Fresh push for pedestrian crossing at Nicholastown

The need for progress on a pedestrian crossing at Nicholastown is to come before the next Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District meeting, writes Brian Byrne. Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer has submitted a motion asking that the council schedule a Section 38 process for the installation of a crossing opposite the Nicholastown and Conroy Park estates, to facilitate pedestrian access to the community centre and the community walkway at the Field of Dreams.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1994, a Section 38 procedure allows a local authority to introduce traffic calming and minor road improvement measures where these are considered necessary in the interests of the safety and convenience of road users.

At the recent AGM of Kilcullen Community Action, Nicholastown resident Eoin Houlihan described the location as “lethal”, saying that cars and trucks are going at high speeds, especially in the morning. "It’s terrifying," he said. "It’s not safe — there are a lot of kids crossing.”

At that meeting, Cllr O'Dwyer said there had already been requests for action in the area. She said a crossing was warranted, and while there was a council commitment in principle to provide one and other traffic-calming measures, it's a matter of finding funding.

If passed, the motion would mark an important next step in moving the proposal into the formal statutory process required before works can proceed.

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