Dublin City Council has said that the first section of the reopening of the Royal Canal towpath — part of the route between Glasnevin/Phibsborough to Drumcondra — is to happen at 4pm this Friday.
According to the council’s social media post, the opening on Friday will only include the north bank section of the canal. Around halfway between Glasnevin and Drumcondra, the cycle route switches to the south bank of the canals, but this will not open until a crossing is in place across the start of Lower Dorset Street at Binns Bridge.
The section of the Greenway to be opened is part of the city council’s Phase 3 of the route. Phase 1 was a short section from the Liffey to Sheriff Street Upper, while Phase 2 went from the Docklands to North Strand Road.
The section from Drumcondra to North Strand Road is scheduled for completion in Q2 in 2025, although the council said the opening of the project would happen on a phased basis.
The council said this afternoon: “Dublin City Council is pleased to announce that the majority of the linear park along the Royal Canal, between Cross Guns Bridge and Binns Bridge, will reopen to the public from 4pm on Friday 19th July 2024.”
“This first phase of the reopening comprises the entire northern towpath (alongside the railway line), the new pedestrian and cycle bridge at Lock 3 and the southern towpath between Glengarriff Parade and the former Spain’s warehouse (to the rear of Saint Ignatius Road). The remainder of the linear park, i.e. the southern towpath between the former Spain’s warehouse and Binns Bridge, will reopen to the public after the Dorset Street Lower toucan crossing at Binns Bridge is completed,” the council said.