The Inner Relief Road

Here we can see the four lane dual-carriageway known officially as The Inner Relief Route (co-ordinates 54.27170 -8.48085) which was without question, the best thing ever to happen to Sligo Town.

At a cost of €73 million, The Inner Relief Route was opened to the public on Friday 2nd of September 2005, by the then Minister for Transport Mr Michael Cullen.

The Inner Relief Route runs from Carraroe roundabout, about two and a half miles south of here, and ends at Hughes Bridge which is just out of sight to the left.

The Inner Relief Route relieved Sligo Town of it’s crippling traffic problems practically overnight.

Unfortunately, in their wisdom, just as soon as Sligo‘s traffic chaos had ended, Sligo Borough Council decided to pedestrianise O’Connell Street and channel all the traffic towards to The Inner Relief Route, once again clogging up the towns main thoroughfares and casting Sligo Town back into the bad old days, with traffic chaos once again on a daily basis. Thankfully, O’Connell Street has once again been re-opened permanently.

WARNING Take extreme care when crossing the dual-carriageway, use the pedestrian lights at the crossing, don’t take any chances, and remember to look RIGHT on the first carriageway, and LEFT on the second one.