Rosbrien Interchange could make Southill and Carew Park invisible
THERE is growing concern that the exit from the Southern Ring Road to Limerick city, close to the Maldron Hotel, is being restricted, and the Southill and Carew Park areas will be rendered invisible, as a result of the introduction of the new Rosbrien Interchange to facilitate the Shannon Tunnel.
Motorists emerging from the Southern Ring Road and wishing to reach the city and in the direction of the Roxboro Shopping Centre, are denied a right turn, and now obliged to travel to the Dooradoyle slipway to reach their destination.
Cllr Ger Fahy has been inundated with complaints from residents and motorists, and has suggested to City Council that a flyover be built at the new interchange.
However, he was told that such a facility would prove very expensive, and would also be difficult to get through the planning process.
The fear now is that extra pressure will be applied to the Greenfields and Rosbrien roads.
Limerick City Council’s senior engineer, Vincent Murray, has confirmed to the Limerick Post that, following the opening of the Rosbrien Interchange, it is pursuing plans to establish a link onto the Kilmallock Road.
“Funding and detailed plans will have to be delivered and the plans will have to go through the planning process.
“In 2003, the Carew Park Road was linked to the national roads network but a new slip road built in 2007 linked Childers Road to the national network, and although it was agreed, that this would be a short term arrangement, they are now losing their direct link to the national network and are effectively cut off”.
City councillors representing the area are unhappy that in view of the current regeneration programme, with its particular emphasis to tackle social exclusion, Carew Park and the Southill area will be rendered “invisible by the loss of the Carew Park link.
“We need to restore direct access which is the only solution but in the meantime, we must establish a way of easing the congestion. We will also have to upgrade the Greenfields Road”.
Conceding that there will be a two year disruption period, Mr Murray said that motorists will be able to exit from the Maldron Hotel directly on to the national primary route, to Shannon, Cork and Dublin.
“There is no restriction on exit, but there is restriction on entry from the Cork direction. Coming from the Dublin direction, they have entry from the Annacotty and Tipperary road junction – there is no restriction on traffic coming in from Patrickswell – from the N20 or N 21”.
Meantime, Cllr Jim Long is recommending that the Carew Park link be retained
“We won’t get the money for a new link to the Kilmallock Road, so why can’t we retain the Carew Park link, which was working?”
Concluded Cllr Fahy: “We must have main access into the city and need to upgrade the local road network to ensure that the city will remain attractive for inbound traffic”.
