Three-month closure of busy Athlone road comes into effect

A three-month closure of a busy road in urban Athlone came into effect from today (Monday).

Uisce Éireann said a section of Abbey Road, from St Vincent's Care Centre to the former Hanley's Cash and Carry, is being closed, with only local access to remain, from today's date, April 29, until July.

The closure is to facilitate ongoing works connected to the €114 million Athlone Main Drainage wastewater project.

A map posted online by Uisce Éireann outlined the diversion route that will be in effect as a result of the road closure.

Motorists who would typically travel along Abbey Road to get to the Dunnes Stores branch in Montree, or to residential areas such as Marine View or St Kieran's Terrace, are now being asked to take a diversion on the Coosan Point Road, and past Arcadia Retail Park, in order to get to those same areas.

Uisce Éireann said the work is part of its "ongoing efforts to reduce sewer flooding in the town and address non-compliant overflows into the River Shannon".

"We regret any inconvenience that the delivery of these necessary works may cause," it added.