“Safe” walking and cycling route on €110m roads project “dumps you on a country 80km/h road with no lighting”
Walking and cycling are “dumped” onto an 80km/h rural road on one end of the only significant active transport element of a €110 million road project which included the Sallins Bypass, a new motorway junction and the widening of the M7 motorway.
The Department of Transport tweeted on Monday: “The new Sallins Bypass has opened today. Not only will the new road help alleviate congestion, it will improve our public transport routes, provide safe #cycling and #walking routes for the local community, and link to existing tracks on the Grand Canal Greenway. ”
In response, a local resident, Colm Byrne, tweeted in response: “If by safe cycling infrastructure you mean a shared path with pedestrians that dumps you on a country road with no lighting and an 80km/hr speed limit then [thumbs up emoji].”
UPDATED: A local councillor Bill Clear (Social Democratics) said: “I have recieved so many complaints about this road. Its hard to believe that senior engineers in TII approved this. It is so dangerous. Gardai are very worried about this road for cyclists. It should be set as an example for all engineers how to build a bad bad road.”
A bypass of Sallins in north Kildare has opened, marking the completion of a €110m project. | Read more: https://t.co/PEUohog37U pic.twitter.com/HSOzsqeMvI
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 9, 2021
Cian Ginty
I am editor of IrishCycle.com and have reported on and commented on cycling in Ireland for over a decade. My background is in journalism -- I have a BA in Journalism from DCU and HDip in Print Journalism from BCFE. I wrote about cycling for national newspapers, and then started CyclingInDublin.com for overflow stories. Later the website was re-branded to reflect a more national focus.
Sadly, no-one who cycles regularly is shocked at this disgraceful ‘design’. Depressingly predictable.