Fears over ‘chaos’ at Hazelwood Ave
Fears over ‘chaos’ in Bay Estate when works begin on a sewer upgrade project in Hazelwood Avenue emerged this week.
Local resident Pat Clarke, who has lived with what appears to be a sinkhole at the bottom of his garden for nine years, told the Argus that although he ‘really welcomes the work finally being done..it couldn’t be getting underway at a worse time with the schools back again.’
‘We have been calling for this work to be done for nine years, and then out of the blue we have heard it is beginning on 19th September.’
He said it was ‘ baffling’ that work was being started on such a huge project just as the schools in the area had returned.
‘We had no notice at all from Irish Water that this was going to happen next week. They had been in touch with residents about carrying out surveys back in April, but nothing since then,’ added Pat.
‘It really is going to be chaos as this street is a main thoroughfare for the schools traffic and buses. I don’t know why they couldn’t have done this in the summer, especially with all the good weather we had.’
Louth County Council did advertise a temporary road closure a number of weeks ago at Hazelwood Avenue ‘ to facilitate the upgrading of the existing sewer network within Bay Estate as part of the Irish Water Combined Sewer Upgrade Project.’
The extent of the road closure will be from the junction of N52 Coes Road to the junction of Elm Grove.
The road is expected to be closed for 10 weeks during the 14 week period from Wednesday 19th September to Friday 21st December 2018. Diversions will be in place.
Cllr. Maeve Yore raised the issue at this month’s meeting of the Dundalk Municipal District Committee.
She criticised the ‘ lack of communication’ with residents and bus operators about the works that are set to begin.
‘I have been working on this issue with residents for a number of years, and I’m very disappointed that they could not have been shown the courtesy of being informed these major works were about to get underway.’
She said she had spoke to local bus operators, who were also dismayed at not being given any prior notice of the works.