Royal Canal on a Road Bike

Mercian Pro · 24-03-2025 06:05PM

Like Citizen Six I checked out the Deep Sinking today. I reckon about a quarter of the Castleknock to Coolmine Rd has been resurfaced but the rest is much the same as before. On 28mm tyres, I ended up walking a lot of the rougher stuff. Why Fingal (or Waterways Ireland) have done one short section but not the rest is a mystery but why the proper Greenway upgrade hasn't even started is a bigger one. As CS has mentioned, the section beween Coolmine and Porterstown Roads is fully resurfaced but still narrow enough that you need to stop if you meet anyone else.

VonLuck · 28-03-2025 02:39PM

https://irishcycle.com/2025/03/27/royal-canal-greenway-opens-fully-from-glasnevin-to-dorset-st-final-sections-progressing/

A pretty comprehensive selection of photographs on progress to the greenway.

Seth Brundle · 30-03-2025 09:26AM

Tarmac being laid @ Deey Br. I might follow it tomorrow to see how far it goes towards Maynooth

Gerry · 31-03-2025 07:03AM

Sounds good. On the road section, the second half of that ending at pikes Bridge now has a first coat of tarmac but needs a second. I'd imagine that will be pretty soon. The major pieces left are the routing of start and end of that section back onto the canal

Citizen Six · 31-03-2025 12:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123310828#Comment_123310828

I measured it today. It extends 600m so far.
They are digging a new trench past this, towards Maynooth, now. Not sure if it’s for the kerb, or if they forgot something.

tnegun · 31-03-2025 12:30PM

Does it extend past where the cycle lane will rejoin the road? I'm just wondering if they will tarmac the canal path here as well as the new lane.

Citizen Six · 31-03-2025 12:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123313515#Comment_123313515

I think where it joins the road is as far as they've gotten. They've tarmacked a section coming from Maynooth too, but that was a while back.

Citizen Six · 31-03-2025 12:52PM

Does anyone know what's going on with the clearing of the bank between Kilcock and Enfield? It's been going on a while.

Seth Brundle · 01-04-2025 06:39PM

Wandered along the Royal Canal Greenway's 400m of new tarmac between Deey Br and where it exits onto the road…

I hadn't noticed it before but it is about two thirds of the width of the section from Deey to Louisa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRgJjtn8-sI

Gerry · 02-04-2025 08:06AM

the main on road portion seems complete, they finished tarmac. a good job, some slight dips around the manholes so would avoid those. still the ends to join in but they are making good progress on those. I'm still not sure what happens at pikes bridge though..

presume it will be back onto the road for quite a time to come.

Seth Brundle · 02-04-2025 08:20AM

The path will cross the "up" and "down" lanes on the bridge with cyclists yielding to traffic and passing the junction on the road side (so presumably the existing greenery is to come out). The place will look very cluttered with the amount of signs going up…

https://kildarecoco.ie/AllServices/Transport/RoadSafetyCyclingandSustainableTransport/SustainableTransport/SustainableInfrastructureProjects/RoyalCanalGreenway-MaynoothtoConfey/17.%20Royal%20Canal%20Greenway%20%28Maynooth%20to%20Confey%29%20%20General%20Arrangement%20Pike%20Bridge.pdf

Gerry · 02-04-2025 10:00AM

Thanks @Seth. I think I asked similar before and you gave the same correct response. I guess I'm concerned that this part will hold things up significantly. In meanwhile I dont mind going around the bridge and then getting back onto the canal, so hopefully that is not blocked.

buffalo · 02-04-2025 10:05AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123318998#Comment_123318998

It'll be left open for walkers. I imagine in practice most cyclists will stick to the canal, and hopefully everyone will be decent to slow down and yield to anyone on foot. I know there's a narrow tunnel beyond Maynooth at one of the bridges that has a dismount sign, but it's a quiet enough section and I've never met anyone coming the other way.

A couple of speed bumps and a yield sign might've been a cheaper option, but if the popularity of the greenway takes off then it's good to have an option with larger capacity.

FinnC · 02-04-2025 04:00PM

I not as familiar with the Royal Canal as I am the Grand.

If I was to enter the Canal at Confey how far now can I travel on the canal that has a new surface? Is it nearly complete all the way to Maynooth?

Seth Brundle · 02-04-2025 04:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123320223#Comment_123320223

See the above photos for the current condition but the stretch from Intel to Maynooth is in development. I believe that it should be completed and opened before the end of April.
Once completed, you will be able to travel from Confey to Cloondara in Longford on a road bike.

FinnC · 02-04-2025 04:29PM

That's great thanks Seth

Seth Brundle · 02-04-2025 04:54PM

I'll correct myself - my memory of the R148 road closure notice was for it to finish in April. However, I now note some additional closure notices which I'm guessing/hoping are for the tidying up of the junctions with roads:

Monday 28 April 2025 to Friday 02 May 2025 inclusive: https://consult.kildarecoco.ie/en/consultation/temporary-road-closure-notice-intention-l-1025-deey-bridge-leixlip

weekends of Saturday 03 May 2025 to Sunday 04 May 2025 and Saturday 10 May 2025 to Sunday 11 May 2025 inclusive (Pike Bridge): https://consult.kildarecoco.ie/en/consultation/temporary-road-closure-notice-intention-l-5053-railpark-road

Citizen Six · 04-04-2025 10:16AM

Tarmac going down this morning. From the Maynooth side.

Gerry · 05-04-2025 09:15AM

yep the tarmac from deey bridge to cope bridge looked to be finished yesterday,

and your photo is further towards maynooth right?

Citizen Six · 05-04-2025 11:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123328367#Comment_123328367

They were working on the finished layer at the very start of the section from Straffan Road. Not sure how far they got, as it was about 9am when I was passing.

jeffk · 12-04-2025 12:14PM

Did my (what has become annual) how far from Blanch can I get on the bike to Maynooth

Got as far as Deey Bridge and unfortunately then had to go on the road into Maynooth, really shows how great the canal is, so much safer and peaceful with nature etc

Unlike the people I seen walking from the train back (dont judge, not a big cyclist, usually spins only around blanch), I didn’t attempt to go through the gap in the fence, even though the surface looks to be finished and usable

Some nice surfaces and wooden gates that you don’t have to get off the bike near intel etc, but still a long way of grass and hard muck with roots and rocks for most of it

Soon to be moving to Navan, so probably my last spin on this and be Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway for me soon, hopefully

Seth Brundle · 02-05-2025 04:24PM

Got this update from Kildare Co Co…

Construction works are continuing on the Royal Canal Greenway scheme from Louisa Bridge, Leixlip to Maynooth Harbour.
The following update is provided:
• Upgrade works are continuing on the R148 Road between Pike Bridge and Deey Bridge (Blakestown). A two-way road narrowing temporary traffic management layout is in place locally for these works at Pike Bridge. The road works speed limit reduction (from 80km/hr to 50km/hr) on the R148 between Pike Bridge and Blakestown ended on Friday 2nd of May.
• Section of the towpath/greenway from R406 Straffan Road, Maynooth to Pike Bridge is closed for upgrade works and is due to reopen to the public within 2 weeks.
• Section of the towpath/greenway from Pike Bridge to Deey Bridge (Blakestown) is closed for upgrade works.
General arrangement drawings for the scheme can be viewed at the following link:
https://kildarecoco.ie/AllServices/Transport/RoadSafetyCyclingandSustainableTransport/SustainableTransport/SustainableInfrastructureProjects/RoyalCanalGreenway-MaynoothtoConfey/
Kildare County Council apologises for any inconvenience.

2011abc · 02-05-2025 04:59PM

Can see this turning into a similar scenario to the Confey to Louisa section where it is effectively open/accesible for weeks if not months but until pragmatic locals forcibly remove barriers it will lie idle.Public services seem to be becoming a tragi-comedy …Castletown ,Canal Lock closed forcing barges to congregate ,traffic mayhem due to crazy roadworks at peak times etc etc

donaghs · 03-05-2025 09:09AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123317565#Comment_123317565

Some greenways on the canal are unnecessarily wide. they are not regional roads. The wider ones destroy all the vegetation and trees on both side. It would be good to keep a strip of natural trail for walking/running also - since it is (in theory) the way-marked National Famine Way. I don't think many hikers would be bothered completing the entire route once its all tarmaced. great for cycling though (you cant please everyone :) )

Stark · 03-05-2025 05:19PM

Yeah while I love that the option of cycling is now there, I do miss the dirt trails for running on.

buffalo · 14-05-2025 11:01AM

I passed Deey Bridge yesterday (Collinstown level crossing) between Leixlip and Maynooth, and they were tarmacking like the clappers. I don't know which end they're working from though, whether it's the end of the final phase or the start of it.

Seth Brundle · 14-05-2025 11:15AM

I walked the new works last Sunday from from Deey to Pike bridges and it had looked like nothing much had been done in a number of weeks so it's good to hear they're active now.

I had thought that the canal path surface (where the non-cycling section if you follow me) was to be a grit surface?

I'm also wondering if I'm reading the plans correctly - is there to be a wooden fence along the cycle path adjacent along the R148 as per the below image (from here)?

buffalo · 14-05-2025 11:30AM

On grit vs tarmac - the last couple of hundred metres-ish to Deey Bridge will be shared, so you could be right.

GavPJ · 14-05-2025 11:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123446875#Comment_123446875

Believe it or not they can only lay tarmac or compacted grit depending on the flora and fauna and wildlife etc

that is in the area.

Citizen Six · 14-05-2025 02:51PM

I meant to post that I noticed the ESB connecting up some mini pillars last week. Most likely for the new lighting.

Royal Canal on a Road Bike

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