A ROUNDABOUT for a notorious junction near Crookstown on the N22 Macroom to Ballincollig road may not be built until the end of this decade, writes Kieran O’Mahony.

Cork North West Fine Gael Senator Eileen Lynch raised the issue in the Seanad noting that the Castlemore junction, where the R585 meets the N22 has already been identified as a “high collision location”.

She said 9,500 vehicles used that stretch of road daily and the busy junction was of particular concern.

She said a roundabout at the R585 junction remains at an early stage which is a source of frustration.

“Technical advisors are being procured and there are a number of stages that have to be gone through before a major project can be delivered,” she said.

“I understand that, but from the perspective of someone using the road every day, it is incredibly frustrating. If the permanent solution is going to take years, then we need to look very seriously at what can be done in the meantime.”

She warned that it could take until the end of this decade for the full Castlemore solution, since Transport Infrastructure Ireland indicated an expected construction timeframe of 2029.

“That is a long time to wait where a junction has already been identified as a high-collision location,” she said.

“We should not be waiting for a serious or fatal collision before acting.”

Minister of State Catherine Ardagh told Sen Lynch in the Seanad  that Cork County Council is in the process of procuring technical advisers to progress the design of a new roundabout at the Castlemore junction, though land acquisition would “influence delivery”.