Dublin's Grand Biking Vision That Never Came to Fruition

Dublin’s future as a leading cycling city was once bright, but many plans have stalled or fallen by the wayside.

1 minute read

July 1, 2019, 2:00 PM PDT

By Camille Fink


Dublin Cycling

Cian Ginty / Flickr

Laura Laker reports that in 2011 and 2013 Dublin was ranked as one of the top 20 bike-friendly cities in the world, but it has since fallen far short on long-term plans to develop an extensive cycling infrastructure throughout the city. The plan was to have almost 1,500 miles of bike lanes in place and reach a goal of 10 percent of trips made by bike.

Instead, many of the projects have been scaled down or abandoned and few have actually been completed. "Arriving at Dublin Port by ferry and cycling some of the city’s worst roads between huge lorries, tram tracks and lakes of standing water, it is not hard to see why local cyclists are fed up," writes Laker.

The 2013 recession resulted in a significant decrease in funds, and much of the funding that was available went to a new tram, says Laker. Still, city officials say they want to get the plans back on track. "Speaking at the opening of the Velo-City conference, the chief executive of Dublin council, Owen Keegan, admitted his city had not done enough to protect cyclists and promote sustainable transport, but said he hoped investment was coming," notes Laker.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019 in The Guardian

stack of books

Planetizen’s Top Planning Books of 2023

The world is changing, and planning with it.

November 24, 2023 - Planetizen Team

Close-up of 'Red Line Subway Entry' sign with Braille below and train logo above text in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago Red Line Extension Could Transform the South Side

The city’s transit agency is undertaking its biggest expansion ever to finally bring rail to the South Side.

November 24, 2023 - The Architect's Newspaper

Row of brick three-story townhomes in Britih Columbia.

More Affordable Housing for People, Less for Cars

Most jurisdictions have off-street parking requirements that increase motorists’ convenience but reduce housing affordability. It’s time to reform these policies for the sake of efficiency and fairness.

November 20, 2023 - Todd Litman

View of downtown Seattle with construction cranes and cloudy sky as seen from top of Space Needle.

Seattle Council Rejects Transportation Impact Fee

Councilmembers who opposed the proposal say the fee would have slowed housing development and raised housing costs.

3 hours ago - The Registry

Close-up of driver's side of silver truck with cloud of dirty emissions from tailpipe.

FHWA Issues Emissions Tracking Rule

The agency will require states to monitor transportation emissions and create plans to address air pollution.

4 hours ago - Route Fifty

Close-up of bus driver from behind with only hand visible on steering wheel.

FTA Proposes Measures to Prevent Transit Operator Fatigue

Public transit is the only type of transportation not already subject to ‘hours of service’ and fatigue risk management regulations.

6 hours ago - Safety & Health

Assistant/Associate Professor in Indigenous Planning

University of New Mexico - School of Architecture & Planning

Principal Planner

Placer County

Coastal Program Analyst III

San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.