N25/N30 - New Ross Bypass [open to traffic]

josip

99.9....% of people won't see the concrete that close and from that perspective.
Anyone driving on the road will mainly see shiny white cable shielding.
Locals will only see the bridge structure from afar and not be able to make out the concrete aesthetics.
There are better uses of NRA money that keeping a bridge painted.

josip

They'll spend plenty keeping it lit.
From the back yard just now

m17

The barrow crossing 08/01/20 (pics fb )

Idbatterim

Would a tunnel crossing have been feasible ?

josip

Idbatterim wrote: »

Would a tunnel crossing have been feasible ?

Feasible? Yes.
More expensive ? Almost certainly.

Now for a complete laymans.
Although the depth of the river at the turn of the pink isn't excessive, 20ft compared to almost 50ft nearby, a tunnel is going to have to start from quite far back. The land on the Stokestown (Wexford) side is flat and quite amenable to a cut and cover design as was used for the Lee tunnel.
However the land on the Ballyverneen (Kilkenny) side is quite elevated.
That elevation was very suitable for a bridge, the engineers remarked that half of the bridge was already built for them.
But I would imagine that the height would be a big problem for a cut and cover tunnel approach.

NedNew2

There is a 15 metre draught channel at the Pink Rock.

josip

NedNew2 wrote: »

There is a 15 metre draught channel at the Pink Rock.

That would match what I thought before I went looking for confirmation.
Is that 15m at high tide?

And do these charts show low tide depths?
http://fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html?title=B++Continuation+of+the+River+Barrow+to+New+Ross+boating+app#14/52.3595/-6.9900

m17

The barrow crossing 08/01/20 (pic fb)

eagerv

josip wrote: »

And do these charts show low tide depths?
http://fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html?title=B++Continuation+of+the+River+Barrow+to+New+Ross+boating+app#14/52.3595/-6.9900

Most charts I have used use LAT, Lowest Astronomical Tide, as their datum for depth of water.
Occasionally the tide will go lower than this, eg if you have very high pressure or a strong offshore wind.
Just to confuse you, heights of hills etc are usually above MHWS, or Mean High Water Spring tide.


Cannot see what datum your example uses but I presume LAT.

vicwatson

How long does it take for that concrete to cure fully? Years ??

eagerv

Thank you for posting the above pics m17.


Looking almost complete, some crash barriers still to install.
View when driving should be good..


Hopefully any snags will not delay opening....

Hibernicis

eagerv wrote: »

View when driving should be good..

I thought exactly the same when I looked at that picture, and then I though about the selfie brigade, stopping mid-bridge to take a few quick pics.......

lazer.blue

Hibernicis wrote: »

I thought exactly the same when I looked at that picture, and then I though about the selfie brigade, stopping mid-bridge to take a few quick pics.......

I wonder was any consideration given to putting in pedsestrian/viewing access?

Harry Palmr

If it was they'd have been wise to discard the idea, unless you're going to put in a thoroughly dedicated access from below to a viewing perch (probably a cage design for obvious reasons) then it would be crazy to encourage people be they on foot or stopping a car (!). Sadly I bet some do it, be interesting to see what happens re policing. Maybe on the first day they can just make it a one lane e/w 30 kph zone bollards, etc with pedestrians allowed on the outer lane each side to get that out of the system.

josip

lazer.blue wrote: »

I wonder was any consideration given to putting in pedsestrian/viewing access?

I doubt if it was given more than a brief consideration.
Parking would then have had to be added to the design.
On both sides of the carriageway.

sideswipe

lazer.blue wrote: »

I wonder was any consideration given to putting in pedsestrian/viewing access?

Not to be grim but pedestrians on a bridge of this type could potentially end up as a suicide hot spot unfortunately. I remember seeing the Documentary on the Golden Gate Bridge, The Bridge
They claim it's the most 'popular' suicide spot in the world. If you walk across you can see the additional barriers added to stop people throwing themselves off.

allthedoyles

Don't remember a viewing area been discussed on this thread , but there was talk here of an area marked out for possible toll site in the future.
Wonder did that go ahead .

Justbecause

The lights are in full swing tonight

[IMG][/img]https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=499630&d=1578611120

Joey Joe-Joe Jr

Justbecause wrote: »

The lights are in full swing tonight

[IMG][/img]https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=499630&d=1578611120

Stunning!

Hibernicis

Joey Joe-Joe Jr wrote: »

Stunning!

Iconic even....

This is bridge porn at its very best. Look at that sublime ascending curve in the deck as it approaches the nearest pier.......

However the two human arms supporting the deck on either side of the furthest pier is a tad worrying..... !!

Silent Running

Still no explanation why that one support is surrounded by scaffolding?

sideswipe

Silent Running wrote: »

Still no explanation why that one support is surrounded by scaffolding?

They read this thread and have decided to give the whole thing a lick of paint

allthedoyles

Was out there today .A lot of scaffolding on pier 3 still.
Was an article in the Daily Star on Thursday last and it said the opening date is been kept under wraps for security and Garda concern's over travelling dignitaries.
But they confirmed it is opening within the next 3 weeks.

m17

The barrow crossing 11/01/20 ( pic fb)

Hibernicis

m17 wrote: »

The barrow crossing 11/01/20 ( pic fb)

Pure WOW. Has to be one of the most photogenic bridges in Ireland. Once again M17 thanks for curating the pictures.

CoBo55

m17 wrote: »

The barrow crossing 11/01/20 ( pic fb)

That's a fantastic picture, where will you go next when this is finished?

Geogregor

vicwatson wrote: »

How long does it take for that concrete to cure fully? Years ??

Actually yes. Concrete gradually gets stronger with age. Of course it gets all the required strength in a few weeks but over the years it keeps curing.

https://precast.org/2013/10/28-day-myth/

Digging deeper into the curing process, hydration is the chemical process that allows concrete to go from a plastic state to a hardened state while gaining strength over time. Hydration occurs at a faster rate in the early stages after concrete placement and slows down after a month or so goes by. Many cement pastes will cease hydration before one year, and some may continue to hydrate over the course of several years (4). Because of the variable length of the hydration process, the phrase “green concrete” is a purely subjective characterization.

sideswipe wrote: »

They read this thread and have decided to give the whole thing a lick of paint

Even if concrete is not painted with a colour paint it is often covered with transparent sealant to protect from the environment.

From purely aesthetic point of view I prefer natural concrete colour structures (common in Ireland and Britain) over bridges in some garish colours, like it often happens in Poland.

RadioRetro

Loads of people walking along the bridge today, a snap from a buddy.

m17

The barrow crossing 11/01/20 (pic fb)

Next stop listowel bypass

fricatus

I wonder will this bridge have to close during really high winds like today's orange alert.

I know the Foyle Bridge in Derry closes from time to time, and this one is similarly quite high up over the water. Also there's not much in the way of margin between the left lane and the edge. The other big N25 bridge (the T. F. Meagher bridge over the Suir) at least has a bit of a hard shoulder and is lower down as far as I can tell.