New Navan bridge lowered into place

There were dramatic scenes in Navan today, as the new bridge over the Blackwater was lowered into place.

Passers-by on the Inner Relief Road and in Blackwater Park stopped to watch as the giant concrete structures were painstakingly lowered by crane.

Works on the new road and bridge, which will be known as LDR4, began during the summer and are expected to take 18 months.

The road is expected to be a gamechanger for traffic in Navan, where at the moment, the only route into Navan from the north of the town is via the inner relief road, linking the Round O with the fire station.

The new road shaves two hectares off the edge of the Blackwater Park lands and continues through the site of the now demolished old OPW building and emerges at the existing roundabout on the Kells Road.

The scheme road 1.15km in length, consisting of two 3.25m wide lanes, 2m wide raised one-way cycle track on both sides and 2.5m wide footpaths on both sides.

The new link between the Ratholdren and Kells Roads, will bring significant traffic congestion relief, while also giving the public pedestrian access to Blackwater Park from the west side of the town.

The works are being carried out by John Craddock, the same contractor who is currently carrying out the Navan 2030 works in the town centre.