Councillors press for road works to be finished ASAP
COUNCILLORS representing the Tralee Municipal District are pressing management to ensure the road works in Tralee are completed as quickly as possible to lessen the disruption faced by businesses.
With work to restore two way traffic on Denny Street due to be complete within the next fortnight, councillors are calling for an all out effort to ensure the work is finished on time or, better still, ahead of schedule.
At Monday’s meeting of the Tralee Municipal District council – members heard from Senior Executive Engineer Tom Sheehy who said he was hopeful that the work on Denny Street would be completed on, or before, the May 22 deadline.
Councillors were clearly very pleased with this development and urged management to keep the pressure on contractors John Craddock Ltd to have the work finished on time.
The work on Denny Street is two week’s behind the original schedule but, according to Mr Sheehy, the contractor is on track to have the street ready for two way traffic on May 22.
Cllr Jim Finucane (FG) said traders and the public have been vary patient with the work to date and he urged council management to ensure the deadline is met as a show of good faith to the people of Tralee.
“We need to hit our milestones and I’d like to see a sense of urgency about the work,” he said.
“I understand the difficulties involved in the work but if we can meet the deadline we can give the people of the town a sense that significant progress is being made. We have to meet the deadline,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Cllr Norma Foley (FF).
“There is a real need for urgency. It’s a very nervous time for traders and anything we can do to foster confidence will help,” she said.
Cllr Toireasa Ferris (SF) said in her experience the traffic disruption caused by the work was relatively minimal.
“I drive through the centre of Tralee 10 or 15 times a day and to be honest I have found no difference with my routine,” she said.
“Everyone knows I won;t defend the council if I think it is wrong but in this case I want to commend everyone involved.”
Cllr Ferris said while she knew there was some disruption to business at the moment she believes it “will all be worth it in the long run” and businesses will “reap the benefits” of the end product.
Tralee District Manager Michael Scannell said the council was determined to get the message out that Tralee is very much open for business.
“There is a realisation that the benefits will far outweigh the pain. There is no reason Tralee can’t function to its full potential in the coming months,” he said.