A €2.6M contract has been signed for the design phase of the Cork to Kinsale Greenway.
Engineering consultants Arup, a company based in Cork, have been appointed to design the project.
‘For more than a decade, people have been talking about the project,’ said FG Senator Tim Lombard, who welcomed the fact that engineers of the calibre of Arup will be designing the project from concept and feasibility phase through to the statutory process phase.
‘We have seen the enormous benefit of greenways and how they have transformed communities,’ he said.
‘The first, the Great Western Greenway in Co Mayo, is a 42km route that begins in Westport and ends in Achill. More than any other project, that is what has been credited with transforming their local economy. Similarly, the Cork to Kinsale Greenway has the potential to provide enormous economic benefit in this area,’ he added.
The project – which is being funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) – is aimed at providing a safe, scenic, off-road route for both pedestrians and cyclists that will connect Cork and Kinsale.
‘In line with the National Development Plan 2021-2030, Cork County Council is committed to developing our greenway infrastructure,’ Valerie O’Sullivan, the chief executive of Cork County Council told The Southern Star.
Long-term, she said, it would play a significant role in reducing car dependency and promoting a more sustainable, healthy lifestyle for residents.
