In bad news for cyclists across the Irish capital, it has been revealed that plans for the Liffey Cycle Path are indefinitely on hold, due to spiraling cost estimates. The latest costing revealed that the Path would cost around 5 times more than originally anticipated.
The development encompassed what was billed as a ‘safe, continuous and segregated’ cycle path on both banks of the river. The paths would have stretched from Phoenix Park to Tom Clark Bridge and has been in the planning stages for a decade. The Dublin City Council and the National Transport Authority were tasked with the design of the project, which was originally planned to cost in the region of €20 million (circa 2019), but has since grown to an estimated €100 million.
Cycle Path Costs 5x Original Estimate
As originally conceived the design called for the development of boardwalks spanning the river at so-called ‘pinch-points’ where there is currently insufficient space for dedicated car, bus, and cycle lanes. According to Council Chief Executive Owen Keegan (who called the plan ‘gold-plated’), the project is unlikely to get the go-ahead.
Keegan informed the Irish Times that the project as planned, with its extensive boardwalk system, would be extremely expensive to roll out. He did however note the issue of the ‘pinch-points’ where separate bus, cycle, and car lanes could not be accommodated.
He raised the possibility of these issues being addressed through traffic management strategies – but did not clarify if the measures would include car bans affecting the narrower sections of the route.
He noted that the Council had already prioritized cycling on the quays and there was no reason to engage in ‘grandiose schemes’ and expressed doubt the gold-plated’ option would be further explored.
He concluded that the Council was confident that they could provide a solution that addressed the needs of cyclists on the sections on both quays, without a dedicated focus on prioritizing cyclists by unveiling further traffic management measures, with no need to resort to expensive solutions such as the Liffey Cycle Path.
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