Griffith Avenue Cycleway

Transforming one of Dublin’s longest tree-lined avenues into a safer, healthier active travel route.

Griffith Avenue is a long strip of inner-city suburban road that connects Marino from the north-east of the city centre past Glasnevin towards the north-west of Dublin. This wide, tree-lined avenue, home to houses, schools, churches and Dublin City University, has always been a main thoroughfare across the inner suburbs. Every day, large numbers of commuters travel along Griffith Avenue.

Until recently, the carriageway was interspersed with bus stops, on-street parking and a cycle path hemmed in by countless bollards. This layout led to significant traffic congestion, longer commute times, reduced air quality and a poor environment for residents, while also creating an unsafe and unattractive route for cyclists.

RBA, working in close collaboration with Dublin City Council, residents and schools, developed and delivered design solutions that not only improve the general aesthetic of the avenue, but also enhance safety for all commuters by giving clearer delineation of zones along the carriageway. The proposed scheme focused on a 2.7km long stretch of the Avenue and included 31 new planters, 14 bus stops, 14 floating parking bays and 22 junctions.

Through this collaborative process, the project encourages active travel and healthier lifestyles, while supporting a shift away from car dependency towards more sustainable modes of transport.

The scheme was developed in stages: community workshops with Dublin City Council, preparation of a masterplan, testing of new concepts, and finally construction. The basic option of the new infrastructure was completed in 2022.