A REPORT to be published tomorrow "shows quite clearly" that traffic gridlock will not happen in Dublin as a result of the proposed light rail transit system, Luas.
The report, commissioned by CIE and produced by a team of Irish and French consultants, will be presented today to the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Mr Lowry.
Traffic Management and the LRT contains a series of options for traffic flow changes to accommodate Luas, and is one of a series of discussion documents which have been commissioned. It was prepared by French consultants Semaly, in conjunction with the Dublin based EPO.
"The report predicts how traffic flows will be affected by Luas and how traffic flows can be adjusted so that gridlock will not happen," according to a source. "It shows quite clearly that gridlock will not happen and that traffic can be managed very successfully."
A number of critics have predicted that Luas will cause gridlock in the city centre because of difficulties at a number of crucial locations.
Lower Grafton Street to Dawson Street will be a public transport corridor under the new plans, open only to Luas and Dublin Bus. "The traffic will be re organised in that area to accommodate the changes. You must remember that traffic used to come down Grafton Street and that was reorganised and very successfully so.
An option covered in the report is to restrict traffic on Tyrconnell Road, Kilmainham, to one direction only, going south.
A report on traffic management during the construction period will be published in eight to 10 weeks time.