WATCH: Street in Cork City closes to traffic to facilitate works on public transport improvement scheme

Coburg Street in the city has now closed to traffic to facilitate ongoing works on a public transport improvement scheme.

While the street closed to through-traffic yesterday, access to local businesses and homes on Coburg Street remains in place, as does emergency access to the street.

Under the new traffic flow arrangements, traffic coming from Leitrim Street will be able to continue up Hardwick Street and onto Wellington Road or will exit onto Devonshire Street with the option to turn right towards Blackpool or left towards the city centre.

Announcing the plans last week, the local authority said that some new set-down spaces would be provided on Leitrim Street to allow parents to drop and collect school children and to support short term parking so motorists can access nearby businesses.

All other traffic should follow the signed diversion routes.

Cork City Council told The Echo that traffic changes on Coburg Street are being introduced “temporarily to support construction works in the area”.

After this phase of works are completed, the local authority said Coburg Street will have a new westbound general traffic lane and one eastbound bus lane.

The new traffic flow arrangements are being introduced to facilitate ongoing works on the MacCurtain Street Public Transport Improvement Scheme.

The scheme, it's hoped, will improve the reliability and journey times of bus services in the city centre and, in parallel, will provide improved walking and cycling infrastructure along the city quays and at key streets and junctions.

This phase of the scheme will deliver upgraded footpaths, new bus stops and shelters, improved public lighting, road resurfacing, lining and other public realm improvements on Coburg Street, Bridge Street and MacCurtain Street.

As works progress over the coming weeks, localised lane restrictions will continue on Bridge Street and works will also progress onto the northern footpath of MacCurtain Street.

Over the last 12 months, the National Transport Authority (NTA) funded scheme has delivered a new signalised junction on Devonshire Street; 1km of new cycle lanes providing connectivity to the wider cycle network from Shandon Street to the Marina via dedicated cycling facilities; over 1,800m of resurfaced roadway and over 9,600sq m of public realm and footpath upgrades.

Works have also included upgrades to 11 traffic signalised junctions and pedestrian crossings; the introduction of a new northbound lane on Brian Boru Bridge and Brian Boru Street and a new right turn lane from the N20 onto Mulgrave Road.

Cork City Council and its contractors have thanked the public for their patience as this next phase of the works are undertaken.