Louth allocated almost €5.3 million for Active Travel schemes in 2023

Louth County Council has been allocated €5,285,000 by the National Transport Authority (NTA) for walking and cycling infrastructure in 2023. The announcement was made today by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan.

The funding is to cover 25 Active Travel projects across Louth, for projects includes the development of segregated cycle lanes and widened footpaths, new walking and cycling bridges, and new pedestrian crossings.

As a key part of this announcement, Active Travel funding is aimed at ensuring that the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programme will continue to provide for safer cycling and walking facilities for many more schools across the country.

Projects in Louth receiving funding this year under the SRTS programme, are St Louis Secondary School Dundalk (€150,000); Scoil Aonghusa (€150,000); Saint Brigid's and Saint Patrick's School €150,000; and RehabCare Mill Street Dundalk (€150,000)

The full list of projects being funded in Louth in 2023 and the amount allocated to each is as follows:

• Active Travel Pathfinder Dundalk: R132 inner Relief Rd €550,000
• Dundalk: Inner relief road to Riverside walk Dublin Road R215 €464,000
• Ard Easmuinn Rd to Train Station/Friary School & Dundalk Bus Station to Rail Station €400,000
• Drogheda and Dundalk Transport Plans €250,000
• Two new Pedestrian Crossings at R132 Inner Relief Rd at Táin Bridge to Racecourse Road Junction €100,000
• Hoeys Lane (Dublin Road junction to Naughton Close junction) €150,000
• Mill St, Dundalk (from the Inner Relief Road junction to Castle Road junction) €250,000
• Hill St Bridge (Marshes Lower) to Train Station €150,000
• Moneymore, Drogheda Active Travel elements €200,000
• Active Travel Office - Staff Costs €270,000
• Drogheda improvement accessibility €60,000
• Dundalk Improvement accessibility €60,000
• Ardee Improvement accessibility €40,000
• Termonfeckin Active Travel elements €165,000
• Safe Routes to School (SRTS) (R1) - St Louis Secondary School Dundalk €150,000
• SRTS (R1) - Scoil Aonghusa €150,000
• SRTS (R1) - Saint Brigid's and Saint Patrick's School €150,000
• SRTS (R1) - RehabCare Mill Street Dundalk €150,000
• Drogheda: St. Dominick's Bridge €111,000
• Drogheda: R132, Bridge of Peace to Train Station (incorporating Marsh Road) €415,000
• Drogheda: Twenties Lane & R166 Termonfeckin Rd, design € 100,000
• Drogheda: R168 Collon rd, Hill of Rath roundabout and Rosehall roundabout €100,000
• Active Travel Pathfinder Drogheda: Rathmullan Road from Marely's Lane junction, design €400,000
• Drogheda: Boyne Business Park Link Road €250,000 
• Drogheda Dublin and North roads, design €200,000

News of the funding was warmly welcomed by Louth TD, Fergus O'Dowd, who said, “This will be a key year in developing the active travel projects as a number of projects will be moving from the design phase to construction. 

“We need to continue to frontload investment in our walking and cycling infrastructure, the government has today announced over €290m to develop our national active travel options which will see the development of almost 1,000km of new and improved walking and cycling infrastructure across the country by 2025. 

The Fine Gael TD added, “many of the local projects announced today will provide greater connectivity, reduce carbon footprints and provide more sustainable transport options into the future to local residents whilst greatly improving road safety at many of our schools. Reducing unnecessary traffic from our roads is key to providing a better future for all.”

Two projects in Louth that are being led by Louth County Council, are among the 35 exemplar transport projects announced as part of the Pathfinder programme in October 2022. They are the Dundalk Regional Road Cycleway and Rathmullan Road and Marley’s Lane, Drogheda. Deputy O'Dowd sought an update on the projects in a Dáil question in January.

In a written response to Deputy O'Dowd, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD said:

"In respect of the Dundalk Regional Road Cycleway, a 4km section of cycleway along the R132 Dundalk Inner Relief Road will be delivered to increase permeability, improve active travel facilities and increase overall cycle commuter safety. 

"The Rathmullan Road and Marley’s Lane project in Drogheda will create a safer and more sustainable transport link between local schools, healthcare facilities, and sports and leisure facilities along Marley’s Lane and the upper part of Rathmullan Road, to the town centre of Drogheda, in line with the 15-minute Neighbourhood concept. 

"At this juncture, both projects have commenced.  Louth County Council has appointed design consultants and work to develop options is underway.  It is anticipated that both projects will be brought to public consultation and planning in 2023, will commence construction in 2024 and will be completed in 2025."