Galway’s newest civil structure, the Salmon Weir Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge will be officially opened next week, creating the first significant non-car crossing structure of the River Corrib.
Councillors and dignitaries will attend at the opening at lunchtime on Friday next, May 26 with the new crossing expected to be swarmed with curious onlookers anxious to use the first new crossing of the river in almost four decades.
The state of the art crossing will bring to an end the hazardous conflict between pedestrians, cycles and heavy vehicluar traffic on the adjacent 200-year-old Salmon Weir bridge.
The bridge which is yet to be officially named will see the creation of a new focal point for locals and tourists alike, offering spectacular views of the river and the Cathedral.
The new bridge is unique, as it crosses three separate watercourses (Persse’s Distillery River, River Corrib and Friar’s River Canal ) south of the existing Salmon Weir Bridge, and spans a total of 85m.
The main structure of the bridge was constructed on-site in the car park at Galway Cathedral last autumn and winter, and was lowered by crane into place shortly before Christmas.
Plans to develop a second new pedestrian and cycling bridge spanning the River Corrib were unveiled at a March meeting of Galway City Council.
The proposed development, which will be built on the surviving pillars of the old Clifden Railway Bridge, will be located around 300 metres from the Salmon Weir Pedestrian Bridge and will form part of the Galway to Clifden Greenway.
