A “multimillion-euro facelift” has begun to roll out on the Kilkenny Carlow border.
45 short, medium and long term projects are included in the Graignamanagh and Tinnahinch Mobility Plan which was formally adopted this week by members of the Callan Thomastown Municipal District.
Focus now is on finding the €10 million it’ll take to fund the initiatives.
Cllr Peter “Chap” Cleere says the main objective is to improve the quality of the existing transport network, in particular pedestrian connections, and to have universal access to all community facilities in the area, noting “Some of the things that are being suggested is improving the area for pedestrians and cyclists and vehicles and there’s many brilliant measures that are there that are going to make a huge difference in that, a lot of additional footpaths and cycleways, increased safety measures at a couple of key danger spots across the town, obviously one of the aims is trying to reduce the traffic congestion and improving the overall car parking facilities”.
He adds “One of the things that’s really exciting me is a new pedestrian and cycle bridge opposite the rowing club over to The Barrow Way, if and when we get the funding for that it’s going to be a fantastic addition to the town and for the betterment of all locals but also all tourists, as you know Graignamanagh is a huge tourist destination and we’re trying to make sure that we have the infrastructure in place so that people, both locals and tourists, can really enjoy and savour everything that’s great about the place”.
Some of the shorter term ones have already been realised, including the redesigned layout of a car park and double yellow lines along the quay while work on 400metres of a footpath on the Moneen road is due to start in the next couple of weeks.
And Cllr Cleere doesn’t think there’ll be any issue finding the funding for the rest, telling KCLR News “The blueprint is there now, a lot of these projects are shovel ready, the plan is there and it’s just a matter of getting the funding so we’ll be putting as much pressure as possible on the various different departments to deliver for Graignamanagh because we deserve for it to be delivered, it’s going to take time, it’s not all going to happen in one year, but the blueprint is there and it’s going to be a fantastic couple of years for Graignamanagh in terms of the significant investment that is going to come our way”.
