By Fiona Frawley
"This is just one of many milestones".
Fingal County Council and the National Transport Authority called yesterday a "milestone occasion" as they launched two completed projects in Church Fields, Dublin 15.
The Church Fields Link Road and accompanying cycle-friendly roundabout are part of the larger Church Fields Masterplan, through which the Council intend to create a sustainable, ‘infrastructure-first’ community with an emphasis on active and sustainable transport.
Fingal Road Opening. Picture by Shane O'Neill, Coalesce.
As part of the development, roads, high quality cycle lanes and wide footpaths are being built connecting various parts of the site to local schools, parks, churches and retail. The construction of new housing will follow. The intended result will be a coherently planned new residential area where facilities are in place before residential development.
The cycle-friendly roundabout layout separates cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles, providing a dedicated space for Active Travel.
The completed development will provide hundreds of new homes, a creche, retail units and new parks in Mulhuddart, Dublin 15.
Speaking at the unveiling, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council AnnMarie Farrelly said ‘Church Fields is a great example of how we can nurture community in Fingal through strategic planning and infrastructure.
'The future of Fingal requires us to examine what matters to the people of our County and to build places that support sustainable growth and healthy, happy communities. It’s very exciting to see Church Fields starting to take shape with the opening of phase 1 of the Link Road and the launch of the Safer Routes to School.’
Image via Twitter/Fingal CoCo
Matthew McAleese, Fingal County Council’s Director of Planning and Strategic Infrastructure said: ‘We are creating a network of roads, cycle lanes and footpaths that will manage the flow of people around Church Fields.
'The area has a young population. It is just beginning to develop, and we have a golden moment now to make it as safe and attractive as possible, so it is the ideal time and place to launch Ireland’s first cycle-friendly roundabout. This is just one of many milestones we look forward to celebrating at Church Fields.’
Header image via Fingal County Council
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