Construction on a new pedestrian walkway attached to the Wolfe Tone Bridge in Galway City Centre is due to get underway next week.
The new walkway and railway will be added to the southern side of the bridge, similar to what was added on the other side in 2004.
Work on the cantilever walkway is due to begin on Monday, August 14, and it is expected to open to the public in the summer of 2024.
The new pedestrian walkway has a proposed minimum width of 2m, with a railing along the river side edge, compared with 2.5m on the other side.
When the city council announced these plans in April of 2022, it was stated that the walkway was necessary to mitigate the current risk to pedestrians at the Wolfe Tone Bridge, where it is not possible to build a dedicated pedestrian bridge.
Along with building the new walkway, the project will also involve installing a new pedestrian crossing at the start of the bridge connecting to Fishmarket Square.
An area of the Fishmarket Square will be cordoned off for use by the contractor during construction work.
The city council has advised that there will be some restrictions to traffic during periods of the construction, which may cause traffic delays.
The long awaited Salmon Weir Pedestrian and Cycling bridge across the Corrib opened in May in another big win for pedestrians in the city.
The 80m long bridge crosses the river at Galway Cathedral, providing a welcome relief for people walking and cycling instead of having to use the narrow and cramped Salmon Weir Bridge.
