Major Traffic Changes Begin Tonight at South Mall Junction
Patience urged for South Mall junction works starting tonight; diversions via Anglesea St until 8 August.
Cork City Council has launched a two-week programme of works at the busy South Mall and Parnell Place junction, with the first night-time lane closures starting tonight at 8pm. The alterations will improve pedestrian safety and enable the creation of a new public plaza at Parnell Plaza.
From tonight until Friday 8 August, the left-turning northbound lane from South Mall onto Parnell Place will close each weeknight from 8pm to 6am. The closures affect Monday to Friday nights only, with normal traffic flow resuming for weekends.
Motorists heading northbound during these hours must follow a diversion via Anglesea Street, turning onto Old Station Road, then Eglinton Street and Terence McSweeney Quay before rejoining Parnell Place. Cork City Council has confirmed that pedestrian and cyclist access will be maintained throughout the works.
The junction alterations form part of the broader Morrison's Island Public Realm and Flood Defence Project, which aims to transform this key city centre location. Once completed, the current two left-hand turning lanes will be reduced to a single northbound lane, with the traffic island and southbound lane repositioned slightly north.
These changes support the development of Parnell Plaza, a new public space that will enhance the area between the South Mall business district and the city's cultural quarter. The timing of the works, restricted to night hours, aims to minimise disruption to the busy commercial area during trading hours.
Council officials are urging drivers to plan their journeys carefully over the coming fortnight, particularly those who regularly use this route for evening commutes or late-night travel. Diversional signage will be in place to guide traffic along the alternative route.
The South Mall junction carries significant volumes of traffic, serving as a key link between the city's southern approaches and the northern quays. The reconfiguration represents a significant step in the council's plans to balance traffic flow with improved pedestrian safety and public realm enhancements.
