Tom Clarke Bridge Droichead Thomáis Uí Chléirigh | |
|---|---|
 The bridge from the south bank of the Liffey looking downstream | |
| Coordinates | 53°20′45″N6°13′39″W / 53.3457°N 6.2274°W /53.3457; -6.2274 |
| Crosses | River Liffey |
| Locale | Dublin |
| Maintained by | Dublin City Council |
| Preceded by | Samuel Beckett Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Bascule bridge |
| History | |
| Construction cost | £8 million |
| Opened | 21 October 1984; 40 years ago (1984-10-21) |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 14,000-17,000 |
| Toll |
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| Location | |
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TheTom Clarke Bridge (Irish:Droichead Thomáis Uí Chléirigh), formerly and commonly known as theEast-Link Toll Bridge, is a toll bridge inDublin,Ireland, on theRiver Liffey, owned and operated byDublin City Council. Thebascule-type lifting bridge, which linksNorth Wall toRingsend, is the last bridge on the Liffey, which opens out intoDublin Port and thenDublin Bay just beyond. The bridge forms part of theR131regional road.
The bridge is the most easterly crossing on the Liffey and replaced a number of ferries that carried cross-river traffic at the point as early as 1655.[1] The bridge was built by NTR, and opened to vehicular traffic in October 1984.[1] The bridge reverted to city council control on 31 December 2015.[2]
The city centre is west of the bridge, which links routes on the eastern side of Dublin city. TheDublin Port Tunnel terminates north of the East-Link alongEast Wall Road, in the Docklands on the north bank of the Liffey. Most of Dublin's docklands are east of the bridge, but it is raised on average three times per day to allow river traffic to pass.[citation needed]
As of 2016, between 14,000 and 17,000 vehicles per day cross the bridge.[3][4] As of 2016, lorries and cars pay, either in cash or using electronic tokens, and cycles and motorbikes cross for free.[5] The tolling area and administrative offices are on the south (Ringsend) side of the bridge.
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Originally adopting a functional name,[6] the East-Link bridge was officially renamed as Thomas Clarke Bridge by PresidentMichael D. Higgins to commemorate the Irish republicanThomas Clarke.[7]
The renaming ceremony was held on 3 May 2016, marking the centenary of the day Clarke was shot inKilmainham Gaol for his involvement in the1916 Easter Rising.[8]
In October 1985, a ship named theMV Miranda Guinness, with a cargo ofGuinness beer bound forLiverpool, collided with the bridge.[9]
Today it is used by over 14,000 vehicles per day