Big changes in preferred Loughrea Active Travel Scheme Design

Big changes in preferred Loughrea Active Travel Scheme Design

A new active travel plan has been proposed for three streets in the centre of Loughrea. The plan aims to make it safer and easier for people to walk and cycle around the town. As part of the plan, some parking spaces beside the GAA pitch will be removed and raised pedestrian crossings will be added in important areas.

The preferred design will be available for public feedback for three weeks from this Friday. It includes wider footpaths, a dedicated cycle path along parts of the route and improvements to the junction on Bride Street. At the moment, pedestrians only have one opportunity to cross at this junction, but the new design would allow pedestrians to cross safely on all four sides using traffic lights.

A two-way cycle track, separated from traffic, will be built along the north side of Bride Street. Footpaths will remain on both sides of the road, with three new raised pedestrian crossings added. Rain gardens and clearly marked parking spaces will also be introduced. The road itself will be narrowed to encourage drivers to slow down and give more priority to cyclists and pedestrians.

The new traffic lights at the Bride Street junction will include a green pedestrian light on all four sides. A new drop-off area will also be provided to make school drop-offs and pick-ups easier.

Parking beside the Loughrea GAA pitch will be removed to create a safer walking and cycling path. Around 100 people cross the road at this location every day, so the changes are intended to make this area safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

On Bohercom, informal parking used by students from St Raphael’s College will also be removed. This is because the parked cars can make it difficult for bin lorries and emergency vehicles to get through. The area is also commonly used by students walking to and from the school.

Information based on article in Connacht Tribune.

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