The roads and regions in Louth funded in the €23.4 million announced this week

Mid-Louth has received a significant boost in this year's State funding for national, and regional & local roads, with several projects allocated funding from the €23,386,073 allocated overall for roads in Louth.

Roads in Louth will benefit from funding of €13,345,442 for national roads, and €10,040,631 for regional & local roads for maintenance and repair work this year.

Included in this year's funding is investment in several long awaited schemes in mid-Louth:

• €1.7 million – N02 Ardee to Cookstown Cross upgrade, delivering major improvements on a heavily used regional corridor.
• €350,000 – Cavan–Dundalk R178 realignment (Sections D6 & D7), including 1.35 km of realigned regional road and safety improvements over a 1.7 km stretch.
• Safety works at Cookstown (L1209) including hedge removal, fencing and visibility improvements.
• Safety upgrades on the R132 Dunleer, R168 Drumgooles Cross (Collon), R170 Grangebellew, and Reaghstown (L 1201) corridors.
• A major scheme for the Ardee Bypass (N52) has also received an allocation of €75,000 for 2026.

A wider programme of safety measures for mid-Louth also allocated funding this year includes:

• R132 Dunleer – Town centre pedestrian crossings
• R168 Drumgooles Cross (Collon) – Signage and line upgrades
• R170 Walshestown (Grangebellew) – Bend signage and vegetation clearance
• L1209 Cookstown, L 1201 Reaghstown – Safety and speed management works
• R166 Termonfeckin - pedestrian crossing, slow signs on bend
• L6281 Termonfeckin – Orchard Villas – Crossing and Ramps
• L1201 Reaghstown – Possible speed cushions – Westerns GAA

A full breakdown of the €10,040,631 allocated overall for local and regional roads in Louth is as follows:

Protection and Renewal Grants

• Restoration Improvement -  €5,526,000
• Restoration Maintenance -  €652,000
• Supplementary Restoration Maintenance -  €603,500
  
• Discretionary Grant -  €1,255,500
  
• Bridge Rehabilitation -  €301,000
  
• Climate Change Adaptation & Resilience Works -  €256,000
  
• Community Involvement Scheme -  €286,550
  
• Safety Improvement Works -  €277,800
  
• PSCI: Survey Support -  €11,000
  
• Training Grant -  €42,800
  
• Drainage Works -  €288,500
  
• Strategic Rehabilitation Regional Roads -  €540,000

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2026 Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Works

• L7056 Ballintesik €110,000
• L5174 Thomastown €46,000
• L3056 Howes Hill €100,000

2026 Bridge Rehabilitation Works on Regional and Local Roads

• Bridge Inventory and maintenance inspection €15,000
• L-1140-1 Monavalet Bridge €20,000
• L-3113-20 Dungooly Bridge €10,000
• L-3125-12 Barronstown Bridge €8,000
• L-2310-11 Carntown Bridge €20,000
• L-6248-0 Briarhill Bridge €25,000
• L-6284-18 Dardisrath Bridge €15,000
• L-6284-18 Dardisrath Bridge(B) €13,000
• L-6270-1 Gibbers Bridge €25,000
• L-5265-13 Martins Bridge €15,000
• L-7111-0 Bellews Bridge €25,000
• L-5151-0 Ballyragan Bridge €15,000
• L-5145-0 Ballykelly Bridge €15,000
• L-30523-0 Tullagh Omeath Bridge €15,000
• L-7089-0 Drumnasillagh Bridge €20,000
• L-62173-0 Annagassan Bridge €45,000

2026 Safety Improvement Works on Regional and Local Roads

• Renewal of Regulatory Road Markings at Junctions €13,800
• R132 Dunleer €45,000
• R132 North of M1 Junction 20 @ Carrickcarnan €10,000
• R166 Termonfeckin €30,000
• R168 Southeast of Collon @ Drumgooles Cross €10,000
• R170 East of Grangebellew @ Walshetown €15,000
• R173 East of Ballymascanlon @ Rampart (Lordship) €25,000
• R173 North of Omeath @ Cornamucklagh €10,000
• R215 East of M1 Junction 16 Haynestown €10,000
• L1209 Northwest Ardee Cookstown €20,000
• L2253 East Stifyans Cliven €10,000
• R171 Ardee Road, Dundalk -railway overbridge to texaco €30,000
• L-6281 Orchard Villas Termonfeckin €30,000
• L-7158 Old Golf Links Road, Haggardstown €19,000

2026 Strategic Rehabilitation Regional Roads

•  R215 N52 €540,000
  

2026 Specific Improvement Grants

• Transport Corridor from L-3161 Marlbog Roundabout to L7163 Chapel Road Roundabout €70,000

2026 Strategic Regional and Local

• Cavan - Dundalk Scheme RibGeom R178 Sections D6 & D7  €350,000
• Port Access Northern Cross Route (Drogheda), Phase 3 €350,000

Funding for national roads includes:

• Local Authority Support (Improvement) 2026 LH - €128,000
• N02LH Castle Street Ardee - €100,000
• N2LH R169 Junction RSIS - €200,000
• N53 Hackballscross to Rassan (Minor 2016) - €10,000,000
• N52 Bothar na Mbo Pavement - €850,000
• Ardee By-Pass (N52) - €70,000
• Local Authority Support (Maintenance) 2026  - €25,200
• Local Authority Support (Winter Maintenance - Nat) 2026 - €10,000
• National Primary Ordinary Maintenance - €58,171
• National Primary Route Lighting - €16,835
• National Primary Winter Maintenance - €3,412
• National Secondary Ordinary Maintenance - €24,942
• National Secondary Route Lighting - NS Motorway MMaRC Route Lighting - €16,325
• National Secondary NS Route Lighting - €28,841
• National Secondary Winter Maintenance - €78,716
  

News of this year's funding was welcomed by Louth Fine Gael TD, Paula Butterly, who said: “I am delighted to see that €23,386,073 funding has been allocated to Louth County Council for essential national road repair works across Louth.

Commenting on the funding of €75,000 for the Ardee Bypass (N52), Deputy Butterly said this represents “a clear commitment to ensuring the Ardee Bypass project remains active and progressing.”

She noted that while the project has been delayed due to legal proceedings, the continued allocation of funding “demonstrates the Government’s determination to keep the project live, supported and moving forward so that it can be delivered for the people of Ardee and the wider Mid‑Louth area.”

Deputy Butterly also welcomed the allocation of €350,000 for Phase 3 of the Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR) under the Strategic Regional and Local Road Grant. She said this funding “marks real and tangible progress for a project I have been consistently raising since last year.

"I am delighted to see Phase 3 moving forward with dedicated funding in 2026. This allocation shows a clear commitment to advancing the PANCR, ensuring momentum is maintained and that the project continues to move through its development stages.”

“The allocation for protection and renewal of the existing national road network will fund a range of activities including road safety improvements, pavement renewal, maintenance of bridges and structures, and measures to ensure the network can withstand the increased number of severe weather events,” Deputy Butterly added.

News of the funding was also welcomed by Louth Fianna Fáil TD, Erin McGreehan, who said: “I am delighted to welcome significant investment in our regional and national roads here in Louth. This funding will make a real difference in communities right across the county allowing safer roads and more efficient journeys.