Safe Routes To School works to start in Dundalk

Louth County Council is preparing to start work on its Safe Routes to School scheme in Dundalk over the next month, with work to begin on routes at St Louis Secondary School, next week.

At the Dundalk Municipal District October meeting, Cllr John Reilly raised the issue of cars parking at Castletown Crossroads at the Castleblayney Road when collecting children from school, saying that they were causing visibility issues for cars travelling up the Mill Road onto the Castleblayney Road.

The Fine Gael councillor acknowledged that both the De La Salle and St Louis secondary schools are on the Safe Routes To School (SRTS) scheme, but added that "at the minute there's cars parked right up to the corner at the Castleblayney Road", and that "visibility is terrible".

Cllr Reilly asked that Louth County Council places double yellow lines on the road at the junction for about 50 metres, to alleviate visibility. In response to Cllr Reilly, Senior Engineer Paddy Connolly said he believed that the SRTS scheme is starting this year, with Senior Engineer John O'Hagan confirming that they would soon be starting.

St Louis Secondary School this week informed people travelling to the school that works will be starting from Monday 14th October. On the school's website, it posted a message from Louth County Council's Active Travel Officer to say that:

"I wish to advise that as part of Louth County Council’s Safe Routes to School Programme works will be taking place at St. Louis Secondary School from 14th October, 2024 to 29th November, 2024. Traffic Calming Measures will be in place during the duration of this Safe Routes to School work."