Grand Canal - Towpath improvment - 3rd Lock to the 12th Lock

eoinm1

Hi Everyone

I am wondering does any one know anything about this upgrade work on the grand canal towpath?

Link

NOTICE OF TOWPATH CLOSURE
Notice is given that the southern towpath of the Grand Canal from the 3rd Lock at Blackhorse Bridge to the 12th Lock at Lucan Road Bridge will be closed from October 2008 to accommodate works to construct infrastructural ducting and an improved footpath and cycle track.

During this period the southern towpath will not be accessible to the public. Diversion signs for alternative pedestrian routes will be provided. The towpath will remain closed until January 2010.

More detailed information here.

The work is still on going, but looks to be running late.
From the pictures given in the second link, the improved towpath will be a very nice walk / bike ride.

I searched for an other open thread on this but could not find one.

Regards,
Eoinm1

dubhthach

The ducting was for Fibre Optic cable. Here's some links ye might like

Map

Royal Canal Fibre
http://www.inlandfibre.ie/company.htm

mallet head

dubhthach wrote: »

The ducting was for Fibre Optic cable. Here's some links ye might like

Map

Royal Canal Fibre
http://www.inlandfibre.ie/company.htm

I live at the 3rd lock op and the work seems to have stopped completely at the kylemore rd bridge which is very frustrating. Myself and my young son have been waiting months to cycle the full stretch but I'm not holding my breath. Beyond Kylemore (towards clondalkin) seems finished albeit not to the original spec. It's seems to be a crushed stone finish as opposed to the tarmac I'm sure I read about somewhere.






[edit]

Just found this....

http://www.waterwaysireland.org/index.cfm/section/article/page/NoticeofTowpathC

anotherlostie

The bit from 9th lock to Kylemore Rd was flying along in the autumn but seems to have ground to a halt with a half finished look to the place - lampposts were being put up, and it just seemed to stop and I don't think the weather was the issue. At one point it was possible to walk along it (probably due to lax security, but it was safe) and I was dismayed to see some skanks had lit a fire just before the Kylemore Rd bridge destroying the surface finish.

eoinm1

Thanks for the updates from everyone.

I saw the towpath at the 9th lock and it looks very nice.
But in about 4 months if not 6 i could not see an progress on the works.

To go from Adamstown to the city on a safe walking / cycle route with out the problem of motor traffic would be a great public space.

With luck it won't take too long to finish.

Thanks,
Eoin

eoinm1

Just a quick update on this.

I see from this site that the tow path might be reopened by 25th July.
http://www.dublin10km.com/

Welcome to a new and exciting 10km run/walk to hit Dublin. The Waterways Ireland/Park West Dublin 10km in association with Dublin Frontrunners A.C. and Dublin 2010 European Capital of Sport begins in Parkwest Business Park and takes you along the newly paved Grand Canal.

anotherlostie

The official opening is tomorrow according to some fancy new electronic billboards that have been erected at some of the access points. Of course there is nothing about it on the Waterways Ireland website. A temporary path has been installed to allow access under Kylemore Rd until access from there to the Killeen Rd side is finished, presumably before the 10k walk.

Dick Turnip

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0618/1224272793748.html

No pics but there's a link to an article about it. saw it on the six one news and it looked well.


Here's something about the rest of the path which it's proposed to extend out to Clontarf

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0201/transport.html

Carawaystick

Maybe someone who actually knows might be able to explain how the locks are counted- the first lock from the sea is at the Ringsend basin, there's several more below the barge. Maybe the newspaper article is using some other method to count the locks....

dubhthach

Carawaystick wrote: »

Maybe someone who actually knows might be able to explain how the locks are counted- the first lock from the sea is at the Ringsend basin, there's several more below the barge. Maybe the newspaper article is using some other method to count the locks....

The Grand Canal mainline started from St. James Basin (in by Guinness Brewery), as a result the lock at Suir Road (beside Luas stop) is Lock 1 on the Grand Canal mainline. (started in the 1770's)

Later in the 1790's it was decided that the best way to connect to the Liffey was to build the Circular Branch. As it's a Branch there is a different numbering sequence on it. One of the original proposals for Liffey connection was to continue onwards from St. James Basin and bring it out on what is now Victoria Quay. The Basin and the first section of the mainline was filled in during the 70's, part of the Luas red line runs on it now.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=dublin&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=40.545434,90.615234&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Dublin,+County+Fingal,+Ireland&ll=53.339291,-6.296411&spn=0.007482,0.022123&t=k&z=16

rubino

cycled this at weekend and one thing I noticed is how much the city turns it back to the canal, more or less the whole way out it was the rear of industrial units facing the canal in what should be high amenity/residential

The gates at road junctions where quite cumbersome on a bike, having to dismount and reverse your bike thru' a gate every ~1km could become quite annoying if you where using the path twice a day for your commute. Don't know if they could have come up with a better system.

anotherlostie

rubino wrote: »

cycled this at weekend and one thing I noticed is how much the city turns it back to the canal, more or less the whole way out it was the rear of industrial units facing the canal in what should be high amenity/residential

The gates at road junctions where quite cumbersome on a bike, having to dismount and reverse your bike thru' a gate every ~1km could become quite annoying if you where using the path twice a day for your commute. Don't know if they could have come up with a better system.

Unfortunately a better system would have allowed the locals to get their horses onto the route - amendments were actually made to the initial design to prevent such access, because the first few weeks after the soft opening were ridiculous for the amount of kids haring up and down on it on their animals, and of course having to dodge the piles of sh1te everywhere. I'm quite happy to have to dismount if it means I won't be facing these obstacles.

A word of warning - someone was attacked by a gang of kids one Saturday at lunchtime near the Kylemore Rd exit. I didn't hear if the CCTV was operation at that stage, and if they identified the perpetrators. It would certainly make me wary of walking along it late in the evening on my own, which is a real shame.

Question - when you get to the Suir Rd stop, is there any further pedestrian/ cycle path along the canal, like there is along the Luas track towards St James', or do you have to use the roads to get to Rathmines?

csd

anotherlostie wrote: »

Question - when you get to the Suir Rd stop, is there any further pedestrian/ cycle path along the canal, like there is along the Luas track towards St James', or do you have to use the roads to get to Rathmines?

There's a segregated path that might be legal/suitable for cyclists between Suir Road and Rialto bridges, but after that you've only got the on-road part-time cycle track to use.

Cycling along this part of the canal earlier this evening, dodging cars parked in the cycle track, I thought it was a bit rich talking about this part of the route in the same breath as the excellent facilities provided further west...

/csd