Foyle Bridge
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The Foyle Bridge is a bridge in Derry in Northern Ireland. Although the central span of the bridge is the second longest in Ireland at 234 metres (767 feet), the whole suspended bridge structure including the approach spans is the longest in Ireland at 866 metres (2839 feet).
It crosses the River Foyle to the north of the city, and forms only the second bridge linking the city centre to the Waterside. Work on the bridge began in 1980 and it opened in October 1984. The bridge structure itself was built by Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast and floated to the site by barge. Between 2000 and 2004 the bridge underwent strengthening, resurfacing and other improvements, leading to widespread traffic disruption in the city.
The road was built to dual carriageway standard, and carries the A515. It has been estimated that more than 30,000 vehicles use the bridge every day. The NIR railway line to Belfast runs beneath the eastern end of the bridge.
In January 2005 during a storm, a lorry was blown off the bridge and its driver, Peter McGuinness, killed. An investigation was launched since the storm had not been unusually severe, and it was concluded that a freak gust had contributed to the accident. However, due to the danger from cross winds, the bridge has always been closed to traffic when the weather is particularly windy. Windsocks are in place at each end to alert the drivers of HGVs.
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