Long-awaited Parnell Square East contra-flow cycle lane planned as COVID mobility measure

— If successful, route could be extended onto Blessington Street offering new more direct link from O’Connell Street to Phibsborough.

A new quick-build cycle route which will provide a direct route for people cycling from O’Connell Street to Dorset Street is planned by Dublin City Council with the help of the National Transport Authority.

The council said that the project will involve introducing a contra-flow cycle lane on Cavendish Row / Parnell Square East with no changes southbound, and new cycle lanes on North Frederick Street both northbound and southbound.

The council said it was asking to hear: any specific concerns you have in relation to this proposal; any suggestions you have for improvement to this proposal; and any complementary measures that you feel should be introduced in tandem with this proposal.

It said that, subject to the successful introduction of this project, it is proposed to examine the possibility of extending the link with the introduction of a contraflow on Blessington Street.

The consultation details are on the council’s website and the main details of the drawings are below:

Overview of the first section on O’Connell Street:

It will start on O’Connell Street with some heavy segregation and the bus lane and general traffic lane merging to one for a short section to make space:

There will be bicycle traffic lights at the top of O’Connell Street to enter the contra-flow route:

This is where the route crosses the northbound and southbound Luas green line tracks:

This is an overview of the second section on Cavendish Row / Parnell Square East:

Here’s the detail of the general traffic lane right turn from Cavendish Row / Parnell Square East to Parnell Square South, which will be reduced to one lane:

Details of parking and taxi rank relocation:

This is an overview of the second section at the north end of Parnell Square East:

There will be a bicycle traffic light to separate the contra-flow from vehicles turning across it from the north of the square:

The upper part of the same junction:

Segregating the southbound cycle lane here with no changes to the buildout on the east side of Parnell Square East will be a worry to many people who know how this junction functions:

Here’s an overview of the next section on Frederick Street North:

The details of the start of Frederick Street North — it would seem logical here to have parking protection of the northbound cycle lane but the next image or how the street narrows shows how that might be trickier than shown here:

The northbound cycle lane then merged with the general traffic lane at this point:

And the last section with the junction of Dorset Street:

The design includes allowing a right turn towards Drumcondra:


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3 comments

  1. looks good but a lot of narrowing on the cycle lanes instead of keeping a universal size all the way. plus why are southbound cyclists not been thought of in this plan on parnell square east the cycle track could have been made 2 way as cyclists will now have to merge into the car lane to turn onto parnell street to head westbound as there is no room allowed for them

    Reply
  2. Along with D’Olier Street into College Green, around Parnell Square into Nth Frederick St. is currently one of the most dangerous areas to cycle. It’s all uphill with heavy traffic speeding up the wide road behind & doesn’t feel at all safe, so dedicated cycle lanes are most welcome. However it’s still a game of ducks & drakes cycling south towards O’Connell St. with buses pulling out on the near east side & taxis & cars entering from Nth Parnell Sq.

    Blessington St. cycle lane cannot come soon enough, so that access to both the Dublin Bikes station (Blessington St.) & Berkeley Road & hence on to Phibsborough will avoid Mary’s Place, another horrible pinch point for cyclists.

    Have an issue with narrowing the cycle lanes at any point, as it creates confusion & uncertainty.

    Reply

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