Developers of the river-fronting Marine Hotel and Alps sites have been asked to leave room for a new road beside the Avoca River that it's hoped will solve the town's traffic woes.
But it is likely to be years before the new road would be built.
The road would basically follow the path of the existing Riverwalk, beginning at the N11 beside the Bridge Hotel and linking with the Vale Road below St Saviour's church.
At last week's town council meeting, councillors discussed a meeting they had earlier attended with the Arklow Chamber where the idea for the road was discussed.
Cllr Donal O'Sullivan supported further investigation of the idea of the roadway.
'The idea did have merit and it would be worth looking at,' he said.
'It would be very unfair to impose it (on developers of the sites) but if it could be accommodated in the plan it would be good.'
Town clerk Des Nichols said the issue of leaving room for a roadway had already been raised in pre-planning discussions between the council and the Marine Hotel developers.
He said the developers had had no objections to the proposal and setting back their buildings so the road could be accommodated.
If built, it is hoped the river-side road would relieve pressure on Arklow's Main Street and even help lead to its eventual pedestrianisation.
Mr Nichols said a one-way road was envisioned, linking the N11 behind the Bridge Hotel with either Upper Main St, or the Vale Road.
But Cllr Nicky Kelly said there was already a potential problem with a Vale Road link.
'If the road ends under St Saviours that includes land that the developer doesn't have yet.'
Mr Nichols said the road was first proposed in Arklow's development plan of 1946.
Wicklow People 22/2/2006
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