Nenagh's one-way system to go live next month

Council staff to guide people on new traffic flows

Nenagh's new one-way traffic system is to go live in mid-April, local councillors were informed last week.

The new system will see traffic proceeding one-way down Kickham St in two lanes for turning left or right. Pearse St will also be one-way with two lanes in the direction of Market Cross. Mitchel St will be one-way in two lanes in the direction of Sarsfield St, and the existing one-way on Emmet Place will be reversed in the direction of Kickham St. The system also involves a reversed one-way traffic flow on Silver St, now in the direction of the Market Cross.

RAISED PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS

Works have been ongoing in recent months with the installation of new raised pedestrian crossings, footpath build-outs, road markings and signage.

At last week's meeting of Nenagh Municipal District, Cllr Hughie McGrath said the appearance of so many new features around the town's streets has caused confusion among some people. He called on the council to give people an exact date for the implementation of the new system, and for a strong public relations campaign to explain the new system.

Cllr McGrath said it would also be important to man the system once it goes live. The presence of council staff would be particularly important during school times.

He also commented on the moving of the Limerick-bound bus stop to Pearse St, and said the council had done a good job of creating space there for buses to pull in.

SOCIAL MEDIA SPECULATION

Cllr McGrath spoke of a need for the council to fully explain the new situation to people; failure to do so would lead to “speculation on social media that can confuse the issue,” he said.

District Engineer Barry Murphy said the council is presently drawing up a communications programme for the one-way system, which would be a “major change” for the town. It would also bring “major improvement”, he said.

The one-way system would be a change for pedestrians as well as motorists. The council would have people onsite at the pedestrian crossings when the system goes live and for some time afterward, until people get used to it.

Next month is the timeframe for going live, and the exact date would be agreed “very shortly”, Mr Murphy said.