Works begin on McGrory’s Brae this morning

Long-awaited road works on the Ballybofey-Donegal Town road at McGrory’s Brae got underway this morning. 

Temporary traffic management is in place and will be present for the duration of the works on the McGroary’s Brae Improvement Scheme. The works will cover a 750 stretch of road in the area.  

Fianna Fáil Councillor, Patrick McGowan said the obvious challenge will be the flow of traffic during construction. However, he did add that the relevant authorities had been contacted and he was assured there would be no major hold ups. 

He said: "I and others were hoping this section would have been completed along with the Cappry section some years ago but this was not allowed. This project will see the final section between Ballybofey and McGroarys brea completed with a new hard shoulder on either side.

"I understand that nine months has been estimated but believe it will take much less time. Contractors must apply for as much time for traffic controls as they think is needed but this does not prevent the job being completed in much less time and any restrictions being lifted."

He added that it is always good to get national funding allocated to the County National network: "The council are also looking for funding to link a footpath from ballybofey to Cappry and we are lobbying hard for that as well." 

In February 2022, following a collision involving one of its cyclists a few months earlier, the Finn Wheelers Cycling Club launched a campaign demanding the construction of a hard shoulder on McGrory’s Brae. At the launch event, representatives from Donegal Bay Cycling Club, Four Masters Cycling Club and Strabane Lifford Cycling Club also attended to support the campaign after the near-fatal crash which saw the member’s bike destroyed.

A €24m funding package announced in February for national roads in Donegal included money for works at McGrory’s Brae.