Commute Mullingar to City Centre

jmcc99_98

Hi,

Perhaps ye might be able to tell me. I am planning to cycle to work tomorrow morning from Mullingar to the City Centre. I have planned the route etc on google maps and map my ride as best I can. I just have one question that I hope someone might be able to help me with.

I will enter the N4 near the Spa hotel and cycle along the bus lane on the N4, however Im a bit worried at the huge roundabout just the Dublin Side of Liffey Valley, on Google maps I can see a bike lane on the far left of the N$ (Heading towards Dublin) which appear to follow the slip road that would go on to the M50. Where does this cycle lane go? Will thins bring me accross a bridge over the M50 and lead me into Palmerstown? Google maps wont let me follow the cycle lane.

Any other tools on the web that you could recommed for planning a commute such as this?

thoker

It's a foot bridge that leads past Aldi into old Palmerstown and on to the main road down into Chapelizod

mloc123

Yup, brings you over a foot bridge and into Palmerstown village.. which will merge back on the n4.

Going into town I would stay on the n4 itself, coming out of town I would follow the footbridge and get back on the n4 at the Liffey Valley round about.

Lumen

Would the R148 be more pleasant?

rp

jmcc99_98 wrote: »

...however Im a bit worried at the huge roundabout just the Dublin Side of Liffey Valley

This isn't actually a roundabout anymore, and it is not hard to manage, the trick is to move to the right of the Bike/Bus lane on the approach and look for a gap in the LH lane traffic (most drivers seem to avoid the LH lane anyway, preferring the 'fast' lane) and merge out into into it before drivers start cutting across for the M50 slip road. The speed limit is 60kph for this section and it is easy enough to be going 45+ at this point.
Traffic is light this week, so that helps - and when it is heavier, the traffic just backs up from the Palmerstown lights, and that helps too...

jmcc99_98

Cheers guys, thats really helpful. I think I will just play it by ear. If the traffic is light (as I hope it will be) then Ill just go straight across the Roundabout/flyover.

Thanks for the tips. Im quite nervous about it as it will be the first time I have done it. I have done the distance many times but always in a loop relatively close to home.

Thanks again

jmcc99_98

Cheers for the tips folks. Did the commute this morning, was a lovely morning for it (if not a little foggy at times) It went swimmingly and I did it from Mullingar Town Centre to Talbot Street in 2hrs 41mins. I didnt stop along the way except every traffic light from Palmerstown to O'Connell Street.

I ended up going over the footbridge at the M50, the traffic on the N4 were just travelling too fast for me to feel safe attempting to go across the flyover part with them, so I opted for the footbridge, no doubt added 5 minutes to the time but mush more relaxed.

Thoroughly enjoyed it and got a great sense of acheivement even though it is a distance I do regularly, the fact that it was an A to B trip as opposed to looping around aimlessly adds to it I suppose.

Anyway thanks again for the tips

cdaly_

Good on ya. You cycling home again this evening?

TheBody

Have you room on the crossbar to give me lift home?

jmcc99_98

No definitely not doing it home too. Gonna throw the bike on the train later and get back to my usual mode of commuting.

Definitely worth doing a few times a year though especially if you could guarantee yourself dry weather like this morning.