Lough Ree Greenway project takes another step forward
Almost two years after the first public consultation took place on a proposed Lough Ree Cycleway linking Athlone to Ballyleague/Lanesboro and Roscommon town, Roscommon County Council is to host a second public consultation event.
The second round of public consultation is set to take place in the Hodson Bay Hotel on Tuesday next, March 11, from 3pm to 8pm. Member of the public will be presented with Route Corridor Options and can give feedback on all aspects of the ambitious plan which could see up to 50km of greenway being put in place between Athlone and Ballyleague/Lanesboro.
The project is being undertaken by Roscommon County Council, in partnership with Westmeath County Council, and with the backing of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) who provided grant aid totalling €600,000 towards the Lough Ree Greenway in February 2023.
The plan to link Ballyleague to Athlone by means of a greenway was flagged in the annual budget report of Roscommon County Council as far back as 2019, which stressed the importance of the development of a greenway along the Shannon from Carrick on Shannon to Lough Key and from Ballyleague to Athlone to the Galway Dublin route, as being “very important tourism infrastructure for county Roscommon”.
The council said the greenway will improve access to East Roscommon and the Lough Ree catchments and entice people to explore its towns and villages and its unspoilt scenery. It is also envisaged that the project will facilitate “sustained economic development”in the wider region through improved connectivity and increased tourism potential.
Members of Roscommon County Councils Greenways Team based in National Roads Regional Office along with Project Consultants (RPS) will be in attendance at next week's public consultation event in Athlone. Mapping will also be displayed and feedback will be encouraged, according to Niall Morrissey, Senior Executive Engineer with Roscommon County Council.
Closing date for receipt of feedback forms is Wednesday, April 2 next, and further information on the Lough Ree Greenway is available at: www.loughreegreenway.ie .
The project team can be contacted at info@loughreegreenway.ie.