A total of €1,8540 has been allocated for 34 new Active Travel and Climate Change Adaption projects across Clare, Deputy Joe Carey announced today.
The funding has been made available under the Government’s July Jobs Stimulus Plan and is part of the overall €115 million package for sustainable transport and the renewal of our transport infrastructure.
Deputy Carey said: “The Active Travel grant scheme is a very positive initiative which will see communities across Clare benefiting from improved and more accessible walking and cycling infrastructure as well as stimulating local employment.
“The projects included in the scheme can make a real difference to people: footpaths and cycle ways that allow children to walk/cycle to school and to local sport clubs; the dishing of footpaths and pedestrian crossings that improve access to local amenities and links to public transport, and improvements to town and village centres that will support our hard hit retail and hospitality sectors.”
A total of €1,264,340 is being made available for the Active Travel scheme in Clare.
These projects include:
*The upgrade and refurbishment of existing cycling lanes on Ennis/Clarecastle to Shannon Town cycle lanes;
*Refurbishment of the existing masonry bridge in Latoon to provide a connected cycling corridor from Ennis to Shannon;
*Promotion of behavioural change workshops and advertisement;
*Pedestrian crossing at the Kilrush Road in Ennis and additional public lighting on existing pedestrian/cycling lane;
*Resurfacing to access road and amenity area at Inchiquin Lake Corofin along the Mid Clare Way walking route;
*Provision of new or widened footpaths or cycle tracks on the Blueway Trail adjacent to R463 from Bealkelly to Killaloe;
*Dishing of footpaths at junctions and reducing road width at crossing points at various locations in Ennis Town;
*Improved crossing facilities in towns and villages including raised surfaces, zebra crossings and signalised crossings;
*Renewal and remarking of pedestrian crossing point at St Finnachtas School in Sixmilebridge;
*Replacement of an end of life controlled pedestrian crossing along the R471 , Sixmilebridge;
*Provision of a new publicly lit footpath to connect five housing estates in Meelick;
*Provision of new or widened footpath/cycle track at the entrance to Vandeleur Gardens in Kilrush;
*Repairs to cycle lane between Ennistymon and Lahinch;
*New bicycle racks at Kilrush, Killimer car ferry terminal, Cappagh Pier, Labasheeda pier and Quilty;
*Reducing the speed limit at the Ennis Turnpike Zone;
*Design process for the provision of pedestrian cycleway by widening of the footpath and adjustment of existing margins on the Kilrush Road in Ennis between Ashline and Kilrush Rd Cross at Carmody Street;
*Design process for a crossing point to cater for the Educate Together School and Gaelschoil on R458 Gort Road in Ennis adjacent to Aughanteeroe;
*Provision of new or widened footpaths or cycle tracks in Tulla.
These local projects include:
*Westbury Housing Estate Co Clare: Preventative/remedial works to the existing storm water pump house and associated infrastructure to County Clare’s largest housing estate;
*Kilkittann, Whitegate; Works required in raising the existing road by 600mm including banking the edge of the existing road, replacement of two road crossings and drainage works to adjacent land drains to prevent the road from being flooded;
*Remedial works on 1km of road in Clonfeagh that was badly cracked and out of shape following severe hot weather spell;
*Bothar Luchra, Shannon: Clearance of channel drains to prevent road flooding;
*Bealach Bri, Shannon: Clearance of channel drains to prevent road flooding;
*A structural investigation to determine the condition Shragh Bridge;
*Preventative drainage works to prevent flooding at Seafield Beach;
*Near Kilbaha, Grave of the Yellow Men: Protection measures for roads which would be vulnerable to severe weather events;
*Remedial work on 1km of local road in Ballyeashea;
*Reshaping and surfacing of 400m of local road;
*Remedial works in upgrading and repairing the surface water network at the Entrance of Clondrina Housing Estate in Crusheen;
*Protection of existing road network in Coolycasey following flooding in February 2020;
*Preventative works to prevent flooding in Tulla;
*Remedial works to the storm water lines at the Millstream housing estate in Killaloe.
Deputy Carey added: “The recent severe weather has again highlighted the challenges presented by climate change on our road infrastructure. The Climate Change Adaptation grants now being provided will help Clare County Council to deal with the essential repairs needed in the aftermath of the severe weather but also to take steps towards making their road networks more resilient in the longer term.
Minister of State, Hildegarde Naughton TD, added: “Families and businesses in our villages, towns and cities right across the country will benefit from these important ‘shovel ready’ projects as soon as November this year. The funding being announced today will go a long way in facilitating a secure environment for our children in their daily commute to school as part of our work on the Safe Routes to School initiative.”
