Study reveals key issues surrounding motorway bridge

A six-lane motorway bridge over the Bride's Glen at Loughlinstown in South County Dublin and the proximity of the motorway to local authority housing at Ballyogan have emerged as key issues in relation to Dublin's planned South-Eastern Motorway.

Introducing an Environmental Impact Statement associated with the proposed £130 million, 12kmmotorway in Dun LaoghaireRathdown County Hall yesterday, the Cathaoirleach, Mr Donal Marren, said the road "represented a milestone in the completion of the Dublin "C" ring". Mr Marren also opened a public display of models and maps which continues at the county hall until November 7th.

According to the EIS, the scale of the Bride's Glen bridge will have a severe impact in terms of "sharp contrast with the existing scenic rural character". Making a comparison with Dublin's West Link bridge, Mr Joseph O'Donovan of consulting engineers Roughan and O'Donovan said the Bride's Glen bridge would be roughly one-third the length of the West Link and twice as wide. It was to be 16 metres high.

The width was needed to carry six lanes of traffic as the bridge was close to the Wyattville interchange, Mr O'Donovan said.

Referring to the ecology of the glen, Mr O'Donovan revealed that the bridge would be built in sections and pushed out from the top of the glen side, thereby minimising disruption to the glen floor. This was the first time a bridge would be constructed in this way, in the State.

While the EIS acknowledged the bridge would severely affect four dwellings, Mr O'Donovan said that its design "is environmentally the best solution".