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*[[R418 road|'''R418''']] - [[Athy]], [[County Kildare]], to [[Tullow]], [[County Carlow]].
*[[R418 road|'''R418''']] - [[Athy]], [[County Kildare]], to [[Tullow]], [[County Carlow]].
*[[R419 road|'''R419''']] - [[Portlaoise]], [[County Laois]], to [[Rathangan]], [[County Kildare]].
*[[R419 road|'''R419''']] - [[Portlaoise]], [[County Laois]], to [[Rathangan]], [[County Kildare]].
*[[R422 road|'''R422''']] - [[New Inn, County Laois|New Inn]] to [[Mountmellick]] to the [[R421 road|'''R421''']]. All in [[County Laois]].
*[[R422 road|'''R422''']] - [[New Inn, County Laois|New Inn]] to [[Mountmellick]] to the [[R421 road|R421]]. All in [[County Laois]].
*[[R425 road|'''R425''']] - [[Abbeyleix]] to [[Ballyroan]] to [[N7 road|M7]], Junction 16. All in [[County Laois]].
*[[R425 road|'''R425''']] - [[Abbeyleix]] to [[Ballyroan]] to [[N7 road|M7]], Junction 16. All in [[County Laois]].
*[[R426 road|'''R426''']] - [[Portlaoise]], [[County Laois]] to [[Castlecomer]], [[County Kilkenny]]
*[[R426 road|'''R426''']] - [[Portlaoise]], [[County Laois]] to [[Castlecomer]], [[County Kilkenny]]

Revision as of 20:13, 1 October 2007

Regional roads are also used in some parts of Ontario. See County Road for more information.

A regional road (Irish: Bóthar Réigiúnach) in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route (such as a national primary route or national secondary road), but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" (e.g. R105).

History

Regional roads were formerly known as "Link roads" and under the pre-1980's route numbering system had the prefix "L" (with "Trunk" roads having the prefix "T"). In 1975 the "T/L" numbering system began to be phased out in favour of the current M/N/R route numbering arrangement (under the Local Government (Roads and Motorways) Act 1974). Regional roads were fully introduced into Irish law under the Roads Act 1993, having been present on road signs on a non-statutory basis for some years previously, and their routes were legislated under a Statutory Instrument (`SI') in 1994. However in some places very old signposts with the now obsolete numbering systems are still to be seen.

The latest SI declaring the state's regional roads was published in 2006: the Roads Act 1993 (Classification of Regional Roads) Order 2006.

Features

Unlike national roads, regional roads are looked after by local county/city councils rather than the National Roads Authority. Until the late 1990s, such roads were frequently very poor, although increased road maintenance funding to local councils has resulted in more frequent resurfacing of regional roads, as well as relaying and realignment on some routes.

Regional roads are subject to a lower speed restriction of 80 km/h (~50 mph), rather than the 100 km/h (~62 mph) for national roads. Prior to 2005, the limits were identical at 60 mph. Regional routes however, pass through towns, villages and built up areas frequently, so even lower local speed restrictions are often in place.

As of 2006, directional signposting on regional roads in Ireland remains poor, with even modern signage usually relying on finger signposts located directly at junctions.

Notable Regional Roads

General

Urban Regional Roads

By-Passed National Routes

Since the enactment of the Roads Act 1993, motorways now form part of national primary roads. As a result when a new motorway, or other by-pass is built, the former N-road is downgraded to a regional road. The following are the downgraded N-roads:



High capacity regional roads

There are some higher capacity (i.e. not just standard two lane) sections of regional road, most notably the R113 (Belgard Road) and R445 (Old Naas Road) and R132 Swords Inner By-pass which have sections of dual carriageway. In some cases, important high capacity urban routes are built/designated as regional roads, such as the mostly dual carriageway R710 Waterford Outer Ring Road, or the R774 Greystones to the N11 link, which is dual carriageway for its full length. In many other cases, upgraded regional roads (for example, wide two lane) were previously part of a national primary road, prior to the construction of a motorway or other bypass. In most cases, when a national primary road is changed by the creation of a bypass (motorway or other), the road previously forming part of the route is reclassified to being a regional road (rather than just a local road).

See also

References

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