Dublin City Council has requested additional details about the OPW’s plans for the lightweight, arched stainless-steel bridge, connecting the gardens to Chapelizod Road. Concerns have been raised about whether the bridge would remain open at night.

The 58-meter-long single-span Commemorative Bridge will lead to a new plaza with stainless steel gates at the entrance to the memorial gardens, which honor the approximately 49,500 Irish soldiers who died in World War I.

The OPW emphasized that a bridge was always part of Sir Edwin Lutyens’ original design for the gardens, intended to link the memorial with Phoenix Park. They noted that the bridge would improve access to the gardens from the north side, making it easier for visitors to reach.

A pedestrian and cycle bridge at this location has been a designated development objective for Dublin since 2011.

Ritchie Studio, formerly known as Ian Ritchie Architects, won an architectural competition in 2019 to design the bridge. The bridge deck will feature bootstep imprints heading towards the gardens to symbolize the soldiers who never returned from the war. The railings, made of stainless steel reeds, are designed to evoke grassed estuaries reminiscent of paths along which soldiers may have marched.

The bridge will be constructed off-site in Europe and shipped to Dublin Port. Nighttime road closures will likely be required to transport the bridge along the north quays of the River Liffey to its assembly point.

Dublin City Council planners have deemed the bridge project acceptable in principle, citing its potential to enhance public access to open spaces and promote health and well-being. However, they have delayed a final decision on planning permission, seeking clarification on the bridge’s opening hours, lighting, and security measures.

The OPW has confirmed that the bridge will open and close in sync with the Irish National War Memorial Gardens, which operate from 8 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends, closing daily at dusk. No security lighting has been included in the design to discourage antisocial behavior and gatherings.

The OPW also aims to prevent light pollution to protect local wildlife habitats. Additionally, a towpath below the bridge will be diverted towards the river to ensure a minimum clearance of 2.2 meters, addressing concerns from council planners about pathway width.

The OPW has made adjustments to the bridge’s balustrade to prevent individuals from climbing it and to ensure that views are accessible for children and wheelchair users.

In response to questions about the bridge’s capacity for large crowds during events such as regattas and the Liffey Descent, the OPW assured that the bridge complies with modern codes of practice, supporting a load equivalent to six adults per square meter.

In 2019, the OPW proposed a funicular railway connecting the Irish National War Memorial Gardens and the Magazine Fort in Phoenix Park, but the plan was later scrapped following public feedback, which deemed it excessive and a “gimmick.”

A decision on the planning application for the new bridge is expected in the coming weeks.