Work on the Lough Atalia Bridge Road Lowering Project starts on Monday March 23, but the road will remain open during the following two weeks in order to allow unrestricted access to the city during the Easter weekend.
The road will eventually be closed to traffic for eight weeks from the Fairgreen Road junction, beside the Radisson Hotel, to the back entrance of Ceannt Station. A traffic management plan will be put in place, including a one-way traffic system for Lough Atalia Road, Fairgreen Road, and College Road, that will come into effect on Tuesday April 7. The work is being carried out by L&M Keating Ltd Building and Civil Engineering Contractors.
The Galway City Council has appointed Tom Cannon of TOBIN Consulting Engineers as public liaison engineer for the duration of the works. He will be available to answer any queries from the public from 9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays, through 086 - 1666653. Updates on traffic management plans and durations will be available on www.galwaycity.ie and an email list of stakeholders will be compiled to release all information to the public as it becomes available. Those interested in signing up to the mailing list can contact [email protected].
The Lough Atalia Railway Bridge is a low 19th century bridge structure which comprises cast iron arches and is a protected structure. This has been subject to considerable and repeated damage by high vehicles. According to City Hall, significant damage to the bridge would leave the city centre without one of the four road routes and without its only railway station/terminal.
Due to height restrictions under Lough Atalia Bridge, vehicles over 3.68m high must move towards the centre of the road in order to pass under the bridge. Such tall or taller vehicles can only pass under it by lining up to pass directly under the highest point by using the centre of the road. However it is not unknown for vehicles to strike or get stuck under the bridge. As a result the road under the bridge needs to be lowered by 1.3m. Dedicated pedestrian and cycle facilities will also be introduced.
City Hall believes the works will allow for the safer movement of large vehicles under the bridge; eliminate incidents of high sided vehicles striking the arch rib construction of the under-bridge; make the passageway beneath the bridge a suitable height for modern articulated lorries and other large vehicles; and preserve the protected structure.
