Consultants have been appointed to draw up plans for a new pedestrian footbridge over the Owneriff River in Oughterard – two decades after it was included in the town’s Local Area Plan.

Engineering consultants AtkinsRéalis will undertake the planning and design work for the project, which has been promised since at least 2006.

Galway West TD, Noel Grealish (Ind) said this latest step would “finally bring towards a close a saga that has been running for years”.

But Transport Infrastructure Ireland has cautioned there are several other steps that need to be jumped before construction can begin, including securing planning permission.

“The timescale for completion of design and construction is currently uncertain as progress is dependent on funding and planning consent,” TII said.

Previous plans for a new footbridge over the river were scuppered when the National Parks and Wildlife Service warned that the shadow impact of the pedestrian crossing would negatively affect protected pearl mussel species.

TII confirmed last week that the new plans should be drawn-up by the end of this year but warned the “longer terms timescale for this scheme is currently uncertain, as the construction phase cannot commence until funding is agreed and planning consent is granted”.

Caption: Traffic on the existing bridge over the Owenriff in Oughterard.

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