Second attempt to remove Kirwan roundabout

A previous proposal to remove the roundabout at Menlo Park Hotel on the Headford Road faced huge opposition and was voted down by city councillors.

But officials at the local authority have confirmed to the Galway City Tribune that they will try again to solve the pinch-point problem at Kirwan.

Jim Molloy, Senior Engineer at the Council’s Transport and Infrastructure department, said it needs to be looked at again.

“It merits fresh eyes taking a look at it. We hope to appoint consultants soon to have another look at it,” said Mr Molloy.

He said the addition of a traffic junction on the Headford Road, which allowed traffic turn right in Dunnes Stores, could help solve some of the opposition to removing Kirwan.

Mr Molloy said he hoped that the consultants would report back by the end of this year, and ultimately it would have to be passed by a vote of elected members through the ‘Part 8’ (public consultation) planning process.

Meanwhile, the City Council is also looking at installing a traffic lights junction at the point where the N17 meets Parkmore.

This priority junction, according to Mr Molloy, is one of the worst in the city and causes serious backlogs through the city’s road network.

It is one of a series of measures being looked at to alleviate congestion inbound on the Tuam Road.

The consultants will be asked to examine the N17 bus corridor at Claregalway, to determine whether it is working well and if it needs to be extended or reduced in length.

The consultants will also be asked to examine if bus corridors are needed inbound on the Tuam Road from An Post and Kenny’s garage, into the junction where the N17 meets the N6 Bóthar na dTreabh.

Mr Molloy said it is hoped that said that any proposals will need part 8 planning approval and so may not go to construction until the end of next year, depending on funding.

It this week invited tenders for design works.