Division over planned Limerick road which will link Moyross to neighbouring areas
THERE'S division over a planned road on Limerick's northside, which could provide a straight, five minute walk between Moyross and Old Cratloe Road.
At present, people wishing to travel from the northside Regeneration estate to the Moylish campus of Technological University of the Shannon (Tus), the driving test centre and other amenities, face a three kilometre roundabout trip.
It comes in spite of the fact that Moyross lies immediately to the east of Old Cratloe Road.
Now, Limerick City and County Council staff are planning the new road which will cut through the Woodview estate and link to Moyross Avenue.
Codenamed University Avenue, the road is planned to have a bike lane, pedestrian footpaths and a carriageway, where reduced speed restrictions will be in place for motorised vehicles.
A special information evening was organised this Thursday at the Moylish Tus site, which lies just yards from where the proposed road would start.
While there is great support for the scheme from Moyross residents, who have reignited the Build our Road campaign which saw the start of the Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road, there is less enthusiasm from those living in Woodview and the surrounding areas at the other end of the proposed link.
Graham Ahern, who lives in Mayorstone, and grew up in Woodview where his mother still lives, said he was "angry" when he found out about the council's proposals.
"I'm not anti-Moyross. I've always had friends from Moyross. I'm looking at this from different aspects. I'm looking at the traffic implications and what types of projections were done on the volume of traffic against what is there at the moment. It's all about integrating LIT into Moyross. That's going to bring more traffic. You're bringing a main road into a housing estate, and there's a concern with that," he said.
Mr Ahern admitted he is concerned at this new road being used by people on scrambler bikes driving at speed.
He confirmed residents would be mobilising against the plans, and lobbying councillors, whose role is vital in relation to these plans.
That's because it is the 21 members of the metropolitan district who will ultimately decide whether this project goes ahead through a majority vote.
Jason Craig, who works in Moyross said of scrambler bikes: "This is a national issue. I think to pinpoint this in Moyross is very unfair. I live on Old Cratloe Road and I can assure you scramblers are there too."
Adrian Power, who also lives in Old Cratloe Road, but grew up in Moyross asked: "Two lads on a scrambler or 400 students in a primary school having an open road? In terms of changing mindsets, having a road called University Avenue coming through Moyross would be enormous psychologically."
"At the moment, all children in Moyross look up at is high walls which say 'danger'."
Northside councillor Olivia O'Sullivan, who was at the consultation event in Tus, is worried about the increased traffic this link could bring.
"Certainly the people in the Woodview, Old Cratloe Road, Coolraine Heights area feel they've not been consulted at all," she said.
"If you asked someone's view in Woodview [the impact of this road] it would change their life. It's a quiet estate of 260 houses which has one-way in and one way out. Now the council is telling these residents they want to put a road right through their estate," said the Fine Gael councillor.
"We already have traffic problems at the roundabout," she said in reference to the Moylish Roundabout, "Students aren't even back and if you're living in Woodview or Coolraine Heights and you're trying to get onto Cratloe Road at peak times, you already have a major issue."
John Moran, who chairs the Hunt Museum said: "How brilliant is it we are finally getting a thoughtful scheme to break down barriers. You don't cut neighbourhoods off - you add resources to a broader neighbourhood."
It's expected the plans will come before council for a vote next year.