Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Fintan Cooney, is to officially turn the first sod to mark the commencement of the Clonmore Bridge Scheme next Friday October 16 at 12 noon.
The Clonmore Bridge Scheme will link Lynn Roundabout on the Tullamore Road to Clonmore Business Park. It is also the final link necessary to complete the Mullingar Orbital Road which was commenced by Westmeath County Council over 12 years ago.
The scheme is 780 metres long and consists of a two-lane road carriageway with footpaths and cycle paths along each side. Works include a 540m long concrete bridge, which will have 20 spans, and the necessary piling, abutment, pier and superstructure construction, as well as 240m approach embankments.
The final design and construction phase of the project is being completed by Messrs Jons Civil Engineering Company Limited, Duleek, Co Meath.
The proposed bridge crosses over the flood plain of the River Brosna and Lacy’s Canal. The ground conditions, which consist of 10 metres of peat above over 20 metres of very soft silt, means that constructing the bridge will be a considerable engineering challenge. Where it crosses Lacy’s Canal, allowance will be made for navigation, by having a 3.1m clearance between bridge and water.
The completion of this scheme will result in the full benefit of all the works already completed over the past 12 years, on the Mullingar Orbital Road, to be fully realised. It will allow passing traffic to drive in a complete circle around Mullingar without having to access the town and thus help alleviate congestion. The increased level of access will improve the industrial and commercial potential of the town, with consequent benefits for the protection and creation of jobs.
Works commenced on the site in March 2009 and the contract period is 18 months; therefore it is anticipated that construction works will be completed in August 2010. The cost of the bridge is estimated at €12 million, part-funded by the Strategic Non-National Roads Grant.
