New Ongar to Barnhill Road

Flinty997 · 14-02-2026 12:06AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124183850#Comment_124183850

I'm still a bit baffled what connections this opens up, for people local to it.

I suspect its to facilitate more residential building in the area. Going forward. Which has all the same bottlenecks.

lordleitrim · 14-02-2026 02:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124234180#Comment_124234180

For people heading Lucan/Leixlip/Maynooth direction from Ongar, Hansfield and Little Pace it will shave several minutes off their journeys on a more direct and safer road. Also, the council have stated in all their literature on the new road, that it will open up new lands for housing so its not just your suspicion.

Flinty997 · 14-02-2026 03:36PM

Looking at the map it's really just a bypass of the old bridge and narrow road and only for a short section. I agree it's better and safer section.

But the opening blurb infers it opens up loads of new routes and access and aids congestion. I can't really see that. From experience it just gets those people to the next bottle neck or traffic Jam a tiny bit quicker. There's no fixing lucan bridge. The congestion around Ongar isn't going to get better.

I can see though going forward that old bridge and road have to be replaced or bypassed. They can now build around it.

More throughput on one section puts pressure on the next bit.

rameire · 14-02-2026 03:42PM

There are plans to the south of the rail line around Hansfield train station for a couple thousand houses and apartments in the hatched area.

Polar101 · 14-02-2026 08:56PM

Not too sure on how the new road is going to "boost sustainable transport".

Flinty997 · 15-02-2026 05:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124236794#Comment_124236794

It will create so much traffic (with the planned new housing) people will be forced to cycle and walk. ?

spacetweek · 16-02-2026 07:38PM

Great news and one that is dear to my heart! I have been waiting for this for 29 years, which is when I started driving on the route.

The next piece of work in the area will be the closure of Barberstown level crossing which will be replaced with a bridge.

Flinty997 · 16-02-2026 09:08PM

What was there 29 years ago. It was just a country road back then.

spacetweek · 17-02-2026 01:22PM

Always roll my eyes when the press for these road openings waxes lyrical on the benefits. Let me translate them:

"delivers sustainable transport" (wider road better for buses, footpaths which should have been on the old road, bike lanes)

"game changer for local communities" (they now have a road for the 21st century instead of a cattle track - is there any phrase as overused as game changer?)

"facilitate residential development" and "delivers key servicing upgrades" (the new road will be entirely surrounded by buildings within 10 years)

"improve access to nearby schools" (the kids actually have footpaths now instead of dodging cars)

BlazingSaddler · 17-02-2026 02:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124241225#Comment_124241225

Is a bridge at Barberstown approved? That would be handy. Just need a good footpath from Beechpark to Westmanstown now and I’ll be happy(ish!)

spacetweek · 17-02-2026 02:54PM

We need to build the extension south towards St. Catherine's Park where a second attempt at the new road must be made. "Hands off our Park" is nonsense, the park was provided by the council, local people no more own it than they own Leixlip Main Street. We could put the park segment in a trench and partially roof it over if needed.

Pale Red · 17-02-2026 04:42PM

https://www.dartplus.ie/en-ie/faqs/west?page=2

Looks like this new bit of road is the replacement for Barberstown level crossing when that is closed.

Flinty997 · 18-02-2026 09:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124243075#Comment_124243075

Do you not like parks or something?

Maybe they should have thought of this BEFORE they built random housing estates all over the place blocking a route across the river.

Maybe they should have built all the major roads BEFORE building the estates creating a load of traffic with no where to go.

Catherine's Park has massive amenity value.

Pale Red · 18-02-2026 12:13PM

Phoenix Park is a massive amenity and has roads. It's much bigger and can accommodate the roads.

All development has impacts and it is judging if the positives outweigh the negatives. A road does not need to bisect SCP and can be designed to minimise it's negative impact. Let's not rush to "never" before hearing what we're objecting to.

Seth Brundle · 18-02-2026 12:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245373#Comment_124245373

We were given plans previously and I've posted the proposed route a page or two back. Despite an overwhelmingly negative reaction from locals, Fingal are still trying achieve this plan to the point that they've bought the land just north of the park which nicely aligns with the new Barnhill-Ongar road.

JohnDoe2025 · 18-02-2026 12:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245393#Comment_124245393

Yes, they have bought that land, and they are apparently interested in more land, the idea presumably being that if you take some of a park for a road, and replace it with additional park facilities, the net impact is lessened.

We are going to see the same issues elsewhere in Dublin 15, with the Elm Green golf course being moved to the old Dunsink dump to allow for more housing. I don't have a problem with that either.

Seth Brundle · 18-02-2026 01:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245477#Comment_124245477

The net impact won't be lessened because you're moving the park away from those living along its western side.
In addition, this road Fingal Co. Co. are pushing for will take up most of the Co. Kildare section of the park.

JohnDoe2025 · 18-02-2026 01:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245532#Comment_124245532

I am sure that we will see revised plans with options before anything goes ahead.

There is a need for change, the current road structure cannot cope with the increased population and the need for public transport corridors and cycling segregation.

I shudder to think of the objections if they ever went ahead with Metro West.

Pale Red · 18-02-2026 02:11PM

I don't think it matters in which county the land take, from the park, takes place. The balance of change in amenity to the change in development is what matters.

Flinty997 · 18-02-2026 11:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245575#Comment_124245575

They should have thought and planned for that before they increased the population.

Flinty997 · 18-02-2026 11:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245373#Comment_124245373

Except the road in the park was there from the start and it has been nothing but trouble.

They've been fighting over the roads in the phoenix park for decades. They've had to reduce the speed limits makes road one way, speed ramps. Stop people parking and driving on the grass. Often traffic jams and congestion.

Road in the park was never designed for the amount of car traffic. They had to close and rebuild it. Its daft anyway. Why run a road through a middle of a park. OPW complain about it all the time. Yet there is no pedestrian crossing on the main road.

Its certainly not something to copy. That's ridiculous.

But there again they built D15 with no road links to town. Even now the bus takes an hour because it goes around the planet to get to city centre.