Traffic woes ease as pipe work concludes on busy Athlone road

A water pipe replacement project, which has caused traffic disruption near three Athlone secondary schools since early August, came to an end earlier this week.

A contractor for Irish Water was replacing almost 850 metres of cast iron water mains with modern pipes along Lower Road and Retreat Road over the last two and a half months.

As a result of this work, traffic management measures were put in place at various sections of the local thoroughfare, which takes in Athlone Community College, Our Lady's Bower and the Marist College.

Irish Water spokesperson Keith Begg told the Westmeath Independent that its construction work in the area was wrapping up on Tuesday of this week.

Road surface restoration is planned in the aftermath of the pipe replacements, and Mr Begg said it was expected that a "permanent reinstatement" of the road surface would be completed by the end of this year.

The work in the area has been carried out on behalf of Irish Water by Dublin-based contractor GMC Utilities Ltd.