A group of local residents will hold a public walk this Saturday to raise awareness of a proposed new road and greenway linking Baldoyle and Sutton.
The walk will begin at the top of the Baldoyle walkway at 11.30am on September 19 and follow the route of the suggested 450-metre link to Burrow Road.
Organisers say the event will allow residents to see the proposed route and judge whether the project is feasible.
The group is campaigning for a multi-use corridor containing a two-way public road, segregated cycleway, footpath, coastal protection and lighting.
Its proposal envisages a corridor approximately 15 metres wide, comprising a seven-metre road, a 1.5-metre buffer beside a stone wall, a 2.5-metre footpath and a four-metre cycleway.
The route would begin on Burrow Road before the turn for Sutton Golf Club and cross the northern end of the Baldoyle walkway before connecting with Station Road.
Campaigners say it would provide an alternative route between Baldoyle and the Howth peninsula while allowing traffic to bypass Sutton Cross and the DART level crossing at Station Road.
They argue that the area’s geography leaves residents dependent on a small number of heavily congested routes.
“The Sutton Isthmus is unique in that it is the only access to Howth Head, one constrained bottleneck where every road, every journey and every resident converges,” the group said.
It claims congestion could become worse as DART services expand, with longer closures of the Station Road level crossing adding to delays.
The group also highlighted concerns about traffic fumes, road safety and the mixing of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians around Sutton Cross.
Campaigners say the proposed link dcould also provide an additional route for emergency services and complete a missing section of the Sutton-to-Malahide Greenway, which currently ends at the Baldoyle walkway.
However, any project beside the Baldoyle Bay and Malahide Estuary area would require detailed planning and environmental examination.
The group is calling for an engineering design and environmental screening process to establish whether the proposal can be delivered while protecting the coastal environment.
It has also launched an online petition and is inviting residents to submit observations and alternative ideas before it presents its case to Fingal County Council.
Those interested can join the walk at the top of the Baldoyle walkway at 11.30am this Saturday, September 19.
Comments can also be emailed to bothar.na.mara@gmail.com.