Busy list of projects underway in the town

TOWN engineer Cian Madden outlined the works completed and upcoming projects in the town at a recent meeting of Carlow Municipal District.

Mr Madden stated that potholes repairs have been carried out at a number of locations in the Carlow MD, including Hanover Road, the bus park, Woodgrove and Brown Street car park. Drainage works have also taken place in Talbot Terrace, including three new gullies with 50m of new network installed, while number of footpaths and bays have been replaced in Strawhall Industrial Estate and a laneway cleared in John Sweeney Park to provide access to Uisce Éireann.

Mr Madden outlined that enhancement works have also taken place around the town, including seating areas at the entrance of Fairgreen on Barrack Street, roundabout enhancements at Woodies and solar-eye installations at the rain gardens and the Hanover Road junction with R448.

Upcoming works include footpath enhancement work at Sandhills, drainage works at Ballybar, Governey Park footpath works and new lighting installations at Duckett’s Grove, including a coat-of-arms flag.

Cllr Fintan Phelan noted how well the town looked last summer in advance of the Entente Florale competition and offered his insistence that this was “just a one-off” and this was the standard every year. 

Cllr Fergal Browne raised the issue of flooding at Pollerton Road from Healy’s Funeral Home to Rath’s supermarket.  “Maybe it’s a problem with the gullies or drainage, but I would ask that it could be looked at,” he said. Cllr Browne also asked that fencing at Mill Race be completed.

Cllr Adrienne Wallace asked about progress on a footpath scheme at Mapel Court as part of a low-cost safety scheme. She also raised the issue of Mr Price and the appearance of the site again on IBAL Litter League’s list of offending locations for litter. “What is it that is irritating the judges, because my own observations there … I thought things had improved,” said cllr Wallace.

Mr Madden confirmed that the spring/summer planters will be planted in the coming weeks. He added that he will examine the issue of flooding on the Pollerton Road and confirmed that the council is currently carrying out fencing at Sandhills and extra fencing there will be used at Mill Race.  Mr Madden confirmed that €25,000 had been allocated for footpaths at Mapel Court and that the project will begin once the tendering process is complete.

In relation to Mr Price on Kennedy Avenue, Mr Madden  stated that because it is private property, the council’s litter picks do not access this area, but added that the Tidy Towns and other interested parties were aware of the situation.