A road in Cork melted on Thursday, prompting a road safety warning as Ireland experienced soaring temperatures.
Despite efforts by council workers to spread grit on the slippery road surface, motorists were strongly advised to avoid Lower Goggins Hill, a local road located between Ballinhassig and Crossbarry, in an area known locally as ‘the mountain’, until the weather cools down.
However, with forecasters predicting even hotter days ahead, concerns were raised regarding the potential closure of this key route, which is heavily used by hundreds of motorists daily traveling from the west of Cork city towards Crossbarry and Halfway.
Cllr Ben Dalton O’Sullivan, Chair of the Carrigaline Municipal District, reported receiving almost a dozen complaints on Thursday from drivers whose vehicles sustained damage to their tyres and bodywork after traversing approximately 500 yards of melting tar along ‘the mountain’. He stated:
“I immediately contacted the council, and they responded promptly by applying grit and sand to the affected area. However, my advice to the public is to avoid this route until the temperature decreases.”
The road had been treated with a spray of chip and tar mixture approximately 18 months prior as part of a minor road maintenance project. However, Mr. O’Sullivan noted that this treatment apparently provided insufficient protection to the underlying soft surface.
He further emphasized that in light of climate change, local authorities will need to evaluate and potentially adjust the composition or selection of tarmac used in road maintenance projects to ensure greater resilience against prolonged periods of extreme heat.
Motorways and other significant roads are constructed using modified asphalt surfaces, which are designed to withstand temperatures as high as 60°C.
Basic asphalt materials used on local roads can begin to soften when temperatures reach 50°C, and roads may experience warping or become sticky during heatwaves exceeding 40°C.
While tarmac and asphalt are more cost-effective and less abrasive to tires compared to some alternative materials, their dark coloration contributes to faster and more pronounced heating under intense sunlight.
Temperatures in Ireland are forecast to reach 28°C over the upcoming weekend.
