N3-M50 interchange

Skyhater

mackerski wrote: »

I've been thinking a little about this - it's certainly true that any traffic coming outbound on the N3 and wanting to join M50 N will have to follow a more clumsy route. But how many drivers actually do this?......

I totally agree. Although I only occasionally come along the N3 outbound in rush hour, there only ever seems to be a small amount of traffic going onto the M50N. Most of the traffic continues along the N3.
I'm sure there will be some teething problems at the Blanchardstown roundabout, where some signal timings may need changing. To totally safeguard against any issues on the Blanch R/A, I would have changed the right lane to "right turn only" and convert the left lane to "Straight through or Blanch Village". This way any backlog of traffic on the R/A (going N3Out>M50North) would not interfere with Navan Bound traffic.

brownbinman

the changeover finally happened this morning.

I came from Blanch village and was easy peasy getting onto the M50

liamog

Cool, I use this route alot, looing forward to somebody getting pictures.

ciaran75

also came through and traffic to the m50 north moved very well.


however, traffic to the m50 roundabout was worse than normal seemed to be huge number of cars going right around the roundabout so right lane was fully blocked and not really moving much. probably just down to people not knowing sliproad was closed and have go back to blanch roundabout.

also, they have bollards up coming up to entrance to gym effectively closing inner lane. so the three lanes now you have inner lane trying to merge with centre lane at the gym (causes delay) and the outer lane not really moving at all.

if they need to block off inner lane they should do it at blanch roundabout, don't see a need for them to let cars on it at all for 100meters.

Skyhater

N3 inbound looks deserted, and outbound looks to be running well.
You can see the trucks, etc on the slip road.

Attachment from Dublin City Traffic Website

chewed

Skyhater wrote: »

I totally agree. Although I only occasionally come along the N3 outbound in rush hour, there only ever seems to be a small amount of traffic going onto the M50N. Most of the traffic continues along the N3.
I'm sure there will be some teething problems at the Blanchardstown roundabout, where some signal timings may need changing. To totally safeguard against any issues on the Blanch R/A, I would have changed the right lane to "right turn only" and convert the left lane to "Straight through or Blanch Village". This way any backlog of traffic on the R/A (going N3Out>M50North) would not interfere with Navan Bound traffic.

The only issue will be the opening of Ikea next week! This is inevitably going to mean more traffic wanting to get onto the M50 Northbound from the city.

Heroditas

chewed wrote: »

The only issue will be the opening of Ikea next week! This is inevitably going to mean more traffic wanting to get onto the M50 Northbound from the city.

They'd be nearly as quick if they went up through Phibsboro and Ballymun

Heroditas

I can see the N3 from my office and at the moment the traffic is backed up from the M50 roundabout back as far as the overbridge at the Phoenix Park station. Imagine what it'll be like by 5? :rolleyes:

EDIT: currently it's taking 40-45 minutes to get from the Halfway House to the M50 roundabout

mackerski

The updated state of this junction is now reflected on OpenStreetMap

richardjjd

According to livedrive, it was taking 70mins from Half Way house to get through the Blanch/Scotts roundabout by 530pm, and an hour to get clear of the M50 roundabout in bound - I avoided it! Was it just the new junctions, or did the crashes on the m50 at blanch and finglas ramps have something to do with it?

Ice_Box

richardjjd wrote: »

According to livedrive, it was taking 70mins from Half Way house to get through the Blanch/Scotts roundabout by 530pm, and an hour to get clear of the M50 roundabout in bound - I avoided it! Was it just the new junctions, or did the crashes on the m50 at blanch and finglas ramps have something to do with it?

The crashes had nothing to do with it anyway. They were southbound just before blanch.

Skyhater

Sounds like a bad start. I have to say that i'm slightly surprised. Lets just hope it's teething problems and people getting used to the new layout. However it may be due to Light timings and lane layout at the Blanch R/A. As i said before, i think they should change the N3 outbound lane allocation

Skyhater wrote: »

..... To totally safeguard against any issues on the Blanch R/A, I would have changed the right lane to "right turn only" and convert the left lane to "Straight through or Blanch Village". This way any backlog of traffic on the R/A (going N3Out>M50North) would not interfere with Navan Bound traffic.

Random

I'm just back from taking that route now from town M50 northbound. That junction is a disaster. They need to sort the road marking much more clear. There's yellow lines, solid white lines, dashed white lines, black lines, faded lines. Everyone breaking, hesitating, swerving.

Shockingly poor setup IMO.

Stark

Skyhater wrote: »

Sounds like a bad start. I have to say that i'm slightly surprised. Lets just hope it's teething problems and people getting used to the new layout. However it may be due to Light timings and lane layout at the Blanch R/A. As i said before, i think they should change the N3 outbound lane allocation

They changed the lane allocations this morning exactly according to your suggestion actually:

Skyhater wrote:

To totally safeguard against any issues on the Blanch R/A, I would have changed the right lane to "right turn only" and convert the left lane to "Straight through or Blanch Village". This way any backlog of traffic on the R/A (going N3Out>M50North) would not interfere with Navan Bound traffic.

It'll take people a while to get used to that though. I think the main problem is still going to be reduced priority for inbound traffic at the lights.

Skyhater

Stark wrote: »

They changed the lane allocations this morning exactly according to your suggestion actually:

Wow... Sometimes I do talk sense

Stark wrote: »

It'll take people a while to get used to that though. I think the main problem is still going to be reduced priority for inbound traffic at the lights.

Totally Agree!!!

Having travelled through the junction for the fist time today, I have to say N3Inbount > M50N is brilliant and gives us a first glance of the free-fall in action.

On the way back, there were absolutely no issues or tailbacks anywhere; however next week will tell. Hopefully things will have settled by the end of the week.

BrianD

Random wrote: »

I'm just back from taking that route now from town M50 northbound. That junction is a disaster. They need to sort the road marking much more clear. There's yellow lines, solid white lines, dashed white lines, black lines, faded lines. Everyone breaking, hesitating, swerving.

Shockingly poor setup IMO.

Drove through it today. It's a real mess and very careless work by whoever the contractor is. The markings just after he Blanch roundabout heading north are particularly bad ... it's almost like graffitti!

Random

It's better today in that they have actually put arrows and writing on the ground in each of the lanes but it's still far too misleading and not clear enough.

ciaran75

drove directly though into town this morning only briefly stopping (30 seconds or so) at blanch lights. Best i've ever done it in.

They have finished the tarmac on new divertion between main roundabout and auburn. just needs lines etc. now. should be done very soon i'd imagine. (see attached)

Random

I really don't like the 3 lanes outbound after the blanch roundabout. The outside one just vanishes into nothing and i don't even remember seeing any obvious warning signs to that effect.

celticbest

Signage is very poor before and after the R/A outbound, it's the usual wait to see what people complain about and then update or change signage and road markings.

It just seems to me that the planning of diversions is secondary to the upgrade works on all parts of the M50. This could end up with a major accident as people blindly try to navigate through a new diversion.

Davy

I taught the white signs do the job, they show the 3 lanes, and the right one is for turning right for M50N, as for the road markings they are quite poor.

Carawaystick

Should be green signs on a National primary route.
there was a vms before the Auburn rab going on about the bus lane in D2 intead of the major diversion ahead. If you're leaving the city why tell drivers about changes in the city centre????

liamog

Was heading from the M50 to N3 Outbound last night and saw a few drivers get very confused. The main problem seems to be that the outside lane is no longe for N3 traffic. When you head onto the N3 the lanes are badly marked and somebody nearly sideswiped us as they were coming out of the now incorrect lane.

ofjames

ciaran75 wrote: »

drove directly though into town this morning only briefly stopping (30 seconds or so) at blanch lights. Best i've ever done it in.

They have finished the tarmac on new divertion between main roundabout and auburn. just needs lines etc. now. should be done very soon i'd imagine. (see attached)

i've seen this alright. is it just me or does the downward gradient in the road for this diversion seem terribly steep?

Skyhater

liamog wrote: »

Was heading from the M50 to N3 Outbound last night and saw a few drivers get very confused. The main problem seems to be that the outside lane is no longe for N3 traffic. When you head onto the N3 the lanes are badly marked and somebody nearly sideswiped us as they were coming out of the now incorrect lane.

I have to say... there does seem to be enough signs after the M50 R/A. (Signs before the M50 R/A may be confusing). There are some drivers on the road that wouldn't see a sign if it hit them in the face, there are other drivers that just don't understand some signs...., (There are some in my own family that i'd put in those categories)

BrianD

Skyhater wrote: »

I have to say... there does seem to be enough signs after the M50 R/A. (Signs before the M50 R/A may be confusing). There are some drivers on the road that wouldn't see a sign if it hit them in the face, there are other drivers that just don't understand some signs...., (There are some in my own family that i'd put in those categories)

The signage is not a problem. It's the road markings that are a problem. You get into the correct lane according to the signs and then the lane markings lead you all over the place! Especially northbound after the Blanch roundabout.

celticbest

Just heading into work this morning & noticed a new road inbound between the M50 & Auburn R/A, this seems to be a loop of the N3.

Does anybody know why this road has been built? It seems to be similar in layout to the loop on the M50 South Blanchardstown off ramp.

liamog

Skyhater wrote: »

I have to say... there does seem to be enough signs after the M50 R/A. (Signs before the M50 R/A may be confusing). There are some drivers on the road that wouldn't see a sign if it hit them in the face, there are other drivers that just don't understand some signs...., (There are some in my own family that i'd put in those categories)

Is it just me or does their appear to be 3 lanes coming off the roundabout onto the N3 outbound. This was where we nearly got swiped. They may have fixed it up now but the lane markings were not overly clear.

glovehead

yeah, there's 3 lanes coming off the Blanch r'bout. The other day a car in front of me was almost swiped by someone coming out of phantom 3rd lane, which looked pretty crazy. Had a look at it this morning with less traffic and the 3rd lane is on the temporary concrete and just disappears about 20 meters after r'bout when the road straightens up. Not even any road markings telling traffic to merge.

My first post but a long-time reader. Glad I'm not the only road-nerd out there!

liamog

OK this is ridiculous, something really needs to be done about this Phantom lane before an accident happens. Whilst passing through today we were in the correct lane, there was a que of traffic in the phantom lane. At the front of the lane were two drivers who were exchanging details. Obviousley the drivers should not have been doing this in the middle of road. Because of this a gentleman in a people carrier decided to pull out. Most drivers would probably think to indicate or look before pulling out into another lane. For some reason this guy decided not to and nearly rammed into the side of the car. This lead us to have to slam on the breaks and swerve over.

If an accident did happen here I think it would cause alot of damage/distruption as the traffic is coming off the roundabout and the road is pretty closed in due to the ongoing works.

Thats twice now in as many weeks that we have nearly been hit by traffic coming out of the phantom lane.

Random

The phantom lane is still there. ****ing idiots. I don't see what reason they have for it. I'd love to know the logic or thinking behind it if there was any.

It wasn't there when they opened the new M50 North slip first, then they did up the road markings and it seemed to appear ... so someone intentionally added it ...

IIMII

liamog wrote: »

OK this is ridiculous, something really needs to be done about this Phantom lane before an accident happens. Whilst passing through today we were in the correct lane, there was a que of traffic in the phantom lane. At the front of the lane were two drivers who were exchanging details.

Saw same happening myself on Fri - drivers exchanging details with cops there

Heroditas

So who was stuck in the chaos this evening up by Blanchardstown?
I was heading to Ballymun at 6.30 and joined the M50 at Liffey Valley and thought they'd reintroduced the toll barriers because the traffic was so bad.
Decided I might come off at the N3 interchange and then boot down the river road and through Finglas to get to Ballymun and just as I got to the off-ramp at the N3, saw that the traffic was ok from there northbound. Ah well, headed up the ramp anyway because it would have been dangerous to swerve back out at that stage.

Oh my!!! Eventually got to the top of the off-ramp and cars everywhere!
Nothing moving westbound and extremely difficult to head eastbound towards Auburn Road roundabout - took a few goes of the lights to even get off the main interchange roundabout. Eventually headed down to the Auburn Road roundabout and was stunned to see so much traffic heading back all the way to the Halfway House!
Anyway, nipped down New Dunsink Lane and then down the river Road and then down by Coolmine Rugby Club - the traffic was backed up to near the entrance to the club heading towards Auburn Road roundabout! :eek:

What the heck happened there this evening? It's August and it was 6.30 in the evening?! The main bulk of traffic should have dispersed by that stage.
This does not bode well for the start of September

liamog

I was on a train heading into town at about half 5, I went through the roundabout. Looking at the main carriage way I could see that a car had hit the central reservation and traffice appeared to be down to one lane. Not sure of the full details but this was probably the cause.

rameire

Heroditas wrote: »

So who was stuck in the chaos this evening up by Blanchardstown?
I was heading to Ballymun at 6.30 and joined the M50 at Liffey Valley and thought they'd reintroduced the toll barriers because the traffic was so bad.
Decided I might come off at the N3 interchange and then boot down the river road and through Finglas to get to Ballymun and just as I got to the off-ramp at the N3, saw that the traffic was ok from there northbound. Ah well, headed up the ramp anyway because it would have been dangerous to swerve back out at that stage.

Oh my!!! Eventually got to the top of the off-ramp and cars everywhere!
Nothing moving westbound and extremely difficult to head eastbound towards Auburn Road roundabout - took a few goes of the lights to even get off the main interchange roundabout. Eventually headed down to the Auburn Road roundabout and was stunned to see so much traffic heading back all the way to the Halfway House!
Anyway, nipped down New Dunsink Lane and then down the river Road and then down by Coolmine Rugby Club - the traffic was backed up to near the entrance to the club heading towards Auburn Road roundabout! :eek:

What the heck happened there this evening? It's August and it was 6.30 in the evening?! The main bulk of traffic should have dispersed by that stage.
This does not bode well for the start of September

there was a three car crash northbound on the m50 right under the n3 junction.

Heroditas

If it was under the N3 junction though, surely that wouldn't have affected any traffic joining at the N3 to go northward?
It was already building a lot by 4.30 this afternoon - the traffic was backed up from Auburn Avenue roundabout to the Phoenix Park station overbridge.

rameire

Heroditas wrote: »

If it was under the N3 junction though, surely that wouldn't have affected any traffic joining at the N3 to go northward?
It was already building a lot by 4.30 this afternoon - the traffic was backed up from Auburn Avenue roundabout to the Phoenix Park station overbridge.

i got notification of the crash around 4.30 from dublincity.ie
alot of traffic was coming off at the n3 junction northbound, the traffic was redirected from the 2 carriageway lanes onto the new lane 1 ( lane 1 is not finished )
the traffic for me was back up just passed the n4 junction.
took me 15-20 min to get from n4 junction to just passed the crash.
thankfully i was on a motorbike. so passed the crash around 5.20.
looked like a fender bender, car in the middle got mushed badly.
looked like the jeep who smashed into the middle car was badly damaged.
and the car in front wasnt too bad just some damage to the rear of the car.

At 6:10 it was back as far as Ballymount! (I was in it:()
Heard traffic reports saying the crash had already been cleared but there was a breakdown west of the N3 junction blocking everything up even more.

Heroditas

Deleted User wrote: »

but there was a breakdown west of the N3 junction blocking everything up even more.

Bingo! That must have been the nail in the coffin. Bloody hell.
One crash and one breakdown and the whole of the west of Dublin grinds to a halt - during the quietest time for traffic in the year.

thomasjad

it was a tesco truck and two cars i saw it from the foot bridge

triple-M

i was headin home from town to blanch yesterday evenin through the phoenix park and the traffic was backed all the way up auburn avenue then all the way down the castleknock road right into the phoenix park upto nearly as far as the popes cross total time from city to blanch was just over 2hrs I actually got to hear the 5pm 6pm and 7pm news on the radio

Heroditas

Big difference this morning going inbound between the M50 roundabout and the Auburn Avenue roundabout - the inbound traffic is now diverted onto the new stretch of road that cuts down below the old lanes.

Random

Traffic inbound now has the 2 lanes up past total fitness which breaks into 3 lanes on the M50 roundabout. It's much safer now with one dedicated lane for turning right (toward M50 South) and then the middle lane to go either way, with the left lane for straight on.

It's a nice little smooth road too once you get past the sudden sharp turn/dip between the M50 roundabout and the travel lodge.

ciaran75

new temporary road in place coming off m50 northbound.
must be start working on new flyover shortly.

thehomeofDob

So how is this coming along? Any word on what time it'll be finished at?

Davy

thehomeofDob wrote: »

So how is this coming along? Any word on what time it'll be finished at?

Oct 2010 is the finishing time. They are doing a lot of work between the main roundabout and the auburn roundabout. Half the bridge sections are in place.

Random

they've really gotta do something with the road as you pass total fitness eastbound and just get onto the m50 junction roundabout. there's 3 lanes which merge into a sliproad and 3 lanes .. but the roads markets are beyond confusing. the road signs also don't help the issue one bit as both sides of the road seem to suggest different things with the signs.

does anyone know when the n3 / auburn roundabout will be gone? i notice it looks almost flat at this stage and they've started digging up the concrete between the big roundabout and the mini one too.

Heroditas

Auburn roundabout is due to be completely gone and that junction changed into a crossroads by the end of February according to M50Mgt on the M50 thread.

I have to say that there is a fantastic improvement on the N3 outbound to the M50 roundabout in the evenings in the last couple of months. The longest it's taken me from Ashtown roundabout to get onto the M50 has been 10 minutes. Typically it takes me 3-4mins most evenings at 5pm.
Beforehand, that journey could easily take 30mins.

Can't wait until the new slip roads exiting the M50 northbound to join the N3 are finished - that should help ease the congestion causing the traffic exiting onto the N3 backing up as far as the toll bridge many mornings.

Random

the mini roundabout at the bottom of auburn is being replaced by lights too is it?

Heroditas

Random wrote: »

the mini roundabout at the bottom of auburn is being replaced by lights too is it?

No idea, sorry.