Mary Elmes Bridge reopens following joyriding incident repairs

Cork City Council has reopened Mary Elmes pedestrian and cycle bridge to the public this evening, Wednesday November 5 following the completion of temporary repairs.

The bridge suffered structural damage during a joyriding incident involving a scissors lift on Sunday night.

Several wooden decking panels on the upriver side of the bridge were cracked when the machine was driven onto the bridge.

A metal handrail on the St Patrick’s Quay side of the bridge was also damaged during the incident.

Some of the metal decking panels fell into the river, leaving a gaping hole in the floor of the bridge.

The bridge was closed on Tuesday evening in the interest of public safety.

Representatives of the bridge manufacturers were on site on Tuesday with city council engineers to conduct a full assessment of the damage and to consider repair options.

Pending permanent repairs, city council engineers have now replaced the damaged sections of decking with timber panels and as a temporary measure to facilitate the reopening of the bridge.

However, the seating area on the bridge will remain closed, and the pedestrian handrail on the St Patrick’s Quay side will also remain closed off until the damage there is fully repaired.

It could be several weeks before the work is complete due to the requirement to fabricate the bespoke replacement decking panels.

The city council will bear the costs of the repair work. The full cost has not been finalised.

A spokesperson for Cork City Council apologised for the inconvenience caused by the temporary bridge closure over recent days.

“Our team has been working hard to get the bridge reopened as soon as possible,” he said.

“We appreciate your patience and understanding that safety is paramount and like you we look forward to having the Mary Elmes Bridge back to its former condition at the earliest opportunity