Council urged to act on bridge bottleneck and speeding on busy Letterkenny route - Donegal Daily

Fresh calls have been made for long-awaited works at narrow Carrygawley Bridge in Letterkenny, where school buses and other large vehicles can struggle to pass....

Fresh calls have been made for long-awaited works at narrow Carrygawley Bridge in Letterkenny, where school buses and other large vehicles can struggle to pass.

The issue was raised alongside concerns over speeding in Lismonaghan and a deteriorating section of road in the wider Carrygawley and Correnagh area.

Cllr Donal Coyle said he has been pushing for action at Carrygawley Bridge since he was elected and believes the time has come to finally tackle it.

He told this month's meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District how the bridge was already causing problems decades ago , when a progressive local farmer could not get a combine harvester across and had to make a seven or eight-mile detour.

Cllr Coyle said that around six coaches use the route every day bringing children to and from Lurgybrack and other schools.

“If there is a coach coming one way, traffic has to give way and there’s no great place to do so on that narrow road,” he said.

He acknowledged the job would not be easy because of the deep ravine at the bridge, but said widening should be looked at.

The Council confirmed that design work and an assessment of the options are already underway.

Once that work is finished, councillors will be shown the recommendations and possible funding routes will be examined.

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Members were also warned that any solution is likely to need significant funds because of the difficult location.

Speeding was also raised as a concern nearby on the Lismonaghan Road.

Cllr Donal 'Mandy' Kelly called for extra SLOW signs at the top of the road in Carrygawley, saying residents have been contacting him about traffic speeds around housing estates and back roads.

“I don’t think it’s a big ask for two SLOW signs at the top of the hill,” he said.

Cllr Coyle backed the call and said clear road markings, such as 'SLOW, SLOWER' painted on the road, can make a real difference.

The Council said a “Caution Children Crossing” sign is already in place opposite Glenview, along with SLOW markings ahead of the sharp bend near Hillview.

A further assessment will now be carried out to see if more signage is needed.

Cllr Coyle also called for urgent repairs on the L1054 at Correnagh, where he said a roadside verge has dropped by several feet.

He warned that cars and buses are being forced further out into the road to avoid the damaged section.

The opposite side of the road, he said, is now beginning to break up too.

“I raised this seven or eight months ago. It’s time now something was done,” he said.

Cllr Coyle said the road is also carrying more traffic as drivers use it to avoid the town centre at rush hour.

“Because of the amount of traffic on it now, a lot of people are using this along with the Leck Road in the mornings and evenings to avoid the Four Lane,” he said.

The Council has confirmed that remedial works are programmed before the end of 2026.