Proposal is revealed for new bridge over Moy in Ballina

A local councillor has called on Minister for Social Protection, Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary to "cement his legacy in Ballina" by constructing a new vehicular bridge across the River Moy.

Fine Gael Cllr John O’Hara brought a notice of motion to last week’s Ballina Municipal District meeting in which he proposed that the best way to end the constant traffic delays in the North Mayo capital was to construct a new bridge across the River.

Cllr O'Hara, who is the current Cathaoirelach of Mayo County Council, said a new bridge would be the only solution to taking traffic out of the town, thus ending the long delays and heavy congestion that occur on a daily basis.

He proposed a route across the river at the rear of Hollister off the Dublin Road and emerging onto Church Road and then the Sligo Road via the Ballina Golf Club. Cllr O'Hara said the route had been mooted 25 years ago but never materialised, resulting in the land in the area becoming "sterilised".

“It is the only thing that will alleviate the traffic and this will also open up the land that had been sterilised. It will bring it back into use in the town,” he said.

“There are two bridges in the town that are too close together and it is like a circus tent. You go around and around and around.” 

Cllr O'Hara said if Minister Calleary wanted to be "remembered for something good" in the town, this would be the best project.

“We have a senior Minister and he is going to be remembered for something he done good in Ballina. Michael Ring done it in Westport and Padraig Flynn in Castlebar,” he said.

“I would be hoping for the support of my fellow councillors and all our TDs on this.” 

Cllr Michael Loftus said significant progress on the issue may not occur until the early 2030s, but he supported Cllr O’Hara’s motion and said they should "get the ball rolling".

“If we don’t say it or suggest it now, it might never happen,” he said.