Clare County Council exploring solutions to ease traffic flow at busy road

Clare County Council are set to engage with a traffic signals contractor with a view of finding a solution to the traffic flow at the Clare Road/Ardlea Close junction.

This comes as a response to a Notice of Motion submitted to the Ennis Municipal District (EMD) by Sinn Féin Councillor Tommy Guilfoyle. 

In his submission, Mr Guilfoyle stated that he wants the EMD to conduct a comprehensive review to assess potential improvements to traffic flow at the Clare Road/Ardlea Close junction as right turns onto Ardlea Close (Old Gaol Road)
currently impede left-lane traffic flow towards Carmody Street. This results in traffic congestion that obstructs the Ardlea Road and Turnpike junctions, hindering traffic flow throughout the town. 

READ MORE: Clare gardaí issue appeal for information following theft of trailer

In a written reply, A/Senior Engineer, Paddy Tiernan, said, "Ennis MD are in agreement that the current arrangement at this junction is not conducive to the smooth flow of traffic on the Clare Road and wider area. We would also agree with the Elected Member’s interpretation of the main cause of the issue."

Set to engage with a traffic signals contractor to find a solution to this, the EMD are of the opinion that this will involve the reconfiguration of the timings of red and green phases and potentially the requirement to install additional signal heads or the replacement and/or relocation of existing signals.

They will also need to review what, if any, unintended consequences for traffic flows that may arise due to any proposed changes. Until further engagement with the traffic signal contractor takes place, the EMD are not in a position to advise on the likely cost of this work or if this cost will be of a level where a funding source will need to be identified.

"We will however actively work on this project and provide an update to Elected Members as soon as possible," Mr Tiernan concluded.