— Further towpath closures are needed for the project.
Work on a new walking and cycling bridge along the Grand Canal Greenway between Cross Guns Bridge (Phibsborough/Glasnevin) and Binns Bridge (Dorset Street/Drumcondra) is progressing with the testing of foundation piles.
The bridge is part of the 2.1km Royal Canal Greenway Phase 3 which stretches from Newcomen Bridge (North Strand Road) to Cross Guns Bridge. The project is a Dublin City Council section of the greenway which will form part of the Dublin to Galway route, which in turn forms part of the trans-European EuroVelo 2 Capitals Route from Galway to Moscow.
Construction, on a phased basis, is expected to continue until Q2 2025, with the currently closed section between Cross Guns Bridge and Binns Bridge likely to reopen first.
A written update to councillors said: “All eight foundation piles have been installed for the new pedestrian and cycle bridge just east of Lock 3 and the piles are currently undergoing testing. Once testing is complete, construction of the pile caps and bridge abutments will commence. The bridge deck is currently under construction off site.”
The council’s Monthly Management report added: “The towpaths between Cross Guns Bridge and Binns Bridge and between Russell Street Bridge and Clarke’s Bridge continue to be unavoidably closed to the public until further notice to facilitate the works. At this time, it is anticipated that the towpath between Binns Bridge and Russell Street Bridge will close to the public on Tuesday, June 6 and that the towpath between Clarke’s Bridge and Newcomen Bridge will close on Tuesday, June 20.”
The report said that the contractor has also applied for a temporary road closure on Charleville Mall between Tuesday, June 20 and Friday, September 1, 2023, inclusive and this is being processed by Roadworks Control. Local access will be facilitated for Charleville Mall residents throughout the closure period.
The report also said that sheet piling works are ongoing along the canal bank between Russell Street Bridge and Clarke’s Bridge, although it said that progress has “slowed in recent days due to difficult ground conditions on the approach to Clarke’s Bridge”. Portland Place Park is being used as a compound area and to facilitate access to the towpath.
A Part 8 application is due to be lodged in the coming weeks for changes to the ramp planned up to Binns Bridge. The council said that pre-Part 8 planning departmental consultations within the council have been completed and the Part 8 was noted at the Central Area Committee meeting on 9th May.