THE Liffey’s newest crossover was officially opened last week as a public transport priority bridge.
Named after trade union leader and Irish Citizen Army member, Rosie Hackett, the new bridge is the river’s 21st and the only one named after a woman.
It will cater for cater for pedestrians, cyclists, buses and taxis and South-bound Luas trams will use it following completion of the Luas Cross City project in 2017.
Hackett Bridge spans the Liffey between Marlborough Street on the Northside and Hawkins Street on the Southside. It was developed by Dublin City Council in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA).
Dublin City Council Road Design Division managed the project and the bridge was designed by Roughan & O’Donovan Consulting Engineers and Seán Harrington Architects.
The NTA funded its cost of around $13.5million. Last week the bridge was officially named in honour of the trade union activist who was present at historic events at nearby Liberty Hall during the 1913 Lock Out and the Easter Rising.
Dublin Lord Mayor OisÃn Quinn officially named the bridge at a ceremony attended by Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar TD and several of Rosie Hackett’s relatives.
“The Rosie Hackett Bridge caters exclusively for multiple forms of sustainable transport,
? the Lord Mayor said.
“It will play a central role in improving bus performance along the city quays and provide an alternative route to O’Connell Bridge for cyclists and pedestrians crossing the Liffey.
“It will also provide a vital link for Luas Cross City and is a welcome addition to the city’s expanding sustainable transport infrastructure. This also includes dublinbikes, the Canal Way Cycle Route and Quality Bus Corridors.
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Minister Varadkar added:
“The new bridge is unique in that it is the only one in Dublin built exclusively for the use of public transport, pedestrians and cyclists.
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Rosie Hackett’s nephew John Gray thanked everybody who campaigned to have
“this beautiful bridge
? named after his aunt.
“Dublin City Council’s decision to name the bridge after Rosie is a tribute to people all over the world who have fought against injustice and inequality,
? he said.
The Rosie Hackett Bridge is the 21st bridge over the Liffey between Chapelizod and Dublin Port. It’s the first new bridge in Dublin City since the Samuel Beckett Bridge (2009).
The bridge is 47m long and 26m wide. It is the only city centre bridge that is currently named after a woman.