[monument]

This might deserve a thread of its own at this stage?

As mentioned in the Luas BXD thread, the tender for the bridge as been awarded to Graham Projects Limited. Graham have been involved with other high profile bridge projects before.

From Dublin City Council's page on the project:

Dublin City Council is planning to build a new bridge over the River Liffey in Dublin City Centre, just downstream of O’Connell Bridge. The bridge will carry buses and the LUAS at this critical location across the Liffey. It will have cycleways and generous footpaths that will open Marlborough Street and Hawkins Street to greater footfall, prospective development and create a new north-south link from Abbey Street to Pearse Street.

The bridge will have an elegant contemporary design. It will be a slender, single span, smooth concrete structure, with the underside of the bridge being designed to be as high above the water as possible so that river traffic is not impeded.

Construction on the bridge is due to commence in Autumn 2011. It will take approximately 18 months to build.

And here's the layout -- click for fuller view:



More detailed draws of the above and other elements can also be found in this PDF here.

[CdeP]

Why does it have to have a contemporary design?

[teol]

I don't support the Luas BXD project but what use does the bridge have for buses?

[MYOB]

Originally Posted by teol

I don't support the Luas BXD project but what use does the bridge have for buses?

enables buses to use Malborough Street to get to the South Quays.

Originally Posted by CdeP

Why does it have to have a contemporary design?

Because its far easier (and cheaper) to build than a stone arch... and Dublin's bridges have alway been built to current designs.

[Cathaoirleach]

The boardwalk isn't integrated. This should give the junkies more privacy and encourage even more anti-social behaviour.

[cgcsb]

construction to start in Autumn 2011?? as if.

[Telchak]

Originally Posted by Cathaoirleach

The boardwalk isn't integrated. This should give the junkies more privacy and encourage even more anti-social behaviour.

Yeah, I really don't understand why every opening onto the boardwalk isn't done like Grattan Bridge, meeting it at a roght angle instead of merging back intot he tiny path. Especially modern bridges like the Millenim bridge and this one

[xper]

Originally Posted by monument

More detailed draws of the above and other elements can also be found in this PDF here.

I'm no engineer but looking at the cross section diagram on page 8 of that document, it appears that the bridge deck's underlying structure is arranged with absolutely no provision for facilitating a second Luas track. So any possible future change of mind on running both tracks through Marlborough Street has not been considered. Then again, maybe such changes would not be prohibitively expensive or disruptive - anyone with more specialist knowledge care to comment?

[Sponge Bob]

That is true, Marlborough St is a tad narrow ( to my mind) for two parallel Luas tracks and the Marlborough St BXD line is supposed to be southbound only.

[dubhthach]

Originally Posted by Sponge Bob

That is true, Marlborough St is a tad narrow ( to my mind) for two parallel Luas tracks and the Marlborough St BXD line is supposed to be southbound only.

You could probably just about squeese a dual track Luas in, but result would be street would have to be closed for all other traffic I would imagine.

Google streetview:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Marlbo...342.75,,0,2.33

[Sponge Bob]

Then the guards from Store St. on a routine skanger chasing exercise would take the entire Dublin transport integration strategy out of commission on a regular basis

Just an observation mind.

[antoobrien]

Originally Posted by dubhthach

You could probably just about squeese a dual track Luas in, but result would be street would have to be closed for all other traffic I would imagine.

Not necessarily, there are stretches of the luas where road traffic and the trams share access based on lights - e.g. Steevens Lane near Hueston.

What would decide it though would be the impact of stopping traffic to let trams though - e.g. would it be safe to stop traffic at abbey st, what would the knock on effects be etc.

[munchkin_utd]

Originally Posted by dubhthach

You could probably just about squeese a dual track Luas in, but result would be street would have to be closed for all other traffic I would imagine.

Google streetview:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Marlbo...342.75,,0,2.33

theres only 1 track planned down that road.
And if you look at the bridge, theres only 1 tram track there also, right in the middle of the bridge.

[dubhthach]

Originally Posted by munchkin_utd

theres only 1 track planned down that road.
And if you look at the bridge, theres only 1 tram track there also, right in the middle of the bridge.

I know that I was just answering Sponge's post

[AngryLips]

I think there's such a thing as too much future-proofing