Following a meeting today between Elected Members of Killaloe and Nenagh Municipal Districts and officials from Clare and Tipperary County Councils, both local authorities have agreed to pedestrianise the existing Killaloe Bridge for a trial period.
The pedestrianisation trial will start a number of weeks after the opening of the new bridge, which will allow an interim period when both bridges will operate for vehicles.
The trial, provided for under Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 1994, aims to pilot a more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly route on the existing bridge between Killaloe and Ballina. The trial will also enable further detail and evidence of traffic flows and pedestrian movements between the towns to be gathered, and for the social, economic and tourism benefits to be measured.
The trialled pedestrianisation of the existing 18th Century Killaloe Bridge, follows significant public engagement in Killaloe and Ballina in recent months. The timeline for the trial will be announced closer to the opening of the new Shannon Bridge Crossing.
In the meantime, Clare County Council is leading the preparation of a significant joint Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) application, along with Tipperary County Council, for the commencement of the detailed design and feasibility of a number of projects and improvements to the public realm in Killaloe and Ballina under the Killaloe-Ballina Town Enhancement and Mobility Plan.
The Killaloe-Ballina Town Enhancement and Mobility Plan sets out a co-ordinated vision for public realm improvements in Killaloe and Ballina. A number of projects are envisaged under the plan, including improvements to public spaces in Killaloe and Ballina and the provision of additional car parking in both towns.
Central to the Killaloe-Ballina Town Enhancement and Mobility Plan is the proposed pedestrianisation and reimagining of the existing Killaloe Bridge, to make it safer and more enjoyable to walk and cycle between the two towns.
