Work progresses on Donegal's N56

The proposed third phase of the N56 upgrade from Dungloe to Glenties is to go out to tender next month.

Brendan McFadden, Donegal County Council senior executive roads engineer, told the January meeting of the Glenties Municipal District that the next phase of the improvement project will address a 3.6-kilometre stretch of the national secondary road from Kilkenny to Letterilly.

The projected start date for construction of the third phase is the fourth quarter of this year, with the work estimated to last 18 months.

The second phase, which covers Boughter to Kilkenny, is substantially complete, Mr. McFadden said.

When completed, the overall scheme would see 26 kilometres of the N56 upgraded, from the southern end of Dungloe to the junction with regional road R262 at Kilraine, south of Glenties. A combined cycleway/footpath is to run the length of the scheme.

Fine Gael Cllr. Terence Slowey, Glenties Municipal District councillor and county council cathaoirleach, said it was great to see the second phase nearly completed. However, Fianna Fáil Cllr. Enda Bonner said he thought there had been ample time to put the third phase of the work out to tender last year.