Bypasses, Flyovers and Ferries: Donegal in the C21

Bypasses & Flyovers: Donegal in the 21st Century.

As stated in the Donegal County Council's Annual Report for 2002, Donegal is predominantly a rural county, totally dependent on its road infrastructure for transportation of goods and services to and within the county;

This is highlighted by the fact that:

• Almost all freight and passenger movements are by road.
• Access to Dublin, Derry and Belfast is mainly by road through Northern Ireland.
• The main port of export is Larne.

Developments in Northern Ireland are therefore of particular interest to Donegal. especially in the immediate areas of Derry, Tyrone and Fermanagh. Thus a number of strategic corridors are highly significant in terms of access to County Donegal.

These include:

• A6 Londonderry-Belfast link to N13.
• N15/A5 Sligo-Donegal-Strabane-Londonderry.
• N2/A5/N14 Dublin-Monaghan-Omagh-Strabane-Londerry-Letterkenny
• Linkages to N55 and the main fishing port.
• N56 Donegal to Killybegs.

Colour photo of flyover en route to Ballyshannon.

Colour photograph of one of the flyover bridges built on the Donegal Town Bypass. The picture is a view looking up from the undercarriage of the bridge spanning a small river. The curved supports and safety railings are visible, as is the new road signage.

Donegal County Council

Colour photo of flyover en route to Ballyshannon.
Donegal County Council

Colour photo of flyover en route to Ballyshannon.

Colour photograph of one of the flyover bridges built on the Donegal Town Bypass. The picture is a view looking up from the undercarriage of the bridge spanning a small river. The curved supports and safety railings are visible, as is the new road signage.

Donegal County Council

Enlarge image

The diversity and rural nature of County Donegal, along with its peripheral location in relation to the State poses a challenge to develop an all-island approach to infrastructure and services to the North West. The widespread dispersal of the population throughout the county emphasises the need for a good road network to ensure full social participation and access to social, economic and cultural activities.

Under the National Development Plan for the period 2000-2003 a total investment of E185.9mn was approved for the National Primary Roads Infastructure for County Donegal: An additional E24mn will be invested in the National Secondary Projects in the county in this timeframe. It is estimated that a total of over E260.3mn should be invested in infrastructure in the county for the period 2000-2006. The Donegal Employment Initiative Task Force estimated that an expenditure of over E45.7mn is needed for the Regional Road Infrastructure of County Donegal.

Termon-Dunlewey (Back of Errigal) Road.

The realignment of this stretch of road was completed in 2002. The works mainly consisted of excavation of bog along the existing road and filling with rock leaving approximately 7km of pavement works completed. This road traverses the environmentally sensitive area of Glenveagh National Park, and Duchas assisted in the progress of the scheme.