Bridge crashes prompt call for safety audit

A city councillor has called for a safety audit to be carried out on the Dyke Road bridge after five vehicles became wedged under it in separate incidents last week.

Last Tuesday afternoon, a van travelling from Menlo towards the city centre became completely stuck under it, and the driver had great difficulty in moving it, even after deflating all of its tyres. Local area councillor Frank Fahy said it was the fourth or fifth such incident this week.

“There needs to be a full safety audit carried out there. If you approach from the Menlo side, the height restriction bar is completely bent into an arch from being hit so often.

“Cars and vans drive down the Dyke Road at an awful speed. There are chunks of the bridge missing at this stage, and who knows if a lump could fall off and go through a windscreen.

“I’ve spoken to Director of Services for Transport and Infrastructure, Ciarán Hayes, about it, and I know there are plans being drawn up.

“These would include rumble strips to slow traffic and a stop/go system at the bridge over the Sandy River to slow cars down. That small bridge is also being badly damaged by vehicles hitting it at speed, and it’s a Protected Structure.

“Signage needs to be replaced and much more visible to warn motorists of the height restriction. If a bus goes down the Dyke Road, and they often do, they can take up to an hour to reverse out when they realise the bridge is too low. There’s a huge problem with signage being obscured on the Dyke Road.

“A new warning bar needs to be put in place on the Menlo side because the existing one has been completely knocked out of shape.

“Presumably that’s because it’s been hit by vans so many times, and then the van has to be freed,” said Cllr Fahy.

A spokesperson for Galway City Council said the height restriction bar will be looked at, while the bridge itself is the responsibility of the National Roads Authority.