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CONSTRUCTION HAS STARTED on Phase 3 of the Royal Canal Greenway, which runs from Dublin’s North Strand to Phibsborough.

Phase 3 of the project will come in at a cost of just under €31 million and will provide 2.1km of pedestrian and cycle track along the banks of the Royal Canal, extending from Newcomen Bridge, North Strand to Cross Guns Bridge, Phibsborough.

Upon completion, which is expected in the second quarter of 2025, there will be a continuous 3.2km cycling and walking route through the north city from Phibsborough to the River Liffey.

It will include accessible ramps from the canal towpath to all road crossings, a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the canal and a new community plaza.

The route will also form part of the Dublin to Galway Greenway, which was first announced in 2012 by then-Transport Minister Leo Varadkar and was due to be completed in 2020

The Phase 3 works to the Royal Canal Greenway were approved in 2015 but the tender was not issued until April of last year.

It’s a collaboration between Dublin City Council, Waterways Ireland and Irish Rail.

In addition to cycling and walking network upgrades the project, in partnership with ESB Networks, will also facilitate future electricity network upgrades.

Dublin City Council today turned the sod on the project and Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy said she was “delighted to have reached the point where we can begin work on this immensely important project”.

She added that the “will also play an important part in our common objective of reducing our carbon footprint”.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said the project “will link communities, friends, schools, and sporting facilities” and  along the way.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe labelled it a “hugely exciting project for the city but equally a very important one for the North Inner City and Dublin Central”.

Elsewhere, Chief Executive Officer of the National Transport Authority Anne Graham explained more about the Phase 3 works:

 “The delivery of this section will provide safe segregated cycling along the Royal Canal, linking the docklands to many of the city’s radial transport corridors, and on to places like Clontarf, Swords & the Airport, Ballymun and Finglas, and to the planned Glasnevin Metrolink Station.”

 Máirín Ó Cuireáin, Waterways Ireland Dublin Development Manager added that these works “will link Spencer Dock in Dublin 1 with Maynooth in Co Kildare, where the Royal Canal Greenway goes all the way to the Shannon”.