Roundabout proposed in Castledermot

A roundabout has been proposed to improve safety and traffic flow in Castledermot.

Cllr Mark Leigh made the circular suggestion at the July meeting of Athy Municipal District, seeking a roundabout at the junctions of the R448, L4015 and the R418 at Barnhill, adjacent to O’Neill’s. Kildare Co Council is currently progressing a county-wide junction improvement project at ten junctions across the county – a report explained that the junction in Castledermot can be considered for a future phase of the Junction Improvement Project (subject to funding and resource constraints).

“We all remember this junction before the M9 opened, it was chaotic, dangerous and frustrating for motorists using the main Dublin to Carlow Road as it was then,” cllr Leigh said. “I think since then the powers that be have forgotten how dangerous it still is. Castle Villa FC have a lot of traffic just off the junction, that main road through Castledermot up to Barnhill is now a faster road as the traffic volume has reduced therefore making it a more dangerous junction. We are currently undertaking to make the road out to Coltstown Cemetery safer. A roundabout at this location would be very beneficial for any safety project here also.” 

The Labour councillor said he feels this is ‘low hanging fruit’, adding that the overspill car park there is Kildare Co Council property, is rarely used and is in bad need of refurbishment. “A roundabout here would be far more beneficial to the people of Castledermot, for safety reasons mainly but also aesthetically it would make an ugly section of the town far more appealing,” he said.

Separately, a motion from cllr Veralouise Behan urged KCC to do remedial works to the footpath outside Dunne’s pharmacy. She was informed that the MD office will survey it and complete works as part of their footpath maintenance works. Cllr Behan explained that a lot of customers will park in Horan’s and walk down, adding that the footpath has subsided there. She asked for a rough timeline for works and was informed that they’ll try before the end of the year.