Killaloe bypass, Shannon crossing & R494 Birdhill-Killaloe

StevenToast · 25-05-2025 10:34AM

Hows the bridge going...is it working?....has the traffic cleared up?

source · 26-05-2025 07:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123482750#Comment_123482750

my parents live on the Boher road, they said that since the bridge opened the traffic is still there but is now going towards the new roundabout instead of the old mini roundabout.

Not sure if that's because of the novelty factor of the new bridge, which will eventually die down, or because of genuinely high volume. But everything coming over the bridge from the Clare side has priority on the roundabout, so the traffic is building up on the Tipp side still, just going in the opposite direction.

Delirium · 26-05-2025 09:04AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123482750#Comment_123482750

heading from Ballina to Birdhill this morning, and Ballina had zero traffic this morning.

Usually there's a small queue at the roundabout at the old crossing, but wasn't even a single car at the lights at old bridge.

Be interesting to see what it's like on the way home.

Delirium · 27-05-2025 08:51AM

Granted it was the first time driving home since new bridge opened, but dramatic difference after work.

Usually would meet a tailback around the church/Gooosers, but was no traffic to speak of.

Was able to travel through Ballina without any need to stop due to backed up traffic.

Will be interesting to see if this was a once-off or not.

yankinlk · 03-06-2025 09:55PM

so what is the plan with old bridge? open for a while and then closed for summer? went over new bridge a few times today - and passed old bridge staying on clare side to avoid going over the hill… caught the light and almost no traffic but surprised how many cars in front of me were crossing there at old bridge still.

mackerski · 04-06-2025 10:59AM

Hi - I did a bunch of the work to update OpenStreetMap with the new road layout and I'd like to ask the help of locals (or anybody else who knows) regarding whether a particular road connection exists to the newly opened section of road. Last I saw, while construction was still ongoing, the road running by St. Anne's Community college had what looked like a temporary access onto a short section of the bypass in order to maintain access to Clarisford Park, whose access road already had what looked like a permanent junction with the bypass.

So my question is, am I right to assume that access from the north side of the bypass has now been severed? Specifically, my assumption is that the highlighted connection in this linked map is now gone:

https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1388718469

Can anybody confirm? Many thanks!

Delirium · 04-06-2025 03:37PM

Yep. Only access to pedestrians/ bicycles.

New path closed that exit.

Google maps is updated to show this

Glenomra · 06-06-2025 12:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123489249#Comment_123489249

In your opinion is the new crossing taking much traffic that previously accessed limerick either via o'briens Bridge or via Athlunkard Bridge.

Delirium · 06-06-2025 12:53PM

It's possible, but very hard to say based on traffic since new bridge opened.

The traffic is generally very light any time I'm heading to/from Birdhill compared to before the bridge opened.

Even just for the regular traffic that would use old bridge in Ballina, I'm guessing they are using the new crossing. But traffic would have you thinking it's less passing through due to lack of tailbacks.

dennyk · 11-06-2025 01:53PM

While walking down to the market I've been noticing fewer cars queueing at the lights on the Killaloe side on Sunday mornings, at least.

Also, I don't drive much since I work from home, but I was out running an errand the other day and was coming home around 5PM and decided to use the old bridge coming from the Birdhill direction just to see how things were. There wasn't any queue at all in either direction in Ballina, and there were only a few cars lined up from the Scariff direction on the other side. No waiting at the new roundabout either, so it seems the capacity of the new bridge is more than enough to eliminate the tailbacks entirely, at least during normal "rush hour" traffic. It's really quite impressive how much effect it's had on the traffic here.

Pete_Cavan · 11-06-2025 05:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123534205#Comment_123534205

it seems the capacity of the new bridge is more than enough

I don't think the capacity of the new bridge was ever in doubt, the question was would people use that new capacity.

callaway92 · 22-06-2025 04:58PM

In terms of daytrippers to Killaloe coming from Birdhill side, is traffic/parking still a balls on a Sunday for example? Parents would generally try to park Ballina side of Old Bridge - I’d be coming from Clare side

elperello · 22-06-2025 05:28PM

I was there during the week and the traffic lights are still making the access difficult to the hotel, pub, marina and boat trip jetty.

I also noticed someone drove into the wall in front of the library on the Killaloe side.

source · 22-06-2025 05:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123570112#Comment_123570112

My parents live in Ballina. I'm there at the moment. The last few times I've come out since the bridge opened i haven't had to sit in traffic.

Hibernicis · 22-06-2025 06:08PM

On the occasions I was in Ballina since the new bridge opened, coming down the hill on the R494 I was held up for a minute or two at the junction outside the Wooden Spoon, waiting for traffic turning right towards the old bridge to clear. It wasn't free flow, but it certainly was better than the delays before the new bridge opened.

cnocbui · 23-06-2025 11:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123570194#Comment_123570194

That wall has been smashed by large articulated trucks trying to make the right angle tun onto the bridge, coming from the north, multiple times over the last two decades. It gets repaired, it gets smashed, ad infinitum. The next time it's repaired should last a long while as trucks should now be using the new bridge and the bypass.

elperello · 23-06-2025 12:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572077#Comment_123572077

Yes it makes sense for bigger vehicles to divert over the new bridge.

The biggest I saw on the old bridge was a UK reg. motorhome.

The view back over to the Tipperary side from the new Scariff road was lovely in the sunshine.

ollaetta · 27-06-2025 04:36PM

I see the dates for the trial pedestriation of the old bridge have been decided:

https://clarechampion.ie/trial-pedestrianisation-of-old-bridge-linking-killaloe-and-ballina-to-go-ahead/

16-07-2025 12:27AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572077#Comment_123572077

Like the bridge in O'Briens Bridge. They had to build a covered canopy for the walkway under the arch to stop someone getting killed when another truck destroyed the bridge..

elperello · 30-07-2025 03:10PM

I was passing through Ballina today and stopped to have a look at the old bridge.

Two heavy planters have been placed at each end of the bridge to block vehicular access.

Some seats have been provided and pedestrian/cycle way markings put down.

There is no provision for emergency vehicles to get onto the bridge.

I think this could be a problem if an incident took place on the pedestrian/cycle way or if a boat collided with the bridge.

dennyk · 30-07-2025 11:28PM

I think this could be a problem if an incident took place on the pedestrian/cycle way or if a boat collided with the bridge.

The pedestrianised part of the bridge is only 150m long; it's not like it's miles from a road. What happens if an incident takes place on the canal boardwalk, or up at Aillebaun, or in Clarisford Park, or at Beal Boru, or any other place that isn't directly accessible by vehicles?

KrisW1001 · 31-07-2025 07:55AM

And where would the ambulance/fire engine be coming from? Seems they’d just decide which way to come in to the town based on where the incident was.

elperello · 31-07-2025 10:06AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123684824#Comment_123684824

There are indeed many inaccessible areas but the bridge has always been accessible for emergency vehicles.

Perhaps if the local authorities decide to make the pedestrian/cycle project permanent they will consider a more easily removed barrier.

elperello · 31-07-2025 10:11AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123685073#Comment_123685073

AGS, Fire Service and Coastguard are based in Killaloe.

Afaik Ambulances would be coming from Limerick or Nenagh.

As in reply above my suggestion is to allow access to the bridge not through traffic.

KrisW1001 · 31-07-2025 10:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123685359#Comment_123685359

Ah, I understand. I don’t even think a barrier is needed. The cheapest way to deter cars is to make the bridge and its two endpoints into a single pedestrian zone with kerbing where these areas meet the road on each bank (with cycle lanes added, of course). In an emergency, Garda/Fire/Ambulance vehicles can mount those kerbs and cross the bridge, but private vehicles will not leave the road, mount a kerb and drive on what will then be, in effect, a footpath across the river.