Galway City Council (GCC) have secured the first tranche of funding to remove bottleneck roundabouts on the N6 through Galway City, with a budget of €6m for the first phases.
GCC held a public meeting on 2 June to allay fears about the proposal to change Lynch Roundabout (Briarhill) to a signalised junction – it is one of six roundabouts that are to be removed and replaced with 'intelligent' traffic lights.
But opposition to the €6 million improvement works, known as the Bóthar na dTreabh (N6) Multi-Modal Corridor Improvement Scheme, is intense. It is a divisive issue, with cyclist and mobility-impaired groups strongly supporting the proposals.
An MEP called the proposals "absurd" while Galway Chamber also voiced its concerns about the plan while some businessmen are asking all city councillors to vote against officials' plans to remove the roundabouts.
It is a contentious scheme and it is incumbent on GCC/NRA and their Consultants to get the design right, maximizing traffic capacity whilst also providing for pedestrians and cyclists, so that the full proposals can be brought to fruition in the best interests of the entire City.
