Boyne River Bridge

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Boyne River Bridge,County Meath Photo by: Ian G. Bowie, Source

The Boyne River Bridge is Ireland’s longest cable-stayed bridge and is widely regarded as one the most impressive feats of civil engineering in Ireland. Situated 3 kilometres west of Drogheda , the vast majority of the bridge including its central pylon and 56 cables are situated in County Meath, although the last few northern most cables partly stretch across the county boundary into County Louth. The bridge carries traffic from the M1, across the River Boyne, linking Dublin and Belfast. It was built as part of the M1 Drogheda bypass, diverting traffic from the old N1, now reclassified as the R132, around Drogheda and out of the town centre. The Bridge is widely admired and around 2005 became the main feature in the crest of Louth GAA, even though it is almost entirely situated in County Meath.

[edit] Overview

Designing a road bridge over the Boyne was not an easy task. At the chosen point, three kilometers upstream from Drogheda, the ground level on the south is elevated, with a sudden drop while the north bank slopes gradually down to the river. The area is environmentally sensitive, especially the reed beds on the north bank and the flora and fauna of Yellow Island in the middle of the river. The area has a rich heritage as it is also situated adjacent to the area in which the 1690 Battle of the Boyne took place.

The answer was a cable-stayed bridge. Although at a cost of 35 million euro it would be more expensive than a standard road bridge, it could incorporate a much longer main span without the need for supports in the river, so the engineers could protect the river and the island from any interference. It would also look attractive, with a tall pylon at the south side and cable stays fanning out from it, supporting the main structure.

Opened on June 9th 2003, the bridge is managed under a public private partnership between the National Roads Authority on behalf of the Irish Government and a private company, Celtic Roads Group. The consession company has an obligation to maintain the road for 30 years. The bridge and motorway is tolled in both directions to finance its constructon and maintenance.

This Bridge recently won the 2006 Excellence Award (Civil) from the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland.