How safe is the blessington road and n81 for commuting?

sweet_trip

Job in tallaght and was thinking about cycling to work when weather is nice. But this road looks fairly sketchy. Havent seen any cyclists on it yet although the mornings are still dark and wet.


Blessington road is windy and poorly lit, no cycle lanes etc. N81 is a dual carriageway again no cycle lanes that i can see.



Would you recommend it or no?

listermint

I've cycled it many many many times. I would classify it as fairly dangerous yes. Would I recommend it to someone else no. Note I'm doing it for exercise and not commuting. It would be hellish during commuter hours.

buffalo

The N81 has a hard shoulder for much of it, but can be sketchy at junctions - particularly the big one at Jobstown with the R136.

If you're able to keep up a decent head of speed and be very assertive about your road space, it's possibly a goer. Can't say I'd be keen on it myself, but now's probably a good time to give it a trial run, traffic should be lighter than normal.

iwillhtfu

That'd be a nope from me also it's a nightmare of a road. Plenty of minor roads around there that you might be able to string something together through Saggart/Citywest

crosstownk

I use it regularly but like listermint, I use it outside of rush hour. Plenty of quarry trucks and other HGVs. I certainly wouldn't use it in the dark during busy times.

The dual carriageway section is perfectly fine - decent hard shoulder for practically all of it. There are cycle lanes and under/overpasses at the M50 interchange if your journey takes you that way.

I commuted regularly on the N81 from Templeogue to Tallaght (R136) for almost a year up until lockdown had me WFH.

Don't know the route all that well as it's bee years since I've been out that way but would a part drive part cycle be viable, drive the worst of it and cycle the rest?

iwillhtfu

Deleted User wrote: »

Don't know the route all that well as it's bee years since I've been out that way but would a part drive part cycle be viable, drive the worst of it and cycle the rest?

I think the worst or most dangerous bit would be the cycle back up the embankment at rush hour.

sweet_trip

Thank for the quick replies. Yeah, I don't think its worth risking my life.

The only other route I can think of is through fortunestown lane (or up n82) and onto Katherine tynan road and cookstown way but again those aren't great roads either.



Such a shame.

crosstownk

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I think the worst or most dangerous bit would be the cycle back up the embankment at rush hour.

From Jobstown would be dodgy enough when dark - no streetlights.

A very brave and very fit suffer loving person could always go to/from Brittas over Seskin :eek:

sweet_trip

Deleted User wrote: »

Don't know the route all that well as it's bee years since I've been out that way but would a part drive part cycle be viable, drive the worst of it and cycle the rest?

Would be pointless. I'm only 5km from workplace on saggart side. Hate the fact I have to drive and can't safely ride a bike ffs

iwillhtfu

crosstownk wrote: »

From Jobstown would be dodgy enough when dark - no streetlights.

A very brave and very fit suffer loving person could always go to/from Brittas over Seskin :eek:

True or mad as it seems I'd take the N7 over that N81 anyday

crosstownk

iwillhtfu wrote: »

True or mad as it seems I'd take the N7 over that N81 anyday

True. The only dodgy bit on the N7 would be from the Baldonnel exit to Citywest - no hard shoulder. It's on my commute and it's hairy enough but only for 500m.

OP, you could take Fortunestown Lane to the R136 and then Bothar Katherine Tynan. There's a good cycle track along the Luas on Fortunestown Lane - it disappears for a bit but the traffic won't be mental.

The R136 and Bothar Katherine Tynan have decent off road cycle tracks. Check it out on Google Street View or better still, give it a go on a Sunday afternoon and see what you think.

fat bloke

The N81 hard shoulder is also absolutely filthy with silt and mud from the quarry traffic. Horrible road at the best of times but properly hellish sharing it with impatient rush hour commuter traffic. You could suffer the embankment hard shoulder and get to Brittas and from there take the small lake road through Manor Kilbride and Blesso that way.

sweet_trip

fat bloke wrote: »

impatient rush hour commuter traffic.

I'm used to cycling more rurally and in small towns but traffic around here is more aggressive than I'm used to. People are lunatics at the best of times.

secman

OP ..You're only cycling from Saggart to Tallaght ?
The dirty part of N81 is the first couple of Km from the quarry entrance at the edge of Blessington heading towards Dublin, after that its not too bad. I've often cycled it from Tallaght out to blessington and back via the far side of the small lake to manor Kilbride and back in. Ive done it many a time in pitch darkness. In fairness to the truck drivers , in my experience they give a fairly wide pass.
From Saggart you can cut through citywest, or Catherine Tyan road .

Kaisr Sose

Agree with Secman. Route is not from Blessington. Op could / should clarify. A commute from Blessington is a different beast than from Saggart, and requires very good lights and back ups for emergency.

The trucks are OK, some of the van drivers and cars not so. But they are on every road with the same behaviours. My local road, Enniskerry Road is in my opinion far worse than N81 for dangerous passes and impatient motorists.

From Saggart to Tallaght the worst part is to Jobstown via back of Embankment. Avoided if you go through Citywest and out at Jobstown or Fortunestown.
You could cycle worse roads. Like many, the hard shoulder or gutters are filthy. Aot gets down to how comfortable the OP cycling in traffic that may be moving quite fast. It's also a windy and exposed road in places so that is a factor in bad weather.

fat bloke

Ah jeez yeah Saggart to Tallaght is very doable, and doesn't have to be N81 at all. Much more urban, and congested and therefore slower speed traffic. I'd go Citywest, Jobstown and onward, depending on where in Tallaght I was going. When I heard n81 and Blessington road I immediately thought Brittas to Blessington stretch, which is pox but naught to do with Saggart.

Corker1

For the OP I would avoid the N81 altogether if commuting Saggart to Tallaght. Take the road from Garter Lane past the Luas stop to cross Citywest Road at the roundabout beside the Petrol Station. Then continue East past the back of Citywest campus and across the ring road onto Katherine Tynan Road. A right turn onto Cookstown Road will bring you Tallaght Hospital / Belgard Square. Plenty of bike lanes on this route and not too many squeeze points in my experience.


I am mostly working from home now but was commuting regularly from Blessington to/from Tallaght. I hate the N81 and take parallel quieter roads where possible, even if it means extra distance or climbing. Even though the majority of truck drivers are considerate and give time and space I have had plenty of scary passes. Plus, if it is in any way damp or wet the spray from the trucks will destroy you. Just think Paris Rubaix on a wet Sunday in April.;)

Corker1

secman wrote: »

OP ..You're only cycling from Saggart to Tallaght ?
The dirty part of N81 is the first couple of Km from the quarry entrance at the edge of Blessington heading towards Dublin, after that its not too bad. I've often cycled it from Tallaght out to blessington and back via the far side of the small lake to manor Kilbride and back in. Ive done it many a time in pitch darkness. In fairness to the truck drivers , in my experience they give a fairly wide pass.
From Saggart you can cut through citywest, or Catherine Tyan road .

I agree with most of what you say and don't doubt your experiences with trucks Secman but on the Sections of the N81 without a hardshoulder it can be daunting at times for a cyclist. In fairness 95% of the Truck drivers are sound...but as for the other 5%.:(

ED E

Yeah, I've been commuting by bike for many many years and tbh I'd be slow to do the N81. Much rather do the walkinstown roundabout than do that (not that they're alternatives, just for comparison).

Taxuser1

Corker1 wrote: »

For the OP I would avoid the N81 altogether if commuting Saggart to Tallaght. Take the road from Garter Lane past the Luas stop to cross Citywest Road at the roundabout beside the Petrol Station. Then continue East past the back of Citywest campus and across the ring road onto Katherine Tynan Road. A right turn onto Cookstown Road will bring you Tallaght Hospital / Belgard Square. Plenty of bike lanes on this route and not too many squeeze points in my experience.


I am mostly working from home now but was commuting regularly from Blessington to/from Tallaght. I hate the N81 and take parallel quieter roads where possible, even if it means extra distance or climbing. Even though the majority of truck drivers are considerate and give time and space I have had plenty of scary passes. Plus, if it is in any way damp or wet the spray from the trucks will destroy you. Just think Paris Rubaix on a wet Sunday in April.;)

I’d have thought this too. Only sketchy part is down the Saggart road to the turn at the luas. The rest is bike lane

I commuted before lockdown from Rathcoole through Saggart onto the Blessington road. It’s very manageable. Morning time, it’s downhill and wind assisted which is a bonus and usually has a bus or two which keeps the traffic relatively slow moving. Road isn’t as dirty as say top of the embankment from blessington side. If you’re going to tallaght village the hard shoulder is plenty wide.

It’s in the dark on the way home past Jobstown to the Embankment where it can get hairy if inexperienced. It’s dark up the kicker from jobstown and no yellow line to hide in. And back road to Saggart is dark enough without lights.