Navan bridge works completed a week early

There is good news in Navan this evening as the Kentstown/Athlumney Road bridge has opened a week in advance of schedule.

A five-week closure of the 18th century bridge had been pencilled in, but the repair and restoration work has finished a week early, which will be a relief to all those who were caught in Dublin Road traffic tailbacks.

The 'New Bridge', which serves Kentstown, Athlumney, Boyne Road and Johnstown, required substantial repair works to cracks in the arch barrells.

The bridge is a coursed rubble masonry bridge with six arches over the Boyne, carrying two lanes of traffic. It was built in the 1700s.

The works, as well as repairing the cracks, included repointing the joins in the masonry of the walls, cutwaters and archbarrells, the installation of anchor ties into the face of the spandrel walls, and pressure grouting of the structure to fill voids.

The bridge was not due to reopen until next Friday, 21st August.