Bypass proposed to ease terrible Birr congestion

OFFALY County Council is proposing to create a bypass to ease the terrible traffic congestion which has been afflicting Birr for a long time now and seems to be getting worse.
The September meeting of Birr Municipal District was told by the District's Engineer John Mitchell that work on the long-awaited Northern Distributor Road should begin in 2025. The Council had previously been aiming to begin the works in 2023 or 2024.
The northern distributor is only 370 metres in length but it will connect the Tullamore Road to the Banagher Road and it should improve the congestion a bit, particularly during the periods when cars are dropping off or collecting pupils from St Brendan's Community School.
While some could be forgiven for being sceptical about a 2025 start date for the road, the District Engineer insisted that many hurdles have been cleared and a start date next year is very likely.
He also showed the Councillors a map showing the route of the proposed South-Eastern Distributor Road and how this road will connect to the Northern part of the town near the Northern Distributor Road.
The South-Eastern will run from the Tesco Roundabout, past the Primary Care Centre until it reaches the Syngefield Road near the Syngefield Industrial Estate.
It's then proposed to construct a Bypass running through green fields to the east of the town and swinging around to join the Tullamore Road not far from Lidl.
This is the first time such a bypass has been mentioned and if it happens it could be a gamechanger for Birr's significant traffic problem.

The Councillors were divided on whether the town should have a bypass or not.
One of the councillors pointed out that it could be three or four years before the south-eastern distributor road becomes a reality, never mind the bypass.
Cllr John Leahy was sceptical of the need for a bypass. “There is a bit of traffic congestion on the N52, the main artery through the town,” he said, “but it might be worth just living with it. In Tullamore it's well known that the Bypass there killed a bit of their businesses in the town. It had a bit of a detrimental effect. We should bear that in mind. We should be conscious of adversely affecting businesses in Birr. I'm a bit concerned about this bypass proposal.”
Cllr John Clendennen said he welcomed the news that the Northern Distributor Road will probably start next year. He said he hopes there's been some contact with the HGV companies assuring them of the positive nature of this new road for them.
He also asked the Engineer to provide a realistic timeframe for the bypass.
“There is a concern that a bypass can suck the life out of a town,” he remarked, adding that effective communication between the Council and the local community would be essential.
Cllr Seán Maher said the flow of traffic is a big problem which many are talking about. “Therefore, I will very much welcome the North Distributor Road when it's built. Can you please give us an exact month at least when the work will start? That would be helpful. There's also a safety issue and a difficulty of crossing the N52. I think we need four pedestrian crossings on the N52. The town is divided by this road.
“I think the heavy traffic is negatively impacting our image and our tourism industry. I think therefore the South-Eastern Distributor Road and the Bypass are needed. Birr needs to progress tourism and to push for positive growth. At the moment, because of the heavy traffic, it is very difficult to access the town and some people are inclined not to come into the town. We need to strike a balance and we are not achieving it at the moment.”
Cllr Maher added that he also has concerns about a need for new road signage and a need for traffic ramps. He said he is getting calls about both of these issues.
Cllr Audrey Hennessy Kennedy said she disagreed with Cllr Leahy about the South Eastern Road and the Bypass. “I understand Cllrs Leahy's point but the situation has become to imbalanced in Birr, because the traffic is too heavy. If you lived here you would understand that. As it stands it now takes 20 minutes to drive from one end of the town to the other. The congestion used to only happen on Fridays. Now it's every day.
“I also want the safety improved on the town's roads by constructing traffic ramps. Many people in the town want to see ramps.”
Cllr Clendennen pointed out that the speed problem on the roads throughout Offaly “has gone off the charts. The issue raised at a lot of meetings I go to is speed, speed, speed. Road safety is a big concern for a lot of people. Every county I can think of has partly addressed this by installing speed ramps but in Birr MD and Offaly we have much less speed ramps than any other county in the midlands.”
The Councillor added that a lot of signage in the District needs to be replaced. “For example 12 pieces of signage are missing or damaged from Kinnitty to Birr.”
Cllr Peter Ormond, Cathaoirleach, said the funding isn't in place yet for the construction of the North Distributor Road. “The South-Eastern Distributor Road is only in the very early consultancy stage. It could be three to four years or more before we see that in existence.”
John Mitchell said Birr doesn't have “a huge traffic problem,” but he did concede that there is “a bit of a problem,” adding that 12 to 13,000 vehicles pass through the town each day. He also said he would like to see a “more pedestrian friendly town.”
He said HGV companies such as Banagher Concrete are opposed to road ramps.