Hillside footpaths to be repaired

The footpath on Hillside across the road from Centra is on a list of two such projects which will be addressed by Kildare County Council before the end of the year, writes Brian Byrne.

Cllr Rob Power told last night's KCA meeting with local public representatives that these were on a list of projects to be carried out by the Council's engineers.

He was responding to criticism of the footpaths all through the town, made on behalf of the community by Kilcullen Community Action Chairman Ray Kelly during the meeting, which brought three TDs and seven councillors to Kilcullen.

Cllr Power said the Hillside footpath was in extremely poor condition because residents parked their cars on it. He told the audience that the work will also involve lining parking bays alongside the refurbished path. "This will also have the effect of making the road narrower, which will help with speed control."

The councillor also said that the new stretch of footpath to be built to the Lui na Greine estate will be happening 'before the end of the month'.

The KCA presentation on footpaths also highlighted the need for a path on the Milemill Road to the two graveyards. Ray Kelly said the walk at the moment is 'dangerous' and that it is 'only a matter of time' before something serious happens.

He suggested that there was a case for 'thinking outside the box' on the issue, perhaps by considering a footpath 'on the other side of the hedge?'. "Maybe a raised walkway, you could make a feature of it?"

The non-footpath alongside what's now Woodbine Books was also mentioned. During resurfacing of the road some years ago, the existing path wasn't replaced and now there's only a line to mark the pedestrian area. "The engineers in the Council must have some ideas on this," the KCA chairman noted.

Even relatively new footpaths, those from Nicholastown to the motorway bridge, urgently need attention, the local representatives were told, with roots and other trip hazards making it dangerous. And the footpaths on Nicholastown estate, the oldest one in town, are in terrible condition, very dangerous for the older people who make up a high proportion of the estate's residents.

The representatives were also urged to have ducting put in place when footpaths are being fixed, so that they are ready for under-grounding of cables when that becomes possible.

The Diary is preparing further reports from the evening which will be published as they are ready.