Major Night-Time Lane Closures Begin Monday for Parnell Bridge Junction Upgrade

Cork motorists face three weeks of night-time diversions as Cork City Council begins significant alterations at one of the city’s busiest junctions, with works starting this Monday, 14 July.

The junction where South Mall meets Parnell Place and Parnell Bridge will undergo safety improvements designed to protect pedestrians and calm traffic flow, while also preparing the area for the new Parnell Plaza public space.

The works will be carried out in two phases, with lane closures restricted to night-time hours between 8pm and 6am, Monday to Friday only:

Phase One (14-25 July): The southbound right-turn lane from South Mall onto Parnell Bridge will be closed. Traffic heading south will need to take a longer route via Parnell Place, Lower Oliver Plunkett Street, Clontarf Street, and Terence MacSweeney Quay before reaching Anglesea Street.

Phase Two (28 July-8 August): The northbound left-turn lane from South Mall onto Parnell Place will be closed. Northbound traffic will be diverted via Anglesea Street, Old Station Road, Eglinton Street, and Terence McSweeney Quay to reach Parnell Place.

The council has assured that provisions for pedestrians and cyclists will remain in place throughout the works, with clear diversional signage to guide motorists around the temporary obstacles.

Once completed, the junction will see a significant reconfiguration: the current two left-hand lanes turning northbound from South Mall to Parnell Place will be reduced to a single lane, while the existing traffic island and southbound lane will be repositioned slightly north of their current location.

The timing of the works during summer evenings should minimise disruption to daytime commuters and businesses, though anyone travelling through the city centre after 8pm on weeknights should factor in extra journey time or consider alternative routes.

These alterations form part of the broader Morrison’s Island public realm improvements, which aim to create more pedestrian-friendly spaces while maintaining traffic flow through this crucial city centre junction.