Concrete award for Macroom bypass bridges

TWO bridges on the Macroom N22 bypass won the recent Irish Concrete Awards, where the structures were described as “fine feats of engineering design and construction”.

The bridges were awarded in the infrastructure category for the pre-cast concrete beams used over the Laney and Sullane rivers.

The 50m, pre-cast beams used in the North Cork bridges are the longest in Ireland and the UK.

The awards judges said: 

“The W19 beams of the Laney and Sullane river bridges are the longest in Ireland and the UK for both single and two-span, pre-stressed bridge beam structures at 50m and 98m, respectively. Both these achievements are fine feats of engineering design and construction, while pushing the boundaries in the use of prestress concrete.”

The beams were designed and manufactured by Offaly firm Banagher Precast Concrete Limited.

“We always said that we could design, manufacture and transport 50m beams, but up to now we never had a client brave enough,” said Caroline Cavanagh of Banagher Precast.

Transport of the beams required a series of Garda-escorted, overnight journeys from Banagher, Co Offaly, to Macroom.

The 190km journey, which usually takes two-and-a-half hours, took 12.

Manoeuvring the beams, which are the same length as an Olympic swimming pool, was particularly difficult when passing through the Jack Lynch Tunnel, with a mere 200mm of headroom to spare.