Expect more Kerry bridge collapses, warn councillors

A WARNING that more bridges in Kerry will collapse because of heavily laden vehicles crossing over them was given at the weekend.

Many of Kerry’s 3,000 bridges date to the 19th century and, while well constructed at the time, they were not designed to take today’s traffic and loads, according to engineers.

Kerry County Council hopes to start work soon on two bridges which have collapsed and is repairing a third.

Work on a new bridge over the Gaddagh river, near Beaufort, is due to start next month. The stone bridge collapsed last December during storm flooding and will be replaced by a concrete-cast bridge.

In February, a temporary metal bridge collapsed under the weight of a lorry load of pigs at Ballinagar, Lixnaw.

A council spokesman said it was in consultation with the Department of the Environment in relation to funding for a new bridge and hoped to start construction work early in 2008.

The collapsed pontoon bridge at Ballinagar was erected as a temporary structure in 1993, but had not been replaced because of a lack of funds.

People in the Beaufort and Lixnaw areas have been inconvenienced by the bridge collapses, with some having to make long traffic detours on a daily basis.

Work on the damaged Owroe bridge in south Kerry began last month and is due to be completed in October at a cost of €400,000.

In Killorglin, FG councillor Johnny O’Connor, who has been campaigning for repairs to the bridge over the Laune, claimed part of the structure was subsiding.

“Work to shore up the arch nearest the town is expected to be carried out sometime in 2008, but it may be too late by then,” he said.

Some business people in Killorglin claimed heavy traffic travelling at speed over the bridge was making their premises vibrate.

Killarney councillor Michael Gleeson predicted further bridge collapses with consequent isolation for affected communities.