Why does it cost so much to cross the road, asks councillor

A Ballinrobe councillor has questioned why pedestrian crossings are so expensive to install.

Cllr Michael Burke told last week’s meeting of the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District that he cannot understand how it costs upwards of €30,000 to install a pedestrian crossing.

His comments came after Cllr Damien Ryan put forward a notice of motion calling on Mayo County Council to make an application to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the Department of Transport to install pedestrian crossings in Kilmaine and Shrule adjacent to the schools and in Ballinrobe on the R331 from Slí na Róba to Tesco. Cllr Ryan said there is a concern in both Kilmaine and Shrule as there are large volumes of traffic passing by both schools. He asked for a feasibility and options study to be carried out at three locations.

Cllr Burke supported Cllr Ryan before citing the cost of putting in these crossings.

“I can’t see how putting up two posts with flashing lights on top of them costs so much. We’re not looking for ones where you have to press a button to stop the traffic because when I see flashing lights I expect someone to be standing there. Most of them are solar-powered and people are telling me this costs €30,000,” Cllr Burke said.

Mayo Co Council's senior engineer Conrad Harley said the pedestrian crossing in Ballinrobe will be the easiest to complete because it ties in with adjacent Active Travel works there. The crossings in Kilmaine and Shrule are more difficult because they are on national roads so the coucnil has to carry out road safety audits with TII, which causes the costs to rise, along with road lining and ESB connection.