Over 40 homes face demolition in planned Galway city bypass

NUI Galway, Ballybrit racecourse and a number of residents have expressed disappointment at the proposed route for a €500 million bypass for Galway.

The “emerging preferred route corridor” presented to city and county councillors yesterday involves a new bridge and viaduct over the river Corrib and two short tunnels on the city’s east side at Ballybrit and Coolagh on the Headford road.

A total of 41 houses will have to be demolished and 10 more homes will be "seriously affected" if the route is approved by An Bord Pleanála.

The route is an amalgam of three corridors among six unveiled earlier this year by the project team, led by the county council and Arup engineering consultants.

City council director of services Joe O’Neill said public transport was also part of the plan, and bus use was on the increase following construction of bus corridors.

The proposed link between the east and west of the city starts as a single carriageway 2km west of Barna, bypassing the village and continuing via Ballymoneen Road in Knocknacarra to Letteragh where it becomes a dual carriageway. It travels through Dangan sports facilities at NUI Galway (NUIG), crossing the river 200m south of Menlo Castle.

A tunnel is proposed at Lackagh quarry on the Headford road to avoid a priority habitat, with a second tunnel to the north of Galway racecourse.

The 41 houses facing demolition, many of them new, include three at Furrymelia near Barna, one at Ballymoneen Road in Knocknacarra, three at Letteragh, one at The Heath on the circular road, eight on the N59, one on Dyke road, 11 on the N84 close to Clada Minerals, nine in the Castlegar area, three on the N17 and one on the Monivea road.

Opposition

The N6 Action Group said that it would be opposing the plan. Its spokesman,

Colman Collins

, said there had been no serious examination of alternative options, including public transport.

“Galway needs a Galway solution to the transport problem, not a Dublin solution,” he said.

NUIG said the route would cut through an existing hurling pitch and a highly used training area next to the sports pavilion where it has planning permission for a floodlit synthetic facility.

“If this route is successful, the impact on Dangan and on years of planning and investment by the university will be very significant,” NUIG said, adding it was “very disappointing”.

Ballybrit racecourse manager John Moloney said the proposal was a "huge upset" as it would affect the parade ring, the tote building, jockeys' weigh room, stables and a hectare of the racecourse at the mile start.

Galway senior hurling team kitman James “Tex” Callaghan said he was devastated and shocked to learn his home at Menlo, which he built 23 years ago, is one of the 10 houses “seriously affected”.

“One of the bridge stilts will be built in my back garden, while my neighbour’s magnificent two-storey house has to be demolished,” Mr Callaghan said.

Secluded

He said that while he had been told there would be provision for him to sell, he would “never get a site as secluded” so close to the river and the city.

Project team engineer Eileen McCarthy of Arup said the route had many advantages. There was no proposal to toll the road, she said. The project would be submitted for planning next year, with a target completion date of 2020 if approved, she added.

The Department of Transport allocated €2 million last year to “reboot” the bypass project, after €14 million was spent on an abandoned scheme.

Fine Gael Galway West TDs Sean Kyne and Brian Walsh welcomed the publication of the plans.