Introduction
Currently College Green is a very fluid location transport wise; therefore I will outline the current situation prior to LUAS and post LUAS.
College Green currently is a public road way which allows traffic cross the city from West to East and from north to south and vice versa on both counts.
4.1-East bound Traffic On College Green
East bound traffic travelling through College Green may have started its journey in various parts of the south and west of the city but the route they have taken to get there is on Dame Street via South Great Georges Street, Clanbrassill Street, Thomas Street. Southbound traffic can access College Green via Capel Street, Grattan Bridge and Parliament St with traffic from the west also able to use Grattan Bridge and Parliament Street from Ormond Quay. These access routes are currently the subject of various restrictions and designations.
• Dame Street has an east bound bus lane which is operational Mon to Sat 0700-1000, 1230-1900. The space in timing between 1000 and 1230 is to facilitate loading for the businesses in the area and is referred to as a loading window in the bus lane. The bus lane through Dame Street helps to reduce private car numbers through the area and gives public transport a clear route through the area.
• College Green east bound and west bound itself is currently a Public Transport Only Corridor on Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm. During this period no private cars are allowed through the area. Buses, Taxis and cycles are allowed through at all times.
• College Green and the whole city centre is within the HGV cordon which means that no heavy goods vehicle is allowed within the cordon unless they have a licence which is obtained from the city council proving they have business within the area.
Courtesy Dublin City Council
• Private cars travelling north on South Great Georges Street are not allowed to turn right onto Dame Street and are thus forced left away from College Green. This is a 24 hour ban which only allows buses, taxis,motorcycles and pedal cycles turn right.
• There is a right and left turn from Church Lane onto Dame Street with the right turners travelling through College Green, however the majority of this traffic is public transport as the main access route to Church Lane for private cars is prohibited in the form of a left turn ban for private cars heading north on Dawson Street towards Nassau Street. All private cars are forced to turn left at the bottom of Dawson Street away for the College Green area. Church Lane is accessible from Andrew Street but this is mainly deliveries as its access is from Dame Street via Trinity street. The car park on Andrews Lane also can use Church Lane as an exit to Dame Street.
The above restrictions mean that the main routes to College Green are via Dame Street from either Nicholas Street/Clanbrassill Street or from High Street/Thomas Street/Bridge Street. Local access from the Church Lane and the Temple Bar area is possible with the latter of these restricted to access before 11am.
4.2-West bound Traffic On College Green
Westbound traffic on College Green is primarily traffic coming from the east and north of the city, all traffic travelling west on College Green will have arrived there via College Street having originated on Dolier Street or Pearse Street. Private cars are already restricted from various directions as follows-
• General traffic travelling westwards on Pearse Street is not allowed continue straight past Pearse Street Garda Station onto College Street, all traffic except public service vehicles, motorcycles and pedal cycles is forced to turn right onto Tara Street and away from College Green.
• General traffic is prohibited from traveling southwards from North Frederick Street on to O Connell Street, it is forced to either turn left or right onto Parnell Street.
• The left turn from Parnell Street onto O Connell St is also banned.
• In August of 2017 in preparation for the introduction of the plaza a further ban was introduced, this was to ban the right turn from Bachelors Walk onto O Connell Bridge.
All the above restrictions mean that the only means of accessing College Green from the north is via a left turn off either Cathal Brugha St or Burgh Quay with some local access arriving there via a left turn off Cathedral St and Sackville Place on to O Connell St.
4.3-College Green Traffic Count Data
Traffic Counts have been carried out on College Green to ascertain the level of redistribution of traffic required if the plaza is to be introduced. Below is a summary of the 2015 figures for the area.
College Green Count Data 2015-Source DCC
4.4-College Green Pedestrian Count Data
Pedestrian counts were also carried out which highlight the high level of pedestrian activity in the area thus helping to justify a plaza at this location. Below is an extract from those counts.
Chapter 5
Traffic Management Proposals Associated with College Green Plaza.
Introduction
When a major artery in a city is closed off it requires careful consideration as to where the traffic that currently uses that route is now going to go, alternative routes have to be found for public transport/taxis, loading facilities, car park access as well as private cars. Signage, junction alterations and new road markings may be required. Some of the projects undertaken and proposed by the city council in preparation and as part of the proposed plaza include the following.
5.1-Traffic Management Associated with Bus Routes
The National Transport Authority in 2017 announced plans to completely overhaul the current complex 130 Dublin bus routes, this plan is called Bus Connects and it is a restructuring of the bus routes as well as an upgrading of the facilities/priority along the routes. Work is currently on going on this plan which will need to design routes around a possible closure of College Green. As part of the current College Green proposal DCC needed to find alternative routes for buses that currently use College Green
5.1.1-Bus Routes from Christchurch Area
With College Green no longer an option, northbound buses from Thomas Street and Patrick Street will be diverted via Winetavern Street and the North Quays to O Connell Bridge where they can turn left onto O Connell Street. Bus Eireann(BE),Dublin Bus(DB).
Example of rerouting from High St/Patrick St (Courtesy of Dublin City Council)
Southbound buses to Thomas Street and Patrick Street from O Connell St will be required to use the loop of Dolier Street, College Street and Westmoreland Street and then turn left onto Aston Quay where they will travel west to Wellington Quay, turn left onto Parliament Street and then right onto Lord Edward Street towards Christchurch.
Example of rerouting from O Connell St Towards High St/Patrick St (Courtesy of Dublin City Council)
To be critical of this re-routing I think this loop diversion is unacceptable, these streets are already highly congested meaning high levels of delay can be expected on buses expected to use this route(See Below).
As an alternative to this diversion I would suggest allowing the southbound buses on O Connell Bridge turn right on to Aston Quay. This may cause some delay to the LUAS but this would be minimal to the amount that will be caused to buses performing the loop.
Failing this I would also suggest another less congested shorter diversion as follows, allow a left turn from O Connell St on to Eden Quay, right onto the Rosie Hackett public transport Bridge and then a right onto south Quays
Bus Routes from South Great Georges Street
Dublin Bus routes currently travel via South Great Georges Street and Dame Street/College Green to access Westmoreland Street and the to the north of the city, this will also no longer be possible with northbound buses now being required to turn left off South Great Georges Street and travel west on Dame Street up to Christchurch Place where they will be able to turn right onto Winetavern Street to access its normal route of Merchants Quay.
Dublin Bus Routes Heading North and East Diversions -Courtesy DCC
Southbound buses will also be required to use the Dolier St Loop described above to get to Parliament Street and Dame Street.
Any city centre diversion will add a considerable distance and journey time to any South Great Georges Street routes required to take it, therefore it is more practicable that routes will divert earlier at Camden Street Via Charlotte Way, Hatch Street, Earlsfort Terrace, St Stephens Green, Dawson Street and follow the LUAS tracks to O Connell Bridges as with DB 122 below.
The drawing below also shows in practice how the bus turning circle will work on Dame St for Route DB 150
North and South Quays Traffic Management.
The North and South Quays are a major part of any bus rerouting proposed as part of the Plaza development, with this in mind the Dublin City Centre Transport study in 2015 proposed additional bus priority in the areas and these proposals were introduced in 2017.
This project involved giving greater bus priority on the North Quays from Lower Ormond Quay to Eden Quay and on the South Quays from Burgh Quay to Wellington Quay. Prior to implementation there had been two general traffic lanes in each direction and one bus/cycle lane in which the bus also had to stop, now one of those general traffic lanes is given over to the bus/cyclist which means the bus can collect/drop off passengers without holding up any buses which wish to proceed past the bus stop.
In addition a bus gate type arrangement was constructed on Bachelors Walk giving priority to buses on the approach to O Connell Bridge. As the green time given to the Quays is now less due to the opening of LUAS cross city the bus gate ensures that the bus is first to the lights at O Connell bridge and thus gets through in the green time allowed.
A ban was also placed on general traffic turning right from Bachelors walk onto O Connell Bridge which helped ease congestion on the bridge and allowed more green time for right turning buses.
After its introduction there has been constant monitoring of its success by DCC and a 40% reduction in journey times between Ormond Quay and Dolier Street was found.(Source DCC ITS) Similar improvements were noted on the South Quays.
As was expected the journey time for the private car along these routes increased greatly as it lost a traffic lane to the bus, it is hoped that the shorter bus journey times along this route will encourage a modal shift from the private car to the bus however traffic is like water, if it is blocked in one location it will but pressure on other routes.
See appendix for full extent of works on the quays.
New Traffic Management Measures to Facilitate South/North Bound Buses.
As describe above new traffic management proposals will have to be implemented to facilitate the new bus diversions once the plaza is in place, these include the following
• A left turn for buses from Wellington Quay onto Parliament Street and Parliament Street to become public transport only.
• A right turn for buses from Dame Street onto South Great Georges Street.
Courtesy DCC
• A central Bus lane on Winetavern Street/O Donovan Rossa Bridge to accommodate the additional buses.
Proposed Central Bus Lane on Winetavern St- Courtesy DCC
Proposed Central Bus Lane on O Donovan Bridge-Courtesy DCC
Dublin Bus Diversions Pre College Green Plaza
Since the opening of the LUAS in Dec 2017, Dublin Bus have removed routes from the College Green area due to the increasing level of delays experienced by their passengers, they have removed routes 4, 7, 7a, 84x, 116, 118 and 145 which travelled from Pearse Street to College Street to access Westmoreland Street. These routes were having issues getting across from Pearse Street to the northern lane of College Street which leads to Westmoreland Street. The yellow box was getting blocked continuously as drivers became frustrated by watching the traffic lights change while unable to advance any further. These routes now turn right from Pearse Street to Tara Street where they can turn left onto Burgh Quay.
https://www.dublinbus.ie/News-Centre/General-News/Rerouting-via-Tara-Street-on-Routes-4-7-7a-84x-116-118-and-145/
Significantly from the point of view of the introduction of a Plaza at College Green, Dublin Bus have also removed route 142 which used the east-west movement on College Green, this shows that as predicted delays were occurring for buses as a result of the introduction of the LUAS.
https://www.dublinbus.ie/News-Centre/General-News/Rerouting-via-Hawkins-Street-on-Routes-44-51d-120-and-142-/
Other route changes are shown below, these are as a result of congestion in the College Green area also.
ALTERNATIVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS
Parliament Street – Two Way Alternative
Parliament Street is proposed to remain one way southbound however if this were to change and it were to become two way for buses it would mean a considerable reduction in the diversion route for northbound buses. This would involve allowing a left turn from Lord Edward Street and a right turn from Dame Street on to Parliament Street for buses. The left turn from Wellington Quay onto Parliament Street would need to be reintroduced for buses only
Grattan Bridge would also be required to become two-way to allow north bound buses access the North Quays. A right turn for buses would also need to be introduced from Dame Street to South Great Georges Street to facilitate south bound buses.
On the following page I have shown a redesign proposed by myself for Parliament Street and Grattan Bridge based on allowing two way bus flows.
Advantages of Making Parliament Street and Grattan Bridge Two Way.
• Significantly shorter diversion route for northbound buses from South Great Georges Street.
INSERT DRAWING OF DIVERSION ROUTES
• Reduced Bus Numbers on Christchurch Place and Winetavern Street.
Disadvantages of Making Parliament Street and Grattan Bridge Two Way.
• Extra buses on Parliament Street will increase noise and emissions beyond EPA acceptable values. EIA highlighted Parliament St as an emissions black spot,160 buses were due to be rerouted down Parliament Street in the peak when it is one way south bound, this was reduced to 65 on account of the EIA findings . Low emissions buses would need to be in place before two way buses could be seen as an option.
• Stop lines need to be 12-13m back from junctions to facilitate bus turning movements. Manoeuvre is dependent on driver obeying the stop lines.
• Additional delays possible on main routes of the Quays,Dame Street and Caple Street as only one movement allowed on or off Parliament Street due to bus turning movements.
• Danger of major traffic jams on Parliament Street if buses cannot get onto blocked main routes as there is only capacity for approximately 7 buses in either direction on the street.
• Danger of cutting of the western end of Temple bar.
• Locals opposition