‘We don’t have timings’: Waterford's sustainable bridge won’t open this year - here’s why

Waterford’s new sustainable transport bridge won’t open this year, a council meeting has heard.

The issue was raised by Independent councillor Declan Barry at the September plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council.

Cllr Barry asked the council executive when the first person might walk across the new bridge.

However, Chief Executive Seán McKeown said there is no set date as to when the bridge might open to the public.

Mr McKeown said: “As people know, we have had the successful delivery and installation of the sustainable transport bridge and last month, the first successful opening [lifting] of the bridge took place, but there’s still significant mechanical and electrical works that have to be completed.”

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Mr McKeown went on to explain why the opening of the bridge might be delayed, even if all works on it have been completed.

He commented: “On the south quays, the podium is in place, so we have access from the south quays of the city onto the bridge.

“We don’t have the same access on the north quays and as the elected members will know, that’s a project that’s being undertaken by Harcourt [Developments].

“It’s one of the projects they’ve prioritised [...] and when that podium is complete then, the north quays will be a building site, so we have to be very careful in terms of the access that we provide through the site.”

Mr McKeown concluded by saying that while the bridge itself will be completed at the end of this year, Harcourt Developments won’t begin work on the connecting podium until early next year.