Workers at Brian Boru Bridge. Picture: Larry Cummins

Cork motorists this morning got their first taste of traffic delays due to the combined roadworks which have started on Brian Boru Bridge and the South City Link Road.
The month-long roadworks came into effect yesterday and today and saw immediate disruption to traffic. The closure of Brian Boru Bridge, near the bus station, means traffic now has to divert around Kent Railway Station. Motorists were also using the side streets from the Lower Glanmire Road on to Penrose Quay.
As a result there were long tailbacks on Penrose Quay as far back as Water Street.
Traffic from the northside of the city has the option of crossing the River Lee either at Michael Collins Bridge near Jurys Inn or else Christy Ring Bridge near the Opera House.
Some motorists from north and east Cork used the Jack Lynch Tunnel to access the city centre via Mahon and the Boreenmanna Road.
However, this traffic faced a further diversion as roadworks by the ESB on the South City Link Road meant traffic coming from the Boreenmanna Road could not turn right towards the city. They instead had to divert left out of the city and take the slip road for Turner’s Cross.
The South City Link Road from the Esso Filling station near the Elysian as far as the junction with the Park and Ride has been reduced to a single contra-flow carriageway. The closure is needed to facilitate the laying of ducting for ESB Networks and will last until August 26.
The closure of the Brian Boru Bridge is needed to refurbish the bridge and strip it of its 100-year-old paint. Work has started to wrap the bridge in plastic to stop the paint from contaminating the water or air.