Potential for ‘absolute chaos’ when Uisce Éireann start Coes Road works

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

A €1million surplus has emerged in Louth County Council’s roadworks budget for 2025, the local authority confirmed this week.

A special meeting of councillors from Dundalk Municipal District heard that the monies were available after a tender for roadworks in north Louth came in “significantly” under budget.

The Road Works Programme was initially approved by Dundalk Municipal District in March 2025, which included the resurfacing of 19 roads subject to competitive open tender.

Councillors were told that these roads were costed based on 2024 market rates. In line with procurement guidelines, the programme was advertised to the open market in April -May 2025, with the tender process “yielding extremely competitive rates that resulted in significant cost savings of approximately €1 million below the annual allocation.”

The meeting heard the engineering team at Louth County Council had identified eight other roads in the north Louth area where the €1million could be spent.

A €50,000 spend was proposed to upgrade routes linking Dundalk to the border with South Armagh, the R177 Armagh Road (Kilcurry) and the Armagh Road at Carnbeg.

De La Salle Terrace in Dundalk will also benefit from a €50,000 funding boost with road improvements on the way, while the LP-3161 Rock Road in Blackrock is in line for a €170,000 upgrade, a 650 metre continuation

A further €270,000 was also proposed for road improvements along the R175 at Greenore.

The largest portion (€275,000) of the €1million surplus was initially proposed for works at Coes Road East but councillors heard that Uisce Éireann are expected to begin major pipe laying works in the area with a “rising sewer main” to stretch from the Coes Road pumping station to the Inner Relief Road, towards Coes Road East, and along the Point Road to connect with the treatment plant at Soldier’s Point.

The work by Uisce Éireann will be a major project, councillors heard, which is aimed at increasing capacity in the local network.

Uisce Eireann have confirmed to Louth County Council that works would be commencing in late 2026 or by early 2027, with a full reconstruction of the road likely to be included.

Cllr. Maeve Yore said she was “concerned it will be another two years before Coes Road is done, as it is in an awful state.”

Louth County Council Senior Engineer Mark Johnston said: “The works here would cost a quarter of a million euro, so we don’t want to waste the money if it is going to be dug up again.”

In light of this, the council team recommended transferring the funds to upgrade another busy route in Dundalk – Tom Bellew Avenue, where councillors heard “there would be more bang for our buck.”

Tom Bellew Avenue was in line for roadworks over the next few years, but the upgrade could now be brought forward due to the issues with Coes Road.

Cllr. Marianne Butler said: “It is clear why we shouldn’t do the work at Coes Road, but I think we really need to be communicating with businesses in the area about why it is not going to be done. We need to patch it up as much as possible, so that for the next 12 months or so there are less potholes.”

"We also need to flag it up that this major Uisce Éireann project is coming up in late 2026 or into 2027. I know that Uisce Éireann should be doing that also, but there are a lot of services on the road, so there is potential for absolute chaos when it gets underway.”

Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Robert Nash agreed, saying: “There are a lot of businesses on that road, haulage companies and the bus testing facility. It will be absolute pandemonium when it is closed.”

He added that if Tom Bellew Avenue is selected instead, some measures should be added to the area around the school “where cars are parking in the middle of the road for ten to twenty minutes whilst parents drop kids off.”

"Can we include barriers or something, as a child is going to be run over here.”

The council committed to looking at how this issue could be addressed in the roadworks design.

Councillors also heard that all proposed schemes would have to be finished by the end of October or early November.

The remaining two roads on the list are the R215 Christianstown, where a €259,000 upgrade was proposed and the €30,214 improvement scheme at R166 Drumleck.

Cllr. Butler noted that as these routes seemed to be in the mid Louth area, they are likely to require the approval of Ardee Municipal District councillors.

Councillors approved the first six roads for inclusion in the roadworks programme, and agreed further clarification was needed on the R215 and R166.