Narrow Water Bridge - Yes or No

[armaghniac]

Incidentally in that general part of the world Google maps have uploaded new hi-res satellite photos for a band from Cross' to Dundalk, but not Cooley. So see the border area in all its glory, look both into the barracks and the Slab Murphy enterprise.

[stew]

Only the Irish could start a threat on a proposed bridge and end up arguing the merits of the deaths of 18 soldiers. 

[Donagh]

Only the Irish could start a threat on a proposed bridge and end up arguing the merits of the deaths of 18 soldiers. 

Nah, the Italians can do it as well

[Pangurban]

We need a bridge over these troubled waters, though i suspect it will never happen, our local politicos north or south will never deliver the cash or the initative, Europe only hope, they may take it on board as a regional development project or cross border initative to benefit run down areas

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

We need a bridge over these troubled waters, though i suspect it will never happen, our local politicos north or south will never deliver the cash or the initative, Europe only hope, they may take it on board as a regional development project or cross border initative to benefit run down areas

Where exactly are the run down areas you speak of?    Warrenpoint?   Carlingford?   Rostrevor?  Greenore? No real signs of poverty round there as far as I know

[Pangurban]

Exactly the reason they will get out. If you look at the disposition of this type of grant aid  over the last ten years, none has gone where it is really needed, in terms of poverty, going instead to reasonably affluent areas capable of generating a return

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

And you want to continue the trend by spending, sorry, wasting money on a bridge like this?

[ardal]

Almost £300,000 is being spent to study the feasibility of a cross-border bridge linking Counties Down and Louth.
The bridge would span Carlingford Lough between Omeath and Narrow Water Castle, near Warrenpoint.

The money was confirmed after Margaret Ritchie and Dermot Ahern held talks at the North-South Ministerial Council.

The social development minister said it was "no longer just a concept". She said tourism in the Mournes and the Cooley peninsula would be boosted.

Ms Ritchie said the bridge would "be a living symbol of our growing co-operation".

"People will be able to make a journey in a few yards which at present is many miles," the SDLP assembly member said.

 
"It will make it very convenient for thousands of overseas tourists to easily visit both parts of our island at this splendid location, bringing a big economic boost to the area."

Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy of Sinn Fein said the Department of Transport in Dublin has granted 390,000 euros to Louth County Council for a technical study.

"It has already been agreed that officials from the north and south will share information from the study as well as from the Roads Service's study of the Newry Southern Relief road," he said.

Narrow Water Castle came to world prominence in 1979, when an IRA ambush killed 18 soldiers in two explosions.

Louth cc doing the feasibility/ technical study, christ that's made my day; and only for  €1/3 million

[amallon]

This Southern Relief road sounds real intersting but surley its not much good without a bridge at Narrow Water?  Unless they were to build a new road from Pairc Esler round about up to the new dual carriage way but the terrain would be just too steep I would think.

[Shortso79]

The bridge will come - it has too

Of course parts of the omeath road will have to be upgraded

As someone who travels every day from the Point Road to Dundalk - the bridge would give me a 2nd option

Dermot Ahern stated that the Irish Government has set aside 14 million euro for this project.

Would the bridge be tolled ? Would people pay to use it ?? I would say yes

WIth more and more traffic on the roads and Warrenpoint Harbour getting bigger and bigger -  the need for road improvements and a bridge has tensified !

If I had won the 95 million last night i would have built one and tolled away !!!

The southern relief road is also on the cards - both will come !

Don't forget that Connor Murphy is the Regional Development Officer and this is his local area !

[Lecale2]

This Southern Relief road sounds real intersting but surley its not much good without a bridge at Narrow Water?  Unless they were to build a new road from Pairc Esler round about up to the new dual carriage way but the terrain would be just too steep I would think.

`

That's why you pay consultants big bucks. They solve these problems for you!

[armaghniac]

Don't forget that Connor Murphy is the Regional Development Officer and this is his local area !

One wonders why he isn't having the upgraded Newry bypass as a proper motorway, instead of a nearly motorway that will still have tractors on it. Are Motorways only for East of the Bann?

[Aristotle Flynn]

This is an interesting proposal but if they are going to do they should do it right and build the duel carriageway version straight through to the Dublin Road. There is no need for two bridges within a mile of each other.

[Donagh]

Don't forget that Connor Murphy is the Regional Development Officer and this is his local area !

One wonders why he isn't having the upgraded Newry bypass as a proper motorway, instead of a nearly motorway that will still have tractors on it. Are Motorways only for East of the Bann?

Because tractors aren't allowed on motorways.

[SouthArmaghBandit]

Anything that allows you to bye pass Newry is a good thing in my opinion and should be welcomed.