Engineers closed Cork to Limerick road despite ‘political fallout’

Engineers pressed ahead with a controversial full junction closure process for an exit on the N20 Cork to Limerick road even though it appeared it was “doomed politically”, it has emerged.

Documents released under Freedom of Information legislation also show that a decision was taken in August to proceed with the statutory process to extinguish the right of way at the Waterloo junction near Blarney even as a possible engineering compromise was being discussed.

The closure process has sparked a campaign in communities on both sides of the N20 for the junction to be kept open and made safe.

Today is the deadline for submissions from the public on the Section 73 public consultation process for possible extinguishment of the right of way there.

It is understood that hundreds of submissions opposing full closure have been made. But the council has told local residents that the junction could remain closed until February as the process unfolds.

The Waterloo Access Group which is campaigning for the reopening is planning to protest outside a full meeting of the county council next Monday.

A spokesperson said they are also consulting with their local representatives before deciding on what to do next.

The Waterloo junction was closed during the summer to facilitate upgrades along the N20. Residents understood it would be a temporary closure but they reacted angrily when it emerged that full closure was on the cards.

The council confirmed that a safety audit ordered after a number of serious crashes at the junction, including a double fatality last year involving two US tourists, recommended full closure. The audit found that many of the accidents involved southbound tourists and hire cars making a sat-nav-directed right turn to Blarney.

The FoI documents show how senior roads engineers were discussing the local and political opposition to full closure in mid-August even as a compromise ‘left in/ left out only’ traffic arrangement was being discussed.

One email reads: “It appears that there is widespread opposition building to the proposal to close Waterloo junction. So much so that it would appear that the proposal is doomed politically — extinguishment of right of way requires approval of the Municipal District Committee. I suppose we should still go ahead with the process even if it is likely to be rejected.

Another internal email five days later also shows how queries from residents about the validity of the temporary road closure notice, published on August 8, was deemed by a council roads engineer to “not be sufficiently clear” to inform the public as to the length or duration of the road closure.

Residents also believe that the entire debacle means that a 60kph speed limit roadworks-related speed limit on the N20 at this location will have to remain until the matter is resolved.