A total makeover of O’Connell Street, William Street and other streets leading off the main street, will transform Limerick into one of Europe’s most vibrant and living city centres.
Details of a 50million euro regeneration plan for the city were unveiled to the mayor and local councillors last week.
City manager, Tom Mackey, said that the aim of the regeneration plan is to give pedestrians priority in the heart of the city, improve streetscapes and traffic management.
"This plan will give Limerick a vibrant and living city centre to match the best cities in Europe of comparable size. Remodelling of the city will complement the major regeneration of the city centre that is currently underway, with the private sector investing over one billion in developments such as the Opera Centre, new hotels, commercial and residential projects,” he said.
Included in the remodelling programme are new, high quality pavements, improved pedestrian crossings, new street furniture, street landscaping, tree planting and the removal of some on-street parking.
O’Connell Street will have wider footpaths and improved landscaping to give priority to pedestrians and there will be pedestrian priority treatment for all of William Street, with the widening of footpaths and improved landscaping.
The city manager, Mr Mackey, points out that the new National Development Plan lists among its priority investments for the Limerick-Shannon Gateway,
"the significant upgrading of the public areas and streets in Limerick city centre and the reimaging of Limerick through a major urban renewal initiative.
"Limerick City Council is in the process of advancing many schemes to design and construction stage that could avail of the Gateway Innovation Fund,” he adds.
The Council will shortly tender for the remodelling of Upper Thomas Street and Catherine Street, and the remodelling and pedestrianisation of Fox’s Bow and Limerick Lane.
Emphasising that where established, pedestrianisation has produced a better trading environment, Mr Dromey said that Limerick traders who have experienced pedestrianisation, are on record as stating that it has improved their business.
He also said that the introduction of orbital routes has successfully reduced the dominance of cars on city streets.
Urban designers, Nicholas de Jong further outlined details of the city centre regeneration, which they said will produce attractive street areas to include market stalls, an upgrading of the lanes to produce a series of pedestrian links, major upgrade of the riverside, including Clancy Strand, O’Callaghan Strand, the Curragower Bund, Steamboat Quay and Sir Harry’s Mall, John’s Square, Wickham Street, the Milk Market, Parnell Street.
"O’Connell Street is a very distinctive linear form but it is somewhat drab at the moment and the plan is to transform it into a pedestrian boulevard with a central space for performance, areas for cafes and an attractive central feature to signify a new city centre,” said Mr Nicholas de Jong.
