Study into new river crossing

Date Published: 10-Nov-2009

A NEW study will examine the feasibility of another crossing over the River Corrib near the existing Salmon Weir Bridge adjacent to the Cathedral.

The bridge is currently under pressure due to the narrowness of the footpaths and the large number of pedestrians as well as the lack of space for cyclists and the heavy car and truck use.

Buses and coaches that use the bridge dozens of times a day cause long snarl ups because they need to cross over into the oncoming lane of traffic to complete the manoeuvre around the bend near the courthouse.

Some cars have even been forced to mount the footpath as they go onto the bridge to avoid a collision with oncoming vehicles, putting pedestrians at risk.

The Council was awarded funding to conduct the study so that all options could be examined for the bridge area in tandem with publication of the public transport feasibility study, which is due out in the next month.

The remit of the public transport report was in the area of bus rapid transit, light rail and park and ride facilities.

If the consultants recommend a bus rapid transit, which involves bus only lanes, this would have a significant impact on motor and pedestrian traffic on the Salmon Weir Bridge.

“We’re asking consultants to look at all extremes and options and come up with the best option for pedestrians and cyclists crossing the river at that point,” explained Ciarán Hayes, Director of Services for Transportation and Infrastructure.

The Corrib River feasibility study will examine the potential of a new crossing at the nearby ‘King’s Gap’. The Council this week invited expressions of interest from candidates interested in the position of client representative to engineering services the study.

The study is expected to begin shortly and is likely to be published early next year.

Permission has been confirmed by An Bord Pleanála for a new bridge over the Corrib at Menlo as part of the outer city bypass, which is currently dogged by court challenges.