A key phase of the Dublin Bay cycle path on the northside of the capital was opened this morning.
The two kilometre stretch of the Sutton to Sandycove (S2S) Cycleway at Clontarf was officially opened by Dublin Lord Mayor Brendan Carr who hailed the cyclepath as a “wonderful amenity on the north side of the city”.
The section from the Wooden Bridge to the Causeway Road in Clontarf includes a new segregated two way cycle track and 4 km of upgraded footpaths. Public lighting has been upgraded and the tram shelter at Clontarf has also been restored and enhanced.
The €5 million Clontarf section has been considered the “missing link” of the Dublin Bay cycle path.
The full route crosses three local authority boundaries and will take several years to construct. Once completed, it will provide a 22km continuous off-road cycle route around the bay, making it one of the longest coastal promenades in Europe.
The S2S Cycleway works have been funded by the National Transport Authority who had a significant contribution to the delivery of the scheme as the lead Sanctioning Authority.
The current works included the provision of a continuous coastal flood defence wall from Bull Road to Causeway Road as part of the Dublin Coastal Flood Protection Project and the Dublin SAFER Project.
During the construction of the cycleway and footway a 600mm diameter water main was installed. Irish Water contributed toward the installation of the water main and worked with Dublin City Council to ensure that the water main installation, cycleway and footway works were all carried out at the same time.
The works have been coordinated to help to minimise disruption to residents, business owners and road users.
Speaking ahead of the opening, the Lord Mayor said, “I am delighted to open this stage of the Sutton to Sandycove (S2S) Cycleway. I hope that residents and tourists alike will get great enjoyment from this wonderful amenity on the north side of the city. I congratulate Dublin City Council, the National Transport Authority, Irish Water and the contribution from the local community for coming together to work on this project in this environmentally sensitive area. This approach minimised disruption to road users, residents and businesses alike.”
Anne Graham, Chief Executive Officer, National Transport Authority, said “The cycleway the Lord Mayor is opening today is an excellent example of the positive results that can be achieved when agencies – in this case NTA, Dublin City Council and Irish Water – work together towards a shared objective. This segment of the Sutton to Sandycove project will not only provide a safer environment for cyclists from Clontarf and surrounding areas who use their bike to get to work, but will be of great amenity benefit to families, locals and visitors alike.”
