After numerous false starts Platform 11 is happy to provide the first and probably most detailed information on the Metro North route. Platform 11 acknowledges the assistance of the RPA in providing this information
The Route
No real surprises, the route broadly follows route 3a/b chosen many years ago but now runs via Drumcondra offering much better integration with rail services on the Maynooth line. The Airport station will be under the airport and placed between the existing terminal and the recently announced second terminal.
- St Stephen's Green
Station will be partly under the park, at St Stephen's Green west, but entrances will be adjacent to the current Luas stop. No decision has been made in relation to where the TBM will come out. They are also examining other tunneling techniques.
Line runs under Grafton street, College Green and Westmoreland Street.
- O'Connell Bridge
Station to be located under the Liffey. Entrances will be provided both north and south. Possibly on the quays. 4 at least. One at the junction of Abbey street providing integration with the Luas red line.
Line runs up O'Connell Street, Parnell Sq East, across Dorset Street and Eccles St.
- Mater
Station located under existing hospital car park.(soon to become the new children's hospital. Entrances on Eccles street and North Circular Road. The NCR entrance opens up Metro to the proposed Mountjoy development and Phisboro area.
Line curves back towards the end of Dorset St and onto Drumcondra Road.
- Drumcondra
Station will be under the road, but "mined". RPA want to make the entrances as close as possible to IE station. They are looking at putting at least one within the station environs. Thought has been given to how to deal with Croke Park crowds.
Line travels onwards in a north westerly direction and crosses Griffith Avenue.
- Griffith Avenue
Station to be located underground but "shallow" on lands owned by DCU and planned as the second campus. Public entrances provided and station built in such a way that DCU can build campus over it.
Continuing north west line runs into a shallow cutting.
- DCU
Station in shallow cutting, so may be unmanned.Line continues in shallow cutting, under Collins Avenue and then at grade along the central median of current road through Ballymun.
- Ballymun
RPA are currently working with Ballymun redevelopment on station location and exact route through the centre of Ballymun.
Line will run along the east side of existing link road to M50.
- Santry Demesne
Station to serve development here. However development is also taking place on the opposite side of the link road and the RPA envisage a new pedestrian bridge to link metro station with it.
Line crosses over M50, curves to the right.
- Metro Park
Park and Ride site. No depot planned here. It may not be the junction point with Metro West either, due to other developer lobbies, who want a different alignment for Metro West. Public consultation for Metro West is due to begin in October.
Line goes underground again before airport perimeter.
- Airport
Underground and station positioned equal distance from T1 and T2 a box has been reserved for construction. Line then surfaces due to the natural land contours at the north of the airport.
- Airside/Nevinstown
Line then crosses under the old N1 by cut and cover.
- Swords
Located at Pinnochill roundabout.
Route continues along side Swords Bypass on the east side of the old N1.
- Seatown
- Lissenhall
Lissenhall terminus is now closer to Swords to allow more flexibility for later extensions and road access
Extremely large park and ride site with up to 2000 spaces