New Dodder River Greenway Bridge opens to the public

Gary Ibbotson 11 Oct 2021

Cllr Peter Kavanagh Mayor of South Dublin cuts the ribbon at the opening of the new Dodder Greenway Bridge in Rathfarnham with Danny McLoughlin SDCC Chief Executive, Eamon Ryan TD (Minister for Transport and the Minister for the Environment Climate and Communications), Anne Crane (NTA), Dave Hennessy (Assistant Director of the Southern Regional Assembly) and Michael Mulhern Director of Land Use Planning and Transportation.

The Minister for the Environment and Climate Eamon Ryan TD, joined the Mayor of South Dublin County, Cllr Peter Kavanagh, to open the Dodder Greenway Bridge on Friday 8 October.

The Dodder Greenway, which is still under construction, will be over 17km long when completed, linking Sir Rogerson’s Quay in the City Centre to the entrance of the Bohernabreena Reservoirs at Glenasmole, South Dublin.

As part of the bridges phase of the Dodder Greenway initiative, South Dublin County Council has built three new pedestrian and cycle bridges, 750m of new pathway and 2.6km of upgraded paths.

This phase of the project cost approximately €5.8M and is being delivered by South Dublin County Council with funding provided by the National Transport Authority (€4.3M) and the European Regional Development Fund’s S&E Regional Programme (€1.5M).

The South Dublin County section of the Greenway stretches from the Bohernabreena Reservoir in Tallaght to Orwell Park in Rathfarnham.

Speaking at the launch, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD said: “We celebrate the opening of the Dodder Bridges because they are vital pieces of a planned network of safe infrastructure.

“The Cycle South Dublin strategy is one of the most ambitious programmes for cycling in the country and will deliver a 260km network of cycle lanes connecting homes with the places people need to go on a daily basis.

“By improving and expanding these facilities, we can ensure our cities, towns and villages are more connected and accessible while making sustainable travel a real alternative to private car use.

“That’s why we are investing €360 million per annum over the ten years to 2030, with a view to providing active and safe ways of travelling right across the country.”

Cllr Peter Kavanagh, Mayor of South Dublin County, said: “The Dodder Greenway is a fantastic piece of infrastructure that is going to link the Southern half of South Dublin all the way to Sir John Rogerson’s Quay when completed.

“It represents the future for many thousands of commuters here in South Dublin as we try and create a motile shift away from the private car leading to increased quality of life, better air quality and safer streets for everyone”