Design consultant for Ardfinnan pedestrian bridge to be appointed soon

Planning for a new pedestrian bridge over the River Suir in Ardfinnan to solve the village’s traffic congestion and health and safety problems is progressing and a local councillor expects a design to be ready by next summer.
Cllr Micheál Anglim said applications for tenders for the bridge design contract closed on Friday, November 26 and he expects Tipperary County Council to appoint a design consultant for the project before Christmas.
Tipperary County Council officials met with Ardfinnan Community Council representatives, including Cllr Anglim, who chairs the community council, last week about the pedestrian bridge project. The community council has been campaigning for the building of a pedestrian bridge so the village’s existing historic bridge over the Suir can revert to a two-way traffic system.
The campaign received the support of Taoiseach Micheál Martin back in September when he visited Ardfinnan to see for himself the traffic congestion and safety difficulties local residents, school children and businesses encounter daily with traffic tailbacks caused by the one-way traffic system on the village’s bridge.
The Taoiseach told Ardfinnan’s community leaders during his visit that the Government will “be responsive” to a funding application for a pedestrian bridge to solve the problems plaguing the village since the one-way traffic system was introduced on Ardfinnan bridge six years ago to enable pedestrians to walk safely over the crossing.
He advised Tipperary County Council CEO Joe MacGrath that day to meet with the National Transport Authority and produce a paper on the solution; get a design approved and seek the resources needed to implement it.
And Mr MacGrath responded by giving a commitment to engage with the NTA and work with the community to overcome any significant issues.
Cllr Anglim informed the county council’s annual budget meeting on November 26 of the meeting between Ardfinnan Community Council and Tipperary County Council officials about the pedestrian bridge and welcomed the fact the project was progressing at long last.
He told The Nationalist that regular meetings between council officials and the community council are planned to keep the local community up to date on the bridge project.
Once the bridge design is completed, Tipperary County Council will apply to An Bord Pleanála for planning permission for the bridge. When and if planning permission is secured, the council will apply to the Government for funding.
The Taoiseach indicated during his visit to Ardfinnan that the Rural Active Travel Investment Programme funded the type of infrastructure the community required.

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Taoiseach promises Government support for solution to Ardfinnan Bridge traffic problem