New Liffey Bridge: Marlborough St to Hawkin's St

[exene1]

Article from January criticising the bridge / http://news-beacon-ireland.info/?p=1780

[StephenC]

I see the quay wall is being dismantled and one hopes lessons have been learned from James Joyce Bridge and the removed quay wall stones secured and not left there to be knicked.

On the article...isnt this just another case of the interminable navel gazing that greets these projects. The bridge has been decided and is now under construction. If Luas is built to its decided route then the bridge will make sense. If ABP sees fit and routes Luas down Marlborough Street in both directions then it will make even more sense (oops, am I indulging in interminable navel gazing about the route of Luas). If Luas doesn't happen then the bridge will be an expensive additional route across the river and a bit of a white elephant, but well find some use for it. Like those empty poles... don't remove them, just add more signage. Is brea liom Ath Cliath! (for the week that's in it)

[exene1]

Well that's just it. The bridge reeks of 'do something cos it's better than doing nothing'. It's better than navel gazing. So many projects bit the dust we'd better do something. But it's the wrong project. The Luas link may never be built. The bridge is now unsustainable. It's a new bridge in an area where there's going to be little or no traffic in the future. High price to pay for a few extra bus turns.

The contractors involved - Roughan O'Donovan Engineers, Sean Harrington Architects etc. - all need the work, no doubt. But it will be an embarrassing project to have your name to IMO.

[StephenC]

Sections of the quay walls on both sides have now been removed while the Boardwalk section have also been removed. Works seeming to be progressing.

Will this project provide any benefits to the public realm along Eden and Burgh Quays? New quayside lighting? Painted flagpoles (better still removed flagpoles), tree planting? Most car parking removed to facilitate works. It has also meant that the usual wall of buses along Eden Quay has been removed...permanently one hopes.

[StephenC]

I observed a team taking apart and removing the Sheehan Monument at the junction with Burgh Quay/Hawkins Street this morning. I am not sure what is planned for the monument which as noted was placed at this location for a reason. However the increase in buses turning onto Hawkins Street was posing a big risk to the monument and it seems only a matter of time before it is damaged. I presume the statue is being removed as part of the bridge construction.

[Service charge]

Wonder where they propose putting the Sheehan memorial now. I know of a wooden box is St Anne's Park that's looking for a new tenant

Another one of our city's neglected water features:

[Paul Clerkin]

Irvine Welsh Backs Connolly Bridge Campaign
http://107cowgate.com/2012/12/17/irvine ... -campaign/

[StephenC]

Who cares what they name it...just get on and finish the bloody thing. The quays are a mess and it couldnt be that bloody difficult to build a bridge.

Should have gotten Mary McAleese in :-)