N4 The Downs

N4 The Downs

In August 2011, TMS completed road safety audits at pre-tender stage on two national road schemes near Mullingar in Ireland. 

The first audit was on the "N4 The Downs" project, which is an on-line improvement of 5.5km of dual carriageway. The current road has numerous central reservation openings, at-grade priority junctions and private accesses, which has resulted in safety being compromised along this high speed strategic route. Collision data has shown that there have been numerous fatal and serious accidents along the stretch, with the majority being concentrated at the junctions and central reservation openings.  

The improvement will involve closing all of the central reservation openings and many of the side road accesses and junctions. The retained junctions will have left-in/left-out formats, with drivers being able to U-turn at a new grade separated junction. A new single carriageway road will also provide a link to a regional road.

The photo above illustrates the current N4 route which has hazardous central reservation openings and accesses.