Reduced road closure plan and weekend reopenings proposed

Shorter periods for the closure of the Carrickobrien Road in Athlone, and weekend reopenings, have been agreed, following meetings between a deputation of local residents and council officials.

The intial road closure was due to come into effect on Monday, March 4, and to last for four to six weeks to facilitate work by the Office of Public Works (OPW) on the Athlone flood defence scheme at the River Al.

Now, it's understood that the road closure will be in place from Monday, March 11 and the road will reopen on Friday, March 15 at close of business for the duration of St Patrick's weekend.

Another meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 19 to review progress and to update the group of Carrickobrien residents on the progress of piling works.

Cllr John Dolan attended the meeting with Carrickobrien residents on Friday last and said that it went well. He said that the council officials took on board the concerns of the residents and that the locals understand that the work has to be done.

He feels that the residents affected by the closure should be “relatively happy” with the outcome of the meeting. Cllr Dolan said that the council doesn't know how quickly they will have the piling works completed.

The Fianna Fáil councillor remarked: “I think the council probably learned a little lesson from this as it was important to engage with the stakeholders and the elected members just before something like this goes on ... I know we realised they have a job to do as well so I think in fairness there is going be ongoing engagement. They're probably going to sit down with the residents again to just see how the first week went.”

Cllr Dolan said that the residents weren't initially happy with the road closure but that it was important that it was explained to them what needed to be done and the window of time that the works had to be completed in.

He is hopeful that this proposed solution will work and concluded that the Acting Director of Services for Westmeath County Council Ambrose Clarke and District Manager Willie Ryan took on board the concerns of the residents and “tried to marry that with what the OPW need to do.”

Following the recent meeting, Carrickobrien resident Tom Cleary spoke to other residents and said that the majority are “very happy” with the reduced closure as they are now facing a shorter three-week road closure and another closure in July. “We know there'll be another closure in July but, hopefully, that'll be for a short period,” he stated.

Mr Cleary added that he has also been in touch with the council about putting up signage on the road so that people are aware of the closure. He has also requested for them to put something in place at the Michael Moore Car Sales junction to make it easier and safer for traffic to get out there as it's a “busy spot.”

Mr Cleary concluded that he will be in daily contact with the engineers and will meet with them on site a few times a week to ensure that they get the work done “as quickly as possible.”

The meeting of the deputation of Carrickobrien residents and council officials took place following a large gathering of local residents meeting outside Diskin's Athlone opposite Aldi in Golden Island to campaign against the closure of the road on Thursday, February 29.

The closure of the Carrickobrien road, which is the route into town for some 40 households in the Carrickobrien and Golden Island areas, will facilitate sheet piling work as part of the flood defence scheme and allow for the installation of a culvert at the River Al.