blue

They’ll have to buy a bus or a taxi sign and I wouldn’t put it past them.

Yeah – agreed. Maybe that is what is planned but it certainly didn’t come across that way in the ST article so we’ll have to wait and see the offical document.

No mention of Harcourt St becoming a public transport only street in the Sunday Times so yes the traffic would turn right over the Luas tracks to get to Dawson st. It will be possible to go straight on, as before, but only as far as the lane beside surgeons.

Traffic on Hume St and Ely Place may be reversed in the future so there would be a right turn from the Green east (which will be one way) on to Merrion row, allowing access to Merrion St & Baggot St without having to go down Dawson St and back up Kildare St.

I think its a great idea because it will make use of the increased road width on the east side of the green and make the whole area around the top of Grafton st more pedestrian friendly.

This would be terrible, if you pass this site on a fine day it has lots going on, lots of people sit on the surrounding low wall. It would be a shame to fence it all off to prevent a few teens who never bothered anyone anyway. Besides I haven’t seen many since they clued lots of anti-skating messures to the walls and rails.

This is a classic building and should not be tinkered with. The bank should use the money to reduce fees.

What is wrong with that? You give higher densities in the right places and accomodate farming families elsewhere. The hue and cry on this really does show certain elements up as wanting it everyway or wanting bungalows everywhere.

You never know they might even use architects to design the higher density units!!!

Hear hear

How does one create one of these designs, I believe it’s interactive and anyone can create a design and a message but I’ve looked at the website but can’t find the link?

Ok just read it properly : “As of April 22, 2004, anyone who logs onto the website http://www.dublinelevation.net will be able to design enormous light sculptures in the sky of Dublin…”

Agreed but would it work. I don’t think the government wants to do anything about it. The present system serves big business very well so why change is their attitude.

If you centralise the system it may not make any difference. The man on the street will just have to bring the central authority, instead of the local authority, to the high court to get them to do their job. I’m being harsh here but big business runs this country and their interests will be protected. You only have to look at the government carbon tax proposals for more proof of this.

Something has to be done and centralising planning might make it a bit harder for those who like to operate outside the law.

New guidelines for the design of shop fronts for O’Connell Street have been launched in an effort to restore O’Connell street back to its former glory.

The guidelines have been prepared by Howley Harrington architects in partnership with Dublin City Council.

A statement form the Council said: “Local businesses have also an important role to play in the physical transformation of the street and the restoration of the main civic thoroughfare of our capital city to its former architectural glory.”

The council has already demonstrated its commitment to the provision of a revitalised O’Connell Street with the Spire of Dublin and the ongoing construction of a grand civic plaza to the front of the GPO.

City Manager John Fitzgerald commented: “By the end of this year, LUAS will be traversing O’Connell Street at the junction with Abbey Street, making the street more accessible and bringing many new visitors to the street. Some shops and businesses have made their contribution by properly maintaining or successfully installing well designed and carefully constructed shop fronts and facades.”

As JJ has already pointed out the main reason behind the choice of bridge type was so the very busy intersection could remain open as much as possible during construction.

The second reason was aesthetics and I think they should be praised for their choice not chastised. Roughan and O’Donovan are quite forward thinking in terms of taking aesthetics into account right form the word go and not just as an after thought. They won the first AAI award given for a bridge and make modern motorway driving a bit more interesting.

Engineers get a bad rap for when it come to design, sometimes rightly, but when they do design something like the Taney bridge they should be praised.

Chewy, in my mind its an underresourced police force that is to blame. Thats why the concert wasn’t moved to another location as they still wouldn’t be able to police it.

As well as the dublin elevations there is a firework display on Sandymount strand:

On April 30, Dublin’s skies are due to light up again, with a spectacular fireworks display along Sandymount Strand by award-winning French pyrotechnics company, Groupe F, famous for its Millennium illumination of the Eiffel Tower.

The fireworks extravaganza will start at 9.15pm and viewing will be on the Beach Road between Leahy’s Terrace and Marine Drive, Strand Road between Marine Drive and St Alban’s Park and Strand Road from St Alban’s Park towards Merrion Road.