Dublin’s new contra-flow north quays bus lane will be open to cyclists

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The new Rosie Hackett Bridge which will allow the route to be possible. Image: Colm Moore

A contra-flow bus lane on the north quays in Dublin will open Wednesday May 21, with the new Rosie Hackett Bridge, near O’Connell Bridge.

There is no cycle lane within the bus lane, but cyclists are allowed to use the lane, Dublin City Council confirmed.

“Cyclists will be allowed to cycle in the contra flow bus lane, in the west bound direction. The contra flow bus lane will not have a dedicated cycle lane marked. This has not been provided for due to limited available space. The with-flow east-bound cycle lanes are being widened,” said Paul Heffernan, a city council spokesman.

The council says that the project includes a wider 1.5m east bound cycle lane on Eden Quay (with a buffer between the taxi rank) and, where there is more space on Custom House Quay, the east-bound cycle lane will be widened to 1.75m. There will also be improved definition of the cycle facilities at the junctions of Butt Bridge and the Talbot Memorial Bridge.

Included in the plan is a general and permanent right turn ban from Custom House Quay eastbound to Talbot Memorial Bridge. The council says this ban will apply to all vehicles and will be effective from 10.30am on Monday.

Those used to make the right turn onto the Talbot Memorial Bridge can now access the bridge by going around the back of Custom House. The existing right turn at the Samuel Beckett Bridge will remain unaffected.

The main goal of the project is to allow for a uninterrupted bus lane from the Point to the new Rosie Hackett Bridge. Allowing bus routes to enter the lane at different points along the quays and access the new bridge. For example, buses from Busáras, Amiens Street, Gardiner Street and Custom House Quay.

Brendan O’Brien of Dublin City Council said, “Dublin City Council is introducing this to facilitate the operation of the new Rosie Hackett public transport bridge. The measure will facilitate the introduction of a contra flow bus lane which will give buses priority access to the Rosie Hackett Bridge.”

The council says it will officially name the Rosie Hackett Bridge on May 20 and it becomes operational the following day. The bridge will provide an extra crossing points for cyclists, pedestrians, buses and, from 2017, the Luas green line, when it is expected to be extended to Broombridge, south of Finglas.

The council says that junction layouts on the north quays at Butt Bridge and Matt Talbot Memorial Bridge will be altered with changes made to the signal sequence to improve facilities for the mobility impaired and disabled, pedestrians and cyclists.

View the right turn ban and alternative route here.

CORRECTION: This story originally and incorrectly reported that the contra-flow route and new bridge would be open “next Wednesday”, this has been corrected to included the date.


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1 comment

  1. Looks very interesting and worthwhile until it happens then it might be a different Story. Will they also allow Bikes on this contra flow all the way from the Point to Rosie Hackett Bridge and also O’Connell Bridge. The main Bone of contention is the Traffic at the Back of the Custom House on Beresford Place. It was always bad here and made worst since the Luas was put in,ending in a dangerous Bottle Neck with Motor Traffic and Bicke’s trying to get through to Amiens Street and also Talbot Memorial Bridge. Now the extra Traffic which normally turns right onto Talbot Bridge will be added to the normal Traffic going around the back of the Custom House to Amiens Street.

    In order to shorten the distance by not going around the back of the Custom House and also make it safer,a lot of Cyclists will just stop at the Lights on Talbot Bridge and go across either on the Cycle Lane on the Bridge’s right side or on the far side on the left side of the Bridge.

    Reply

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