A contractor is expected to be appointed within days to carry out resurfacing work on the N59 between Oughterard and Maam Cross – however, campaigners have warned that the overlay will not last very long.

Minister for Gaeltacht Affairs, Galway West TD Seán Kyne, said the works will begin shortly.

“Galway County Council is currently assessing tenders for the complete resurfacing of a 6.5km continuous stretch of the N59 from Oughterard and Maam Cross. The Council has confirmed that the contract for the vital improvement works will be awarded in the coming days.

“These works involve the laying of a completely new surface on the road bringing improvements that will benefit all road-users, especially from a safety perspective,” said Minister Kyne.

However, campaigners with the N59 Action Group said they will continue to pile on the pressure for a full road upgrade on the 50km stretch between Oughterard and Clifden, which they described as the worst road of its kind in the country.

Spokesperson Seosamh Ó Cuaig told the Connacht Tribune that there has been no progress on the upgrade of the road from Oughterard to Maam Cross in the past year.

“There have been meetings, talk of the IROPI process (obtaining planning permission by proving a case that the road upgrade is in the public interest – Imperative Reasons for Overriding Public Interest), but nothing has actually happened in the past year.

“We know what the environmental concerns are, but do they believe this overlay will not silt off [into the Owenriff River].

“Everybody must know that messing with overlays is simply kicking the problem down the road. The N59 needs to be rebuilt from the rock foundation and properly aligned and the sooner that starts to happen from Oughterard to Maam Cross and from there to Clifden and onwards to Leenane, the better,” said Mr Ó Cuaig.

The environmental concerns are that the river is a pearl mussel habitat – while planning permission exists for the upgrade, the Council must prepare a method statement for how it will minimise the risk on the pearl mussel.

Minister Kyne said work is progressing on this element of the plan.

“Consultancy firm, Jacobs, is continuing work on the method statements for the N59 from Bunakill to Maam Cross which are requirement of An Bord Pleanála.

“The method statements for the ground investigation works are due to be assessed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service with a decision due in the coming weeks,” he said.

The N59 Action Group has given a qualified welcome to the upcoming resurfacing work.

“For a start, it is only an excuse for the full upgrade of the road and, secondly, it is not going to last very long because it is only a repair to the surface. We will be keeping up the pressure for a proper upgrade of this road which Connemara people are entitled to and we expect all of our public representatives to redouble their efforts to make sure that happens.

“As MEP, Marian Harkin said in Clifden a few weeks ago, it should be possible to work through the issues that are holding back the full upgrade of the road from Oughterard to Maam Cross.

“Our group will also keep up the campaign for the section from Maam Cross to Clifden which was turned down by an Bord Pleanála a year ago.

“Galway County Council needs to get going quickly with the next effort to get a total upgrade of that part of the N59. Patches of emergency surface work are needed but we cannot accept that an overlay will be the solution,” the campaign group said.