An aerial view of the Whitegates to Athlone Castle Cycleway.
The Whitegates to Athlone Castle Cycleway has been named as a finalist in the prestigious IABSE Project and Technology Awards 2024. The awards recognise outstanding structural engineering projects from across the world, with the winners to be announced at a gala dinner in November.
The project is among the six finalists within the pedestrian and cycle bridges category. The other finalists include TAC.T Bridge, Japan; Nansha Tri-Directional Arch Pedestrian Bridge, China; Footbridge over the Venoge, Switzerland; Štvanice Footbridge, Czech Republic; and Bracklinn Falls Footbridge, UK.
The Whitegates to Athlone Castle Cycleway crosses the River Shannon in Athlone town centre. Modern and sleek, it provides sustainable transport options for both cycling and walking along a safe and secure route separated from vehicular traffic. It also enhances connectivity for sustainable tourism and promotes good health and wellbeing, objectives that fully align with Ireland’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
ROD-AECOM, in partnership with subconsultant Sean Harrington Architects, developed the design of the landmark bridge crossing. In 2017, Westmeath County Council received planning approval for the bridge, and in 2019, ROD-AECOM was awarded the contract for the detailed design and construction stages of the project. Work commenced on site in August 2021, with Jons Civil Engineering Ltd. as the main contractor. The bridge was opened to the public on Tuesday, 8 August, 2023.
The project received recognition on the local stage earlier this year when it was shortlisted for an Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI) Engineering Excellence Award.
