Luas Cross City (Line BX/D) [now open]

D.L.R.

The rationale was "cheap and easy". The only ever rationale used regards Dublin transport.

markpb

D.L.R. wrote: »

The rationale was "cheap and easy". The only ever rationale used regards Dublin transport.

Don't forget about quick. I assume building the track along the cutting was much faster than digging up more roads.

This is just depressing. I'd settle for our relatively glacial pace of rail-transport construction if there was a plan but there's no plan, there's just single lines designed and built in isolation. This one happens to have hit on several strategic goals (deeper penetration of the city centre, DIT Grangegorman and a possible redevelopment of DIE at Broombridge) but, with the exception of the city centre and crossing the red line, I don't believe those were on purpose. This is a plan. This isn't DRRTS or T21. It's a 40 year plan that they've designed, budgeted for and it's a plan that they're executing, not just talking about. I'd die happy if Ireland (or just Dublin) could get to this level of sane and forward thinking.

orangerhyme

I presume there's so much money to be made, it'll just happen eventually.
Eoghan Murphy is suggesting lots of changes to property legislation, so I'd imagine people are keeping their powder dry.
Similar to Sandyford and Dundrum really.

Another good idea is extend the Luas the extra 2km out to Finglas.
As someone said it'd be a game changer for Cabra and Finglas, two historically deprived communities.
I'd imagine itd generate more money for the Exchequer than it would cost with the tax from house sales and developments.

AngryLips

D.L.R. wrote: »

The rationale was "cheap and easy". The only ever rationale used regards Dublin transport.

This is an approach I can get behind

mrsdewinter

orangerhyme wrote: »

Another good idea is extend the Luas the extra 2km out to Finglas.
As someone said it'd be a game changer for Cabra and Finglas, two historically deprived communities.
I'd imagine itd generate more money for the Exchequer than it would cost with the tax from house sales and developments.

It's staggering that there is no public transport link between those 2 adjacent suburbs. Cabra is doing extremely well with the Luas - it's time the same benefits we're extended to Finglas.

optogirl

mrsdewinter wrote: »

It's staggering that there is no public transport link between those 2 adjacent suburbs. Cabra is doing extremely well with the Luas - it's time the same benefits we're extended to Finglas.

Yep totally agree - lots of empty houses & land in Finglas which would be utilised & developed if they got the Luas

orangerhyme

optogirl wrote: »

Yep totally agree - lots of empty houses & land in Finglas which would be utilised & developed if they got the Luas

It's only about 2km extension through mostly green fields, it can't cost much, considering how much it would benefit people.

It's mad really what's happening to Cabra. In 2013 you could buy houses there for peanuts.

Most of Cabra will be within 500m of a Luas stop, so I'd imagine it'll be transformed over next few years.
The hipsters and students will spread from Stonybatter and Phibsborough.

Cabra has decent sized houses with front and back gardens and plenty of parking almost in city center.
How many capital cities in Europe have that!?

Zebra3

Broombridge with both Luas and Irish Rail side by side really should become a bit of a transport hub with DB feeding into it from surrounding areas.

orangerhyme

Zebra3 wrote: »

Broombridge with both Luas and Irish Rail side by side really should become a bit of a transport hub with DB feeding into it from surrounding areas.

Yep exactly. Broombridge is last stop before Docklands from Maynooth.

Also the new phoenix park tunnels run right past it from Kildare, although the nearest stop is Drumcondra. If they put a stop near there, you would have one of best connected rail hubs in the country.
Really that Industrial estate should be bulldozed tomorrow and set up a SDZ.
Also good roads already there.

Lots of parks, sports nearby; pubs and restaurants in Stonybatter and Phibsborough.
Canal cycle way brings you straight to Docklands.

sdanseo

orangerhyme wrote: »

Yep exactly. Broombridge is last stop before Docklands from Maynooth.

Also the new phoenix park tunnels run right past it from Kildare, although the nearest stop is Drumcondra. If they put a stop near there, you would have one of best connected rail hubs in the country.
Really that Industrial estate should be bulldozed tomorrow and set up a SDZ.
Also good roads already there.

Lots of parks, sports nearby; pubs and restaurants in Stonybatter and Phibsborough.
Canal cycle way brings you straight to Docklands.

More than enough space at Broombridge also to add a 400m stretch of track after the platform for short running (although hard to see an advantage to this over running to Docklands, unless that loses its planning permission)

Chivito550

https://twitter.com/Independent_ie/status/920920183337865216

Cross City route here.

Not liking that car sitting in front of tram on O'C bridge. That better not happen come December.

wakka12

Chivito550 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/Independent_ie/status/920920183337865216

Cross City route here.

Not liking that car sitting in front of tram on O'C bridge. That better not happen come December.

Very scenic route through the city I thought. A lot of pretty buildings, will be way nicer too when all the DIT campus is finished .

MrMorooka

In the full video you can see that the tram seems to run fairly smoothly, no major conflicts. Only thing I noticed is a taxi in front of the Parnell stop that looks like it needed to be moved on by Luas staff, and cars in the yellow box on Burgh Quay. Nothing too bad in the scheme of things.



Also, I had completely forgotten that there is a Grangegorman stop, and not just a Broadstone one.

orangerhyme

MrMorooka wrote: »

In the full video you can see that the tram seems to run fairly smoothly, no major conflicts. Only thing I noticed is a taxi in front of the Parnell stop that looks like it needed to be moved on by Luas staff, and cars in the yellow box on Burgh Quay. Nothing too bad in the scheme of things.



Also, I had completely forgotten that there is a Grangegorman stop, and not just a Broadstone one.

It'll transform parts of the city that are off the beaten track.
For example the top of Dominick at is very nice with good pub Brennan's which will take off I'd imagine.

Also Marlborough Street, which is very run down in parts

orangerhyme

Also Broadstone bus depot is a Huge site with impressive architecture and should really be developed into something more.

wakka12

orangerhyme wrote: »

Also Broadstone bus depot is a Huge site with impressive architecture and should really be developed into something more.

I agree. Its a very nice gateway building for the new DIT campus from the luas stop

A bit off topic but its really amazing to see how much is going on in Dublin and the luas cross city is really pulling it all together. College green plaza, hawkins /apollo house complex redevelopment, abbey theatre redevelopment, all the docklands projects,new skyscraper at tara street station, central bank redevelopment dame st, so many new hotels,new DIT campus grangegorman,new science museum in iveagh gardens, dublin port and glass bottle site redevelopment, Guinness brewery residential redevelopment ,new ESB headquarters ,croke park and RDS redevelopments, new city library and cultural quarter at the top of Parnell Square.. theres probably more I cant even think of
Bit of a rebirth for dublin

orangerhyme

wakka12 wrote: »

I agree. Its a very nice gateway building for the new DIT campus from the luas stop

A bit off topic but its really amazing to see how much is going on in Dublin and the luas cross city is really pulling it all together. College green plaza, hawkins /apollo house complex redevelopment, abbey theatre redevelopment, all the docklands projects,new skyscraper at tara street station, central bank redevelopment dame st, so many new hotels,new DIT campus grangegorman,new science museum in iveagh gardens, dublin port and glass bottle site redevelopment, Guinness brewery residential redevelopment ,new ESB headquarters ,croke park and RDS redevelopments, new city library and cultural quarter at the top of Parnell Square.. theres probably more I cant even think of
Bit of a rebirth for dublin

Theres lots more also like Cherrywood and all the student apartments, also Newmarket square.
Tara st was refused planning permission but I think something will be built there soon enough.
Likewise I think College green plaza may not go ahead.

I think it's nice for emigrants from construction sector to have an opportunity to come home also.

loyatemu

MrMorooka wrote: »

In the full video you can see that the tram seems to run fairly smoothly, no major conflicts.

presumably they made several videos and picked (or edited together) the best one.

orangerhyme

I think a big change also is the big increase of the city center population i.e. between the canals.

It was 84,000 in '91, 135,000 in 2011.
Must be close to 150,000 now.

I'd imagine it'll be closer to 200,000 in 10 years, that's a huge transformation.

With all the projects coming online, new legislation for density and height and if they come up with good policies for derelict properties and "above the shop living - you could reach 200,000 by 2025

fxotoole

Any idea on launch date for this?

Sierra Oscar

fxotoole wrote: »

Any idea on launch date for this?

Passenger services are due to start operating from Friday December 15th.

Middle Man

I just saw the video and the line is looking great - massive improvement to Dawson Street, Marlborough Street and Dominick Street. That said, I was looking forward to seeing all the pedestrian improvements and while some of them have materialised (O'Connell Bridge etc.), I was disgusted to see no improvement in front of the Bank of Ireland building (College Green). The road there is effectively still four lanes thanks to a cycle track - that is a disgrace for what is such a busy pedestrian route - that cycle track should be immediately pedestrianised!

Dyr

One of the pedestrian improvements is that marlborogh street and abbey street is yet another junction that has only three sets of pedestrians lights instead of four, nice little go f**k yourself for pedestrians from the city fathers

I've a sneaking feeling that the luas is going to trail back and block pedestrian crossings when it stops too

sdanseo

We really need to clean up our signposts. Between all the new Luas ones and the existing, that picture at Burgh Quay for example, it's just a mess.

3/4 onto the one panel and up onto one post.

Same with traffic lights, there are 6 and 8 poles at junctions where 3-4 would do fine.

Effect on the Luas is people can't read the important ones like "tram tracks" and "don't block the box" etc

Middle Man

Bambi wrote: »

One of the pedestrian improvements is that marlborogh street and abbey street is yet another junction that has only three sets of pedestrians lights instead of four, nice little go f**k yourself for pedestrians from the city fathers

I've a sneaking feeling that the luas is going to trail back and block pedestrian crossings when it stops too

From older street images, the crossing for continuing along the East side of Marlborough Street is missing - with Luas Cross City, I see no reason for this as pedestrians crossing there can surely be phased in with the Green Line - there is a track transfer curve, but AFAIK it won't be used during normal operation.

blanch152

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Passenger services are due to start operating from Friday December 15th.

Could it be earlier? They were working on the stops over the last few days.

MJohnston

blanch152 wrote: »

Could it be earlier? They were working on the stops over the last few days.

I doubt it, that date was “announced” just last week

trellheim

There is still considerable work to do on the stops.

wakka12

trellheim wrote: »

There is still considerable work to do on the stops.

Yeh Im surprised its meant to be opening december 15th thats pretty soon. A lot of the stops still look a mess

jamo2oo9

wakka12 wrote: »

Yeh Im surprised its meant to be opening december 15th thats pretty soon. A lot of the stops still look a mess

6 weeks left. That's loads of time to get everything cleaned up and ready to go.