Tenders are being sought by Westmeath County Council for the next phase of the Athlone Town Centre enhancement project.
The development to come will incorporate the part pedestrianisation of Sean Costello Street from Sweeney's Corner to Flannery's pub with a new traffic layout bringing vehicles through Church Street via Mardyke Street, upgrading of relevant streets and an improved public realm.
'A realignment of the existing carriageway along Mardyke Street' including 120 metres of shared surface area for numerous categories of street users is noted in the forthcoming project which will further include the provision of street furniture, play equipment, cycle parking, tree planting, and soft landscaping to enhance local biodiversity.
The construction of a new 'priority signalised junction' to include enhanced pedestrian facilities, at the intersection of Mardyke Street, Gleeson Street, Pump Lane and St Mary’s Square will result in traffic no longer being able to journey through Sean Costello Street onto Church Street, an alternative route permitting vehicles to proceed up Pump Lane before turning onto Mardyke Street and rejoining Church Street near the front entrance to Athlone Towncentre.
Westmeath County Council hopes that construction on this phase of development will commence before the end of this year, the closing date for project tenders being June 9 and with a 395-day construction period specified, it is expected that the project would reach its conclusion towards the end of 2023 or in early 2024.
The redeveloped area will include the former site of O'Neill's pub which was the result of a compulsory purchase order by Westmeath County Council.
Approximately €4.13 million in funding was confirmed for the Athlone Town Centre enhancement project in March 2021.
