Busy Kinnegad junction problem highlighted

“This is our ‘McDonald's junction’ in Kinnegad,” a local councillor told Mullingar Municipal District officials, as he compared traffic issues in Kinnegad to those that have blighted the McDonald's junction in Mullingar for years.

At a district's meeting last month, Cllr Denis Leonard proposed that the council examine the junction of the Killucan Road in Kinnegad.

“The Killucan, Coralstown and Tír Croghan estate roads meet there and there is an urgent need for the provision of a roundabout in the interest of safety and with a view to the ultimate opening of an access road to ease the considerable traffic through the main street of Kinnegad,” Cllr Leonard’s motion read.

In its written response, the district stated that works have been carried at that location over the past number of years.

“Planning conditions regarding road safety will be imposed on current planning applications at this location,” the response concluded.

Cllr Leonard said a new road is needed connecting the Killucan Road with the Kinnegad bypass – especially if a new nursing home proposed for the area goes ahead.

He added that a roundabout would have seemed to him to be an obvious solution to the problems at the junction, but additionally, it needs to be widened.

District engineer, Pat Kavanagh, said that there has been a pre-planning with a developer there and the district has said it will be levying there for some safety works on it. He added that it might also be examined for traffic calming in 2025.