A bridge which straddles the border between Armagh and Monaghan is to be replaced at a cost of close to £500,000.
Ballynacarry Bridge is a stone arch bridge over the River Fane on the boundary between Culloville and Castleblaney.
One side of the notorious accident blackspot lies on the Co Armagh side, however, the bridge repairs are being carried out by Monaghan County Council.
The bridge has seen many crashes over the years, and in December 2022, Co Armagh man Kieran Hamill – a pedestrian – lost his life close to the bridge.
South Armagh Sinn Féin councillor, Aoife Finnegan (pictured), has welcomed news that Monaghan County Council is preparing plans to upgrade and replace the bridge.
The Slieve Gullion councillor said: “Improving road safety at Ballynacarry bridge has long been a key objective for Sinn Féin, with my colleagues, Conor Murphy MLA and former councillor, Terry Hearty, both lobbying for these works for many years.
“Monaghan county council are working with roads service, both north and south, to prepare for these works to take place.”
Public consultations are being held in Culloville and Castleblaney this week.
Councillor Finnegan added: “It’s important that any proposed plans are communicated clearly with the community so that we can arrive at a plan that everyone can support, helping the project to be delivered as smoothly as possible.
“This is an issue that Sinn Féin have worked, North and South to address and we will continue to work with all agencies to try and secure these vital improvements to road safety at Ballynacarry bridge.”
