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The new rail bridge over the Sallins Bypass. © Eugene Brennan
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I
cycled to Sallins on Sunday to investigate the Sallins Bypass which
opened in April of 2021. I don't normally venture to this part of the
county because of the amount of traffic on the roads and my trips are
usually cross country through south Kildare or to west Wicklow. The R448
Kilcullen to Naas road isn't exactly safe for cycling on, so I normally
go all over the world to get to Naas, via Mile Mill, Brannockstown,
Carnalway, Harristown and Mullacash before emerging out onto the R448
just south of Killashee. From this junction, there's a short section of
busy road without a hard shoulder as far as Killashee MDNS, but after
that it's possible to cycle all the way to Sallins using a combination
of new cycle paths in Naas and along the bypass plus the roads along the
canal (sections of which are now closed to traffic).
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My route to Naas and Sallins. © Eugene Brennan
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The Bypass Bridges
Construction
was a joint venture between SIAC and Colas, and six new structures had
to be constructed for the bypass. One of the bridges extends over the
Grand Canal and two had to be constructed over the River Liffey because
of the way the river meanders. All of these bridges have quite large
spans when viewed from underneath. Irish Rail were responsible for
constructing the underbridge where the bypass runs under the railway,
this bridge located 60 metres from the rail bridge on the road that runs
along the canal to Digby Bridge.
Cycle Paths
A
segregated cycle path runs along the bypass from its junction with the
Clane road north of Sallins, as far as the Osberstown overbridge. At
this point, the cycle path ends and cyclists can leave the bypass to
make a connection to the Osberstown road, just north of where it crosses the canal. There are also cycle lanes on the Sallins Link Road from its junction
with the bypass as far as the centre of the town. In Sallins itself,
cycle paths run from the south of the town before the Osberstown road
turn off as far as the railway bridge in Sallins. After that, heading
northwards, there's a break in the path before it begins again north of
the canal bridge.
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| Cycle path on the Sallins Bypass. © Eugene Brennan |
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One of the bridges over the River Liffey. © Eugene Brennan
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© Eugene Brennan
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An access stairway to the underside of one of the bridges. © Eugene Brennan
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© Eugene Brennan
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Overbridge for the bypass as it crosses the Grand Canal. © Eugene Brennan
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Some more information on construction here:
