Clontarf to City Centre Cycle and Bus Priority Project

The Clontarf to City Centre Project is a transformative project for Dublin’s North East Inner City (NEIC). In addition to serving as the pilot project for BusConnects, it is largest urban roadworks project ongoing in Ireland, the largest watermains rehabilitation project in the country, and the most ambitious roadworks sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) project in Dublin to date.

The €62m project will provide high quality walking and cycling facilities, and bus priority infrastructure along a 2.7km route that extends from Clontarf Road, at the junction with Alfie Byrne Road, to Amiens Street, at the junction with Talbot Street. The route is identified as a primary route in the Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network Plan, published by the National Transport Authority in 2013.

The project also includes the delivery of water network infrastructure upgrades, extensive upgrades to footpaths, tree planting and other greening measures.

ROD prepared the initial feasibility study for the project, on behalf of Dublin City Council, in 2012. In late 2017, we were engaged by the council to complete the preliminary design, assessment, detailed design and tender documents for construction. Having managed the tender process through 2021, and with the construction contract awarded to Clonmel Enterprises Ltd in 2022, we are now administering and supervising the construction contract in partnership with the council.

The project is being funded by the National Transport Authority, with the replacement of 6km of old water mains being funded by Irish Water. It is expected to be completed in 2024.

• Provide high quality, continuous, protected cycling facilities to meet existing and future demand
• Deliver street improvements by reconstructing all footpaths along the route, creating eight community plazas and contributing to improved greening through new tree planting and delivery of soft landscaping
• Provide safe and accessible pedestrian and cycle links from Marino to Fairview Park, making Fairview Park accessible for all
• Provide a new pedestrian walkway in Fairview Park
• Provide a section of the Tolka Valley Greenway from Annesley Bridge to Alfie Byrne Road
• Deliver improved pedestrian facilities by upgrading footpaths and installing additional pedestrian crossings along the entire corridor
• Improve bus journey times and reliability
• Contribute to a reduction in transport emissions in line with the objectives of the Climate Action Plan by encouraging a modal shift to active travel and public transport use
• Replace approximately 6km of 100-year-old, large watermain pipes. This will reduce water leakage and ensure continuity of supply in the future

The solution comprises:

• a one-way, kerb-protected, two-metre wide cycle track on each side of the road to keep cyclists completely segregated from motor traffic
• bus stop islands to keep cyclists and buses apart at bus stops and provide for the ‘Dutch-style’ segregation of cyclists at major junctions
• new pedestrian crossings along the route
• significant upgrades to the public realm, including a new esplanade for cyclists, joggers and walkers in Fairview Park

The main challenge for the design team lay in balancing the needs of the road corridor with those of the local community. By working closely with Dublin City Council and CSR Landscape Architects, we achieved a scheme that will re-establish the connection between the Fairview/Marino residents and their park to the east while addressing the planning conditions for segregation between road users.

• The scheme design has done more than just satisfy cycling campaigners, who describe it as "matching up to cycling design standards seen in pioneering countries, such as Denmark and the Netherlands"
• The scheme produced agreement on a new standard layout and spacing for bus stops along what is the second busiest cycling corridor in Dublin

• Civil and structural engineering design
• Preliminary design
• Detailed design
• Tender documents
• Contract administration
• Contract supervision