Phoenix Park – North Road Essential Repair Roadworks (April 12 to June 18, 2021)
Quotation from Press Release:
Phoenix Park – North Road Essential Repair Roadworks (April 12 to June 18, 2021)
The Office of Public Works plans to carry out essential road repair works to the North Road in the Phoenix Park. This section of road has not had any significant works carried out to it since the early 2000’s other than minor and localised repairs to the surface of the road. The road surface is now in very poor condition, is considered dangerous and represents a hazard to road users. The adjacent footpath surface is also in poor condition as are the abutting kerbs.
The North Road within the Phoenix Park runs parallel to Blackhorse Avenue on the northern side of Phoenix Park. Adjacent local communities currently access the Park via a number of gates located along the North Road. It is planned that the North Road, between Ratra House and Garda Head Quarters, will be resurfaced along with the adjoining footpaths. The project involves the removal and disposal of existing road surface and relaying of new road surface, taking up, cleaning and relaying of existing granite kerbs and the removal and disposal of existing footpath and relaying of new footpath surface. Other ancillary works will include installation of traffic calming ramps along the 2.5 kilometre stretch of road. Comment: There was no consultation (or announcement, other than the blog post) before the works commenced) with local communities along Blackhorse Avenue or anywhere else along the Phoenix Park walls.
The period between Easter and the June Bank Holiday is an opportune time to undertake the works before the busy summer months. This is a substantial project which will take approximately 10 weeks to complete and, due to the nature and scale of these necessary works, there will be an impact on traffic. Every effort will be made to minimise the disruption to the public and to complete the works as soon as practicable.
Please note the following:
* Works will begin on Monday 12th April and will continue until June 18th 2021.
*There will be no access for pedestrians, cyclists or vehicles to the area of the North Road from Ratra House to Garda Head Quarters for the duration of the works
*The Cabra Gate, Grangegorman Gate and other pedestrian gates along the works route will remain closed for the duration of these works
*Pedestrian access will be maintained at the Hole in the Wall Gate and North Circular Road Gate.
*OPW and the appointed contractor will have traffic management in place with diversions
*The Odd Lamp Road will open for the duration of these On approach to the Ratra House area of the Park, traffic will be diverted onto Odd Lamp Road across to Chesterfield Avenue.
*No traffic will be permitted to travel from Garda Head Quarters in a westerly direction. This traffic will be diverted to Chesterfield Avenue at Fountain Road
*Local access will be maintained for those working in Garda Head Quarters, McKee Barracks, Dublin Zoo and those living along the route.
Comment:
The Phoenix Park wall on the North Road is a protected structure, it is unclear from this vague statement what these works are and if they could affect it. Alterations to a protected structure require planning permission, which the Office of Public Works have not applied for in this case.
Also, it would be interesting to know if these Road works by the Office of Public Works on the North Road will contain water / sewage pipeline construction at the North Road / Blackhorse Avenue Section of the wall. There is a foul water sewer in the North Road just inside the Phoenix Park, there is a question as to whether there is an intention to upgrade this as part of the road works.
In 2020, a planning application on the North Road adjacent to the planned works proposed sewage works from the development inside the lands of Park Crescent House to the foul water sewer just inside the Phoenix Park wall. A revised application was submitted last December, Dublin City Council has requested more information on the application.
There is a legitimate concern that any potential sewage works would involve reconstruction of a section of the phoenix park wall along the North Road which is a protected structure. No planning application was made to alter the Phoenix Park wall on the North Road as part of the April 12th road works. Planning permission is needed to effect works on a protected structure, in the Phoenix Park and elsewhere.