Busy Mill Street to get cycle path and reduced speed limit

A cycle path and reduced speed limit are to be introduced in Mill Street, Dundalk as part of the Safer Routes to School programme, members of Dundalk Municipal District heard at their April meeting.

Fianna Fail councillor Sean Kelly had tabled a motion calling on the local authority “to consider Mill Street for the next round of speed calming measures and include the street in the special 30km speed zone. At present the street is used as a through road and shortcut for motorists and there is excessive speeding for a narrow street which has a strong residential community, a convent, a primary school and a secondary school and the entrance to a business park.”

He said he raised the issue as both St Vincent’s Secondary School and Réalt na Mara were located on it. It was very busy, with a lot of people using it to avoid Jocelyn Street and there had been a number of incidents on it.

In a written reply, Director of Placemaking & Physical Development, Mr David Jones, said that, “Louth County Council’s Active Travel Section have received €145K funding from the National Transport Authority (NTA) on the 7th of February 2024 to advance a scheme which will provide a segregated cycle path incorporating upgraded footpaths along the entire length of Mill Street from its junction with Quay Street to Castle Road.

“This proposed scheme will also provide connectivity into Seatown Place, effectively creating a continuous loop around the block of Mill Street, Castle Road, Seatown Place & Quay Street and connecting into another Active Travel Project on the Inner Relief Road.

“In addition, the design process will be incorporating a number of Safe Routes to School infrastructure at the front of the three schools in the area, namely Dundalk Rehab, Realt na Mara National School and St Vincent’s Secondary School.

“An integral part of this design philosophy is to reduce the speed limit in environments such as this to 30 km/hr, which is more applicable for safe pedestrian and cyclist movements.

“The national guidelines on speed limits are due to be released in Quarter 2 2024 from Department of Transport, which will allow Louth County Council to commence the speed limit review, during which a reduction in the speed limit along this section of road will be recommended.”

“Active Travel seems to be a brilliant scheme,” commented Cllr Maeve Yore while Cllr John Reilly wondered if the street could be made one-way.

Cllr Kelly said this was something that could be discussed at an area meeting.