Waterford City and County Council is moving ahead with plans to examine the feasibility of a third crossing of the River Suir, with a consultant expected to be appointed within the next two months.

The Council is currently tendering for a consultant to prepare a feasibility report examining the potential location, cost and viability of another river crossing for Waterford.

The report is expected to be completed by the middle of 2027.

One of the potential options likely to be examined is a crossing further east of the city, potentially linking the Ferrybank/Belview side of the River Suir with the Dunmore Road side, in the wider Faithlegg area.

However, no route has been selected and the feasibility study will examine a range of options.

Speaking on WLR’s Déise Today, Councillor Adam Wyse said the city needs to look further ahead when considering where another crossing should be located.

He said previous proposals for a crossing close to The Mall and Tower Hotel area no longer made sense given existing congestion in that part of the city.

Cllr. Wyse said the continued expansion of Waterford, particularly along the Dunmore Road and towards Ballygunner, means planners now need to look further outside the city centre.

He said a future crossing could potentially allow motorists travelling from areas such as the hospital, Dunmore East, Passage East and Ballygunner to access the northern side of the River Suir without having to travel through the city centre. Cllr. Wyse told Déise Today.

He said the feasibility study will examine where the best location for a crossing would be, how long it could take to construct, the potential cost and what level of Government funding would ultimately be required.

At a recent meeting of Waterford City and County Council, Director of Services Gabriel Hynes confirmed that the brief for the feasibility study would consider all options rather than being restricted to a predetermined location.

Mr. Hynes said the Council would be looking at the possibility of a crossing further out from the city, which could also facilitate Waterford’s future growth.

The Council expects to have a consultant appointed within approximately two months, with the completed feasibility report due around the middle of 2027.

Cllr. Wyse said the proposed crossing needs to form part of a much wider conversation about how Waterford develops over the coming decades.

He said improved public transport, properly planned active travel infrastructure and examining the future of the toll on the existing Waterford bypass should all form part of the solution.

However, he said Waterford must also begin planning ambitious long-term infrastructure as the city continues to expand.

‘We need to start looking at Waterford 2050,’ he said, pointing to major projects such as a third river crossing or potentially a tunnel as options that should be considered as part of the city’s long-term transport strategy.