IF YOU DRIVE regularly in Dublin’s city centre, you’ll know that there have been many changes over the last year.
That’s because the Luas Cross City project is underway, meaning that the green and red lines are finally being linked.
This morning, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe was on hand for the commencement of the main Luas Cross City track laying works.
This is a major milestone in linking the two lines, with the initial work beginning on Grafton St.
However, in order to link the two lines, various roads – or parts of roads – have to be closed off to traffic at various times to accommodate the Luas works.
Next steps
The latest round of works will kick in from Monday 10 August, and will see the College Green bus corridor being extended.
From that date, the College Green bus corridor will operate from Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm.
During those hours, only buses, taxis and bicycles can travel through College Green.
Outside of these hours, the corridor will be open to all vehicles – as well as on Saturdays and Sundays.
But when the corridor is in operation, drivers must use alternative routes.
Luas Cross City works will be ongoing until 2017.
Here’s the ‘inner orbital route’, which it is recommended people use if they want to drive through Dublin City:
“I’m delighted to witness today the start of the main track laying works for Luas Cross City which represents the ‘missing link’ in the creation of a Luas network for Dublin,” Donohoe said.
“I am also very pleased that the project is expected to come in on time and within budget. While a project of this scale will inevitably involve some level of disruption, communication and co-operation between those responsible for the delivery of the project and stakeholders means that this is being kept to a minimum.
“I am confident that the collaboration so far can and will be maintained so that the city continues to function effectively and remains open for business.
“This project will be hugely beneficial for Dublin, adding significantly to our public transport system and will build on the success we have seen so far where the existing Red and Green Luas lines are concerned.”
The scale of the works is going to increase in the coming months – but there will be a temporary suspension in the area from O’Connell St to Grafton St in March and April 2016, for the 1916 centenary celebrations.
For more details, and help with planning your route, check out the latest update here.
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