Barrow Blueway Work to Date The Barrow Blueway
Barrow Blueway Work to Date
The Barrow Blueway Project is being delivered in collaboration with Waterways Ireland, Kildare County Council and Laois County Council. The estimated cost of the project is € 6. 76 m. 75% of the funding has been secured from the Rural Regeneration & Development Fund and the remaining 25% from the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.
Waterways Ireland are delivering the towpath works through direct labour and commenced on site August 2020. Currently there is nearly 4 km of towpath complete from Lowtown to Glenaree on the northern section a further approx. 4. 5 km from Milltown Bridge, outside Athy to Ballymanus in Laois on the southern section. Works will continue on the northern section from Glenaree to Rathangan and be complete by early Q 4 2021 while works on the southern section from Ballymanus towards Vicarstown will continue and be complete by the end of May 2021. All works are undertaken with the oversight of an independent Ecological Clerk of Works to ensure compliance with legislation and planning conditions and to provide advice, guidance and monitoring of the Works were temporarily stopped due to Covid restrictions but recommenced in March. Good progress has been made to the towpath works to date, with towpath works programmed to be complete by mid 2022.
Kildare County Council are responsible for delivery of all road crossings, including those in Laois, 2 No. pedestrian bridges – (Rathangan and Athy) and for all other works to the public infrastructure. Fehily Timoney are the Engineering Consultants appointed to complete the detailed design, preparation of a tender package and procurement of a Works Contractor. Detailed Design has commenced, Geotechnical Investigations have been procured and will commence in May, topographical and existing services surveys are currently being tendered. All design and works will be coordinated with the relevant departments within both KCC and Laois County Council. Works had been programmed to be complete end of Q 2 2022, but there will be some delays due to Covid.
A Steering Group has been set for oversight of the overall project but in addition to that there is a Marketing and Promotion Steering Sub-Group in place. The work undertaken by the marketing group, includes the commissioning of a feasibility report, which was carried out by Canoeing Ireland. The Report identified the strengths and short falls along the route – main shortfalls included the requirement for extra stepdown jetties, which are now included in the scope of works and a lack of services along the route. An application for Stage 1 approval was submitted and obtained for Blueway Accreditation, the route will be assessed again once completed prior to obtaining final accreditation. Branding and signage has been considered, though not fully determined as yet. The piece we are here to present to you today is the Barrow Blueway Economic Plan, which was commissioned by Kildare LEADER and managed by Helen Mulhall.
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