Kerry County Council will seek approval to add 163km of roads to its priority salting routes for periods of icy weather.
The council's Winter Maintenance Service Plan has an overall aim to keep major routes safe with minimum disruption during adverse weather conditions.
An update on the plan was presented to councillors at this month’s council meeting.
Priority for salting during icy or frosty weather is given to the most heavily trafficked roads, starting with national primary routes, then secondary routes, and regional routes.
Following the spells of icy conditions over the last few months, a review by the council into its winter plan has recommended a significant increase in priority routes for salting.
These include the 12km stretch of road from Tralee to Fenit, and a 29km stretch from Tralee to Causeway, passing through Ardfert and Ballyheigue.
Other routes to be added for priority salting in North Kerry are the entire road from Tralee to Ballybunion, including the Dale Road, and the roads from Abbeydorney to Listowel via Lixnaw, and Listowel to Ballybunion.
The council also plans to treat 26km of the R561 from Castlemaine to Annascaul, which had to be closed several times over the winter due to ice.
13km of the R563 Milltown to the Golden Nugget route is also to be salted as a priority this year, as is the 22km stretch of the R571 from Kenmare to Lauragh, and four kilometres of the L-3018 in Killarney.
Frank Hartnett, the council’s Director of Roads & Transportation, told the meeting that the council is planning for more extreme icy weather events in the future.
He said there is currently nine salt spreaders in use for Kerry, including one bought in December, and the review recommends each municipal area buy a rotary spreader to reach smaller roads.
The review also recommends recruiting more drivers of the salt spreaders for daytime use during icy spells.
The council will now have to get approval from Transport Infrastructure Ireland for the additional routes, as the TII controls the supply and distribution of salt to local authorities.
