Cameras at traffic lights to aid flow of traffic through Claregalway during 18-month roadworks
Cameras at traffic lights will form part of a new plan to minimise tailbacks through Claregalway during construction of traffic calming and drainage infrastructure in the village that could last up to 18 months.
Galway County Council was due to meet with Transport Infrastructure Ireland on June 10 to sign off on the live traffic management plan which has been included in the contract for works in Claregalway.
At a previous Athenry/Oranmore Municipal District meeting, Councillors gasped when they learned that the works would last up to 18 months in a village already known for traffic tailbacks.
At the latest AGM in June, Senior Roads Engineer with Galway County Council Conrad Harley confirmed the local authority had a plan to “maximise the traffic through Claregalway” during the construction phase.
He said that a camera system at traffic lights will be used to prioritise the flow of traffic in real-time.
Cameras will show when traffic builds up at lights in the surrounding area and they can be changed to give priority to vehicles going through Claregalway.
This live traffic management system has not been used in the West of Ireland before, he said.
Mr Harley said it was in operation in Limerick, Dublin and the UK, and the County Council was meeting with TII about its use on the Claregalway project.
He confirmed to County Councillor David Collins (FG) that the timelines for the projects hadn’t changed and they were still on target to commence in Autumn/Winter of this year.
Councillors would be given a workshop on the plans before the construction started, he said.
A community liaison officer will be appointed and on the ground to deal with the public’s concerns and queries.
Funding for the drainage and traffic calming works have already been approved by Government. Part of the job includes the installation of new cycle lanes in Claregalway.
Councillors were previously told the estimated timeline is up to 18 months.