Galway city’s new bridge across the river Corrib has been shortlisted for a prestigious international engineering award.
Droichead an Dóchais or Hope Bridge, which runs parallel to the Salmon Weir bridge, opened as a pedestrian walkway in May 2023.
It is among eight projects in the running for the International Bridge Project of the Year award at the upcoming New Civil Engineer Bridges Awards in London.
Galway City Council says this is not its first recognition, as consulting engineers Arup were winners of the civil small/medium project category at the 2024 Engineering Excellence Awards, organised by the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland.
Droichead an Dóchais is the first new bridge to span the Corrib in over 30 years. It crosses three watercourses in all - the river Corrib, Persse’s Distillery river and Friar’s river.
It was designed in the shape of a salmon to reflect the culture and heritage of fishing in the salmon-rich river and is approximately 85 metres long.
The bridge is lightweight and robust, with transparent parapets, and is fully accessible for people with impaired mobility, with ramps on either side. A glazed oculus, incorporated into both approach spans, represents the eye of a salmon and offers views of the watercourses below.
Galway City Council says the shortlisting of Droichead an Dóchais “recognises the extensive work on the project of Galway City Council, consultant engineering firm AtkinsRéalis and principal contractor Jons Civil Engineering”.
The other bridges shortlisted for this award are in the United Arab Emirates, USA, Canada, India, France and China (two projects). The overall winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on July 18th.