A new plan for the Liffey Cycleway is to be drawn up by independent experts appointed by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
This follows the failure of eight previous options to win the support of Dublin City Councillors for a project that would cost around €20 million euro.
Some previous plans that involved diverting cars and buses from the Quays onto North city streets were opposed by local residents and businesses, while options that involved diverting cyclists were opposed by the cycling lobby.
The transport authority has now issued tenders for a "technical consultant" to come up with a preferred option.
In its tender document the NTA states that it wants "safe, two directional, east-west cycle facilities within proximity to the River Liffey corridor, linking from Heuston Station to the Point Roundabout".
The document makes it clear that the eventual preferred option would not necessarily involve a completely segregated cycleway or that all of it would run along the Quays.
The documents says parallel streets could be considered and previous options have included having one way cycleways on both the North and South quays.
The NTA says all 16 original design concepts including the eight options put to councillors and public consultation should be reassessed along with new ideas or combinations of options.
It says new traffic layout plans may be necessary to cope with the effects of radial routes converging on the Quays and the impact of any new plan on local neighbourhoods will have to be assessed.
Previous attempts to come up with an agreed option have failed because of 'pinchpoints' like Ellis Quay where traffic is reduced to two lanes. Either cars and buses or cyclists would have to be diverted at some sections.
The last plan involved a boardwalk for cyclists but was rejected because of conflict with pedestrians and other traffic at junctions such as Liam Mellows Bridge at Queen St.
Once appointed by the end of the month the successful applicant will have four months to come up with a fully costed design.
