Upgrade Of Major Road Junction In Drimnagh To Proceed:
By: Aidan Crowley:
Dublin City Council (DCC), with the support of the National Transport Authority (NTA), has recently issued a proposal to upgrade the junction of Suir Road, Davitt Road, Dolphin Road and Slievenamon Road, where they intersect at the Grand Canal. The LUAS Red Line also runs through this junction, which forms a major road artery connecting the Drimnagh, Inchicore and Kilmainham catchment areas.
This project proposes to convert this junction from a five-arm junction to a consolidated three-arm junction, with the Slievenamon Road arm approaching northwards, closed off to general traffic. The existing slip road from Dolphin Road to Slievenamon Road will be retained for all traffic. The exit from Slievenamon Road onto Dolphin Road will be converted to a bus gate, allowing public transport and emergency vehicles through.
A bus gate is a sign-posted short length of stand-alone bus lane. This short length of road is resticted exclusively to buses, taxis and cyclists, in addition to emergency vehicles. General traffic will be directed by signage to divert away towards other roads, before they arrive at the bus gate.
This project forms a section of the Kilmainham to Thomas Street Active Travel Project which is also part of the DCC core Active Travel Network. The proposal will provide 2.6 km of high quality walking and cycling facilities, running from Kilmainham Gaol to Thomas Street. It will extend from the South Circular Road/Kilmainham Lane junction, along the South Circular Road, Suir Road, Grand Canal View, St. James Linear Park, James Walk, Forbes Lane, Marrowbone Lane and Thomas Court, to the junction with Thomas Street.
According to DCC, the benefits of this project are fourfold: It will improve safety for both cyclists and pedestrians, by providing more direct and signalised crossings; it will provide an enhanced local amenity, with an extended, refurbished and accessible landscaped area; it will improve the safety of LUAS travelling through the junction; it will encourage increased levels of physical activity, through the provision of a safe route and connectivity to the other cycling and walking routes.
The DCC proposal outlines eight key features emanating from this project:
(1) The closure of the Slievenamon slip road.
(2) The provision of a bus gate for northbound buses through the Slievenamon Road/Dolphin Road junction.
(3) An extended public realm and landscaped area.
(4) The reduction of “rat running” through local roads, via Slievenamon Road.
(5) The optimisation of traffic signal phasing to facilitate cyclists and pedestrians through the junction.
(6) The provision of enhanced and more direct pedestrian crossing facilities.
(7) The maintenance of LUAS and bus priorities through the junction.
(8) The provision of new footpaths and road surfaces for the entire junction.
The timeline for this major local project runs from June/July/August 2024 with the public consultation process, through to the last two quarters of this year with the detailed design blueprints and on to the first quarter of 2025 when final construction is due to take place.
At a recent public meeting, organised by Dynamic Drimnagh, an umbrella group of local community and residents’ associations, held at Good Counsel, Liffey Gaels GAA and Camogie Club, local residents discussed the implications for the area, when this upgrade has been completed.
While the closure of the Slievenamon slip road did raise some concerns on the basis that it may lead to increased traffic congestion, the remainder of the proposal’s outline garnered a majority approval at the meeting.
In order to allay any further concerns that may be raised by local residents, the DCC Active Travel Programme Office is carrying out a non-statutory public consultation process, which runs from 13th June to 9th August. During this process, local residents are able to make any suggestions or recommendations or submit comments on the project, either by email, post or by filling out an online survey. Design drawings are also available for viewing by members of the public, during this consultation period, at DCC’s Wood Quay offices and Dolphin’s Barn Library, Parnell Road.
