Two new rain gardens have been unveiled as part of Galway City Council's recently completed Crescent/Sea Road Junction Upgrade scheme.

The project has been funded by the National Transport Authority's Active Travel Programme while John Madden and Sons Ltd were appointed as principal contractors and Clifton Scannell Emerson Associates (CSEA) served as consulting engineers.

A rain garden is a novel type of landscaping that helps prevent flooding and enhance drainage by capturing and absorbing rainwater. The two rain gardens at the junction of The Crescent and Sea Road have been installed in areas which were previously part of the roadway, which has now been narrowed.

Additionally, new, wider footpaths have also been constructed in this space. By reducing the width of the roadway, both vehicular traffic speeds and crossing times for walkers and wheelers have been reduced, improving road safety and comfort. 

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This scheme, delivered by the council's active travel department, also saw the construction of a new footpath along The Crescent, linking the 401 Bus Stop to the Medical Centre. Prior to this, there had been no footpath on this side of the road. Two new pedestrian crossings have also been installed, and new safety enhancement works have been completed at nearby Scoil Fhursa as part of the Safe Routes to School Scheme. Works on the project took around five months and were completed in March of this year.

Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Mike Cubbard, has welcomed the completion of this scheme: "The works on The Crescent and Sea Road are a welcome addition and benefit all road users in this area. By installing a new footpath, new crossings and enhanced safety measures at Scoil Fhursa, Galway City Council is making active travel more attractive and safer for people of all ages.

"The new rain gardens are another welcome addition which enhances the aesthetic value of the area while also delivering many important and practical benefits. I look forward to supporting the further rollout of more projects of this nature over the coming years."

In addition to the Crescent/Sea Road Scheme, construction on another active travel project along Ballybane Road and Castlepark Road is ongoing. Construction will soon begin on the Bóthar Stiofáin Active Travel Scheme and on a new pedestrian crossing which is to be constructed on University Road, adjacent to Galway Cathedral. A planning application has also been submitted in respect of the Western Distributor Road Cycle Scheme.