The bridge is controversially officially named after Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, the mother of former US President John F. Kennedy whose ancestors came from nearby Dunganstown.[6]
It is also popularly referred to as the Pink Rock Bridge[7] or as the New Ross Bypass Bridge, and as the Barrow Crossing in technical materials related to its construction.[citation needed]
Overview
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge (night view)
The 230 metres (750 ft) main spans of the bridge are the longest concrete-only extradosed box-girder bridge spans in the world. The spans are equal in length to the main span of the N25 Suir Bridge in Waterford; and four metres shorter the main span of the Foyle Bridge in Northern Ireland, which is 21 metres shorter in total length. The two central main spans are supported by a central plane of stay cables passing through saddles located on three towers at the three central supports. The distinctive feature of the Bridge is the different height of the towers. The side towers have a height of 16.2m and have 8 passing cables and the central pier has a height of 27.0m and 18 passing cables.[citation needed]
Construction method
The side spans over dry land on both sides of the river Barrow were built using a scaffold and a wing form traveller. The main spans were built using the balanced cantilever method. At its maximum length from the central pier, the west span cantilevered 140m over the river.
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge during construction
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