Funding being sought for feasibility study on proposal to build Collooney footbridge
COLLOONEY is cut off from its ‘industrial, retail and community facilities’ and requires a pedestrian footbridge over the N4 to connect the area.
Cllr Thomas Healy brought forward a motion at last week’s meeting calling on the council to write to Transport Infrastructure Ireland to include a footbridge over the N4 in their National Development Plan 2018-2027, or as part of the Knock- Collooney N17 scheme.
The Sinn Féin councillor said the people of Collooney are continuing to demand a provision of such a facility in order to access community, commercial and recreational facilities.
“This is a live ongoing daily issue for Collooney residents,”
Cllr Healy said.“We have held a number of rallies with hundreds of people on the roundabout to highlight the issue and have hundreds of signatures on our petition. Following a major truck accident in 2018, people have combined to demand this safety facility.
“There is a creche, community centre, cemetery, car dealerships, shops and recreational facilities integral to the village which people are forced to run a gauntlet to or else have to drive when they would prefer to walk or cycle.”
Cllr Healy continued “There is now a major infrastructural project on the horizon for Sligo in the upgrading of the N17, 34 kilometres in Sligo bypassing
Charlestown, Curry, Tubbercurry and Ballinacarrow but they cannot bypass Collooney.
He concluded: “All these roads lead to Collooney. Put in this footbridge or all roads will stop at Collooney again.”
In response, Director of Services Tom Kilfeather said it would not be appropriate to include the project in the N17 programme as it may not terminate at Collooney. However, he said the council is seeking funding from the TII for funding for a feasibility study.
Cllr Healy welcomed the report.