By Dan Walsh
Wexford County Council has announced a temporary road closure extension to The Deeps Bridge over the River Slaney between Crossabeg and Killurin from tomorrow (Thursday) until Friday, October 20th.
The bridge was closed last January to facilitate extensive restoration and specialised reinforcement work at a cost of €2 million, but WexfordLocal.com understands that complications have arisen forcing the two months extension to the work schedule that is expected to add an extra €500,000 to the final bill.
Road closure and diversion signs already in place will remain until October and Wexford County Council apologises for any inconvenience caused by the repair work.
HISTORY OF THE DEEPS BRIDGE; This 1915 bridge crosses the River Slaney at a point known as called The Deeps, close to the ruins of the Deeps castle. The present bridge was a replacement for a timber trestle bridge erected in 1842-’44 under the direction of the County Surveyor, James Barry Farrell.
The Deeps bridge consists of five spans, each of 30 feet approached by a 216 feet long embankment on the eastern side terminating in a masonry embankment.
On the western side there are five spans, four of 30 feet and one of 19 ft. 6 ins. Between the spans is a bascule type steel lifting span of 40 feet opening to maintain the navigation, placed between two fixed sections.
The bridge was designed by the Dublin consulting firm of Delap and Waller and erected in 1915 by the British Reinforced Concrete Engineering Company. The lifting span was supplied by the Cleveland Engineering Company.
Source; River Slaney from source to the sea, by John Duffy, pub. 2006.
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