Contractor apointed to deliver cycle and walking link between Blackwater Park and the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway
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Minister Helen McEntee, Cllr Eugene Cassidy, MCC Director of Services, Fiona Lawless, Cllr Paul McCabe and MCC Director of Services, Martin Murray at the opening of the Castletown stretch of the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway last summer.Image 2 of 2
Cllr Eugene Cassidy and Cllr Paul McCabe at the Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway in Nobber.A CONTRACTOR has been appointed to deliver a cycle and walking link between Blackwater Park and the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway.
The Navan end of the greenway commences just north of the junction of the Ratholdren Road and the Clonmagadden Road. Works recently began on the new local distributor road (LDR4) which will see a new road from this junction to the Navan/Kells road including a new bridge over the River Blackwater.
In an update on the greenway on his Facebook page, Cllr Paul McCabe outlined that a contractor has now been appointed to deliver a four metre shared surface for walkers and cyclists along the Ratholdren Road between the new LDR4 junction and the greenway and also the remaining section between the LDR4 junction and Blackwater Park which he said will effectively link the greenway and Blackwater Park.
He also outlined how 25km of the greenway from Navan to 2.5km north of Kilmainhamwood is now open with work on the remaining 5km is now 90 per cent complete.
Cllr McCabe said that car parking facilities are currently being designed for Gibbstown, Nobber and Poles Cross and that Meath Co Council is currently determining planning and land acquisition requirements
Traffic calming designs have been developed for Poles Cross and Gibbstown Greenway crossing with tender drawings issued and Cllr McCabe said it is hoped that works can start in the next six weeks.
Separately, Systra Consulting Engineers have been appointed to prepare the part 8 planning application for the proposed footpath between Kilberry and the Gibbstown greenway crossing with this expected to be lodged in April.
Meanwhile, spot flooding on the greenway was reported at the weekend and Cllr Eugene Cassidy said it is a problematic area due to it running through a swamp and the council is looking at ways to resolve it and he is also looking for fencing in the area.
He added that issues with the surface on parts of the greenway between Wilkinstown and Castletown are also being looked at.
“The dust on top of the greenway is too coarse and will never compact properly no matter how often its rolled, which leaves it hard for cyclists and takes away from the enjoyment of cycling on this part of the greenway. I have asked Meath Co Council to get the contractor to remove this coarse surface and replace it with a finer dust which works so well on the rest of the greenway.
“I am hopeful that this will be done very soon as its part of the snagging list that the contractor is obliged to complete before this stretch of greenway is signed off on,” said Cllr Cassidy.