THE LOWER END of Dawson Street is closed to traffic from today to facilitate Luas construction works.

The busy junction between Dawson Street and Nassau Street in the south inner city is now closed to vehicles and cyclists, with diversions in place.

It will be closed for four weeks while works for the Luas Cross City are carried out, according to the website.

The road will be closed between Duke Street and Nassau Street, obstructing one of the primary route to access Dame Street and the city centre coming from the south side of the city.

Traffic that usually accesses Nassau Street via Dawson Street is being advised to either:

1. Turn right onto Molesworth Street and left onto South Frederick Street, or
2. Take a right on St Stephen’s Green North at the Shelbourne Hotel onto Kildare Street, and take second left onto Molesworth Street and first right down South Frederick Street.

The guidelines state that all vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes should continue onward past the junction with Setanta Place and turn right onto Nassau Street.

All other vehicles should turn right onto Setanta Place and right again onto Kildare Street and follow the road around onto Merrion Row to exit the area from there.

Bus routes have also changed, with a temporary contra-flow lane added to Kildare Street. Commercial vehicles are permitted to exit via Grafton Street between 5-11am.

Traffic diversion signs will be in place for the duration of the works.

Construction on the Luas Cross City began in June 2013 and is due to be completed by the end of next year.

The cost of the project is an estimated €368 million and when it is completed an additional 13 stops will be added to the Luas service.

Read: Half of Dawson Street will close for four weeks to allow for Luas works

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