Dublin Bridge

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Client: Dublin City Council

Sector: Bridges and Infrastructure

Cost: £16m

Status: Detailed Design

The concept for the proposed Dodder Bridge involves creating a bridge with its own subtle identity.  A singular inclined mast structure attached to a simple flat deck structure is held in tension by a parallel arrangement of cable stays.

The horizontal and vertical alignments of the road relative to its topographical context determine the appearance of the scheme, minimising the number of piers in the river.

The design team developed a unique opening action for the bridge, which when in operation will provide an exciting spectacle.  The oblique rotating motion of the opening would be a world first, demanding engineering and design excellence in keeping with Dublin's rich heritage of innovative bridge design. Once open the bridge will provide absolute vertical clearance while maximising the navigational channel between the Liffey and Dodder.The cable-stayed mast has an incline

d tapering profile rising to a height of approx 35m above the deck.  Below deck the supporting plinth is designed to complement the inclined geometry while elegantly housing the machinery used to open the bridge.

The opening bridge gives step-free access across the river by foot and cycle, and is intended to attract a significant number of users and sightseers, encouraging pedestrian and cycle traffic to cross the river at this point. The bridge will have two bus lanes, with cycle tracks and footpaths on either side. Views from the bridge and pedestrian activity will be encouraged by the use of visually unobtrusive parapets and generous width walkways.

The parapet design gives the deck a slender lightweight appearance. Separation of vehicular and pedestrian routes by an inboard crash barrier enables the use of a lightweight balustrade design, which is more open and transparent for pedestrians. A highlighted chamfered top edge will underline the horizontality of the structure, making the depth of the bridge less prominent.