Blocked Laois culvert could lead to accident, meeting hears

A blocked culvert could lead to a road traffic accident, a councillor has warned. 

Cllr Aisling Moran asked “that this Council provide a progress update on the resolution to the blockage of the culvert at Maidenhead.”

In a written response, Senior Executive Engineer Paul McLoughlin said a survey would be carried out at the location. 

“Maintenance works were undertaken in September 2022 to remove deposited gravels. To support a longer-term solution, the council is progressing with a detailed topographical survey of the river upstream and downstream of the culvert. This survey will, then, be utilised by RPS Consulting Engineers to prepare a design to address the deposition of gravels in the culvert,” he wrote. 

Cllr Moran questioned what the issue was with the culvert. She said locals had told her it was a design problem. 

“Is it that the road, the part under the bridge, is that what is blocked? Was it built too low or too small? Is it too narrow or too high?” asked Cllr Moran. 

She said if it is a design issue the company who built it need to come back and fix it at no extra cost. 

“They get paid for doing their service, if it’s not correct they fix it and that is the way I would be looking at it,” she said. 

Senior Executive Engineer Philip McVeigh acknowledged the problem.  

“The river bed was finding its own level and there is a lot of silt being eroded off the banks upstream, so there is erosion and deposition,” he said. 

Cllr Padraig Fleming said there had been work done last September to clean out under the bridge. 

“An awful lot of gravel and stone had got in there and filled up to the top of the bridge,” he explained. He believed the bridge was too low and said debris is being washed under the bridge where it is getting lodged. He noted that even after the clearout a lot of gravel and stone remained under the bridge.

“This bridge I believe is too low. I don’t believe anyone is going to come back sadly to raise it,” he remarked. He said machinery needs to clear out the drain and said the issue has been ongoing for over two years. 

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Cllr Moran said action is needed and she asked the council to try and resolve the issue. 

“It will go out onto the main road and there will be an accident, that is what is going to happen if we don’t get it sorted,” said Cllr Moran. 

She insisted again that it should be fixed at no cost to the council.