Tarmac replaces cobbles in Laois on Portlaoise's troublesome thoroughfare

Laois County Council has turned to tarmac to solve a long-running problem on the main Portlaoise thoroughfare.

After years of a bumpy surface on the lower half of Bridge St, works have completed the resurfacing of the route that leads to Portlaoise's Parish Church.

The bollards were removed ahead of schedule at about 6.15pm on Wednesday, July 24 on the short street which begins at the end of Main St at the Well Rd turn-off.

During three days of work on behalf of Laois County Council, contractors lifted thousands of interlocking but loose cobbles from the surface of Bridge St. The troublesome surface which had been disintegrating for years was replaced by what should be more durable tarmac.

Pictured: Bridge St junction with the Well Road where the Leinster Express office is located in Portlaoise.  

The replacement of the 50-metre stretch concludes a process that Laois County Council began in Portlaoise some years previously when most of Main Steet had to be covered with a tarmac surface.

The latest work differs from that solution as the cobbles were not removed but covered to prevent them dislodging further. The work was done after numerous complaints were made that the cobbles were falling apart and unsafe for pedestrians.

Councillors complained that it presented risks from everything from people doing their shopping to walking in funeral corteges.

The latest project was completed two days ahead of schedule.