Plan to calm traffic and protect pedestrians around urban Wicklow estates unveiled
The Wicklow PeopleWicklow County Council has launched a public consultation on a series of planned safety upgrades along Coolgreaney Road in Arklow, marking one of the most significant active travel investments in the town in recent years.
The proposal, brought forward under Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 1994, outlines new pedestrian crossings, redesigned junctions, improved footpaths and upgraded lighting, all aimed at slowing traffic and making it easier and safer for people to walk through the area.
The plans, developed with support from the National Transport Authority, focus on a stretch of Coolgreaney Road that links several busy housing estates, including Cherryfield, Oaklands, Lamberton Heights, Lamberton Grove and Lamberton Avenue.
According to the council, the route has long needed better pedestrian facilities, particularly for children walking to school and residents navigating fast moving traffic at wide junctions. The drawings released as part of the consultation show a series of changes designed to tighten turning circles, reduce vehicle speeds and create clearer, safer crossing points.
The scheme was outlined at a district meeting in the town in July, where engineer Conor Page briefed councillors on the details of the plan.
He explained that the project is divided into six sections between Lamberton Avenue and Cherryfield, an area highlighted in the local transport plan for long‑standing safety issues.
The works aim to improve pedestrian facilities, create safer and more accessible crossing points and introduce additional traffic-calming measures, with one of the most notable elements of the scheme being the introduction of two new pedestrian crossings.
The engineering drawings show raised tables, tactile paving and Belisha beacons, features commonly used to make crossings more visible and to encourage drivers to slow down. In several locations, the existing kerb lines are pulled in to reduce the radius of corners, a technique known as junction tightening.
This approach shortens crossing distances and forces vehicles to take turns more slowly, improving safety for anyone on foot. The documents highlight the council’s intention to make the crossings accessible for all users, including those with visual impairments.
The plans also include new footpaths and landscaped areas, particularly at estate entrances where pedestrians currently share space with vehicles. The drawings show dished kerbs at crossing points, full height kerbs where footpaths are being extended and upgraded public lighting.
In several locations, existing lights are retained while new ones are added to improve visibility at night. The council says these changes will help create a more continuous and safer walking route along the road.
Funding for the project has already been secured through the NTA’s Active Travel programme, with €200,000 allocated for junction tightening and another €200,000 for pedestrian crossings.
Mr Page told councillors that construction is expected to begin within two to three months of the consultation period closing on September 2, with the hope of finishing the works by the end of the year.
Councillors welcomed the update with district manager Leonora Earls said the purpose of projects like this is to encourage drivers to slow down and to make walking a more attractive option, adding that public feedback will play an important role in finalising the design.