Ballinasloe’s fibre optic ‘big dig’ work set to start

Works on Ballinasloe enhancement scheme will commence within the next week – and it is hoped that, when completed, the town will have the capacity to attract a major technology industry.

It has been confirmed to Cllr Donal Burke that the infrastructure will be provided so that fibre optic cables can installed.

“We should now be in a position to compete for some of the major industries who want to establish here,” he told The Connacht Tribune.

The town enhancement scheme for Ballinasloe is coming in more expensive than originally anticipated and there had been fears that the project would be delayed to some degree.

The town centre’s streets will be dug up for the provision of water and sewage facilities, while there will also be overground cables buried underground along with a subsequent town enhancement scheme.

It was due to commence after the annual October Fair last year but when tenders for the project were received by Galway County Council, they ran more expensive than anticipated. The €5 million scheme is costing €1 million more than originally anticipated.

Cllr Burke said that he hopes that the works will provide the opportunity for fibre-optic cable to be installed so that the town can attract a major technology industry.

“The town needs a major industry. We should be provided with the infrastructure so that a major technology employer can be attracted to Ballinasloe,” Cllr Burke added.

Damien Mitchell, Senior Engineer with Galway County Council, confirmed that works on the Ballinasloe scheme would commence at the end of April.

He said that there had been a number of changes to bring it within budget but that works would commence before the end of April.

Works will include the undergrounding of existing cables, new paving, road resurfacing, the provision of street furniture, road alignment and the provision of larger disabled parking spaces to meet current standards.

The phasing of the works is intended to keep traffic moving and facilitate the operation of the town while works are ongoing.

“While the final phasing and the location of the starting point has yet to be agreed with the successful contractor, it is envisaged that works would begin in the town centre with trenching and undergrounding of services and the works will move out to the areas further from the centre, to allow settlement to occur in the centre,” Cllr Burke explained.

The contractor will then move back to the centre to complete resurfacing and paths. The contract allows for a liaison person to be appointed to link between the contractor, the businesses and the public.

The works will take 18 months to complete.