€15,000 earmarked for bilingual road signs in Ennis

MORE than €1 million is to be spent on Ennis’ roads this year, including €15,000 to change road signs into Irish to comply with regulations.

At Monday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, the roadworks programme for 2012 was outlined by town engineer Eamon O’Dea. He stated a total of €1,025,027 is the estimated cost the planned roadworks programme for this year. He confirmed the council are required to replace, alter and remove existing road signs to meet bilingual requirements as set out in the Roads Signs Manual and enforced by An Bord Teanga.
Ennis Town Council provides €175,027 from its own resources towards the maintenance of roads in the town and €400,000 from own capital resources towards the Ennis Inner Relief Section E contract costs. The non-national roads grant from the Department of Transport is €410,000, the same as in 2011.
In 2011, a total of 1,500m of road was resurfaced including a number of junction areas along Circular Road. Outstanding pedestrian crossings were completed and a new footpath was provided at Gaurus and existing footpaths were replaced at St Senan’s Road and Lahinch Road. Road safety measures, including digital signs on the Tulla Road, were installed. Mr O’Dea described the digital signs as a “success” and he revealed plans to provide two more signs on lower Cusack Road at a cost of €9,000.
In 2012, it is proposed to spend €178,000 on resurfacing, while footpath upgrading and construction work is estimated to cost €80,000, including €15,000 for works on the Lower Market Street Car Park.
Plans are underway to upgrade Barrett’s Lane and Brody’s Lane of Parnell Street, with an allocation of €30,000 for this work from laneway funding.
Ennis Town Council also proposes to design and proceed to Part 8 planning and construction for pedestrian crossings at Francis Street (Tesco/Aldi), Carmody Street at Drumbiggle Road and adjustments to Kelly’s Corner pedestrian crossing at a cost of €60,000. €40,000 is to be spent on replacing crossing lights on Clonroad near Tesco and the set of traffic lights at Darcy’s Corner.
Upgrading of line marking in the town is estimated to cost €28,000.