The new Athlone greenway bridge, which completes 108kms of greenway between Athlone Castle and Maynooth, was officially opened today.
The bridge, which crosses the Shannon River, is part of the planned coast to coast greenway between Galway and Dublin.
The 104-metre long bridge was built at a cost of €15m and connects both sides of Athlone town via a dedicated cycle route.
Mayor of Athlone Louise Heavin said the new bridge will be good for tourism and the local economy.
"You know Athlone is a town divided by the river. Traditionally it was between Roscommon and Westmeath.
"The existing bridge has a very narrow footpath. It's difficult for cyclists to cross with motorists so this [new bridge] is fantastic.
"The greenway system itself at the moment through the town is really well used. People use it to get to schools and to the shops.
Ms Heavin added that the bridge is "good for tourism and the local economy".
Minster of State Jack Chambers who officially opened the new bridge, said it "marks a milestone" in the development of a national greenway.
"Approximately €15m has been spent to date by the Department of Transport in relation to the construction of this bridge," said Mr Chambers.
"Further work is under way to extend the route to Galway city. The funding of a national greenway stretching from Dublin to Galway is a commitment under the Programme for Government.
"The opening of this bridge marks a milestone in the delivery of this project and will be a further boost to tourism and the local economy," he said.
The Minister did not give any timeline for the completion of the national greenway but said every effort was being made to advance each section as quickly as possible.
He said some projects were going through the planning process at the moment.
On the question of developing the rail infrastructure, Mr Chambers said the Government wanted to accommodate both active travel and greenway infrastructure and the future development of disused railway lines across the country.
He said both would be part of a wider evaluation process.
"It's part of the All Ireland Rail Review and we will look at projects on a case-by-case basis," he said.
Padraig Cooke is a member of the Shannonside Cycle Club and said he is looking forward to cycling new sections of the greenway.
"The bridge is great because it opens up the western side of the town for us," he said.
"Mostly we might head east on the greenway towards Mullingar but now hopefully with [the] bridge open we can explore the westerly route and look forward to the extension of the greenway to Galway.
"It will give us great opportunities to do longer trips and for the general public it creates more awareness of the river and opens up new views of Athlone. It's a fantastic amenity," said Mr Cooke.
