Councillor comes up with alternative to bypass plan

A county councillor has put forward a series of proposals for the new city bypass, including underpasses and the conversion of the Quincentenary Bridge into a six-lane highway.

Fine Gael’s Frank Kearney from Turloughmore said the consultants behind the plans need to look at alternatives to their existing proposals because of mass opposition.

He said the proposals will address the chronic traffic problems on the Headford Road to Ballybrit, on the Quincentenary Bridge and on Seamus Quirke Road.

■ Remove the footbaths on the Quincentenary Bridge and make three lanes of traffic on both sides and build hanging bridges on either side for cyclists and pedestrians.

■ To ease the traffic congestion on the east side of the city, a slip road be made to and from the Quincentenary Bridge onto Dyke Road and a road to link onto the Headford and Tuam roads put in place.

■ The project would also include the relief road for Claregalway and a link from there that would bring traffic from the west side of the city on to the M6 towards Carnmore.

■ To alleviate traffic on the westside, a slip road to an underpass under the Quincentenary Bridge to be carried out in conjunction with proposed widening works by NUIG on their own underpass, and onto the N59 Moycullen Road and a similar type exit from the N59 onto the N6 or Seamus Quirke Road.

■ Remove the Browne Roundabout at the back gate of the hospital. Create an underpass that would bring traffic from the Lower Newcastle Road to the Thomas Hynes Road.

■ Create a slip road off the N6 from the Bridge into the hospital back gate and a slip road exit from the gate towards Seamus Quirke Road. Traffic wishing to exit the hospital towards Moycullen and other areas can use the Cathedral side exit.

■ An underpass into Westside Shopping Centre to take away the traffic lights, providing freedom of movement with just one set of lights at the western side of the Quincentenary Bridge between the traffic lights at Galway Shopping Centre to the lights at Glen Oaks Hotel.

“This I feel would ease the traffic congestion considerably on these roads and I would also suggest as part of the overall plan of freedom of movement that a new bridge would be created on the south side of the Salmon Weir Bridge that would take away the turn coming from the Town Hall and that the Salmon Weir Bridge would be retained for pedestrians and cyclists only.

“I would also suggest that discussions would take place with NUIG and that a Park and Ride facility be created at Dyke Road and that that another bridge would be built along the old Clifden railway line.

“A commuter bus could use that old Clifden railway line bridge every fifteen minutes from Dyke Road through NUIG and to the hospital. This link would only be used by the commuter bus, cyclists and pedestrians.

“With regard to Liosban congestion, traffic from Liosban should also be stopped from entering or exiting at the Pilio Hotel and a slip road and under/overpass should be provided onto Bóthar na dTreabh beside the old Ibis Hotel.

“Developing an underpass for entry and exit at Galway Shopping centre, Dunnes at Terryland and/or development of an exit slip road from the back of Dunnes in Terryland up to Sean Mulvoy Road could also be considered.

“€500m to €750m had been proposed for the new project. I feel that even allowing for several extra bridges, that it would not cost as much, and more importantly, cause much less damage to people’s homes,” said Cllr Kearney.