Decision imminent on one-way system for Athlone
Local councillors are due to make a decision on whether to proceed with the proposed €3m enhancement project for Athlone’s main thoroughfare at a meeting on Thursday.
A return to a one-way system, travelling east/west, is seen as the 'preferred’ option for the new streetscape along Church Street. Councillors were scheduled to receive a presentation on the Church Street enhancement at a meeting of the Athlone Municipal District on Monday, but this was deferred to Thursday afternoon.
The council’s Director of Services, Barry Kehoe, mentioned that the councillors held an in-committee meeting to discuss the plans last week, and that this was followed by a consultation meeting attended by Church Street traders and others.
Those in attendance at this meeting offered a cautious welcome to the council’s plans.
He said that, following on from that consultation, a number of queries had arisen in relation to the plans. These were now being examined by the consultants working on the project.
Mr Kehoe proposed adjourning the presentation on the project to Thursday, in order to allow time for “these issues to be thrashed out”. Thursday’s meeting is due to take place at 4.15pm.
The streetscape plans, if given the green light by councillors, will proceed to the Part 8 planning process which is expected to take two months.