Roscommon County Council, with the support of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), is developing a project for the improvement of the N61 National Secondary Route between Tulsk and Clashaganny in County Roscommon. The Tulsk to Clashaganny Road Project is situated 14km north of Roscommon Town and is approximately 4km in length. The project comprises offline construction and online improvement traversing the townlands of Tulsk, Carrownageelaun, Cargin Demesne, Lissacurkia, Carrowkeel, Carrownrinny, Sheegeeragh and Manor.

The main deficiencies associated with the section of the existing N61 under consideration are:

• The N5/N61 junction in Tulsk is a priority cross-roads junction, with limited facilities provided for non-motorised users;
• The horizontal alignment and vertical alignment of the existing N61 carriageway are substandard;
• A minimum stopping sight distance is not achieved over 75% of the route. Limiting the distance and time available to motorised users to react to other road users;
• The existing N61 carriageway width is substandard, resulting in larger vehicles (e.g. HGVs, buses etc.) having to brake and reduce speed substantially to enable meeting vehicles to pass;
• No hard shoulder and limited verge width exists, resulting in:
  • No space for errant vehicles to recover prior to leaving the paved area; and
  • No refuge for non-motorised road users.
• The road boundary is located within the clear zone, resulting in an unforgiving roadside with limited space for errant vehicles to recover prior to impacting boundary features or leaving the road edge;
• Visibility to/from existing junctions are substandard;
• There are a high number of road junctions and direct accesses to the existing N61;
• There are no safe overtaking opportunities, which is confirmed by the presence of continuous white lining throughout the section length. This can lead to platooning of vehicles, driver frustration and associated risk taking by road users;
• A collection, attenuation and discharge system for carriageway drainage is not in place;
• Due to the substandard horizontal alignment of a section of the N61 under consideration, a Cautionary Speed recommendation of 65kph is in place over a 1km extent.

The completion of the project will provide the following benefits:

• Improve safety, accessibility and social integration in the village of Tulsk by the provision of a signalised junction incorporating controlled crossing facilities for non-motorised users;
• A safer transportation route for motorists and non-motorised users;
• A reduction in the number of and severity of collisions along the N61;
• A reduction in driver frustration and a better quality of travel experience for road users;

• The provision of a road drainage system constructed to current design standards will provide a controlled and improved water quality discharge to the receiving environment; and

• Improve journey time reliability and connectivity between the Regional Centres of Athlone and Sligo and the Key Town of Roscommon Town.

The N61 Tulsk to Clashaganny Road Project is currently at Phase 4 (Statutory Processes) of the TII Project Management Guidelines.