The latest active travel project by South Dublin County Council which is likely one of the top three in terms of delivery of an active travel network has been welcomed by a local councillor.The project stretches along the Belgard Road between Old Belgard Road Junction and Cookstown Road Junction, and on Airton Road between Belgard Road Junction and Greenhills Road.It mainly includes quick-build cycle paths and improved or new pedestrian or shared crossings, while one junction, at Airton Road, is to be more substantially redesigned with protected Dutch-style protected corners installed. A nearby roundabout is also to undergo a redesign with an unusual combination of quick-build protected cycle lanes and toucan crossings. Cllr Jess Spear said: You might have seen the construction works on the Belgard Road? This is the long-awaited and much-needed installation of protected cycle lanes on the Belgard Road. The first phase will be between the Old Blessington Road junction and the Cookstown Road junction.IMAGE: A section of the draft drawing for the project as published in 2024.The works are expected to be completed by the end of May 2027. Construction will be undertaken in sections to minimise impacts on road users, said the People Before Profit Solidarity councillor. Cllr Spear added: Junctions along the route will also be upgraded to improve safety and accessibility for cyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.When it ran a public consultation in 2024, the council said: The proposed scheme is a key element of Cycle South Dublin (see Active Travel SDCC) and forms part of Route No. 4 which links Tallaght to Clondalkin.According to the council, the project will provide wider and safer cycle lanes on Belgard Road from the junction with Old Bessington Road to the junction with Cookstown Road, with the cycle route segregated from motorists by a new raised concrete kerb.The council explained: The existing narrow cycle lanes will be widened into the grass verge to a width of 2m and in some locations the traffic lanes will be narrowed to 3m each. New 2m wide segregated cycle lanes are also proposed on Airton Road; these will be built on the existing wide road pavement with no requirement for widening, two 3m wide lanes would be retained for general traffic.The council published this video, which includes a flyover of the draft plans, during the consultation: