Please explain why road projects aren’t finished after all these years

I think I am correct in saying the overpasses at Ardrostig and Sarsfields Road in Cork are now in operation for almost two years. One will recall the great ‘hoo ha’ with those responsible patting themselves on the back in congratulations for the great work achieved .

Interestingly however when we look back, we recall how some 18 months or so after opening, the south eastern face of the Sarsfields Road bridge approach had to be reinforced with extra multiple pile works coupled with the realignment and reconfiguration of the adjacent slip-road.

This however was not the completion of the contract.

Indeed one need only note what I observed last Friday (March 13). Contractors are still engaged in the completion of the sidewalks reducing traffic to single lane, together with other ancillary works at both aforementioned interchanges.

This morning I choose to walk south under the Ardrostig Flyover and in doing so found that there are still newly erected poles for pedestrian crossings but without signals on them. We also have a temporary traffic signals unit with over-ground cables to same causing a health and safety hazard.

On the north-western (so called) green area outside the Bishopscourt Shopping Centre, one sees sections of two metre high fencing to both ends of the green area where there are holes unfilled due to incomplete cabling or other ground works. One wonders who is responsible for such delays.

It would be interesting to learn from the National Roads Authority (NRA) if all these works were part of the original tender for the overall project. And why are they not completed given they were an integral part of the project.

J Murphy

Manor Hill

Ballincollig

Co Cork