€4.1m in active travel funding for Westmeath projects
Westmeath County Council has been allocated €3.5 million for a range of active travel measures designed to improve walking and cycling infrastructure and reduce traffic congestion on key routes in urban areas.
The funding is part of a larger allocation of €4.1m for the county, with the additional funding going to greenway projects and a bus stop enhancement programme amounting to €500,000.
Meanwhile Roscommon Co Co has been allocated over €4.5m, made up of €2,750,000 for Active Travel, €500,000 for bus stop enhancement and the remaining funding going towards greenway projects.
The six key active travel schemes in Athlone are all being funded under the latest round of active travel allocations, with the largest allocation going to Route 3, the Cormanaddy to Garrycastle Scheme ( €200,000), and the second largest allocation – €130,000 – going to Route 1, the Creggan to Town Centre Scheme.
The Garrycastle to Town Centre route is to receive €130,000 while the Coosan NS to Town Centre Scheme has been allocated €85,000. A plan for a pedestrian/cycle bridge to Baylough is to receive €50,000.
Local Authority Active Travel staff costs for engineering and administration in Westmeath have been allocated a total of €470,000 with the corresponding figure for Roscommon County Council is €338,000.
Among a number of other active travel measures to receive funding in the Athlone area are junction tightening and pedestrian crossing upgrades at Elliott Road/Custume Barracks (€200,000); a new pedestrian crossing at the Bower Secondary School on the Retreat Road (€40,000); pedestrian crossing upgrades at John Broderick Street, Battery Heights, Mount Temple, on the Old Galway Road (Annsfield Court) and on the Roscommon Road (at St. Joseph's Villas).
Funding of €30,000 has been allocated to Roscommon County County for Active Travel Schemes in Bealnamulla, while the R363 Road at Ballyforan has been allocated €100,000 to implement Active Travel safety measures. €4,000 has also been allocated for junction tightening of the L2018 road at Curraghboy while the Old Galway Road (Springwell Road) is to receive €5,000 for an Active Travel pedestrian and cycling route.
Meanwhile, grant allocations from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) for Greenways and national roads active travel, which was announced in tandem with funding for active travel measures in each county, will result in Westmeath receiving an additional €1.1m.
This funding includes €500,000 for the Kilbeggan to Mullingar Greenway and €250,000 for the Galway to Athlone Cycleway. €100,000 is also to be allocated for cycleway and public realm works at Athlone Castle.
Roscommon County Council has been allocated €300,000 for the Athlone to Ballyleague/Lanesborough section of Lough Ree Greenway, and a similar amount for the Ballyleague/Lanesborough to Tarmonbarry/Strokestown/Roosky section.
See full details of funding in this week's print edition of the Westmeath Independent