New Cork LUAS plans avoids using Greenways

The 'Emerging Preferred Route' for the new Cork LUAS light rail line has just been published and the good news is that it is going to avoid using the established greenways around Blackrock.

The original proposal was to have the Cork LUAS line running along the Marina and then down the greenway to Mahon. The photo above shows an artists impression of it going through the old Blackrock Railway Station and the map for the original proposal is shown below.

This original plan was very car-centric and the aim seemed to be to cause as little disruption to traffic as possible. The new plan goes through areas where more people live.

There will be no doubt a lot of objections from some car owners about the new Cork LUAS plan but from a walking, running & cycling perspective, the greenway in Blackrock remains intact.

You can view the plans at https://www.luascork.ie/

Update on the Blackrock Greenway...

Update - 15th July 2022: You can see a gallery of photos HERE

Update - 14th July 2022: The Greenway at Blackrock in Cork City has been closed for the best part of 10 months. The section from Skehard Road to the offramp for Mahon Point reopened a few weeks back.

I was talking to one of the workmen there today and he said that the rest of the Greenway from Skehard Road to Blackrock station would be open later this evening. They were literally just putting the finishing touches on some metalwork of the ramps.

Update 9pm: I can now confirm that it is finally open!