Five streets in Galway city centre are set for major changes after new plans were given the green light.
Plans to pedestrianise Cross Street, Middle Street, Abbeygate Street Lower, Buttermilk Lane and Buttermilk Walk have been approved as part of efforts to create more ‘pedestrian-priority’ streets across the city.
The plans will introduce new paving, lighting, seating and planting, alongside a range of other improvements to the public realm.
The plans set out a flexible approach for the five streets, detailing how they would be managed depending on the circumstances, from regular day-to-day traffic to full pedestrianisation and busy periods such as festivals and market days.
According to GalwayLive, councillors backed the proposals at Galway City Council’s September plenary meeting after members of the public were given an opportunity to submit their views.
While the response was largely favourable, some people raised concerns about how the changes could affect older and disabled pedestrians, as well as businesses operating along the streets. The council addressed the issues raised but determined that they did not warrant any alterations to the proposals.
It is hoped that the pedestrianisation will improve public spaces.
The plans are being crafted while keeping in mind that they need to be adaptable, sustainable and maintainable for the future, the news outlet reported.
Council officials have stated that the project sets out to shift the balance "away from traffic toward pedestrians while improving safety, accessibility and the area's overall appearance," GalwayLive stated.
