Barrow Street Public Realm Scheme
This project aimed to increase greenery, pedestrian facilities and universal access to Barrow Street in Dublin's Docklands. Works are now complete.
These public realm works were completed in 2025. The project reimagined Barrow Street as a high quality public realm that celebrates urban life.
Our vision was to create a safe, inclusive and sustainable environment through thoughtful design, increased greenery and improved pedestrian facilities. The new design enhances connectivity, supports social interaction and strengthens the identity of the area.
Barrow Street is home to a diverse mix of residential dwellings, shops and large employers. The project runs from Barrow Street's junction with Grand Canal Street Upper to its junction with Ringsend Road. It covers around 7,500 square metres in area.
From the outset of the project, Dublin City Council and Actavo Ireland Ltd. worked together to plan the different sections of the project and advise local residents and businesses about project timelines and impact. A joint approach was taken to quickly engage all third parties that raised queries or concerns. We received a lot of positive feedback from both residents and businesses on Barrow Street and the surrounding area, who have welcomed the improvements and expressed their support for creating a greener, more attractive public realm.
The completed Barrow Street project now provides a pedestrian-orientated and universally accessible street environment, while also facilitating service functions, such as vehicular access, on-street parking, taxi ranks and loading bays.
Public Realm Upgrades
This project included the following works:
- Widening of footpaths and provision of improved pedestrian crossing points.
- Resurfacing of carriageway and footpaths.
- Provision of cycle parking and cycle stands.
- Introduction of traffic calming measures.
- Improvements to the public realm to facilitate the disabled, visually impaired and elderly, including the introduction of guidance strips, marked crossings and dished kerbs.
- Revised parking, loading bay arrangements and taxi stand facilities.
- Provision of new street lighting and street furniture, including seats and bins.
- Introduction of new soft landscaping measures, including planting and trees.
- Provision of appropriate directional signage and markings.
- All necessary service, utility and associated works.
In 2026, the Barrow Street Public Realm Scheme team won an Industry Construction Excellence award for their work.
