The cost of developing College Green's long-awaited new pedestrianised plaza is expected to rise due to construction costs as a new tender is set to be advertised.
The original 2017 Dublin City Council plans for a car free plaza at College Green in Dublin had an estimated cost of €10 million, which covered both the design and the construction of the scheme. The Irish Times reports that now a construction contract for the project will be advertised in a separate tender.
In 2018, planning permission for the plaza was turned down due to the impact on traffic. However, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has since redesigned the bus network.
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The new plaza is set to include a large, traffic free area that can be enjoyed by pedestrians and cyclists. The NTA's redesign of the bus network will also allow it to the traffic free area, extending it along Dame Street to South Great George’s Street.
Dublin City Council had been expected to lodge a fresh planning application for the plaza last year, but last November it said the application would be delayed until this year with construction work due to begin in 2024.
According to the council, the €10 million value in the contract notice was a “nominal figure to cover the value of all design team appointments that may be made under this framework”. A council spokesman added: “The construction contract for the College Green Dame Street Project will be procured by a separate tender competition."
A number of pilot traffic free streets were introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, and in recent months Capel Street has become fully pedestrianised. According to a recent survey by Dublin City Council, the removal of traffic from Capel Street has also lead to a better experience for 90% of those who took part in the survey.
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