A bridge over the River Shannon in Ireland will allow heavy goods vehicles and traffic to bypass twin towns to reduce congestion and protect heritage.
The Brian Boru bridge, which was opened officially last week, is part of the US$100 million Killaoe Bypass road project. It connects the towns of Killaoe, County Clare, and Ballina, County Tipperary, which lie on opposite sides of the river Shannon.
The bridge is the first new vehicular crossing of the Shannon since 1991. It will redirect traffic from a single-lane bridge in the town centres, which carried up to 7,000 vehicles a day resulting in long tailbacks. The new route also includes cycling and pedestrian facilities.
Chief executive of Tipperary County Council Sinéad Carr said: “We have been fortunate to have a great contractor in Sisks, along with RPS Consulting Engineers, who designed and supervised the construction with assistance from local authority staff in the project delivery office.” She also thanked the communities for their patience.
Brian Boru was a first century CE high king of Ireland who is famed for uniting the country and beating the Vikings at the battle of Clontarf.
