Avoiding congestion in Dublin city centre by using the Grand Canal cycle route

tomasrojo

I have to make a trip on Mondays from Dublin 16 to Drumcondra, pulling a bike trailer. The trailer impedes my ability to filter, so progress through the city centre is very slow.

Would the Rathmines-Fairview cycle route get me through the city centre more smoothly? Does it actually go any further north than the quays yet?

NamelessPhil

What's your current route?

I've done Marley Park to Ikea without many problems with the trailer as it is mostly bus lane/wide enough cycle track all the way. Admittedly I haven't done it in rush hour traffic where filtering may be more of an issue.

tomasrojo

I've only done it a few times. I've tried a few routes, ending up somewhere around Charlemont each time, then it's a maze of congested, mostly one-way streets.

tomasrojo

I'm staring near the Beacon Hotel.

NamelessPhil

I've used the Rathmines - Grand Canal Dock section of track once with the trailer and hated every minute of the journey. I found it more frustrating dealing with pedestrians using the track, the unnecessary conflicts at certain junctions and the loss of priority at junctions. I found considerably slower than on the road with the trailer.

My preference when cycling with the trailer is to use the bigger roads with on-road cycle tracks or to use small quiet back streets. My least favorite streets are those with off-road cycle tracks due to their contrary construction.

I realise that I'm not quite answering your question. Starting from the Beacon Hotel would mean that you have the choice of the N11 with its pinch point at Donnybrook and fairly bumpy cycle track or possibly the Goatstown Road route, and then the canal cycle track after that?

cdaly_

tomasrojo wrote: »

I have to make a trip on Mondays from Dublin 16 to Drumcondra, pulling a bike trailer. The trailer impedes my ability to filter, so progress through the city centre is very slow.

Would the Rathmines-Fairview cycle route get me through the city centre more smoothly? Does it actually go any further north than the quays yet?

This route looks like the one with the roomiest roads though there are poor sections. You'll be stuck in the traffic from canal to river (Sam Beckett bridge) and the road surface is shocking on Sherrif St Upper to the bridge over the railway. After that there's fairly wide roads, some with marked bike lanes and usually enough room to filter (or overtake)...

Stephen_C

I found the route route below pretty good, not too much traffic, flows pretty well and decent cycle lanes. Used to cycle home from Bolton street this way.
https://maps.google.ie/maps?saddr=Bewley's+Hotel+Leopardstown,+Dun+Laoghaire-Rathdown&daddr=53.268178,-6.2570648+to:53.346602,-6.2724572+to:drumcondra&hl=en&sll=53.321235,-6.227875&sspn=0.182723,0.445976&geocode=FYzbLAMdc02h_yFgMgNOXi88PCmLbFA2qAlnSDFgMgNOXi88PA%3BFdLOLAMdWIag_ynRAQwRKwpnSDFSSasuBLoALA%3BFSoBLgMdN0qg_ylboRKLKAxnSDF3Xxf95sRzDg%3BFf1eLgMdO5Og_yk7wbRidw5nSDEhMLkZqMcAJg&dirflg=b&mra=dpe&mrsp=2&sz=12&via=1,2&t=m&z=12&lci=bike

Sorry can't figure out how to get the link to work, route is to go Blackglen Rd to Harolds Grange Rd, Grange Rd then Rathfarnham Rd through Harolds Cross, Patrick Steet to Christchurch across the quays cut through Chancery Place/Greek Street to Kings Street turn right and follow the road round to Dorset Street and Drumcondra.

Edit: fixed link

Squidgy Black

cdaly_ wrote: »

This route looks like the one with the roomiest roads though there are poor sections. You'll be stuck in the traffic from canal to river (Sam Beckett bridge) and the road surface is shocking on Sherrif St Upper to the bridge over the railway. After that there's fairly wide roads, some with marked bike lanes and usually enough room to filter (or overtake)...

I'd be a bit wary about the East Wall road. Generally there tends to be cars parked along the side, and then there's a load of trucks and flatbeds going down that stretch, so it's not as wide as it may seem.

Stephen_C

Forgot to say above that on the way to Bolton street I'd go via goatstown/ranelagh as per link below though bride street might be a bit tight with a trailer.

https://maps.google.ie/maps?saddr=Bewleys+Hotel+Leopardstown,+Dun+Laoghaire-Rathdown&daddr=53.2747911,-6.2206276+to:53.3390733,-6.2692863+to:53.346602,-6.2724572+to:drumcondra&hl=en&ll=53.324106,-6.210022&spn=0.091355,0.222988&sll=53.338189,-6.264653&sspn=0.011416,0.027874&geocode=FYzbLAMdc02h_yFgMgNOXi88PCmLbFA2qAlnSDFgMgNOXi88PA%3BFafoLAMdrRSh_ymnqBIJCwlnSDHNdVEUqLw-kQ%3BFcHjLQMdmlag_yml7ADFIAxnSDHixpMrN9Xb0w%3BFSoBLgMdN0qg_ylboRKLKAxnSDF3Xxf95sRzDg%3BFf1eLgMdO5Og_yk7wbRidw5nSDEhMLkZqMcAJg&dirflg=b&mra=dpe&mrsp=2&sz=16&via=1,2,3&t=m&z=13&lci=bike

tomasrojo

Thanks everyone. Will have a think about all the suggestions. I have been using the Goatstown route, as I just want a quiet life and not to be buzzed by Dublin Bus drivers on the N11. It's fine, until you get to Ranelagh, but you can use a parallel road there.

I'll let you know how I get on!

the.red.baron

tomasrojo wrote: »

I have to make a trip on Mondays from Dublin 16 to Drumcondra, pulling a bike trailer. The trailer impedes my ability to filter, so progress through the city centre is very slow.

Would the Rathmines-Fairview cycle route get me through the city centre more smoothly? Does it actually go any further north than the quays yet?

Just head over the east link, avoid the cars parked in Ranelagh by going right at the dodder in Clonskeagh and just cross the n11 and avoid the city center entirely. No problem with filtering on any of those roads.

It's the same distance as going through the city, sorted.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Upmc+Beacon+Hospital,+Dun+Laoghaire-Rathdown,+Ireland&daddr=53.3177981,-6.2339142+to:53.3341189,-6.2258839+to:53.3524047,-6.2250767+to:53.360012,-6.237878+to:Drumcondra,+Ireland&hl=en&sll=53.351217,-6.229935&sspn=0.047954,0.132093&geocode=FcfwLAMdjRih_yHNHeSHc4EMMikXwHOMCwlnSDHNHeSHc4EMMg%3BFaaQLQMdxuCg_yndA7mCtQ5nSDHFYGyyD2y5ag%3BFWbQLQMdJQCh_ylHYAACww5nSDGyIGfr5s_7CQ%3BFdQXLgMdTAOh_yll_Hg7-g5nSDGmYSRsgpzFRg%3BFYw1LgMdStGg_yk_ZjEhXw5nSDHUAtGnG_5TNQ%3BFf1eLgMdO5Og_yk7wbRidw5nSDEhMLkZqMcAJg&dirflg=b&mra=dvme&mrsp=3&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4&t=m&z=14&lci=bike

ezra_pound

the.red.baron wrote: »

Just head over the east link, avoid the cars parked in Ranelagh by going right at the dodder in Clonskeagh and just cross the n11 and avoid the city center entirely. No problem with filtering on any of those roads.

It's the same distance as going through the city, sorted.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Upmc+Beacon+Hospital,+Dun+Laoghaire-Rathdown,+Ireland&daddr=53.3177981,-6.2339142+to:53.3341189,-6.2258839+to:53.3524047,-6.2250767+to:53.360012,-6.237878+to:Drumcondra,+Ireland&hl=en&sll=53.351217,-6.229935&sspn=0.047954,0.132093&geocode=FcfwLAMdjRih_yHNHeSHc4EMMikXwHOMCwlnSDHNHeSHc4EMMg%3BFaaQLQMdxuCg_yndA7mCtQ5nSDHFYGyyD2y5ag%3BFWbQLQMdJQCh_ylHYAACww5nSDGyIGfr5s_7CQ%3BFdQXLgMdTAOh_yll_Hg7-g5nSDGmYSRsgpzFRg%3BFYw1LgMdStGg_yk_ZjEhXw5nSDHUAtGnG_5TNQ%3BFf1eLgMdO5Og_yk7wbRidw5nSDEhMLkZqMcAJg&dirflg=b&mra=dvme&mrsp=3&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4&t=m&z=14&lci=bike

Just to be clear.

Cycling over the east link bridge is an offence.

petethedrummer

ezra_pound wrote: »

Just to be clear.

Cycling over the east link bridge is an offence.

I'm fairly sure it isn't. There is a cycle lane either side. Or their was, it's worn away.

rollingscone

There were cycle lanes last time I cycled over it, in March this year.


Edit: Just looked on Google Streetview, no cycle lanes in that pic, there is however a cyclist passing a Garda Motorbike completely unmolested.
The east link bridge is pretty narrow with I'd imagine a reasonably low speed limit.

NamelessPhil

Stephen_C wrote: »

Grange Rd then Rathfarnham Rd through Harolds Cross, Patrick Steet to Christchurch across the quays cut through Chancery Place/Greek Street to Kings Street turn right and follow the road round to Dorset Street and Drumcondra.

That's my route in to the city centre and on to the Northside. It's the most accessible with the trailer that I've found. The issue is avoiding the city centre. I've used the Sean O'Casey (pedestrian) bridge to cross the river when coming from Merrion Square - Pearse St. but I don't like the North Quays.

It's not illegal to cycle over the East Link but it is very narrow and whatever about being buzzed by Dublin busses, having a large juggernaut behind you that's heading for the docks is not a pleasant feeling.

the.red.baron

ezra_pound wrote: »

Just to be clear.

Cycling over the east link bridge is an offence.

Just to be clear, what offence would you be guilty of, given then request you dismount I doubt it's illegal not to.

mondeo

I'll be down that way on Friday and I'm going to cycle through it. Who is to stop a cyclist?

monument

ezra_pound wrote: »

Just to be clear.

Cycling over the east link bridge is an offence.

Just to be clear: Where exactly are you getting that idea?

tomasrojo

Thanks again for all the advice. I tried variations on most of the suggestions, and the quickest, at a little under an hour, was Rathfarnham/Harold's Cross/Christchurch/Dorset Street. I used the Dargle river cycleway and some residential streets off Ballinteer Road to get to Nutgrove first. Vey nice, that bit.

Worst was my original intention of using the Grand Canal cycleway. The infrastructure was very nice at first, but petered out into cobblestones, confusion and horrible HGV-land. It also took about an hour and fifteen minutes.

Tenzor07

monument wrote: »

Just to be clear: Where exactly are you getting that idea?

I did a quick search and found that apparently there are notices put there by the NTR to say cyclists should dismount and walk on the footpath.

Which is ridiculous as the footpath is too narrow if someone's coming the other way against you..
And the legality of these signs is "questionable" at best...and in fact the signs themselves are illegal! (that's if they're still present?)

tomasrojo

'Cyclists Dismount' signs have no legal force. They're just ass-covering in case anyone is injured.

Seaswimmer

Tenzor07 wrote: »

I did a quick search and found that apparently there are notices put there by the NTR to say cyclists should dismount and walk on the footpath.

Which is ridiculous as the footpath is too narrow if someone's coming the other way against you..
And the legality of these signs is "questionable" at best...and in fact the signs themselves are illegal! (that's if they're still present?)

Been using it twice a day for 7 years and never a problem cycling it. In fact dont even think I have ever had a motorist "educate" me to the fact I should be on the path.

NamelessPhil

tomasrojo wrote: »

Thanks again for all the advice. I tried variations on most of the suggestions, and the quickest, at a little under an hour, was Rathfarnham/Harold's Cross/Christchurch/Dorset Street. I used the Dargle river cycleway and some residential streets off Ballinteer Road to get to Nutgrove first. Vey nice, that bit.

Worst was my original intention of using the Grand Canal cycleway. The infrastructure was very nice at first, but petered out into cobblestones, confusion and horrible HGV-land. It also took about an hour and fifteen minutes.

Thanks for the update. I'll keep an eye out for you on Mondays.

tomasrojo

Tenzor07 wrote: »

I did a quick search and found that apparently there are notices put there by the NTR to say cyclists should dismount and walk on the footpath.

Which is ridiculous as the footpath is too narrow if someone's coming the other way against you..
And the legality of these signs is "questionable" at best...and in fact the signs themselves are illegal! (that's if they're still present?)

These the signs?

(Was looking through my old attachments in the Boards control panel for something else and saw this.)

tomasrojo

NamelessPhil wrote: »

Thanks for the update. I'll keep an eye out for you on Mondays.

This is what you have to look out for:




Nicely inconspicuous ...

tomasrojo

Incidentally, on the subject of the Grand Canal cycleway, are there any plans to re-route part of it to avoid the cobblestones near Macken Street, or to re-surface that part? Does the cobbled street have a preservation order or something? Quite bizarre to run a route for cycling through there.

DaithiMC

tomasrojo wrote: »

Incidentally, on the subject of the Grand Canal cycleway, are there any plans to re-route part of it to avoid the cobblestones near Macken Street, or to re-surface that part? Does the cobbled street have a preservation order or something? Quite bizarre to run a route for cycling through there.

I don't believe so, I thanked the Politicians when they opened it, after they stated it was now a cycleway right across the city. I also asked them (sarcastically) when they were going to finish it by talking out the cobbles or providing a cyclable route. No response.

tomasrojo

Yes, I had heard about the cobblestones before my formal introduction to them, but their hilarious unsuitability has to be experienced directly to be really understood.

Valentine1

I cycle across those cobbles every day and I really don't see what the fuss is. Really ticks me off seeing eejits on Hybrids flying along the path so as to protect their delicate asses from the bumps.

tomasrojo

It's slow, laborious, uncomfortable and has a quite high probability of making me fall off in the wet. Apart from that, it's a sterling surface.

DaithiMC

Valentine1 wrote: »

I cycle across those cobbles every day and I really don't see what the fuss is. Really ticks me off seeing eejits on Hybrids flying along the path so as to protect their delicate asses from the bumps.

What ticks me off is the City Council trying to pass off something as a cycleway when it obviously isn't. Not many of us would share your desire to have a Paris-Roubaix section on our commute. I go round to Macken Street these days.

Wizardej

I have to admit I used to cycle on that path before I got used to the cobbles every day. It's grand when you get used to it though is it good for the tyres if they are very pumped up? I'm more wary of the actual cycle path now especially at night with some people doing some crazy overtaking with no lights and all dressed in black!! I'm lit up like a Christmas tree but still having close calls.

Valentine1

DaithiMC wrote: »

What ticks me off is the City Council trying to pass off something as a cycleway when it obviously isn't. Not many of us would share your desire to have a Paris-Roubaix section on our commute. I go round to Macken Street these days.

Fair enough but it's only 300 metres long and neither I nor anybody else along there is taking part in the Paris-Roubaix, the cobbles really aren't that bad. Chris Froome might be right to worry about his precision carbon machine on the cobbles of Northern France but Joe commuter on his beater has little to worry about.

Obviously it isn't an ideal surface for a cycle path but my only point is that is not so bad that people need to zoom along the narrow paths, I've had a number of near comings together whilst walking on that street.

I used to go around by Barrow Street when on my road bike but that surface is so potholed I'm more likely to damage a wheel there than on the cobbles.

check_six

I sort of like the cobbles. I love the time machine effect that going from the cobbles on Clanwilliam Terrace to the super smooth tarmac of Grand Canal Quay (just after the "Time Tunnel" that the trains go over).

The cobbled road that goes down the side of RCSI on Stephen's Green is always a laugh when it gets wet and/or icy. By laugh I mean a white knuckle terror ride, of course. (But still fun!).

There used to be a great patch of cobbles on Mayor St Upper in what is now part of the IFSC. The road was very wide and had very little traffic, so high margin for error. You could really bounce along at a decent pace there.

I realise I may be in a minority here...

monument

The Dutch are phasing out the use of bricks* on cycle paths, with older routes replaced by the smooth surface. * = these are bricks which come nowhere as near the discomfort as cobblestones.

It just does not compute that TCD can get rid of lines of cobblestones from their main courtyards and all around the campus for access but the city council can't do the same in an area with modern office buildings. The objections due to removal of parking seems to have played a larger roll in this.

Then what makes it worse is it's cobblestones followed by:

1. crapy cycle lane at the junction

2. shared space across the square

3. a junction without anything showing there will be cyclists traveling onto and off the square

4. more of nothing showing the route

5. more crap cycle lanes filtering into the advanced stop box

6. a stretch of cycleway with only a tiny footpath beside it so people walk on both

7. a cycleway which narrows to nothing

8. shared use on a corner with no sightlines

9. a few of unneeded shared use junctions

tomasrojo

After the cobblestones, I hadn't a clue what was going on. I nearly got off and walked because I thought I'd blundered into a pedestrian zone.

DaithiMC

Valentine1 wrote: »

Fair enough but it's only 300 metres long and neither I nor anybody else along there is taking part in the Paris-Roubaix, the cobbles really aren't that bad. Chris Froome might be right to worry about his precision carbon machine on the cobbles of Northern France but Joe commuter on his beater has little to worry about.

Obviously it isn't an ideal surface for a cycle path but my only point is that is not so bad that people need to zoom along the narrow paths, I've had a number of near comings together whilst walking on that street.

I used to go around by Barrow Street when on my road bike but that surface is so potholed I'm more likely to damage a wheel there than on the cobbles.

I don't disagree with that and I am fortunate my commute ends in Pearse St so I have the option to go around to Macken Street but the presence of the cobbles does act as an incentive for people to use the footpath.