Stephen's Green Traffic and Bus alterations

Victor

http://www.dublinbus.ie/news_centre/timetable_and_route_news.asp?action=view&news_id=346

Closure of St. Stephen’s Green West from Sunday 4th July 2004.

Closure of St. Stephen’s Green West from 04/07/2004:

Due to road resurfacing on St. Stephen’s Green West, a new traffic management system will be implemented from Sunday 4th July until further notice.

Buses inbound will operate as follows:

Routes 14-14A-15-15A-15B-15C-44-44C-48A: These routes will turn right off Harcourt Street onto Hatch Street Upper, then onto Hatch Street Lower, turning left onto Leeson Street. They will then turn right onto St. Stephen’s Green East, then left onto St. Stephen’s Green North and then into Dawson’s Street.

Routes 44-44C-48A: These routes will turn right at the bottom of Dawson’s Street to Nassau Street, Leinster Street South and onto their route at Lincoln Place.

Routes 10-10A-11-11A-11B-13B-46-46A-46B: All Xpresso and the above stated routes will turn right from Leeson Street Lower onto St. Stephen’s Green East then onto St. Stephen’s Green North and onto their route on Dawson’s Street.

Route 20B: will turn right at the top of Kildare Street and will operate from St. Stephen’s Green North.

Bus stops have been sited on St. Stephen’s Green North for all of the above routes.

Outbound buses operate as normal.

Victor

http://www.dublincity.ie/traffic/green.htm (including map)

Reconstruction of St. Stephen's Green West
Public Consultation Briefing Note on Proposed Traffic Management Changes

Roads & Traffic Department
Block 2, Floor 5
Civic Offices
Fishamble Street

17 June 2004

On the west side of St. Stephen's Green the road needs to be completely reconstructed as it is in very poor condition, due in part to recent Luas construction works. Because of the nature of the reconstruction work that needs to be carried out, the depth of excavation and the limited road space available (i.e. two lanes), parts of St. Stephen's Green West will have to be closed to all traffic. In order to maintain traffic flow, public transport services and access to businesses around St. Stephens Green, a new temporary traffic management system will come into operation from Sunday July 4th .

This document gives an outline of the traffic management changes that the City Council is implementing to enable the reconstruction work to be undertaken. The work will be carried out over a ten to twelve week period.

The main traffic flow changes proposed in the Traffic Management Plan are as follows:

Leeson Street
Traffic for St. Stephens Green North will now turn right from Leeson St. via St. Stephen's Green East. Traffic will then be allowed to turn right into Dawson St. At this point traffic will also be allowed to continue straight ahead towards The St. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre and to access car parking.
Traffic from Lesson St. will continue to be able to proceed straight towards Cuffe St and also turn left onto Earlsfort Terrace.

Cuffe Street
Traffic from Cuffe Street will proceed straight ahead onto St. Stephen's Green South, past the Department of Foreign Affairs and around the Green towards Dawson St and to access parking in the St. Stephen's Green area.

Kildare Street Traffic
Traffic from Kildare St. will turn left as normal. All traffic will then proceed past The Shelbourne and onto Merrion Row.

Traffic bound for Earlsfort Terrace from Kildare St.
Traffic from Kildare St. will turn left as per usual. All traffic will then proceed past The Shelbourne and onto Merrion Row then via Pembroke St. and Lesson St. to Earlsfort Terrace.

Harcourt Street
At the bottom of Harcourt Street all traffic must turn left. Traffic from Kelly's Corner will still be able to use Hatch Street to access The Green via Leeson St.

For any further information please contact: 1800 29 39 49

The traffic flow diagram below highlights the general traffic movements associated with the reconstruction of St. Stephens Green West.

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/3518441?view=Eircomnet

Dublin motorists face new traffic flow rules
From:ireland.com
Saturday, 3rd July, 2004

Motorists in Dublin face major changes in traffic flow in St Stephen's Green from early tomorrow morning.

Following the beginning of the Luas light rail system on Wednesday Dublin City Council has to reconstruct the roadway on Stephen's Green West outside the College of Surgeons.

The new arrangements will take effect from 5 a.m. tomorrow and are expected to last at least three months.

The west side of the Green will be closed to traffic. The south side of the Green, outside the Department of Foreign Affairs, will become two-way, while the traffic direction on the east side will reverse, meaning that motorists entering the Green from Leeson Street will have to turn right.

They will then be allowed to proceed around St Stephen's Green and turn right down Dawson Street.

The Council says a permanent change may be needed to accommodate Luas.

"Should these changes in traffic flow around St Stephen's Green prove effective we will consider retaining them. However changes would only be made permanent after a comprehensive full public consultation," said Mr Brendan O'Brien of Dublin City Council's Roads and Traffic Department.

New signs are to be erected before the implementation of the change. Gardaí on point duty will be deployed to assist potentially confused motorists.

vinnyfitz

All this arises from the urgent need to rebuild Green West.
Anyone want to bet how long it will be before they actually start the work here?

On the positive side - the Green corner with Grafton St was very lively and pedestrian friendly this afternoon - partly thanks to "Luas tourism". This could be one of the most exciting public spaces in Dublin if they make hte changes permanent.

The City Council should organise a public competition to imagine how this space could be used best - maybe open up the railings into the Green for example.

This afternoon teething problems seemed to include territorial conflict between taxis and carriages near the top of Dawson, pedestrains ignoring traffic signals at Grafton junction and paniced efforts to reposition all sorts of bus stops....

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0704/traffic.html

St Stephen's Green West closed to traffic

04 July 2004 19:32
A new temporary traffic management system has come into effect around St Stephen's Green in Dublin city centre.

Dublin City Council says that because of the need to reconstruct the road on the west side of the Green, part of Stephens Green West will be closed to all traffic.

The Council says the road is in very poor condition, partly due to the Luas construction works.

The work will be carried out over a ten to 12 week period.

Victor

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/07/11/story156503.html

Luas may alter Stephen's Green traffic flow
11/07/2004 - 12:11:45

Dublin’s new tram lines could permanently alter the flow of traffic around one of the city’s most historic parks, it has emerged.

The temporary traffic restriction surrounding St Stephen’s Green could become a permanent fixture after drivers hailed it a success.

Conor Faughnan of AA Roadwatch said drivers had found the new flow of traffic around St Stephen’s Green had freed up the congestion hot-spot.

The roads surrounding the park were opened up to two-way traffic last Sunday, July 4, to repair the surface damage caused by the new tram lines.

Mr Faughnan said: “It worked like a dream, it went extremely well, even though all schools are off at the moment.

“The traffic went smoothly in combination with the Luas.”

Dublin City Council has said the traffic system could become a permanent fixture if it is successful.

Brendan O’Brien, head of technical services with Dublin City Council, said: “We will be monitoring the situation to see if it is better or worse as a result of it.”

The temporary restrictions will be in place until late September.

If it is deemed a success then a period of public consultation could take place to make it permanent.

Mr O’Brien said: “From our point of view it went very well, certainly the implementation did, so far so good.

“There have been no additional queues on the Green.”

Drivers had complained there was no right turn from St Stephen’s Green onto Merrion Row which resulted in a detour.

Mr O’Brien said the council had considered this but a Quality Bus Corridor was in place and both could not be accommodated.

Some of the road around the park has been opened up to two-way traffic and the west side of the Green from Cuffe St to York Street has been closed for roadworks.

Flukey

The traffic flow seems to working well, although I have not seen it in Rush hour. I did here something about pedestrianising that side completely. I don't know if that could work and they certainly should not remove any of the rail around the Green. It is the fact that it is enclosed that gives it much of its character.

Sleipnir

It's fine except for the people who turn right from St. Stephen's Green East onto Merrion Row crossing (and stopping) in the bus lane and holding up traffic.
Some permanant barriers wouldn't go amiss there.

Victor

Some alterations have been made to this.

Victor

http://www.dublincity.ie/traffic/green.htm

Victor

That page has been revised. Work is nearly complete, except for the final surfacing and at the Crampton's building site.

vinnyfitz

Submissions deadline on the finalisation of the plan is 8 November.

There is very little detail about how the cycle paths on all 4 sides of the green would work. Great idea but how will it be implemented in practice?

vinnyfitz

A notice in today's Irish Times announces the deadline for submissions has been extended to 22 November.

pclive

The closing date for submissions in the public consultation process has indeed been extended to Monday 22nd November