Clash of views on proposed Milltown bridge walkway

CONCERNS about road safety collided head-on with concerns for the environment at a meeting held on Monday night to discuss proposals to construct a pedestrian footbridge with lighting at Milltown Bridge outside Dingle.

Milltown Bridge is regarded by some as potentially lethal with pedestrians risking their lives if they venture to cross it. Others value the old stone bridge as one of Dingle’s most iconic landmarks and the Milltown River that flows under it as a haven for a rich variety of wildlife.

Both views were aired at a public meeting held in the nearby pitch and putt clubhouse in Milltown on Monday night and little emerged by way of compromise.

The meeting was organised by Dingle Tidy Towns, whose chairman Risteard Mac Liam accepted that road safety doesn’t fall within the group’s remit. However, he explained that, “as part of the National [Tidy Towns] Competition we are obliged to undertake a new project each year” and decided to “try and improve to area around Milltown Bridge”.

While Tidy Towns volunteers were working on the Milltown project, members of the public suggested they should also look at “improving the safety aspects for all who pass the bridge”… suggestions included increased lighting over and under the bridge arches and/or building a footbridge”.

The Tidy Towns group took the suggestions on board and these proposals were outlined at Monday’s meeting where the attendance of up to 40 local residents seemed to exceed expectations, filling the appointed venue and spilling out into the adjoining corridor and an adjacent room. During the meeting Tidy Towns member Patrick Sheehy reiterated a number of times that “all we’re concerned about here is improving safety on the bridge”. He emphasised that only low level lighting was being considered and that the group felt a footbridge should only be located on the upstream side of the bridge in order to reduce its visual impact.

Milltown resident Eileen O’Sullivan spoke against lighting up the bridge and constructing a footbridge, arguing that the rich diversity of wildlife in Milltown river and estuary is a huge resource that should be protected. “Habitat development is part of the national Tidy Towns competition and developing this river and estuary habitat would fit in with the eco tourism that has been built up in Dingle Harbour and Dingle Bay over the last 20 years,” she said.

However, she warned that the proposed artificial lighting would interfere with the habitat, potentially losing Dingle Tidy Town points in the biodiversity section of the national Tidy Towns competition. She also expressed concern about the visual impact a footbridge would have on the appearance of Milltown Bridge, adding that the design and choice of materials would have to be given very careful consideration.

Eileen’s husband, Peter Malone, suggested to the meeting that rather than pursuing intrusive and costly lighting and footbridge options it would be better to first explore lower impact solutions such as speed bumps and traffic calming devices as a way of addressing road safety concerns.

Tidy Towns member Gene Courtney, who described Milltown Bridge as inherently unsafe, also proposed examining traffic calming measures such as those employed at Listry Bridge, which has a similar volume of traffic. At Listry the narrow bridge has been made narrower to force traffic to cross in only one direction at a time, with the aim of making it safer for both traffic and pedestrians.

Pádraig (Paudo) Ó Conchúir said that, as a local resident, he was very aware of the dangers crossing Milltown Bridge and felt there would be huge support for the proposed footbridge and lighting.

Janet O’Sullivan said young people who go out for a night in Dingle don’t drive if they have a few drinks and need to be able to walk home via Milltown Bridge in safety. “It’s not safe as it is at present,” she added.

Blandina Sheehy-O’Connor, supported this view saying she recently counted 150 vehicles crossing the bridge in the space of five minutes. Blandina’s mother, Margaret Sheehy added that road safety should be the top priority – “There’s plenty of wildlife,” she said, adding that she never yet got up in the morning to find a dead bird on the road.

At Gene Courtney’s suggestion it was agreed to form a committee to delve further into the issue and come up with proposals. Those who volunteered, and were accepted, for the task were Micheál Ó Conchúir, Michael O’Carroll, John Griffin, Peter Malone and Eileen O’Sullivan.