It must be 15 years since I made a submission on the previous iteration of the Galway ring road which called for smaller incremental improvements rather than relying on a big silver bullet solution. It's taken a long time but I'm glad to see that view going mainstream.
https://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/149434/the-galway-traffic-question
Actually it was only 11 years ago - it just feels longer! And it was the pre-planning public consultation on the current project.
The conclusions then are all still as relevant today and we have moved no further forward despite millions of euros being spent on trying to deliver the Ring Road.
BTW, there's a documentary on the personal toll the ongoing saga of the Ring Road has had on Galway residents affected by the project airing on Galway Bay FM at 11am today.
You can listen back to the documentary here https://www.galwaybayfm.ie/podcasts/galway-talks/ringroaded-a-documentary-from-galway-talks-213825
It was heartbreaking to hear the stories of the families affected, especially when it is all so unnecessary. And the worst of it is, it is far from over.
Whatever decision An Coimisiún Pleanála makes in the coming months, this saga is likely to continue for years to come, at more cost to the public purse and at more personal cost to both the families affected and to the wider population of Galway.
Ciarán Ferrie
