Waterford's Kilmacthomas school and village set for revitalisation works 

Kilmacthomas centre and its nearby primary school are to be regenerated with a number of upcoming works.

As part of the Safe Routes to School Active Travel scheme, a number of traffic calming, footpath widening, buildouts, parking realignments, and placemaking is planned.

The scheme also proposes a new pedestrian crossing on the junction between the R677 and L3306.

Pencil bollards, a standard detail used across the country, which inform drivers that they are approaching a school, are to be erected outside the school.

Additional funding has also been procured for works in the village’s centre, where traffic calming, footpath construction, footpath widening, buildouts, parking realignment and placemaking are proposed outside Centra.

A new pedestrian crossing is planned on the main road in Kilmacthomas village, new concrete footpaths are planned and current parking outside Centra will become more regularized. 

The T-junction at the village's grotto will also be altered, with Michael Murphy, Active Travel Senior Engineer with Waterford Council,
saying: "We’ve got agreement from the parish priest to move the grotto back a little bit to allow us to put in a proper footpath and proper pedestrian crossing. It’s quite a busy T-junction and there is no facility there at the moment to cross so we’re putting a pedestrian crossing there."

Mr. Murphy said that the scheme aims to facilitate children walking to school, particularly from new housing estates in the area.

This is the sole Active Travel project taking place in the Comeragh area this year, however it is understood that schools in Newtown and Kilrossanty are penned for similar works next year.

Mr. Murphy said that the scheme has proved “very popular” in the county.

"It’s a great scheme and we want to do an awful lot more, but unfortunately there’s only so many we can do. Typically we’re doing three a year. It’s a victim of its own success."

Councillors in the area supported the works last week during a meeting of Waterford Council.

Cllr Liam Brazil commented that it was a “very good news story for Kilmacthomas”, whilst Cllr John O’Leary "welcomed and encouraged" the development.

Cllr Declan Clune said regarding the works outside Centra, that it will prove beneficial to locals.

“This is something that would have come up a lot last year when we were preparing for local elections, particularly around the local school and the square.

"Particularly for elderly people, within Centra there is the post office, so there's a lot of people collecting their pensions and a lot of young people crossing over from the school so this is a brilliant job from top to bottom."