'Historic day' for Kerry as new greenway routes open
The Listowel At Greenway Greenway, North To Spokesperson The Abbeyfeale Stack, Kerry Valerie Denis Opening The For Picture: Listowel Of Section Of O'sullivan
The first of what is to become a "necklace of greenways" from South Kerry to the Limerick border has been officially opened.
A 16km route for cyclists and walkers now runs between Listowel town centre and Abbeyfeale, while a dramatic 11km track from Tralee town runs along the bay to the Port of Fenit.
The Tralee Greenway will provide locals with a new active transport corridor linking the town centre and train station to Mounthawk, at Bracker O’Regan Road, providing school-goers and other commuters with sustainable travel options.
It will also give tourists and recreational cyclists a safe route to enjoy the views over Tralee Bay and provide a key link with the EuroVelo Route — a network of long-distance cycle routes connecting the whole European continent.
The Listowel Greenway will link to the Great Southern Trail, which extends from Abbeyfeale for 50km into Co Limerick.
In a joint statement, Cathaoirleach of Listowel Municipal District Cllr Aoife Thornton, and the Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Mikey Sheehy, said: “This is a historic day for the county.
Meanwhile, after protracted planning and legal rows, the long-anticipated 27km South Kerry Greenway, which will extend from Glenbeigh over Kells Bay to Caherciveen, is finally getting under way.
The project will be completed in phases and will involve huge technical and engineering challenges.
The links between the Listowel and Tralee greenways are at the planning stage, while the options to link Glenbeigh in South Kerry to North Kerry via Killorglin and Milltown are at the study stage.
Peter Walsh, chief executive of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, said: “The Tralee to Fenit Greenway, the N70 Brackaharagh ‘Active Travel’ project, and the N69 Listowel to Abbeyfeale Greenway all deliver sustainable active travel transport options for residents and visitors alike, while providing a safer environment for all road users.”