Galway Bay fm newsroom - Galway city council has voted to move forward with the conversion of the Kirwan roundabout in the city into a traffic light junction.
The Part 8 application for the project came before councillors at a meeting of the local authority last evening. (5/3)
Senior Engineer with the council, Uinsinn Finn told members that doing nothing is not an option at the Kirwan roundabout near the Menlo Park Hotel.
He showed drone footage of pedestrians dangerously trying to navigate traffic to cross the road near Terryland.
Many councillors expressed concern about the impact of the new junction layout on local property owners, particularly one family, who councillors claim will effectively become 'marooned' by the new junction layout.
Sinn Féin Councillor Mark Lohan said he would oppose the Part 8 application as he feels the current design of the junction will create an 'iron curtain' around residents in Castlelawn and Tirellan.
Councillor Michael Crowe said that alternative access arrangements for the affected family should be considered.
Uinsinn Finn told councillors that around 40 thousand vehicles go through the Kirwan roundabout at peak times each day and it has to be made safer for all road users.
He said there would a sensor for the property owners at the junction so that the lights will detect a vehicle about to exit the property and the lights sequence will adjust accordingly.
The next stage of the transformation of the roundabout was voted through by a majority of councillors, with 10 in favour and 8 against.
Councillor John Walsh proposed the next stage of converting the roundabout and says it's badly needed in the city.
