This is the latest we know about walking and cycling projects planned by Dublin City Council

Below is the latest we know about many of the walking and cycling project planned by Dublin City Council.

The two main sources of this article are the Monthly Management Update to all councillors and the latest Active Travel update to the Transport Committee. A quarterly update is promised next month which might shine some light on progress on these projects or others.

7 new interim projects

There are seven interim projects that the “design of interim measures for segments of these corridors is now underway”. In a report to the Transport Committe the Active Travel Office said: “The detailed proposals will be presented to the relevant Area Committees during September and October 2022. This will be followed by nonstatutory public consultations. This approach will enable works to commence on the ground before the end of 2022”

  • Kilmainham to Thomas Street via Suir Road, James’ Walk, Forbes Lane, Marrowbone Lane & Thomas Court.
  • Kimmage Road West to Clogher Road via Lorcan O’Toole Park, Stannaway Road, Sundrive Road & Rutland Avenue.
  • Bayside to the Northside Shopping Centre via Kilbarrack Road, Tonlegee Road and Oscar Traynor Road.
  • Cabra Cross to the city boundary via Ratoath Road & Cappagh Road.
  • Howth Road, from Station Road to James Larkin Road.
  • North Circular Road
  • Merrion Square West, Ely Place & Hume St

We are unlikely to know much of the detail of these until the projects are presented to councillors.

North Circular Road

On the North Circular Road route mentioned above, the transport committee report said: “The development of an interim scheme as well as a scoping exercise for the permanent scheme is already underway. The interim scheme is scheduled for delivery in 2023.”

Liffey Cycle Route interim and longer-term project

IrishCycle.com reported yesterday how for the interim project, the sections including Eden Quay, George’s Quay, Burgh Quay and Aston Quay are due to go to construction “during Q4 2022”.

The transport committee report also gives an update on the longer-term project. It said: “Liffey Corridor: The strategic assessment report is being finalised and will be submitted for NTA approval during Q4 2022.”

College Green / Dame Street Plaza

Ahead of any total redesign of the two streets, space is to be started to be relocated as BusConnect route changes kick in next year which will see fewer buses on College Green and Dame Street. More on this in another article.

The monthly report outlines that: “The review of this project is ongoing and all relevant matters are being considered in advance of the preparation of a new proposal for the College Green area. A Strategic Assessment is currently being undertaken to develop the rationale for the project, and to identify the key objectives. The revised proposal is intended to include the section of Dame Street up to the junction with South Great Georges Street.”

Clontarf to City Centre Cycle and Bus Project

The report also said that the Clontarf to City Centre Cycle and Bus Project work is “progressing well and works will be scaled up from this September following the implementation of the diversion of some of the city bound traffic.” The project is due to be finished in 2024.

South Grand Canal Safety Improvement Scheme

This Grand Canal Scheme is mainly new pedestrian crossings, junction narrowing to calm traffic and relatively small cycling changes. A more comprehensive plan is promised for cycling. See IrishCycle.com’s recent story on this for details.

Royal Canal Phase 3

The report said that the much delayed Royal Canal Phase 3 has been given approval by the National Transport Authority to proceed to construction and, that following this, the Active Travel Office “will be finalising the contractor selection process during this month.”

Royal Canal Phase 4

The report to the transport committee said: “The tender process for the selection of a contractor is scheduled to begin before the end of the year, with construction starting in Q1 2023.”

As regular readers will know there has been a very high number of delays and false dawns for the different phases of the Royal Canal project. Both of these are very strong cases of not holding your breath until the work has started.

Dodder Greenway between Herbert Park to Donnybrook

Work on the Dodder Greenway, between Herbert Park to Donnybrook, is planned “to commence later this month” and a communication plan for the projects proceeding to construction will also be implemented including a leaflet drop, the monthly report said.

Clonskeagh to City Centre

As we reported in July, the Clonskeagh-Ranelagh-city centre cycle route not expected to be under construction until Q3 2024 at the earliest. The much-delayed project was previously supposed to start construction last year, in 2021.

This week, the transport committee report said that the Clonskeagh to City Centre scheme is “scheduled to go to non-statutory public consultation before the end of the year, with construction scheduled to start in 2024”.

Althought there is some hope in the shorter-term. The report said: “In addition, an interim scheme is being developed and this will be implemented in 2023.”

Dodder Bridge

The long-planned public transport and cycling bridge between the Docklands and Ringsend is now being merged into the NTA BusConnects project. The management report said: The planning application for this project will now be lodged as part of the NTA BusConnects project. Preliminary design is complete and the draft EIAR is being amalgamated into that of BusConnects. Land
acquisitions are being progressed by DCC but NTA will also lodge for CPOs.”

New Docklands Liffey bridge

After the rejection of the plan for the bridge to be located at Blood Stoney, the council plans to reexamine the Forbes St location. The monthly report said: “It was decided at a recent steering group meeting that DCC will not pursue a further planning application at the Blood Stoney Location. Options are now being reviewed with regards options for progressing a bridge at the original Forbes St location.”

Walking and cycling bridge alongside the Tom Clarke [Eastlink] Bridge

The project is now called the “Point Pedestrian & Cycling Bridge and Tom Clarke Bridge Widening” — the reasoning for the latter part is unclear. The monthly report states that “Concept design options are being finalised.”

Liffey Street Public Realm Improvements

The monthly report states: “Seven Tenders were received on or before the 9th August 2022 and these tenders are currently been assessed with a view to awarding the Liffey Street Construction Project and forming a frameworks for Works between 1 million and 5 million.”

Mary’s Street Pedestrianisation

The report said: “Integrated Design Team appointed, preliminary design options being developed. Internal consultation continuing. External consultation to resume following lifting of restrictions.”

Cathedral Street / Sackville Place

This project was previously voted down due to disability campaigners lobbying against it due objections to the level surfaces which are common on such low-traffic streets in Dublin. The council’s monthly report said: “The Joint Working Group of the Public Participation Network Disability Linkage Group and Dublin City Council have concluded the examination of design options for the Cathedral Street / Sackville Place scheme and a design option has been chosen to progress to Part 8 Planning.”

Temple Bar Square Refurbishment

The Main Works (e.g. repaving, public lighting, green infrastructure etc.) will commence in 2022 with
completion in 2023.

Grafton Street Quarter Phase 5 – Duke Street /South Anne Street Area

Preliminary design works are continuing. Following internal and external consultations, a Part 8 Planning Application will be submitted as soon as possible. Consultations have been held with local residents, businesses and vulnerable user groups. Feedback from this latest consultant will now be used to refine the design.

Grafton Street Quarter Phase 6 – Suffolk Street

Cycling is now allowed on Suffolk Street via Nassau Street via a bicycle traffic light which links in with the set of traffic lights that pedestrians tend to not see.

On the more long-term redesign of the street, the council’s monthly report said: “This project has not progressed while waiting to resolve cycling and outdoor dining issues.”

More details

A report to the council’s transport committee said: “At network level, topographical surveys have been completed for about half of the planned network and work is ongoing on the remainder of the network. Topographical surveys will be completed by the end of the year, enabling the design processes to be commenced as more staff become available.”

The monthly report to councillors added: “A number of permanent schemes are at various stages of planning and design. A detailed update on these will be provided in the quarterly report to be issued next month.”

The report also outlined how the Active Travel Office has presented to councillors of the Local Area Committees for the Central, South East and North West areas in July, and is to present to the two remaining Local Area Committees this month. The presentations cover the Active Travel Network and specific schemes for individual areas.


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