Construction BUSINESS

Tram tracks for the new Luas Cross City line were put in place on Dublin’s O’Connell Street on Thursday. The tracks themselves will now be welded into place on the median of the street.

The excavation and preparation for rail tracks works started in the College Green area, Westmoreland Street and O’Connell Street during August 2015. Over the coming weeks rail tracks will be delivered, laid and welded in place on key streets. Additional streets along the 5.9km route will be excavated and prepared over the coming weeks and months.

Works on O’Connell Street’s roadway will end by November 27th, ensuring the street is fully open to traffic for the Christmas period.

However, the track laying will continue on the median north of the Spire throughout Christmas.

The €368 million Luas Cross City line will connect the existing Green and Red Lines through the city centre before continuing north to the new DIT campus at Grangegorman, then on to Phibsborough and Cabra, where it will terminate at the Iarnród Éireann station at Broombridge.

There will be 13 new stops, 8 of which are in the city centre, creating an interchange with the Red Line on O’Connell St and increasing public transport options for people.

Luas project spokeswoman Gráinne Mackin said that it is due for completion in September 2017 and is on schedule.