— Some local car access will be allowed from within Temple Bar out to Dame St via Parliament Street between 6am and 11am.
Dublin City Council is to implement the highly popular idea of making Parliament Street motor traffic free this June.
The project will provide more public space, public seating, greening and at two directional cycling link from Dame Street to Capel Street.
The timeframe was confirmed in a report issued to South East Area councillors and published ahead of their local area council meeting next week.
As was the case with Dublin City Council’s car-free Capel Street, the project is not “full pedestrianisation”, as reported, but rather making the street motor-traffic free with cycling allowed.
Also, as with Capel Street, there is ongoing consultation on the details of the project. This has included talking to local businesses and residents and will include a two-week public consultation which is to take place after the local area council meeting next week.
Officials will then assess the consultation and present feedback to the June South East Area meeting and implement of the traffic free arrangement is expected in late June.
This will be followed by the implement interim design arrangements in July and August and series of summer events by City Coordination Office. In December or January a report will be issued to councillors on 6 month post implementation.
A report to councillors was issued by Claire French, senior executive engineer with the council’s traffic department, and Deirdre Prince, a senior executive landscape architect with the council.
On the changes, they explained: “Between Essex Quay and Essex Gate, this section of Parliament Street will be permanently Traffic Free with only pedestrians and cyclists permitted in this space. The road level in this section will also be raised to the existing kerb level.”
The current west to east traffic flow between Essex Gate and Essex St East will remain open for all vehicles at all times, the report outlined.
“The section of Parliament Street between Essex Gate and Lord Edward Street will be Traffic Free with deliveries allowed between 6am and 11am daily. Following consultation with locals, local access will also be permitted between 6am and 11am,” the two said in the report. “The existing kerb line will remain as is currently in this section.”
Two way cycling will be permitted on Parliament Street and a new two way cycling link will be created on the east side of Grattan Bridge. The traffic lanes will be reduced to one right turn lane only on the bridge, the report said
North of the quays, the report said: “Two way cycling link will be created on the east side of Capel St between the quays and Strand Street little. Northbound cycling will also be permitted on Capel Street to complete a full 2 way cycling link between Dame Street and Bolton Street.”
The full report to councillors and draft plans, subject to change, can be found online here.
I am extremely excited about this. Finally a convenient way to get from Dame Street to the cycle path on Ormond Quay without going through all the traffic up College Green/Westmoreland Street or at Christ Church.
Or down a boneshaker cobbled street in Temple Bar