N71 road (Ireland)

The N71 road is a national secondary road in Ireland.
Road standard.
The road is mostly relatively poor single carriageway, with better sections towards the Cork end of the route. There are wide sections with climbing/passing lanes, including a very rare configuration with a passing lane on both sides, and a dual carriageway section approaching Cork.
There are future plans to construct a dual carriageway along the section of roadway between the existing 1970s dual carriageway and the N40 South Ring Road in Cork.
Road improvements.
In the mid 1990s, a new section of road was constructed between Ballinhassig and Halfway. The old section of the N71 which the new section replaced, was redesignated as the part of the R613. The new road constructed by-passed Halfway, with Halfway remaining the only town or village on the route which has been bypassed. Other features of this improvement scheme replaced old sections of the road between Cork City and Ballinhassig, with the old sections now forming parts of the local road network. This new section features an overtaking lane for both sides of the road. A flyover was also constructed for the N71 - R613 junction.
Another improvement scheme was also completed in the mid 1990s between Innishannon and Bandon. The road was widened, hard shoulders added to the road and climbing lanes also added.