Councillor calls for roundabout on R445 at the exit of Junction 14 of the M7

A Social Democrats councillor has called for the installation of a roundabout on the R445 at the exit of Junction 14 of the M7 between Kildare and Monasterevin “to enhance the safety of motorists at that location.”

Cllr Pat Balfe called for the measure at the December meeting of Kildare Newbridge Municipal District.

Thanking the council for a report issued in response to his motion, Cllr Balfe said he welcomed the fact that this junction could be included in a council junction improvement project.

However, he noted, it was his belief that this junction, coming off the M7, was “one of the busiest in the country”, and “definitely the county”.

When one looked at other roads in Kildare, he said, there were traffic lights, roundabouts, and structures in place to deal with heavy traffic, but this wasn't the case in this instance.

Coming up to that junction, turning onto the M7, he said, there used to be a hard shoulder there which is now gone, and motorists were “blind-sided” to oncoming traffic.

He appreciated, he said, that there was a lack of resources for providing a roundabout at the location, but asked that it be “moved up the list.”

Supporting the motion, Cllr Kevin Duffy (FG) said it was one which was discussed previously.

He said that judging from the road markings, it looked like there was an intention to install a roundabout at the location originally, but was not carried out.

Cllr Duffy said he would like to ask what is the “demarcation between what is NTA and what is council?”

What he meant, he explained, was if there was national funding that could be pursued as well as funding from the council to implement a roundabout at the location.

Responding to councillors, a council official stated that “this in in the process”, so that the question of installing a roundabout at the location is “much closer to being resolved” than other road infrastructure mentioned at the meeting.

However, the project would require national funding to resolve it, so that would be the next issue once the design has been prepared.

A report issued by Kildare County Council stated: 'Kildare County Council is currently progressing a junction improvement project that is looking at ten junctions across the county.

'This junction can be considered for future iterations of this junction programme however only junctions that have been identified as locations of interest in the Collision Analysis for Regional

Road Network work completed by the Department of Transport Support Office will be

selected going forward.

'There is no funding or resources available to carry out a feasibility study at this location at this time.'