Following the selection of the preferred route, the design stage considers detailed design options for individual stops, and the associated track alignment between the stops, along the preferred route corridor.
During this stage, environmental assessment and consultation continued and more local alternatives were studied and evaluated to optimise the design of the Metro and mitigate potential negative environmental impacts.
The significant alternatives considered during this stage included the location of the depot; the vertical alignment in Ballymun; the location of the proposed DCU stop and the tunnel alignment between Griffith Avenue and Drumcondra.
RPA has provided Draft Design Drawings of Metro North as they have become available. Click here to view these draft design drawings .
RPA has provided Draft Photographic Aerial Alignment Drawings of Metro North as they have become available, please see below under each stop location.
Details of the emerging design are outlined below:
St. Stephen’s Green Stop
The City Centre terminus of Metro North will be located at St. Stephen’s Green. This stop serves the busy retail district around Grafton Street and the business and tourist areas surrounding St. Stephen’s Green. Passengers using Metro North will be able to interchange here to the Luas Green Line, to bus services and to DART and suburban rail services via the proposed Iarnród Éireann interconnector.
Work is ongoing with the Office of Public Works, the Department of the Environment and Dublin City Council to ensure any impacts on St. Stephen’s Green are kept to a minimum and to ensure that the Green can be fully reinstated after construction.
RPA is liaising closely with Iarnród Éireann to ensure an integrated design for the Metro and Interconnector stations.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
Investigative and Survey Works in St Stephen's Green
Click here to view or download Dublin Metro North St. Stephen's Green Investigative and Survey Works Update
O’Connell Bridge Stop
It is planned that Metro North will bring passengers right into the heart of Dublin City Centre with a landmark stop spanning underneath the River Liffey at O’Connell Bridge. This stop will have exits to the south of the river providing easy access to Trinity College and the popular Temple Bar district. Exits to the north of the river serve the busy retail areas around O’Connell Street as well as providing excellent interchange with the Luas Red Line.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
Parnell Square Stop
After the announcement of the Metro North route RPA commenced public consultation on the possibility of an additional Metro North stop at Parnell Square on the 24th of October 2006. The public consultation resulted in overwhelming support for this stop and a decision was taken to include Parnell Square stop in Metro North.
This stop will serve the Rotunda Hospital as well as providing interchange with Dublin Bus services. The stop will underpin Dublin City Council’s plans to regenerate this historic quarter of Dublin’s city centre.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
Mater Stop
This stop serves the Mater Hospital, which has been selected as the site for the proposed National Children’s Hospital. It also serves local communities in Phibsborough and the Dorset Street area.
Passengers using Metro North could interchange here with the Quality Bus Corridor in Dorset Street.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
Drumcondra Stop
Drumcondra is an important interchange stop on the Metro North line. Commuters on the Maynooth suburban rail line will be able to interchange at this stop to access the heart of the city centre or to travel to Dublin Airport. The stop serves the local communities, the educational institutions at St. Patrick’s College and Clonliffe College, as well as Croke Park.
As part of the ongoing appraisal of detailed design options for Metro North a number of options were considered for the design of the Drumcondra stop. Various options were examined but some would have had significant negative impacts including selected road closures for up to three years. The stop is proposed to will be located to the rear of St. Vincent's Centre for the Deaf on Drumcondra Road. This will require the demolition of St. Vincent's Centre for the Deaf to create a plaza area for passengers accessing the stop from Drumcondra Road.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
Drumcondra to Griffith Avenue Tunnel Alignment
In response to feedback from the public, RPA evaluated and presented five tunnel alignment options to residents and other stakeholders in Drumcondra.
On the 23rd of July 2007 RPA issued a letter giving details of five possible options for the detailed tunnel alignment route between Drumcondra stop and Griffith Avenue.
Click here to view this letter.
Click here to view the 5 possible alignments options.
On 2nd of August 2007 RPA held an Open Day in Drumcondra to discuss these alignment options with members of the public. Public Consultation on the options between Drumcondra stop and Griffith Avenue closed on Friday the 24th of August 2007. A large number of comment forms were received and RPA wish to thank all those who contributed to this phase of public consultation.
On Wednesday the 10th of October 2007 RPA made a decision on the preferred tunnel alignment option for Drumcondra which will be submitted in the Railway Order application for An Bord Pleanála to make its final decision.
On Wednesday the 10th of October 2007 RPA issued a letter outlining the Preferred Alignment between Drumcondra stop and Griffith Avenue.
Click here to view this letter.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
At some point between Drumcondra stop and Griffith Avenue stop an emergency access shaft and ventilation shaft easily accessible to emergency services is required. The likely suitable location for this shaft is indicated on the photographic route alignment.
Griffith Avenue Stop
Located on the Dublin City University lands off Griffith Avenue, this stop is easily accessible to the surrounding residential areas, including Drumcondra Road Upper, St. Mobhi Road and Home Farm Road.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
On 10th March 2009, RPA issued two 3D images of the proposed stop at Griffith Avenue.
Click here to view or download 3D Image of Griffith Avenue Metro Stop.
Click here to view or download 3D Aerial Image of Griffith Avenue Metro Stop.
Dublin City University Stop
As well as serving local residents, this stop serves the 10,000 students and staff at Dublin City University and the 1,800 seat Helix Theatre. High quality feeder bus links along Collins Avenue will provide easy access to Metro for the communities of Beaumont, Whitehall and Finglas. To see or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line click here.
On the 20th April 2007 the decision to run Metro North underground through Ballymun in a cut and cover tunnel was announced. Due to this, Metro North between Griffith Avenue and DCU will run in a cut and cover tunnel, the route and stop will be underground. Following this decision, work on detailed design options for the DCU stop and public consultation related to this stop continued.
In response to feedback from the public, RPA undertook to examine and appraise the location and design of the DCU Stop. On the 27th August 2007 RPA issued a letter giving details of four possible options for the DCU Stop. RPA held an Open Day in Ballymun to discuss the DCU Stop Options with members of the public. Public Consultation on the DCU Stop Options closed on Friday 12th October 2007. RPA wish to thank all those who contributed their views and comments to this phase of public consultation.
Click here to view this letter.
Click here to view or download DCU Options 1 to 4.
On 12th December 2007 RPA issued a letter announcing the location of the proposed stop at DCU. To help visualise the DCU Stop RPA has created 3D images of the area before and after construction.
Click here to view this letter.
Click here to view or download 3D Image of DCU Existing Stop Area
Click here to view or download 3D Image of Proposed Stop
Click here to view or download 3D Image of Proposed Stop Close Up
Click here to view or download 3D Image of Proposed Stop Alternative View
Ballymun Stop
This is an important stop which will serve the new Ballymun Town Centre. Located conveniently close to the planned civic plaza in the heart of Ballymun, the stop provides easy access to local amenities including the civic centre, Ballymun Shopping Centre and the Axis Theatre, as well as serving the rapidly growing community in the area. Bus interchange with the Ballymun Road Quality Bus Corridor is provided at this stop.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
On the 20th of April 2007 the decision to run Metro North underground through Ballymun in a cut and cover tunnel was announced. Following this decision, work on detailed design options for the DCU stop and public consultation related to this stop continued.
Click here to view or download 3D/Cross Section Image of Ballymun area with proposed Metro North Ballymun Stop .
Northwood Stop
This stop serves the area of North Ballymun, zoned for significant redevelopment, which is expected to generate high levels of new employment in the area. Metro North will link the planned science and technology parks in the area with major educational institutions, including Dublin City University and Trinity College.
The stop will be a surface stop, located to the east of Ballymun Rd. on lands planned for development.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
Dardistown Stop
This area south of Dublin Airport is the site of a major new planned development, consisting of a mix of residential and business uses. It is expected to generate significant levels of employment and residential population.
Park & Ride facilities at the stop will allow easy transfer from car to Metro from the M50.
The stop will be a surface stop, located at the heart of the development site. This stop will also serve the planned Metro West route.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
Airport Stop
Located underground in the heart of Dublin Airport, this stop provides easy access to the existing airport terminal and the planned Terminal 2 for the forecast 30 million passengers and 20,000 employees at the airport. The stop forms part of the major transportation hub included in the plans for Dublin Airport. Passengers arriving in Dublin Airport will be less than 20 minutes from the city centre.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line .
Fosterstown Stop
This surface stop is located on the Swords Road, close to the entrance to Airside Retail Park. The stop serves the residential areas of Boroimhe and Abbeystone.
Good quality bus interchange and park and ride facilities will be provided for commuters from River Valley and west Swords.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line.
Swords Stop
Swords stop is located in the median of the road outside the popular Pavilions Shopping Centre and serves Swords Town Centre.
Good quality bus interchange facilities will make Swords stop accessible to commuters living in west Swords, Malahide and Feltrim. The stop will link with the Swords Quality Bus Corridor.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line.
Seatown Stop
Seatown stop is located close to Seatown roundabout, and serves the residential areas of north Swords as well as local retail and business parks.
Bus interchange facilities will be provided to accommodate bus feeder services from west Swords.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line.
On the 12th of December 2006 RPA commenced public consultation on the location of the Seatown Stop. As a result of this Public Consultation RPA propose moving the Seatown Stop two hundred metres to a location south of the Seatown Roundabout.
Estuary Future Possible Stop
Fingal County Council is drawing up a strategic vision for Swords and the surrounding area. The railway order applicatio provides for a stop at Estuary Roundabout; this stop may be opened in the future, if required.
Lissenhall Future Possible Stop
Fingal County Council is drawing up a strategic vision for Swords and the surrounding area. The railway order applicatio provides for a stop at Lissenhall; this stop may be opened in the future, if required.
Belinstown Stop
The northern terminus to Metro North is situated at Belinstown close to the Lissenhall interchange on the M1 Motorway.
A major park and ride facility will offer access to Metro North for commuters travelling from beyond Swords.
Click here to view or download a photographic route alignment for this section of the line.
On the 12th of December 2006 RPA commenced public consultation on the location of a possible Metro Depot at Lissenhall. Following Public Consultation and discussions with Fingal County Council it is proposed that this Depot be located at Belinstown along with a Park & Ride facility.
Investigative and Survey Works in St Stephen's Green
In November 2008 RPA will carry out some investigative and survey works in St Stephen's Green. We are digging an exploratory trench to show how the Fusiliers' Arch foundations were constructed and we are also doing work in the North West lake and island. Click here for further information.
Baseline Vibration Monitoring Report
In November 2008 RPA published a Baseline Vibration Monitoring Report for Metro North, click here to view or download this report.
Next Steps
This phase in the development of Metro North is now complete; click
here to view the present phase of this project.