CITY TRIBUNE

First steps taken in plan to overhaul Galway City’s pedestrianised zone

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Galway City Tribune – The first step in a long-awaited plan to overhaul the pedestrianised thoroughfare through the city has begun.

Irish Water has started to mark out manholes on the sewer ahead of calling for contractors to tender for a major rehabilitation of the pipe network.

The company plans to benefit from new techniques which will allow the overhaul of the vital sewerage system to be carried out without ripping up the entire city centre spine.

Eunan Canavan, Irish Water’s Capital Delivery Regional Lead North West, told the Galway City Tribune that the utility hopes the project will begin mid-way through the year.

“Irish Water is currently tendering a contract for rehabilitation works to the existing culvert sewer on William St, Shop St, High St, from Eglinton St (Brown Thomas corner) to Cross St, and also a section on St Augustine St and Flood St,” he stated.

“We will be using non-dig rehabilitation technology on the project to ensure minimum disruption to businesses and shoppers.

Mr Canavan said the digging at the manholes will be limited, making them just wide enough to improve access.

“It’s technology that used in these sorts of situations where it’s highly impractical to do widescale digging. I’m from Galway myself and wouldn’t like to be associated with something where the whole of Shop Street would be dug up.”

The work will be done on a phased basis – most likely outside of key tourist periods during the summer and Christmas – and will take between 12 and 18 months to complete.

The city’s Chief Executive Brendan McGrath has previously stated that all of the other services beneath the surface – sewer and water connections to premises, telecommunications connections, underground ESB supplies – all need to be done ahead of replacing the cobblestones.

He has highlighted the street resurfacing well in advance of 2020 European Capital of Culture as a priority.
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