Work on designing a pedestrian bridge across the Owenriff River in Oughterard is finally expected to start in the Autumn of this year, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII ) has told Galway West TD Noel Grealish.
The Independent TD has welcomed the news, but added that it has taken far too long for a solution to be implemented.
In reply to a Parliamentary Question tabled by Deputy Grealish to the Minister for Transport, Transport Infrastructure Ireland have told him that TII approval was expected to issue shortly in respect of a Feasibility and Options Report from Galway County Council on a pedestrian bridge for Oughterard.
“It is anticipated that a Consulting Engineering firm will be appointed in Autumn 2023 to prepare a design for the pedestrian bridge,” the reply from TII’s Head of Regulatory and Administration, Michael Kennedy, added.
Deputy Grealish, who has been working with local councillor Thomas Welby on the issue, has called on Galway County Council, TII and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to work together to ensure that the proposed bridge goes ahead as quickly as possible.
He pointed out that environmental issues had led to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS ) objecting to a previous proposal some years ago to build the much needed facility.
“They objected because of what they saw as a possible threat to stocks of the threatened species, the freshwater pearl mussel, in the Owenriff River.
“What I want, and the people of Oughterard want to see now is all the stakeholders, including the Council, TII and the NPWS, getting together and working closely to come with a design and and a schedule of works that will meet all the environmental requirements and get this bridge built as soon as possible,” Deputy Grealish added.
