South Dublin County Council is planning to upgrade cycling and pedestrian provisions along a section of the Old Bawn Road ahead of a wider active travel route linking four routes that join it.It would link the routes at the Firhouse Road West, Kiltipper Road, and Killinniny Road junctions along the Old Bawn Road. It will upgrade what officials term substandard pedestrian and cycle infrastructure and will also be a substantial improvement over previous plans for the junctions, which included painted cycle lanes through the junctions. The three options are shown below.The the project is called the Old Bawn Road Active Travel Scheme Southern Junctions scheme, and it will better link the Dodder Valley Greenway, Firhouse Road Active Travel Improvement Scheme, and the D24 Neighbourhood Cycle Network phase 1, Firhouse Road West, and phase 2, Firhouse Road West.IMAGE: A map showing the projects which will be linked by this project.The council officials said they assessed the three junctions at the southern end of the Old Bawn Road using multi-criteria analysis, which considered 19 junction options. The three chosen junction plans include segregated cycle paths and the removal of slip lanes as officials outlined how the slips present a significant safety risk for vulnerable road users.While slip-turning lanes are recognised as being dangerous for people walking and cycling, the officials note that surveys identified extra safety issues, particularly for students from Firhouse Community College, as the capacity of the traffic islands at the Killinniny Road junctions is exceeded by students using it. IMAGE: A drone photo showing the islands at the junction maxed out.The council said that 6,400 pedestrians and cyclists were counted on footpaths and cycle lanes over 24 hours in May 2025.On the Firhouse Road approach to Old Bawn Road, the council are also proposing a traffic-light-priority bus gate this only stops general traffic when a bus is present. The non-statutory public consultation on the project started on June 24th and runs until August 4th. Details of the preferred junction options, assessment of the options, and the form to make a submission can be found at consult.sdublincoco.ie.The council added: A Public Consultation for the full Old Bawn Road Active Travel Scheme will be held at a future date prior to the scheme delivery.