A busy stretch on the eastern of Galway City is to get a protected cycle track and wider footpaths after councillors voted to approve a scheme which takes priority away from motorists.

Ballybane Road and Castlepark Road are to get a two-metre-wide bike lane and a separated footpath for pedestrians by reducing the road width to three metres each way.

The scheme involves major changes to a 1.2km section of Ballybane Road, from its junction with the Monivea Road to the Skerritt Roundabout on the Dublin Road and 1.2km of Castlepark Road, from the Ballybane Road to its junction with Monivea Road.

Priority will be given to pedestrians and cyclists with raised crossings on all side roads and six signalised junctions.

There will be a kerb between the road the cycle lane to make it safer for those on bikes.

Bus shelters will be set back to allow cyclists and pedestrians to avoid them but not enough that traffic will go around the buses when stopping for passengers.

Land will be taken from the Atlantic Technological University for one section of the scheme.

The scheme attracted 16 submissions, most of them in favour but some raising concerns about worse congestion on both roads, which are heavily used in peak hours by workers.
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article and for more on the plan for Sea Road/The Crescent, see the September 15 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.