Dundrum LUAS bridge

there is a picture here:
http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/dublin/dublin5.html

That Picture looks like the bridge could be impressive. But seeing in Renalagh, the demolition work going on at the remains of the bridge structure, I wonder are we losing some great stonework in the rush to build the new Luas.

Maybe you can take that ‘Rush’ with a pinch of salt.

What rush. This Luas has been ten years in the building……….

The Bridge was designed by Roughan and O’Donovan and is similar to the Boyne Bridge scheme. The design was modified by the construction co. that won the tender.

The plan is to construct the deck by suspending the individual prefabricated sections over a number of weekends so it should look spectacular as its steps its way across the junction.

The old embankment at Ranelagh has been demolished to make way for the new station entrance, a disabled access lift and a retail unit.

JJ

It does look well, okay. But does anyone do traditional “non-statement” bridges nowadays or is it all pseudo-calatrava?

hmm, we certainly could do with some interesting bridges. I have to say I rather like it – you get a great view from the shopping centre.

It looks quite impressive, but i’d say more because of its scale then its design….i’m sure that i have seen something very, very similar in Britain – i just can’t think of where! Still, a couple of statements here and there would’nt hurt.

I live in Dundrum, and so have a tonne of photos of this bridge that haven’t gone online yet. Re the artist’s impression: they pulled the colouring out of their “imaginations”. It’s just concrete, and I’ll be shocked if they decide to paint it “Jesus White”.

The really nice thing is that they’ve really created a new landmark. The structure can be clearly seen from a number of distant points, achieving the same effect as the UCD water tower. And it looks very freaky from the top of three rock.

The popular name for it amongst my local peers is “The Giant A”, and as a resident with a permanent view of the top, I’m very happy with it’s design and construction.

Re tearing down old stonework. They also destroyed three old stone bridges (and a metal footbridge) along the section of line between Dundrum and sandyford. These bridges had been “lost” in between housing for decades, and would really have added and extra sense of history to the line, but not any more. I have full pictures of these too should anyone want them (just mail me).

fjp

Just for the record two of the bridges were removed to make way for a new road. The other bridges were not compatible with the clearance requirements for LUAS and Metro and had to be removed. I do think it was a shame to remove them though.

As for “non statement” bridges there are a total of seven other bridges on the Sandyford line which are quite modest.

JJ

I wonder if some brave and clever person could post the approximate cost saving if a conventional bridge was built ( safer to)
Whats the point of taking any risk at all by using high tech approach to a simple road crossing

Boring, boring, boring

Think of the Frank Sherwin bridge at Heuston Station and yawn.

Why is this structure unsafe Mr Plumber?

It looks like the New Boyne Cable Bridge in Drogheda, is this unsafe as well? Doubt it

I suggested that a conventional bridge is SAFER relatively unnafected by weather / storms. FIRE ON A BRIDGE STRANDED TRAIN in strong winds

I agree that travelling to work in the morning on a train suspended by wire will certainly not be boring,(Perhaps interesting in a thunderstorm)

The bridge is short enough not to be dramatically affected by winds – its not one of those 1/4 mile suspension bridges that rarely get blown away by tornados in the States – when was the last time we got one of those (and dont say hurricane Charlie)

Fire on a bridge stranded train (no need to capitalise – the net version of shouting) – could happen on any bridge – what about the 9 arches bridge in Milltown (Or Drogheda Bridge) a much longer bridge with a greater drop to the ground or perhaps in a steep railway cutting where you can’t climb the sides(I’d prefer to take my chances with the Taney Road Bridge myself)

I’m sure that the bridge will be designed and built to withstand strong winds – and if needs be – closed should tornados become prevalent in this country (which is impossible). Thats what engineers are there for.

From the way you make the luas sound all you need is an outbreak of germ warfare and we have the 70’s disaster movie “The Cassandra Crossing”.

[This message has been edited by Rory W (edited 30 April 2002).]

I think there’s a misunderstanding of the issues around this bridge design. It is far from a “simple road crossing” as the new road layout at Taney junction precludes positioning support columns where they would normally be used to support a simple bridge. The resulting larger spans and loadings for LUAS and Metro combined with construction issues means that the design is very efficient and cost effective.

As for fire on the bridge, there’s a pedestrian footway across the bridge and emergency paths all along the trackway.

JJ

Moving off the “it might fall down” concept for a second: JJ, do you know if the pedestrian crossing will be open to the public, or is purely for access???

I’m still looking forward to completion of the bridge, and very happy with the smaller bridge now reopened by the old (dead) dundrum bowling alley.

fjp

(and plumber, were you the guy who thought the underground car park near the school in rathgar (or somewhere) could be a target for terrorists??)

Yes that’s me but I do not think it fair to start talking terrorism when all sorts of folk are seeking a career change for the better and your vote to make it possible…

I think the spike is worthy of debate though
but surely this will be shelved like the Berty Bowl in favour of better health services.

The bridge footpath will be a permanent arrangement not just an emergency walkway. There’s a ramp and steps at the Churchtown end and hopefully a piece of sculpture will be sited in this area. The Metro in the future may lead to some restrictions however.

JJ

Plumber: I really didn’t understand what you meant about career changes….it made no sense.

JJ: thank you for making my day!!! Hell, you made my whole week!!!! It makes it so much better that the public can use the bridge as a walkway as well. I’m really looking forward to that (probably a little too much).

fjp

Has anyone come across designs for the new bridge where the Luas will cross the Grand Canal or Ranelagh Rd. even. These are 2 fairly prominent places where more than a Basic design should be made.

Just looking at those Maps on the Luas website, seems that the actual stop/platforms will be integrated into the bridges at both Ranelagh and over the Canal.

The two bridges at Grand Parade and Ranelagh have stops located on them. Both will feature lifts and access stairs and drawings of both can be viewed in the planning offices of the city council and the council offices in Dunlaoghaire.

The bridge at Suir Road over the canal is pretty basic and sits rather awkwardly between two existing bridges. Part of the work includes rebuilding the canal basin and Waterways Ireland plan to upgrade the canal in this area.

JJ
There are also two pedestrian bridges along Davitt Road one a replacement and one new.

What’s all this I hear about the Luas bridge in Dundrum being too low, or one of the slip roads being 10 inches too high. Can they really have made such a basic error? Ireland on Sunday said the whole thing will be delayed until Christmas as a result. Such a shame for what appeared to be a marvel of modern engineering

Ireland on Sunday seemed to be making a big deal out of this. I don’t trust that newspaper – it’s really just a badly written tabloid.

But their info is probably correct. The thing to remember is that they’re only talking about a single sliproad leading from churchtown road to the dundrum road into town (see below). The rest of the bridge is fine.

Can it be that hard to lower that little piece of road??? Anyone who’s seen the phenomenal work they’ve been carrying out lately wuold take this as the smallest of problems that can certainly be carried out with very little disruption (work on the bridge so far has caused very little disruption in general).

Below you’ll see a current photo of the night work on the bridge and a detail showing the corner where the road is too high.

fjp
(sorry about all the pictures – I’m having a very pictured week)

(oops – image lost in a server incident – click my www link below for the photos)

The slip road from Churchtown road to Dundrum Road is about 250mm too high as it passes under the bridge. This work was done as part of the Road realignment contract by the council’s contractors, not the bridge contractors. Its a simple thing to correct and will not delay the bridge in the slightest. The last sections go into place this wekend so if you want to see the gap being closed then get up there on Saturday night.

Got up to the top of the pylon during the week, spectacular views !!

JJ

Saturday night’s gonna be packed down there!!!
JJ, any idea what time kick-off’s at??

fjp

I checked with the site office and they tell me that the last section will actually be placed tomorrow night ! Delivery expected at 8pm and it takes about three hours to complete.
Cheers,
JJ

ta JJ

fjp

(sorry about the wide images paul)

I must say how impressed I am with the progress here, – this bridge is really racing along. Sorry now I did not do a series of photos.

congrats to all

BTW Is not the decision to build the Dundrum bypass one lane, each direction, seriously strange?

There’s a single lane roundabout at one end of the bypass, and the Taney Junction at the other. All it really does is deliver you that little further into the congestion that eternally awaits. So two lanes would have just created a bottleneck, as opposed to one big long thin bottle all the way.

fjp

Plus at €44 million, could the extra space for the lanes be afforded?

No doubt some of you were there tonight. I was the guy on top of the St. Vincent de Paul wall, just in case you were being exceptionally observant.

For those who weren’t there, the bridge now spans the entire junction. It looks extremely good (I understate). And somehow I managed to take a little over 250 photos of it in about two hours – a personal best/worst.

fjp

(oops – images lost in a server incident: click my www link below and go the “dundrum” to see all the luas bridge photos)

fjp,

Cracking shots!

Were those night time photo shot on your FujiFilm Finepix 1400?

If they were, they are perfectly exposed & colour balanced, had you much Photoshop work to do on them?

I’m about to purchase the Canon S40 to replace my EOS 650, have you any opinions on this piece of kit?

Or have you any recommendations – portability is an issue for me (I tend to leave the EOS at home), as is having as near to SLR functionality as possible.

Sorry for all the questions.

Hi 42

Yup, it’s all done on the old finepiux 1400. It generally gets the colour pretty alright, and then I hand correct the levels/curves/selective colour/saturation in photoshop.

To be honest, my present lack of money means that I have no idea of the current digital camera market. All I know is that mine is fast becoming obselete and I can’t afford a new one. The good things about the finepix are that it’s fairly small and has that optical zoom. The bad thing is that the wide angle tends to “pillowcase” the image, the night exposure max of 2 secs is too short, and sometimes the pictures can be a bit noisy and jpeg’d.

I just finished uploading the rest of the luas photos to my site, so anyone who wants to see the whole thing should pop by. I had to add 289 new photos. It took bloody ages……

Still though, that bridge does looks great.

fjp