Plans for zebra crossing to be installed at busy northside junction

PLANS for a zebra crossing at a busy junction on the northside of Cork City are progressing, with Cork City Council to publish the draft scheme proposals “in the coming weeks”.

Councillors in the city’s North West ward were issued with a report ahead of their local area committee (LAC) meeting this week. It stated that the council intends to construct the crossing at the junction of St Colmcille Road and Churchfield Way Lower.

The need for a pedestrian crossing had been highlighted by local councillors and by parents of pupils in Scoil Padre Pio, who last year petitioned for the crossing to be developed.

The online petition, which garnered hundreds of signatures, noted that there is no safe crossing point from St Colmcille’s Road to the school or to Gerry O’Sullivan Park.

It said the entrances to both school and park are located on “a very busy crossroads” and that school drop-off-and-collection time is “treacherous”.

Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent and his party colleague Kenneth Collins had co-signed a motion for the pedestrian crossing to be implemented, saying that it would be of benefit to both local residents and schoolchildren.

Mr Nugent welcomed the much-needed project going to public consultation in the coming weeks.

“It’s a very busy junction, with people trying to cross to get to the school and Gerry O’Sullivan Park,” Mr Nugent said.

“There’s also allotments further down, so the zebra crossing is really needed there,” he added.

The proposed works are the construction of a 3m-long flat-top speed ramp to the north of the junction; the installation of a zebra crossing across the flat-top ramp, with flashing amber belisha beacons and zebra crossing and zig-zag approach-road markings.

Ancillary improvements, such as additional road markings, road-traffic signage, junction-definition posts, and road lighting will also be implemented where necessary.

Cork City Council says the project will “significantly improve road safety at this location, particularly for pedestrians”.

The council also says the project is consistent with the objectives of the Cork Road Safety Plan and the Department of Transport’s Low Cost Road Safety Improvement grant.