11 July 2017
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Artists impression of how the new pedestrian bridge will look
Cork City Council is asking the people of Cork for their views on Cork’s newest bridge, the €3.5 million pedestrian and cycle bridge opposite Harley Street.
The proposed bridge will link Merchants Quay to St Patrick’s Quay and provide easier access between the city centre, Mc Curtain Street and Kent Station.
Cork City Council Senior Executive Engineer, John Stapleton said it will bring social, transportation, recreational, and economic benefits to the city.
“The construction of the bridge aims to provide improved pedestrian access and make the city more cycle-friendly with particular benefits for travel between Kent Station & McCurtain Street on the northern side of the channel and Parnell Place, the city centre & the bus station on the southern side,” he said.
“It fits sympathetically into the surrounding quays, buildings and urban realm and will provide a convenient and accessible link across the river with minimal visual intrusion on the river vista or river channel”.
Cork City Council also intend installing improved paving on Harley Street and St Patrick’s Quay, at a later stage.
The Metropole Hotel, which is due to undergo a €50 million refurbishment including the development of a new adjoining hotel, backs on to St Patrick’s Quay.
Cork City Council and the National Transport Authority (NTA) have already spent in excess of €5 million on the Kent Station to city centre improvement project and the bridge will add another dimension to public realm improvements in the area.
Full details of the proposed bridge will be available for inspection for the next six weeks at City Hall from 9- 4pm Monday to Friday until Tuesday August 22 . Information is also available on consult.corkcity.ie under ‘browse section’.
Observations can be made to the Roads Design Division for another two weeks. Submissions must be sent to Roads Design Division, Room 331, City Hall, Cork or by email to roadsdesign@corkcity.ie before 4pm on Tuesday Sept 5.
Subject to planning approval,- detailed design will take place in the coming months with construction scheduled to commence in early 2018.
