Tralee road works to last nine months

DELAYED WORKS ON THE MALL AND DENNY ST DUE TO START IN DAYS

MUCH of Tralee town centre will be dug up for the next nine months as work takes place to semi pedestrianise The Mall and restore two-way traffic on Denny Street.

On Friday Kerry County Council signed contracts with Kildare based John Craddock Ltd to carry out the €1.7 million town centre improvement plan.

Work on the development – which has been the subject of sustained and vocal opposition from town centre businesses – had been delayed by water mains replacement work on The Mall which concluded in recent days.

With the water main replacement work finally complete, staff from John Craddock Ltd are due to start work on the town centre improvement scheme in the coming days.

The main changes that will arise from the works will be the conversion of Denny Street to two-way traffic and the introduction of a semi pedestrianised ‘shared space’ on the Mall from the Carraig Donn entrance into the Square, as far as the junction of the Mall and Denny Street.

Last year – in the face of furious opposition to the plan from local businesses – Kerry County Council pledged that all works would be complete in time for next year’s Rose of Tralee Festival, which starts on August 16.

However, in a statement announcing the contract signing, the council said the works are now expected to last until November. That date is not set in stone as the council said only that it “anticipated” all works will be finished by then.

Kerry County Council has promised every effort will be made to minimise disruption.

Contractor John Craddock said the aim of his staff will be to complete the works to the highest standard and to work with the town centre businesses to keep Tralee open for business during the works.

Tonight (Wednesday) Tralee Chamber Alliance will host a public meeting at the Ashe Hotel where the contractors will outline the timetable and phasing of their work plan and detail arrangements for motor traffic and pedestrians. The open meeting starts at 6pm.

Photo by Domnick Walsh At the signing of the contract for works on Denny Street/The Mall were, front row seated from left: John Craddock (Contractor), Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Terry O’Brien, Chief Executive Moira Murrell. Back Row: Victor Smyth (Craddocks), James Fealy (KCC),...