Minister Cullen opens new Waterford Bridge and City Bypass 10 months ahead of schedule

Posted on 19/10/09 by Martin Cullen The N25 Waterford City Bypass and its Cable Stayed Bridge - which is the longest in the State - was formally opened today (Monday 19 October 2009) by Martin Cullen TD, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. The project, which will see approximately 10,000 to 12,000 vehicles each day removed from the Waterford city quays, has been completed within budget and 10 months ahead of schedule.

Speaking today, Minister Cullen said: "I am delighted to perform the official opening of the N25 Waterford Bypass Scheme - long awaited by the people of Waterford and the South East, which is being opened 10 months ahead of schedule. For as long as anyone can remember, only one river crossing was available to people wishing to visit Waterford, whether to conduct business or for pleasure, and to those passing through the city on their way to Rosslare or Cork and beyond. This has now all changed. The new, iconic Cable Stayed Bridge over the River Suir, the longest in the State, encapsulates how far our national road network has come in a few short years under the Government's Transport 21 Plan."

The Minister added: "This new gateway to Waterford heralds a new beginning for Waterford and for the South East. The new Bridge and City Bypass together with the Waterford to Dublin Motorway will revolutionise travel in the whole region resulting in shorter journey times and safer road conditions. Upon opening, approximately 14,000 vehicles a day will use the 23 km (dual carriageway) Waterford Bypass, about 1,400 which will be heavy goods vehicles. This will have the added benefit of facilitating the further rejuvenation of the city along the quays to the maximum commercial advantage."

The Minister also said: "The crowning piece of this scheme must be the 465m Cable Stayed Bridge over the Suir. The longest in the State - longer than the equally impressive Boyne Bridge on the M1 near Drogheda, - the new Bridge will be a distinctive and impressive structure for many years to come and I have no doubt it will be a landmark for Waterford into the future."

The N25 Waterford City Bypass was funded through a PPP scheme and by the Government under the National Development Plan.

The Waterford to Dublin Motorway will be fully completed early next year.

In his concluding remarks the Minister said: "The Bridge and City Bypass are projects of immense scale and I congratulate all who have been involved - the Department of Transport; the National Roads Authority; the Local Authorities, Waterford City Council, Waterford County Council and Kilkenny County Council; the Celtic Roads Group and engineers, Mott MacDonald Pettit - in bringing them to such early completion."