Morrison’s Island project is progressing

By Liudmyla Bortok

Cork City Council will begin alteration works at the junction of South Mall and Parnell Place/Parnell Bridge on Monday.

The work is part of Morrison's Island Public Realm & Flood Defence Scheme along a 500 metre stretch of the River Lee in the city centre from Parnell Bridge to Parliament Bridge.

It’s hoped the scheme will provide flood protection for approximately 400 properties in a part of the city that suffers from regular tidal flooding.

To facilitate these works at the junction of South Mall and Parnell Place/Parnell Bridge, some day time lane restrictions and night-time lane closures will be required, starting next week.

From Monday 14 July to Friday 25 July – the right-turning, southbound lane from South Mall onto Parnell Bridge will be closed from 8pm- to 6am, Monday to Friday nights only.

Southbound diversion route:

Traffic travelling southbound from South Mall will be diverted via Parnell Place, Lower Oliver Plunkett Street, Clontarf Street, Terence MacSweeney Quay onto Anglesea Street.

Meanwhile, from Monday 28 July to Friday 8 August – the left-turning, northbound lane from South Mall onto Parnell Place will be closed from 8pm to 6am, Monday to Friday nights only.

Northbound Diversion Route:

Traffic travelling northbound from South Mall will be diverted via Anglesea Street, Old Station Road, Eglinton Street, Terence McSweeney Quay onto Parnell Place.

Motorists are advised to plan their journeys and follow diversional signage.

Provision for pedestrians and cyclists will be in place.

When works are completed, the two existing left hand lanes turning northbound from South Mall to Parnell Place will be converted to one lane northbound and the existing traffic island and southbound lane will be moved slightly north of their current position.

A Cork City Council spokesperson said that the council has long held an ambition to enhance the public realm at Fr Mathew Quay and Morrison’s Quay.

For many years, these quays have been used almost exclusively for car parking, despite their significant potential., the spokesperson also said while addding that with a prime south-facing location in the heart of the city, the area offers a unique opportunity for transformation.

Also as part of the plans, Cork City Council aims to improve the visual appeal of the quays and unlock their full potential for public use.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.