N81 - Hollywood Cross to Tallaght [delayed until after 2027]

Heartbreak Hank

http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/NationalRoadsDesignOffice/N81%20RIS/PublicConsultations/LinkToDocument,21942,en.pdf

Brochure for the route corridor options for the N81 upgrade.

Does anyone know to what standard this road will be built? As it is a national secondary I would imagine that it will be a 2+2 now that WS2 have bitten the dust. Will the junctions be grade separated or roundabouts etc?

How far will they proceed with the design before we get the inevitable “put on hold” status update?

Seems to encounter some interesting terrain challenges.

Does anyone have AADT figures for this road?

L1011

Normal S2 seems to still be acceptable for national secondary projects, so it could be that rather than DC - although seeing as it joins a (low quality) DC as is, you never know. "Possible location of change in road section" seems to imply it'll drop in quality south of Blessington, though.

Currently projects appear to get to CPO stage or CPO prepared but not published (e.g. design finalised) before going on freeze.

Terrain around Blessington is going to make this EXPENSIVE as there is no route option except through the hills.

Stark

Heartbreak Hank wrote: »

Does anyone have AADT figures for this road?

15,000 a day at Blessington in 2004 according to the feasibility study:

http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/NationalRoadsDesignOffice/N81%20RIS/FeasibilityReport/LinkToDocument,19726,en.pdf

Definitely enough to justify 2+2 imo.

Chris_5339762

Probably 2+2 for this. Dont expect it for a decade though.

JupiterKid

Weren't there plans going back at least 20 years extend the Tallaght Bypass DC westwards to The Embankment on the N81. Whatever happened to these plans?:(


The N81 needs an upgrade. South of Blessington the road is particularly poor.

spacetweek

JupiterKid wrote: »

Weren't there plans going back at least 20 years extend the Tallaght Bypass DC westwards to The Embankment on the N81. Whatever happened to these plans?:(

This plan is the replacement for that one.

I've received this in the door as I live in the area. I assumed "Possible location of change in road section" implies it'll be 2+2 up to that, then SC from then on. This looks fine to me.

It's unlikely this will be built in the short term though. There are just so many other schemes that are more important. I anticipate construction in around 2017, based on how long it'll take to clear the backlog of more deserving schemes.

larryone

I live just beyond the tail end of it. Some really bad bends on the N81 (poulaphouca, russborough, hollywood) They have been talking about dealing with some of them for nearly 30 years and nothing happened.
The N81 is statistically one of the most dangerous roads in the country (in road deaths Vs vehicles carried per annum), but anything west of the mountains seems to get ignored by Wicklow County Council.
Kildare County Council are in the driving seat for this project.
How rare.

exaisle

Stark wrote: »

15,000 a day at Blessington in 2004 according to the feasibility study:

http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/NationalRoadsDesignOffice/N81%20RIS/FeasibilityReport/LinkToDocument,19726,en.pdf

Definitely enough to justify 2+2 imo.

AFAIK, the current estimates for through traffic in Blessington are based on 2007/2008 surveys. However, much of the traffic on the section from Blessington to Dublin was construction-based and is now but a fraction of what it was even two years ago. According to KCC engineers, a recent survey revealed that traffic levels were "similar" to 2008 levels. Fair play to them.....getting all those council vans to drive up and back for the week....

I live less than a mile from all of the proposed routes and I'd love to see this scheme going ahead.....although to be honest, I'd say the chances of that happening are slim to none, given the need to cut the Capital Budget by a billion in 2011.

However, it is abundantly clear that major improvements are required to this road, not because of the volume of traffic, but specifically because it is a very dangerous road to drive on.

+ to Larryone regarding his comments on Wicklow Co Council, West Wicklow and the state of the N81. Of the existing N81, only a few stretches are satisfactory - specifically Brittas to The Lamb and Crosschapel to Blessington. Everything else, from Tallaght to the N80/N81 junction north of Bunclody, needs widening, improvement to sightlines and/or bypassing.

I suppose I may as well dream here as in bed....

E.

Ash.J.Williams

I was exploring Blessington on google street view. What a disgrace the road has become. The main street was dug up and filled in so many times during the so called "boom" it now looks like a bomb site, and i presume will never be repaired.

Stark

Can't remember the last time I got anywhere above 60km/hr between Tallaght and Blessington. The road desperately needs some overtaking opportunities.

NFD100

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

I was exploring Blessington on google street view. What a disgrace the road has become. The main street was dug up and filled in so many times during the so called "boom" it now looks like a bomb site, and i presume will never be repaired.

Went to tender, see link: http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAY151421

spacetweek

NFD100 wrote: »

Went to tender, see link: http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAY151421

OK, but no point doing that until the bypass is built. Otherwise the main st will just keep ending up the same way. It's all the truck traffic I think.

andrewm4894

Sorry - thought i did a proper search before posting but missed below thread maybe should merge in

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=68325658

---

Hey,

Anyone any info on what routes this is likely to take (N81 Road Improvement Scheme) - think it is still at public consultation stage (finishing) - final route to be public in October/November. Was wondering if anyone a bit more clued in might have insights into likely outcome.

http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/NationalRoadsDesignOffice/N81%20RIS/

I missed the public meetings so if anyone was at some of them then any info would be great.

Route corridor options here:

http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/NationalRoadsDesignOffice/N81%20RIS/Phase2-RouteSelectionStage2010-2011/Stage2RouteCorridoorOptionsJuly2011/

My interest is that i may be buying a house somewhat close to one of the proposed routes.

Cheers

andrewm4894

Hey anyone any updates on how route selection is shaping up?

i created a new thread in error - was asking about route selection and public consultation

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056330627

andrewm4894

found a post here on brittas residents blogspot about the road:

http://brittasresidents.blogspot.com/2010/04/n81-road-improvement-scheme.html

The Brittas and District Community Association has learned that it is unlikely that funding for the upgrade of the N81 will be made available in the near future and that the upgrade is likely to only be a dual carraige way as far as the Embankment.
Past the Embankment, heading for Hollywood Cross, through Brittas the new road is likely to be single lane traffic only.

The NRA are still progressing in identifying a preferred route and hope to make their selection in 2011.

daisling

On the stage running through Blessington there is a LA Estate (Glending) in the "Blue" area in one of the proposed routes. What is the Blue area? And what happens houses in this area? Any help would be great!

andrewm4894

daisling wrote: »

On the stage running through Blessington there is a LA Estate (Glending) in the "Blue" area in one of the proposed routes. What is the Blue area? And what happens houses in this area? Any help would be great!

dont have any ideas on your question i'm afraid

maybe email n81project@kildarenrdo.com - seems like sort of question they should be best placed to answer.

also i rang them and they were pretty good getting back to me - problem was he couldnt/wouldnt tell me how the preferred route is looking so we didnt really have much else to say to each other!

let us know how you get on.

Husavik

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

I was exploring Blessington on google street view. What a disgrace the road has become. The main street was dug up and filled in so many times during the so called "boom" it now looks like a bomb site, and i presume will never be repaired.

You'll be pleased to know that the entire Main st is currently being resurfaced. It to be completed round mid August.

The N81 is a very dangerous road and could do with a safety upgrade but as someone who loves good fast roads, I can't see the benefit of creating a whole new SC road. Either a new DC or a modifed current one.

Priority should be given to the stretch between Hollywood and Baltinglass. From just north of Baltinglass to a mile or so shy of Hollywood is a 10 mile stretch with zero safe overtaking opportunities. A series of 2+1 lengths should go in there. I drove on these types of roads in the states and when you meet a slow lorry, instead of pushing for a tight overtaking you patiently wait for the next 2+1 stretch. It's a great system. I should add that I live in Blessington and don't need to use the N81 south much.

exaisle

Lets be honest about this...no funding for the construction of a DC is going to be made available with the possible exception of the stretch from the end of the "Tallght Bypass" to the Embankment.
What Kildare Co Co are doing is spending the budget that was allocated for the design and route selection. When the final route is decided upon, it will release lands on the other proposed routes from current planning constraints ("sorry...you cant build there because a road might be built there").
Realistically, the best we (regular users of the N81) can hope for is for the current route to be upgraded with a decent bypass of Blessington - not the current joke from the Maxol station to the Naas road.

As regards the current resurfacing on the Main Street....it looks very much like a patchwork quilt at the moment. I hope what's gone in so far is just underlay!

Oh, and while Im at it, whomever designed the junction for the entrance to the new shopping centre from the main street should in all fairness be taken out and shot with balls of their own sh1te. Nobody has the least idea of whom has the right of way. The signage is appalling and the junction at the Naas end of Dunnes Stores is nothing short of dangerous.

Balls of their own sh1te!!

Coriolanus

exaisle wrote: »

As regards the current resurfacing on the Main Street....it looks very much like a patchwork quilt at the moment. I hope what's gone in so far is just underlay!

Pretty sure it is just underlay. There's a two inch drop down from the parking spots by the CoI church down to the surface of the road.

exaisle

Regardless....the odds favour some crowd (ESB/Eircom/Bord Gais/WCC etc etc) coming along within a year and digging it all up again....

e.

JeffK88

Bumping this thread up just because I saw this on etenders website .

http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=APR332635

Slowly... very slowly making progress

Wild Bill

JeffK88 wrote: »

Bumping this thread up just because I saw this on etenders website .

http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=APR332635

Slowly... very slowly making progress

Zee leenke, she don't work.....:(

JupiterKid

I was taking a friend on a drive in my car around Wicklow a couple of weeks back when the weather was nice and on the section of N81 between Hollywood and Baltinglass a car overtook mine and very nearly had a collision with an oncoming car approaching from the opposite direction.:eek::mad:

If this sort of dangerous driving is commonplace on the N81 then I'm not surprised that there are fatal accidents on this road each year.

The N81, particularly south of Blessington, is a dangerous road and needs to be widened and straightened. Blessington could also do with a bypass.

JeffK88

Wild Bill wrote: »

Zee leenke, she don't work.....:(

Etenders website seems to be down , prob maintenance or something.

Wild Bill

JupiterKid wrote: »

an oncoming car approaching form the opposite direction.:eek::mad:

The worst sort of oncoming car

Heartbreak Hank

Anyone know if there has been any progress on this scheme? I presume, like everywhere else in the region, it is getting back to pre-bust levels of congestion?

exaisle

The scheme is "suspended". Nothing will be done this side of 2020 at least.

At the very least, a decent bypass along the lines of the "preferred route" (see link below) which was decided upon some time ago, should be built to take pressure off Blessington Main Street.

http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/NationalRoadsOffice/N81RIS/PreferredRoute/PR%20Brochure%20A3%20Map%20-%20Inside%20leaf.pdf

That, of course, completely fecks up this:

http://visitwicklow.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Blessington_Greenway.pdf

Paddico

JeffK88 wrote: »

Bumping this thread up just because I saw this on etenders website .

http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=APR332635

Slowly... very slowly making progress

Link not working

L1011

Paddico wrote: »

Link not working

Its 4 years old.

marno21

Paddico wrote: »

Link not working

Here's a working link: https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=4300&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders

annfield1978

http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/NationalRoadsOffice/N81RIS/

Preferred Route Corridor announced

Heartbreak Hank

€221.7 M budget cost - can't see this happening for a while.

shawty

Any ideas yet when this road will be kicked off?

I find it strange that they progress it all the way to the point where the plans are on display in the Blessington library and then still there is not start date in sight?

marno21

shawty wrote: »

Any ideas yet when this road will be kicked off?

I find it strange that they progress it all the way to the point where the plans are on display in the Blessington library and then still there is not start date in sight?

It won't start this side of 2025 anyway.

road_high

shawty wrote: »

Any ideas yet when this road will be kicked off?

I find it strange that they progress it all the way to the point where the plans are on display in the Blessington library and then still there is not start date in sight?

Must be a good 20 major schemes way ahead of this. It would be great to ease pressure off the M7 and the present crap road but realistically it's not in the radar yet. The recession pushed things back a decade as regards major upgrades.

Heartbreak Hank

Bad bend at the end of this scheme to be completed ahead of the rest.

http://www.dttas.ie/press-releases/2017/minister-ross-welcomes-over-%E2%82%AC136m-funding-multiple-road-safety-schemes-and-road

http://www.wicklow.ie/n81-knockroe-bends-realignment-scheme

shawty

Heartbreak Hank wrote: »

Bad bend at the end of this scheme to be completed ahead of the rest.

http://www.dttas.ie/press-releases/2017/minister-ross-welcomes-over-%E2%82%AC136m-funding-multiple-road-safety-schemes-and-road

http://www.wicklow.ie/n81-knockroe-bends-realignment-scheme

Interesting, are those bend particularly dangerous? Will they have to just do these roads again if the N81 revamp ever happens or is it down past where that ends?

marno21

shawty wrote: »

Interesting, are those bend particularly dangerous? Will they have to just do these roads again if the N81 revamp ever happens or is it down past where that ends?

Yes, this is just a stopgap safety measure that cannot wait for the big N81 scheme to be done

Heartbreak Hank

shawty wrote: »

Interesting, are those bend particularly dangerous? Will they have to just do these roads again if the N81 revamp ever happens or is it down past where that ends?

The alignment looks pretty close to the preferred route so I would imagine a good portion of this will be incorporated in the full upgrade.

Preferred route dwgs

shawty

marno21 wrote: »

Yes, this is just a stopgap safety measure that cannot wait for the big N81 scheme to be done

Which, with this work going on, will now be 2035

Middle Man

shawty wrote: »

Which, with this work going on, will now be 2035

By which time it will be the M81 with a southern bypass of Tallaght thrown in...

marno21

N81 scheme looks like it will be omitted from the new Capital Plan covering all capital spending up to 2027.

Local meeting on this planned: http://www.kfmradio.com/news/29012018-1557/public-meeting-stalled-n81-grades-take-place-blessington

shawty

marno21 wrote: »

N81 scheme looks like it will be omitted from the new Capital Plan covering all capital spending up to 2027.

Local meeting on this planned: http://www.kfmradio.com/news/29012018-1557/public-meeting-stalled-n81-grades-take-place-blessington

That's a shame!

It's seems they choose to throw up a few new speed signs and lower the speed limit between Brittas and Tallaght to 80 instead. The cheaper option!!

road_high

marno21 wrote: »

N81 scheme looks like it will be omitted from the new Capital Plan covering all capital spending up to 2027.

Local meeting on this planned: http://www.kfmradio.com/news/29012018-1557/public-meeting-stalled-n81-grades-take-place-blessington

Not surprised, didn't expect it to be. The N81 and M9 should have been paired up imaginatively instead of the M9 pouring onto the already overcrowded M7 at Naas. An alternative combined route could have gone from the M50 to Blessington and back over to Kilcullen to meet the M9.
Course this would have likely cost circa 200 million more to build!

spacetweek

road_high wrote: »

Not surprised, didn't expect it to be. The N81 and M9 should have been paired up imaginatively instead of the M9 pouring onto the already overcrowded M7 at Naas.

Well maybe, but that connection m7->m9 goes all the way back to Oct 1994. Bit late now!

spacetweek

I can't find Knockroe , Wicklow on a map. Can someone point me there?

Heartbreak Hank

spacetweek wrote: »

I can't find Knockroe , Wicklow on a map. Can someone point me there?

Just south of Hollywood.

Chris_5339762

That is a pretty hideous bend. Hopefully they'll actually build that bit of the scheme and hatch off the overtaking lanes each side otherwise there'll be a dangerous scramble on those few hundred meters.

Ash.J.Williams

It's an absolutely stunning drive. It would be a shame if any improvements ruin it.

larryone

Heartbreak Hank wrote: »

Just south of Hollywood.

https://www.townlands.ie/wicklow/lower-talbotstown/hollywood/hollywood/knockroe/
Although oddly, that bad bend is mostly in Dragoonhill and not Knockroe...