviewed the junction and submitted a report on it to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). The ‘full closure’ option is the “preferred solution from a road safety viewpoint,” it said.
“Closure of the junction is a statutory process, involving public consultation.” Residents plan to hold a public meeting this week on the issue.
