Sutton to Sandyford, factoring in Dollymount roadworks?

ProudDUB · 12-10-2016 05:17PM #1

Starting tomorrow, I have to commute from Sutton to Sandyford, for a 9.30am arrival in Sandyford Business Park/Arena Rd area. (I'll switch to a Dart & Luas combo soon, but for now I need to drive.)

I did the trip on weekends, & it was a straight shoot along the Coast Road to East Wall, over the East Link Bridge, Sandymount, thru the Merrion Gates, up Booterstown Ave to the Stillorgan Rd, then a straight shoot out to Sandyford. Didn't experience any major delays, but am wondering what it's like during the peak commuter hours. I plan on leaving the house at 8am.

Right now, the coast road is closed from Watermill Rd to Mt Prospect Ave. So my plan is to go via to Raheny Village, turn left onto Vernon Ave and follow that to the coast road. However, I drove down Vernon Ave (towards the Coast Rd) on Monday around 6pm. It was fine on my side of the road, but on the opposite side, it was bumper to bumper with all the commuters heading away from town. I'm a bit worried that it'll be that way tomorrow morning, with all the commuters heading into town.

Has anyone done it around 8.15ish, since the Dollymount stretch of the coast road has been closed & what was it like? What about heading to Fairview via Killester and turning left at Fairview Pk, to head to Alfie/Byrne Rd/East Wall Rd that way?

Any potential rush hour bottlenecks on the southside leg of the trip I need to look out for, or better route suggestions?

Cheers.

punisher5112 · 12-10-2016 05:19PM

M50 route your thinking will be busy enough.

Google different direction and input times it will give an idea.

ProudDUB · 12-10-2016 05:27PM

The receptionist at the office has told me horror stories of M50 bottlenecks at the M4 & M7 junctions, so am hoping to avoid the M50 if possible.

tricky D · 12-10-2016 05:35PM

Vernon Ave seems to be bad a lot of the time. You could turn left off the Howth Road down Castle Ave just before Killester or turn left down St Lawrence Road after Killester/before Harry Byrnes (though turning onto Clontarf Road doesn't have traffic lights so could be a hassle getting out). That or just head down to Fairview and turn left at the church back onto Clontarf Road for the short stretch to Alfie Bryne Road.

Google Maps' directions have the M50 as the quickest: https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Sutton+Cross,+Dublin/Arena+Road,+Dublin/@53.3387344,-6.3187794,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m17!4m16!1m5!1m1!1s0x486705209bd9d1a3:0xcd17077fc0113e6c!2m2!1d-6.1100273!2d53.3897826!1m5!1m1!1s0x48670907bf09d393:0xb58da31d893ead85!2m2!1d-6.2078197!2d53.273639!2m3!6e1!7e2!8j1476351000

odyssey06 · 12-10-2016 05:39PM

If you want to go through Clontarf to Fairview, 815 is one of the worst times. An hour earlier, you might be alright.

There are three main arteries for the north east, and one of them (Clontarf Road) is closed. All that traffic seems now to be on the Howth and Malahide Roads. I can see the spill over onto secondary roads like Philipsburgh Avenue in Marino.

If there's any way you can avoid the area for the next 2 weeks, do so.
I think there will still be a partial closure of Clontarf Road in November, but it will be easier to divert around and return back onto the Clontarf Road.

ProudDUB · 12-10-2016 06:16PM

Bugger it. I may as well start the Dart/Luas combo tomorrow then so. Really didn't want to.

Last Friday, the Green line Luas wasn't running, due to fault on the line at Stephens Green. What are the bus options (from town) if that ever happens in the mornings? All I can find on the Dublin bus site, is a bus from Tallaght out to Sandyford? Surely there is one from town too, no?

tricky D · 12-10-2016 06:25PM

47 bus from near Sydney Parade

From option 3 in the link above (public transport)

7:58 AM
Sutton Cross
Dublin
WalkWalk
About 7 min , 500 m

8:05 AM
Sutton Cross Dart Station
TrainDartGreystones Train Station
34 min (14 stops)
8:39 AM
Sydney Parade Dart Station
WalkWalk
About 2 min

8:56 AM
Merrion, Merlyn Park
Bus47Belarmine
22 min (19 stops)
9:18 AM
Sandyford, Blackthorn Avenue Roundabout
WalkWalk
About 5 min , 450 m

9:23 AM
Arena Road
Dublin

LXFlyer · 12-10-2016 06:45PM

Bus options:
11 from O'Connell Street
47 from Sydney Parade
114 from Blackrock DART Station

Use the Journey Planner app and remove the LUAS option in settings to see potential options.

ProudDUB · 12-10-2016 07:02PM

Which of those 3 would be the best option (both in the morning and in the evening) in terms of overall frequency, reliability, journey time, traffic etc etc if, I get up in the morning/get off work & find out the Luas isn't running?

Also, what is the best one stop shop website/Twitter Account to check every morning and evening, to see if there are service interuptions across the bus/Dart/Luas networks?

Cheers for the responses. Am returning to the world of daily commutes after years of working from home & am not looking forward to it.:(

odyssey06 · 12-10-2016 07:04PM

Keep an eye on AA site, they usually cover traffic, roadworks and public transport interrupts:
https://www.theaa.ie/roadwatch/newsroom/

Wesser · 12-10-2016 07:07PM

If it's your first day leave very early. Like 730 early.
Don't forget the option of using the port tunnel.

ProudDUB · 12-10-2016 07:38PM

Jesus, at a tenner a pop, no thanks. :eek:

LXFlyer · 12-10-2016 08:01PM

ProudDUB wrote: »

Which of those 3 would be the best option (both in the morning and in the evening) in terms of overall frequency, reliability, journey time, traffic etc etc if, I get up in the morning/get off work & find out the Luas isn't running?

Also, what is the best one stop shop website/Twitter Account to check every morning and evening, to see if there are service interuptions across the bus/Dart/Luas networks?

Cheers for the responses. Am returning to the world of daily commutes after years of working from home & am not looking forward to it.:(

Use the journey planner app - that will answer your question re options. But I would imagine that DART and 114 would be least affected.

All of the bus and rail timetables are available on the Dublin Bus and Irish rail websites.

No one stop twitter account - you'd need to check the individual operators .

RacoonQueen · 12-10-2016 08:21PM

lxflyer wrote: »

Bus options:
11 from O'Connell Street
47 from Sydney Parade
114 from Blackrock DART Station

Use the Journey Planner app and remove the LUAS option in settings to see potential options.

The 114 is irregular but probably the quickest option. Dart can often be down due to signalling faults btw.
The M50 won't be too bad if you are aiming for a 9:30 start - we have someone coming from Navan and another from Lusk out to Sandyford, both more often than not, use the M50.
The route you've suggested sounds like a nightmare.

subpar · 12-10-2016 08:53PM

Get up early and be on the road by 6.30

whiskeyman · 12-10-2016 09:17PM

subpar wrote: »

Get up early and be on the road by 6.30

Probably the best idea tbh.
At that time, you'd probably be at your destination within 50mins.

You really need to be past the coast and travelling over eastlink by 7.30 otherwise the coast will be very slow. Once you're past the East Link, you shouldn't be in any real traffic on the route you mentioned.

Be wary on the drive home over the next week and a half as howth road , and other road off it, have been manic due to coast road closure.

P_1 · 12-10-2016 09:21PM

East Wall Road is bedlam during the evening rush hour too so bear that in mind

schemingbohemia · 13-10-2016 10:32AM

RacoonQueen wrote: »

The 114 is irregular but probably the quickest option. Dart can often be down due to signalling faults btw.
The M50 won't be too bad if you are aiming for a 9:30 start - we have someone coming from Navan and another from Lusk out to Sandyford, both more often than not, use the M50.
The route you've suggested sounds like a nightmare.

That's not my experience. DART is reasonably reliable, there are occasional issues but certainly not "often".

Wesser · 13-10-2016 08:45PM

How was your first day?

I had a first day today. It was ...... Ok.... Good in some aspects , not in others.....

ProudDUB · 27-10-2016 08:24PM

Update. I have two weeks of commuting under my belt now.

I've done half and half, drive one day and do the Dart/Luas combo the next. When I drive, I go via Raheny/Castle Ave/Coast Road/East Wall/East Link Bridge/Sandymount/Sydney Parade Ave/Nutley Ave/Stillorgan Road to Sandyford.

If I leave Sutton at 7.15am, the drive to Sandyford is about 50/60 minutes. When I leave at 7.30, the delays (especially in Clontarf to turn left onto Alfie Byrne Rd and to get over the East Link Bridge) are consideraby longer & the trip time can be as long as 1 hr 20 mins. I have not taken the M50 at all. (Am glad about that, as there has been incidents on it every day this week. All of my colleagues who take it, have been late...all except me !

)

Coming home (leaving Sandyford at 5pm) the trip on the M50 is about an hour. The worst delay is between the exit just before Tallaght and the M7. It's a lot worse, if I go home via the East Link & Clontarf, the delays are far worse, so I'll stick with going home on the M50 for now.

Any ideas what the M50 will be like tomorrow evening (Friday) seeing as a lot of schools will be closed and it's the Friday of a Bank Holiday weekend? Am I mad to take the car?

Next week, I'll be doing 10am to 6pm shifts. Will I notice anything appreciably different, if I am leaving Sutton and Sandyford around 8.30am and 6pm respectively?

Cheers !

whiskeyman · 28-10-2016 07:15AM

ProudDUB wrote: »

Coming home (leaving Sandyford at 5pm) the trip on the M50 is about an hour. The worst delay is between the exit just before Tallaght and the M7. It's a lot worse, if I go home via the East Link & Clontarf, the delays are far worse, so I'll stick with going home on the M50 for now.
!

Try coming home through town the odd time (you'll save on tolls!

)
Use this route:
Try hit the N11 down brewery road (not sure where in Sandyford you are?)
N11 / Stillorgan Road all the away until just past Leeson Bridge.
Right onto Fitzwilliam Place down to Holles St turn.
Onto Erne St then left onto Pearse St (some traffic here)
Around Tara Street, over Butt Bridge, around Amien St / Fairview / Clontarf / Sutton*

Only places I ever get traffic on the above is Holles St and worst would be at Pearse St, but most of that traffic wants to go onto South Quays, where you want to go across the bridge.

*until end of Nov, turn left up Castle Av or Vernon Ave due to road closures.

The above should get you home in around an hour or just above.
I find it a much 'nicer' drive than the soulless M50... and the M50 is so susceptible to incidents that can clog everything up. I really enjoy driving through the city.

Worth keeping a listen to 103.2 dublin cityfm 'LiveDrive' to see if any divertions will help

Next week, I'll be doing 10am to 6pm shifts. Will I notice anything appreciably different, if I am leaving Sutton and Sandyford around 8.30am and 6pm respectively?

Yeah, I reckon so. Coast Road should ease the closer you get to 9am, and once you get past that it's straight to Sandyford with little traffic.
Way home should also be fine - just check AA roadwatch and if no issues on M50 you could go either M50 or town. (personally, I'd probably pick through town).

I find the East Link ok at times, but East Wall Road has got a lot more clogged since Lidl / traffic light junction has moved in.
Be sure to check if any gigs on at 3Arena should you think about taking the East Link also! If you hear traffic backing up to Sean Moore Rd / Beach Rd junction, go through town as East Link could take at least 45mins just to clear it sometimes from there!

I guess when it's pissing rain, all bets are off and you may just need to deal with very heavy traffic.
I'd much rather be in traffic in town than the M50. Much more scenic, and if you get fed up you can park up and get a coffee somewhere!

ProudDUB · 01-11-2016 09:08PM

Cheers Whiskeyman. Thanks for that. Traffic was a breeze this morning. No delays anywhere on the route. Left Sutton at 8.30am and arrived in Sandyford at 9.07. Can't bate that with a stick ! Am wondering if that is because its the day after a bank holiday, or would that be normal? If that is normal, I am gonna threaten my boss with GBH if he puts me back on the 9am starts !

The trip home wasn't great. Left Sandyford at 6.10. Other than getting out of Sandyford a bit quicker, there was no real difference in the trip, between leaving at 5pm. I went N11-Nutley Lane-Ballsbridge-Holles St-Macken St-Samuel Beckett Bridge-East Wall. I did plan on trying your suggestion of Pearse St to Tara St, but missed the turning for Pearse St, so I had to stick with going over the Sam Beckett & all the drama that that ensues. (Justin Bloody Beiber playing the Three Area, probably didn't help that !) East Wall to Sutton was okish. A bit of a delay in Raheny at Mt Prospect Rd, but nothing major.

Was surprised to see you even suggest Pearse St, as when I take the Dart home, it looks bumper to bumper when viewed from the train. But I'll give it a go tomorrow. Will deffo go home thru town, if I can cut down on the over all trip time. Those M50 tolls will really add up over time, as will the additional mileage cost of an 80 km round trip, versus a 40 km one.

Cathmandooo · 01-11-2016 09:24PM

Traffic is lighter this week with the schools on midterm. I wouldn't be relying on this week being a marker for normal traffic I'm afraid!

ProudDUB · 01-11-2016 09:28PM

Ah bawlocks. I knew there had to be a catch. :mad: :mad: :mad:

whiskeyman · 02-11-2016 02:19PM

ProudDUB wrote: »

Cheers Whiskeyman. Thanks for that. Traffic was a breeze this morning. No delays anywhere on the route. Left Sutton at 8.30am and arrived in Sandyford at 9.07. Can't bate that with a stick ! Am wondering if that is because its the day after a bank holiday, or would that be normal? If that is normal, I am gonna threaten my boss with GBH if he puts me back on the 9am starts !
.

as mentioned above, traffic is a doddle in the mornings this week because of schools off on mid-term :pac:

ProudDUB wrote: »

so I had to stick with going over the Sam Beckett & all the drama that that ensues. (Justin Bloody Beiber playing the Three Area, probably didn't help that !) East Wall to Sutton was okish. A bit of a delay in Raheny at Mt Prospect Rd, but nothing major.

yeah, I heard the traffic reports that 3Arena area was the only area in town affected by traffic yest eve (and tonight too!) because of Bieber concert.

ProudDUB wrote: »

Was surprised to see you even suggest Pearse St, as when I take the Dart home, it looks bumper to bumper when viewed from the train. But I'll give it a go tomorrow. Will deffo go home thru town, if I can cut down on the over all trip time. Those M50 tolls will really add up over time, as will the additional mileage cost of an 80 km round trip, versus a 40 km one.

I guess I find it usually moves ok. Depends on the evening though.
Perhaps before trying the Merrion sq / right turn at Leeson bridge, go straight onto St Stephens Green - then down Kildare St - you'll be force to take a left, but you then end up on Nassau St.
Take this around by Clare St and you'll be going down Westland Row onto Pearse. This route may cut out a lot of traffic on Pearse and it should be relatively traffic free itself.

Sutton to Sandyford, factoring in Dollymount roadworks?

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