Obelisk Bridge reopened to traffic

The Obelisk Bridge in Drogheda has reopened to traffic this afternoon having been closed since last August to accommodate the completion of major refurbishment work.

The move will be welcome news for users of the popular commuter link between Meath and Drogheda who for the last number of months have had to cross the town to travel from north to south, use a back route, or pay a toll.

Last February, the Department of Transport approved funding of €1m for improvement works to the bridge which is nearby to Oldbridge House and dates back to 1868.

The funding was part of a €626m investment programme for 2023 for regional and local roads announced by Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan T.D. and Minister of State Jack Chambers T.D.

Regular local users campaigned for the tolls on the M1 to be suspended for local people until the work on the bridge was complete.From left: Frank Godfrey; Michael Walsh, Slane; Cllr Paddy Meade MCC; Tommy Crilly, Slane and Lorraine Cunningham. Photo by Gerry Shanahan

The single-span, iron girder, road bridge over the River Boyne near Townley Hall was built in 1868 and was designed by engineering company A. Tate and the county surveyors for Meath and Louth, Samuel Searanke and John Neville.

There had been much controversy over the closure of the historic Boyne Obelisk Bridge with a number of protests taking place against the move and a campaign was established to abolish the M1 Motorway toll.

Last month Louth County Council confirmed that despite adverse weather conditions disrupting works throughout the project, works on the Obelisk Bridge were on schedule and the bridge was to reopen in May.