Commute: Rathmines to Parnell Square

rollingscone

Mrs Rollingscone is taking a big, hard fought, overdue & well deserved career step up (Mr Rollingscone is glowing with pride) and as a result has a new commute.

She has a deep aversion to riding in traffic but might be up to riding in the wacky races along the Canal Track- Grand Canal Dock- Samuel Beckett - IFSC.

The problem is (assuming the POB dope rally along the Canal doesn't put her off) the last leg to Parnell Square from IFSC.

I don't think there are any off-road routes maybe as far as Sheriff street/Docklands station but I'm not sure that's a great place to rejoin traffic or to get off and walk.

Are there any quiet routes I could check out?

ThisRegard

As you say the canal as far as Mount Street bridge, down Grand Canal Quay which is closed to traffic. She can then cycle down Macken Street or else cut through the area around the theatre.

There's off street cycling along the quays at some point and she can either cross the Samuel Beckett or Sean O'Casey, depending on where in the IFSC she wants to get to.

Edit, I thought it was the IFSC she wanted to get to. Not a whole load of options to get to Parnell Square but from the IFSC she can go down Talbot Street and up Marlborough Street, although I'm not sure what Marlborough Street is like since the new luas, haven't been there in a long time.

tomasrojo

My wife, who walks up Marlborough St. on the way to work, says it's quiet enough and has cyclists on it still. She's walking there before eight a.m. though.

Weepsie

I'd go up by Seville place, through the five lamps and take a left when you're coming to Jones Road. That'll bring you by Mountjoy square. In the morning, most of the traffic is going the other way. There are other turn offs before there, but I feel that this one may be the safest traffic wise. Just watch for eejits at the Five Lamps on the opposite side trying to get away early on the turn, or if behind you being in the wrong lane to purposely try and jump the gun.

If she likes cobbles, around the back of connolly, onto Talbot street, up gardiner street and then parnell square. Personally I'd think that would be awful though.

Marlborough street is one way and it's in the opposite direction.

Victor

There is a cycling journey planner here: www.a-b.ie - select "cycle" under "Trip options".

It suggests Bride Street-Heytesbury Street. The only real problem would be Christchurch - she could walk up Werbrugh Street to avoid the worst of it.

Thinkingaboutit

POB dope rally?

Google/HAL maps route

The suggested Google/HAL route seems okay. I find myself modifying my routes. Work it out in my mind's eye, and then editing through experience of cycling that route. I'm a bit wary of routes with lots of cycling, as they're largely slow (useless for a workout effort) and a bit random in the line they take when I'm overtaking. Similarly wide one way roads can have some motorists who don't react rationally when a person momentarily (for good reasons of safety) takes the centre of the lane at some junctions. Also some places have lots of kamikaze pedestrians (in fairness what can people do with the random and irregular provision of lights controlled pedestrian crossings.

Moflojo

Weepsie wrote: »

I'd go up by Seville place, through the five lamps and take a left when you're coming to Jones Road. That'll bring you by Mountjoy square. In the morning, most of the traffic is going the other way. There are other turn offs before there, but I feel that this one may be the safest traffic wise. Just watch for eejits at the Five Lamps on the opposite side trying to get away early on the turn, or if behind you being in the wrong lane to purposely try and jump the gun.

I'd agree with this suggestion. It's circuitous but it has cycle lanes almost all the way.

Grand Canal -> Beckett Bridge -> Seville Place -> Nth Circular -> Couple of options after that to get to Mountjoy Square and on to Parnell Square.

Radial

Good on Mrs Rollingscone, she'll be fine out and about around the city. Just takes a little getting used to.

I used to work on Sean McDermott St and cycled around the area extensively. The way I'd do this would be as below to Seville Place. Then across the junction with Amiens St, up Killarney St, Sean McDermott St, Cathal Brugha St then right onto O'Connell St and then up onto Parnell Square.

The traffic up Killarney St, Sean MdDermott St and Cathal Brugha St is generally light, all the way to O'Connell St and wide enough most of the way to cycle with a good feeling of safety. It's well suited to a novice cyclist.

Bring her out for a test flight on a Sunday to get her used to the route.

Chuchote

Victor wrote: »

There is a cycling journey planner here: www.a-b.ie - select "cycle" under "Trip options".

It suggests Bride Street-Heytesbury Street. The only real problem would be Christchurch - she could walk up Werbrugh Street to avoid the worst of it.

I think she may run into one-ways when she gets up to the top before Christ Church there?

Radial

Meant to say I don't think there's a right turn from Cathal Brugha St to O'Connell St (although it doesn't stop a fair few people), so she would have to dismount and cross O'Connell St. No big deal.