A couple of pics of the bridge in Athlone today. On the eastern end, they've built up a big ramp to the north side, steps to the south side, and a boardwalk underneath it.
what are IE worried about specifically - it's already a double railway, and is unlikely to get any wider than that. Even if they did need to expand the railway in places it's not a huge job to move the greenway at the same time.
Is it just me or does that ramp look steep? There was an article in news today about Dun Laoghaire Baths super steep "accessibility ramps" which are 100% not accessible due to their steep incline.
You can't see the ramp in the photo, the ramp is on the other side.
That crane in the back isn't lifting the white bridge, is it?
I can see the railings for the ramp even though it's on the other side.
It's single-track to be fair. They're worried about being hemmed in by developments on both sides of the line alright. But there's already enough width/room for double-track. I think it should be a non-issue personally
yeah, I was thinking of the Cobh line - I think they already have a contract out to double it though so presumably they do have space.
I think they do, and I presume they finally were happy to leave the greenway scheme go ahead because somebody did the "study" or "design" effort of proving that dual was possible and was sufficient for the forseeable future. But as some councillors told me, they had previously not been at all happy with the idea of the greenway hugging the rail line.
So I'd imagine that's their standard mindset: avoid greenways adjacent to rail lines, until someone proves that any existing or foreseeable future tracks have sufficient room. Not unreasonable to be fair.
I thought ye were on about liability re accidents/jumpers. What sort of boundary are we expecting between greenway and rail line?
Very little I'd expect: a few metres. Where train speed is an issue they can use physical barriers to resolve it.
Work starting imminently on the Royal Canal between North Strand and Cross Guns Phibsborogh.
Another section of the Dublin-Athlone greenway: Maynooth-Confey. Not sure if this was already reported on here.
KCC Confirm Appointment Of Contractor For Maynooth To Confey Section Of Royal Canal Greenway - Kfm (kfmradio.com)
Midleton to Youghal update via Cllr Liam Quaide
Midleton to Mogeely section due to open Summer 2023 (date to be confirmed)
Remaining section towards Youghal due to open early to Mid 2024.
Considering the whole 23km Greenway was due to open in 2022 this doesn't seem good enough to be honest and needs an explanation for the delay.
>Considering the whole 23km Greenway was due to open in 2022 this doesn't seem good enough to be honest and needs an explanation for the delay.
Covid is the reason, specifically the CMOs blanket lockdown on all OUTDOORS construction activity across the country, because lads driving diggers and other outdoor construction workers for some reason were treated the same as 200 people working in the same room in a callcentre or university lecture theatre.
Completely over the top, but there you go. Everyone seemed to think the harshest and longest lockdowns in Europe were great at the time.
I take your point but it was initially pushed back to early 2023 for the whole route due to Covid restrictions delaying work. How they have ended up as a maybe sometime in 2024 is the issue.
Two years to do 2 kilometres. No rush so!
No, it was originally to be finished by 2022. Then, they announced a one year delay about 18 months ago and that it would be completed in Spring of 2023. Fair enough. There were no restrictions in place the past year but somehow it’s gone back another fifteen months to Summer 2024, and that’s with language like “The current aim is . . . “.
Not good enough. There’s very little activity along the route and what activity there is, is rare.
Yep, I don't think it's Covid related. Would be nice to know what the issue is. Possibly just the urban projects taking priority over the rural ones
When did construction actually start on Midleton-Youghal?
Judging by the monster potholes opening up with alternate freezing, thawing and flooding a greenway should be way down the priority list.
Can't recall exact months but I believe clearance works started late 2019/early 2020 with construction initially due to start in Spring of 2020.
Yep I have it in my head that it was November 2019 or so, and due to be finished at the start of 2022.
I can see what you're saying, but greenways in the Glanmire/Glounthaune areas continue at reasonably good pace. I just wonder if these more "urban" greenways are getting priority, with limited resources available.
Thinking about it too, it's possible that IÉ engineers are part of the project team, and these might have recently found themselves unexpectedly busy (in a good way)
63m funding for greenways in 2023
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/67058-minister-ryan-joins-nta-as-290m-is-made-available-for-walking-and-cycling-infrastructure-this-year/
New video of Midleton-Youghal. Looking very nice!
That looks great.
Sorry to ask (cos I'm sure it has been discussed loads of places) but why isn't this being reinstated as a railway? Looks from the video that, apart from 3 or 4 houses the right of way is the original. Surely Youghal is a big enough commuter town to warrant the investment.
Youghal is a pretty small town, and is 60km from Cork so not a major commuter hub (nor would it be sensible planning to promote it as a commuter location IMO).
Youghal is a pretty good test of this licence system that's meant to allow Iarnrod Eireann reclaim the track when a rail solution becomes viable.
I reckon it'll happen alright, probably soon after my greenway runs / cycles / walks transition into wheelchair journeys. I'm 40.
I think we could see the Passage/Blackrock line become light rail before that, also proving the concept. I don't have any fears of it, the greenway works are extremely cheap in comparison to rail. If they have money for rail they'll easily afford the effort to move the greenway.
