Longford County Council has appointed Tower Civil Engineering Ltd of Tullamore as the main contractor for the R392 Ballymahon Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme.

The construction contract has been signed, with works scheduled to commence from Tuesday, 18 August.

The €1.4 million scheme is funded by the National Transport Authority through its Active Travel Programme and was designed by CST Group Consulting Engineers in partnership with the Council’s Active Travel Team.

Around 350 metres of new walking and cycling infrastructure will be delivered along the R392 Ballymahon to Lanesborough Road, stretching from the Moigh Road junction to St Matthew’s National School. The build is expected to take approximately 10 months.

The project marks a significant investment in safer, more sustainable travel in Ballymahon. It includes a new two-way cycle track to provide a safer, more appealing route for people cycling and walking, together with two raised zebra crossings on the R392 and further traffic-calming measures such as a narrowed carriageway, gateway signage and raised crossing points to help lower vehicle speeds.

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Additional works will establish school zones at St Matthew's National School and Ballymahon Vocational School, place the existing ESB overhead network underground with the removal of poles to improve the streetscape, install new public lighting along the route, and add surface water drainage infrastructure to improve runoff and reduce flood risk.

On completion, the scheme will bring community-wide benefits, including enhanced road safety, lower traffic speeds, better accessibility and greater priority for people walking and cycling, as well as a more attractive approach to Ballymahon. It will be of particular benefit to students at St Matthew’s National School, the Convent of Mercy and Ballymahon Vocational School.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Councillor Gerry Hagan, said: "I warmly welcome this project and the many improvements it will bring to the local community. The delivery of safer footpaths, a dedicated cycle track, new pedestrian crossings and enhanced school zones will make a real difference for families, schoolchildren and residents. This is a positive investment in the future of Ballymahon, and I am pleased to see these long-awaited improvements progressing."

Temporary traffic management, including periodic lane closures, will be required during construction. The Council and Tower Civil Engineering Ltd will work to minimise disruption and deliver the works as efficiently as possible.