Mullingar - Athlone Greenway progress?

Ruben Remus

There's a two-page feature on the cycleway in today's Westmeath Independent, with views from people using it & details from the council on the next phases.

L.Jenkins

Must grab the Westmeath tomorrow so, to have a read.

Sunny Dayz

Just seen on facebook last night that the Athlone Colour Run next month is going to be done on the Greenway instead of the 5km loop that goes through Retreat and out the Dublin road by the AIT. Would that not make the Greenway quite congested for a time? Also would the powder not stain the tarmac?

L.Jenkins

I'm sure if there's a few hundred People attending, it will congest the greenway for a while, as for the power, I'm sure it will eventually wash off over time.

bovis

Ruben Remus wrote: »

There's a two-page feature on the cycleway in today's Westmeath Independent, with views from people using it & details from the council on the next phases.

Hi Ruben Remus, would be interested to hear details from the council on the next phases. If you read the article could you share any updates? I cant access it online and I am not in an area that sells that local paper

AshfieldM10

I cycled the leg from Mullingar to Moate and was impressed at the finish the whole way through. I have mixed opinions on the view. I think an area to have a picnic under the green area just outside Moate would be a good idea.

Ruben Remus

bovis wrote: »

Hi Ruben Remus, would be interested to hear details from the council on the next phases. If you read the article could you share any updates? I cant access it online and I am not in an area that sells that local paper

Sorry, just saw your message now. In short, it said the council is hoping to develop the cycleway as far as the Ballymahon Road/White Gates crossing this year. A traffic light crossing for cyclists/pedestrians is due to be put in at the White Gates as part of it. Then the next sections, to the Marina and the bridge over the Shannon, are due in late 2017/early 2018.

Sunny Dayz

AshfieldM10 wrote: »

I cycled the leg from Mullingar to Moate and was impressed at the finish the whole way through. I have mixed opinions on the view. I think an area to have a picnic under the green area just outside Moate would be a good idea.

I think there's picnic benches in the park in Moate beside the cycleway.

Sunny Dayz

Ruben Remus wrote: »

Sorry, just saw your message now. In short, it said the council is hoping to develop the cycleway as far as the Ballymahon Road/White Gates crossing this year. A traffic light crossing for cyclists/pedestrians is due to be put in at the White Gates as part of it. Then the next sections, to the Marina and the bridge over the Shannon, are due in late 2017/early 2018.

I got the impression from the article that the council (Athlone Town) want/need to get the cycleway extended into the town as soon as possible. The cycleway is a great success, plenty of people using it and shops and cafes near or along the route are doing well because of it. However, people who are using it aren't venturing further into town.

Lt Dan

Ruben Remus wrote: »

Sorry, just saw your message now. In short, it said the council is hoping to develop the cycleway as far as the Ballymahon Road/White Gates crossing this year. A traffic light crossing for cyclists/pedestrians is due to be put in at the White Gates as part of it. Then the next sections, to the Marina and the bridge over the Shannon, are due in late 2017/early 2018.

Might sound annoying and stupid, but, what is the position with the cycle way from the White Gates to the Marina (the one next to Radisson) what route, if ever, it would take? Through Beechpark and down to Griffins or just straight over to The Crescent Shop and via St Francis Terrace or Railway Road?

whyulittle

Lt Dan wrote: »

Might sound annoying and stupid, but, what is the position with the cycle way from the White Gates to the Marina (the one next to Radisson) what route, if ever, it would take? Through Beechpark and down to Griffins or just straight over to The Crescent Shop and via St Francis Terrace or Railway Road?

See below...

whyulittle wrote: »

It is to come into town as far as Dunnes/Hospital along the old rail line.

The third section is from Garrycastle to the Marina Building Athlone, 3.3km, which is currently subject to Part VIII Planning Process. This section also follows the disused railway line from Garrycastle to Montree before passing under the Railway line and along the perimeter of St Vincents Hosiptal onto the Marina. - Planning Department

The forth section isto the west of the Marina Building, a route is currently being developed to link this project across the River Shannon to Athlone Castle were a new cyclehub is proposed to be developed. That section will be the subject of an EIS, which will be published by the end of 2015.

http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/ourservices/tourismlibraryartsrecreation/greenway/galwaytodublincycleway/
http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/ourservices/planning/itemsonpublicdisplay/garrycastletoathlonecycleway/

Subcomandante Marcos

whyulittle wrote: »

See below...

Sounds like along the tracks until the lane at the back of dunnes stores then under the bridge at marine view? Not a terrible route but I think the cycle bridge should have been put the other side of the white bridge though connecting the walking track on the west side with the park on the east and not ruin the views in town.

Mearings

Subcomandante Marcos wrote: »

Sounds like along the tracks until the lane at the back of dunnes stores then under the bridge at marine view? Not a terrible route but I think the cycle bridge should have been put the other side of the white bridge though connecting the walking track on the west side with the park on the east and not ruin the views in town.

I agree with the the above. If the cycle & pedestrian bridge was built along side the white bridge it would be a huge amenity for people who live in the northern suburbs.

Rasmus

Does anyone know if it will go by the sports centre and behind Athlone Community College?

Subcomandante Marcos

Rasmus wrote: »

Does anyone know if it will go by the sports centre and behind Athlone Community College?

Yes.

Lt Dan

whyulittle wrote: »

See below...

Great, makes sense.

Out of interest, what happens if one needs to go to the toilet? Any of those facilities, I remember people use to complain that there were no public toilets

Of course, those who remember the public toilets at St Peter and St Marys will remember why

The road from Montree to St Vincent's is busy enough now, since the genius ' designated the Abbey Grove/Abbey Road entry as the main entrance to the hospital

Mearings

Lt Dan wrote: »

Great, makes sense.

Out of interest, what happens if one needs to go to the toilet? Any of those facilities, I remember people use to complain that there were no public toilets

Of course, those who remember the public toilets at St Peter and St Marys will remember why

The road from Montree to St Vincent's is busy enough now, since the genius ' designated the Abbey Grove/Abbey Road entry as the main entrance to the hospital

The Council, in their naivety, think that if they can direct the cyclists through the town they will spend lots of money, hence the planned circuitous route from Montree to the Docks. Whereas if any of them require provisions they will, most likely, use Dunne's, Montree & then hightail to the West.

Lt Dan

Mearings wrote: »

The Council, in their naivety, think that if they can direct the cyclists through the town they will spend lots of money, hence the planned circuitous route from Montree to the Docks. Whereas if any of them require provisions they will, most likely, use Dunne's, Montree & then hightail to the West.

Out of interest, where exactly in the town does the Mullingar line link with the Galway Dublin line? (literally at the Dunnes) Montree area? Where will the access to the new walk way be. ? Just trying to vision it? It is not precisely at the station and the Galway line is it? There are two bridges on Coosan Point Road, who are cyclists safely going to come off the bridge to get onto Montree Dunnes ? (sorry I am confused)

I know that there is a nice lane way , right at the back of Dunnes that leads you onto Coosan Point Road-Abbey Road, but both Coosan Point Road and Abbey Road (Hanley's C & C and the hospital) would hardly be the safest for cyclists especially with children, when you consider how narrow the roads are under the bridges, unless they make a track that guides cyclists up the track behind the 8 houses at Abbey Grove (entrance next to Hanley's and exits at the Abbey Green itself)

Subcomandante Marcos

Lt Dan wrote: »

Out of interest, where exactly in the town does the Mullingar line link with the Galway Dublin line? (literally at the Dunnes) Montree area? Where will the access to the new walk way be. ? Just trying to vision it? It is not precisely at the station and the Galway line is it? There are two bridges on Coosan Point Road, who are cyclists safely going to come off the bridge to get onto Montree Dunnes ? (sorry I am confused)

I know that there is a nice lane way , right at the back of Dunnes that leads you onto Coosan Point Road-Abbey Road, but both Coosan Point Road and Abbey Road (Hanley's C & C and the hospital) would hardly be the safest for cyclists especially with children, when you consider how narrow the roads are under the bridges, unless they make a track that guides cyclists up the track behind the 8 houses at Abbey Grove (entrance next to Hanley's and exits at the Abbey Green itself)

The Mullingar line IS the Galway - Dublin line... The route is Dublin - Maynooth - Mullingar - Athlone and onwards to Galway.

It will come from Garrycastle into the Ballymahon road along the train tracks and then cross the level crossing with a new set of cyclist crossing lights, along the tracks to Montree, I'm guessing it will then join the lane from Coosan Point Road to Dunnes carpark as there's already a shallow bank there on the right after the bridge which could be landscaped into a gradual ramp very easily.

From there it's only 250 meters from the Marine View side of the bridge to the entrance to the marina along Montree Road and that road is not busy at all.

Subcomandante Marcos

This is the route as I understand it from what I've read from the council so far.

Greenline = cycle track, coming from Garrycastle into town.

Orange lines to mark the position of the new set if cyclist crossing lights.

Red line to mark the path of the lane from Coosan Point Road to Montree, which the green way merges with.

Lt Dan

Subcomandante Marcos wrote: »

The Mullingar line IS the Galway - Dublin line... The route is Dublin - Maynooth - Mullingar - Athlone and onwards to Galway.

It will come from Garrycastle into the Ballymahon road along the train tracks and then cross the level crossing with a new set of cyclist crossing lights, along the tracks to Montree, I'm guessing it will then join the lane from Coosan Point Road to Dunnes carpark as there's already a shallow bank there on the right after the bridge which could be landscaped into a gradual ramp very easily.

From there it's only 250 meters from the Marine View side of the bridge to the entrance to the marina along Montree Road and that road is not busy at all.

"that road not that busy at all"? Live around there? If you did you would not be saying that. The road is narrow enough, never mind having causal cyclists

Mearings

Did they not say something about digging under the railway at Montree so cyclists could access the hospital grounds, exit at Abbey Road entrance, around the back of the dead generations & do a U turn onto the lane to the town marina.? I think this bit of the of the route was thought out by the same planner who proposed sending all westbound town traffic down Glasses Lane, along the Strand (when not under water?) & up Strand Street onto Custume Place.

Lt Dan

Mearings wrote: »

Did they not say something about digging under the railway at Montree so cyclists could access the hospital grounds, exit at Abbey Road entrance, around the back of the dead generations & do a U turn onto the lane to the town marina.? I think this bit of the of the route was thought out by the same planner who proposed sending all westbound town traffic down Glasses Lane, along the Strand (when not under water?) & up Strand Street onto Custume Place.

:eek:
"Around the back of the dead generation". Oh boy, the residents that live next to the Abbey will love that. That lane is private anyway

whyulittle

Funding awarded to bring the Greenway as far as the White Gates.

http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2016/07/01/4122605-big-news-for-athlone/

flazio

White gates being the level crossing with the Ballymahon Road? It takes half a million to bring a trail further in a railway and approximately the same amount to bring it 5 times that distance along a canal?

Lt Dan

flazio wrote: »

White gates being the level crossing with the Ballymahon Road? It takes half a million to bring a trail further in a railway and approximately the same amount to bring it 5 times that distance along a canal?

Must be good tarmac they are going to use, he finest. Ridiculous amount of money needed. Surely cost of labour can't be that high?

Subcomandante Marcos

The difference in costs is pretty easily explained.

With the canal in Ballymahon the tow path is already there. The only things needed to be done are resurfacing the tow path, putting down signage and some cleaning up.

Along the rail line you have to clear all the trees, level off the land, fill the rail line and lay a brand new surface beside it and tarmac that. It's a lot more work even if it wouldn't seem so at first glance. They'd also need to remove some or most of the green metal fencing along the rail line and make access points from the housing estates along the stretch. I think it will be a great amenity.

whyulittle

They are supposed to be installing street lighting on the section from Athlone Town Stadium into the White Gates.

Passes more houses, so may be costs fencing them off for privacy; maybe some work done to the level crossing - I don't know!

demanufactured

whyulittle wrote: »

They are supposed to be installing street lighting on the section from Athlone Town Stadium into the White Gates.

Passes more houses, so may be costs fencing them off for privacy; maybe some work done to the level crossing - I don't know!

They'd want to install some lighting....otherwise it will be a hot spot for muggings.....drug use etc.

L.Jenkins

I wouldn't trust that entire stretch of cycle path after hours, with or without lights.