Clare and Tipperary County Councils are to pedestrianise the 18th century bridge at Killaloe when the new Shannon Bridge opens this summer.
The initiative, part of the Road Traffic Act 1994, aims to create a more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly environment on the bridge connecting Killaloe and Ballina.
The Killaloe Bypass, along with the Shannon Bridge Crossing and R494 Improvement Scheme, willcreate a western bypass for Killaloe, with a new bridge over the River Shannon and enhancements to the existing R494 road.
The project spans approximately 6.2km and features a new bridge positioned about 1km south of the current Killaloe Bridge, also crossing the Kilmastulla River, a tributary of the River Shannon.
The Killaloe Bypass officially opened on Wednesday, 18th December, with a new road layout connecting the Kincora Roundabout to Shantraud Roundabout on the R463.
With a length of around 2km, the new road includes a 7.0m wide carriageway, a segregated 2.5m cycle facility, and a pedestrian footpath, with the complete project expected to finish by mid-2025.
History of the bridge
A first millennium bridge was recorded in the Annals of Inisfallen. There was a plank bridge here between 1000 and 1014 There was no bridge recorded in the Down’s survey. A bridge was note din the Rhodes’s survey and the current bridge was receded some time between 1715 and 1770. Detailed plans and sections of the bridge in the report of the Shannon Commissioners, 1837.. It shows fifteen arches of which there were six on the Clare side with 6-metre span segmental arches, five in mid-river of 12-metre span and four at the Tipperary end with 6-metre spans.
