Busy Kilkenny road to receive makeover under major new plans
Submissions will be accepted through Kilkenny County Council’s online portal or in writing
Long-awaited road safety improvement works on the Tullaroan Road have finally been given the green light, following years of campaigning by local residents and councillors for action.
The breakthrough comes against the backdrop of a number of serious incidents on the road in recent years, including a fatal collision which claimed the life of a local cyclist just over a month ago.
That tragedy renewed calls for improvements to be made, with concerns over the safety of the road once again brought into sharp focus.
Now, following years of pressure from the local community and elected representatives, there is renewed hope that the planned works will make the Tullaroan Road safer, with the public encouraged to submit their views before the deadline in just over a week’s time.
The local authority secured funding for the project under the National Transport Authority’s Active Travel Programme to improve crossing facilities.
The scheme includes three raised pedestrian crossing points, a footpath to Dicksboro GAA club and a gateway on the approach to the city from the Tullaroan Road.
The first crossing serves Dicksboro GAA club and is a Toucan crossing, a signal-controlled, raised crossing and ties into the existing shared active travel facility.
The second crossing will connect Fox Meadows and Bishop’s Lough, while the third crossing closest to the city connects to the permeability link at Ayrfield through to the Granges Road.
It's hoped the improvement measures will cater for the relocation of the CBC Secondary School, the growth in population in the area and the growing demand to access Dicksboro GAA grounds.
Cllr Maria Dollard, who tabled a motion on the matter to Kilkenny County Council in January, welcomed the ‘long-awaited’ works.
“Road safety has been a longstanding concern in this area,” she said, noting, “while no single project can remove all risk from our roads, every investment that makes our roads safer is an important step forward,” the Green Party councillor said.
"We owe it to every family and every road user to continue investing in safer roads. While this confirmation is welcome, our work to improve road safety must continue,” she added.
"The scheme aims to create a safer environment for all road users on the Tullaroan Road,” Senior Roads Engineer with Kilkenny County Council, Stan Cullen said.
The project is set to be completed by the end of 2026.
Members of the public can make submissions or observations online at www.consult.kilkenny.ie or by emailing [email protected].