The project includes 2.4km of improved pavement, new bike lanes, upgraded road surfaces, and 13 bus shelters. Some wide junctions are being altered to reduce vehicle entry speeds for pedestrian safety.
Frankie Burke, of Burkes Buses, has raised concerns that standard coaches and trucks, and other HGVs including cranes and low loaders, will be unable to pass each other on the busy Ballybane and Castlepark roads when works on tighter junctions and narrower carriageways are complete.
Coffey Construction began works in February, and is scheduled to complete the road, which will link with future Bus Connects routes, by March.
Burke claims trial runs with Bus Éireann double deckers were flawed, as these vehicles are narrower than most commercial coaches, and pointed to a near identical road scheme in Fossa, Co Kerry, where narrowing the carriageway has created problems for larger vehicles.
“Our buses - similar to Citylink, Bus Eireann Expressway, and others - are 2.87m wide. They are considerably wider than double decker buses used in trial runs. When we meet another vehicle the same size coming the opposite direction, we take up 5.74m of the six meters available to us. The remaining 26cm of space has to be divided between the curbs and wheels of both buses, and between the buses themselves,” Burke told the Advertiser.
Burke says he is concerned for cyclists’ safety in close proximity to large vehicles with only inches between them, and the possibility for crashes or delays as buses will need to cross the centreline to navigate curves on the road, and new, narrower junctions.
“I think the upgrading of infrastructure for all modes of transport is a positive thing, and I look forward to future projects such as Bus Connects Dublin Road and Cross City Link becoming a reality. However, I hope these concerns are considered and acted upon before it's too late, and too costly, to undo. There must be a way to find a solution - it's too important,” concluded Mr Burke.
The scheme is funded by the government's Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, and the National Transport Authority, delivered by Galway City Council.
"The Ballybane Road and Castlepark Road Cycle Network Scheme has been designed in line with all relevant national standards, including the Cycle Design Manual, and the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets," said a city spokesman. Officials told councillors last week that two new pedestrian crossings are being planned nearby, to link ATU with its proposed new sports campus across the Dublin Road.
Local councillor, Shane Forde (FG ), says every communication from constituents on this "nightmare" project has raised concerns. He welcomed a recent newsletter from City Hall to 400 local residents updating them on works, but criticised it as too little, too late.
“This project was approved before my time, but all councillors in the east ward are looking for changes, and there has been a lack of community engagement,” he said. “I have yet to receive a single positive comment from any constituent. The whole area looks like a war zone,” Forde added.
