New Roads planned for Fingal County 2011-2017

spacetweek

On Fingal County Council's Development (such as there will be) Levy page, there is a big project list showing the roads and junction upgrades they plan to build by 2017. Some very interesting stuff.

Notes:

#4 Swords Rd R132 Upgrade
Very glad to hear about this. The state of the old N1 along here is shocking and a big surprise when you compare to the fresh-looking roads just inside the Airport entrance, recently reconstructed as part of the T2 works. In particular the footpaths are very narrow and in bad nick, and there are no cycle tracks.

#5 Malahide Rd upgrade/N32/E-W distributor
This is a big scheme that would see a big new distributor built from the M1 over to the coast. It's been talked about for several years now but has been on hold.

#8 East West Distributor Stockhole Lane to Cherryhound
Bit confused by this. Cherryhound is a junction on the new N2, but Stockhole Lane is way over the far side of the airport. The only way to get there would be through the airport, so I presume this is an online upgrade of the existing road network.

#11 Mulhuddart Interchange Upgrade N3
This is interesting as the Mulhuddart interchange is the one leading to the Blanch Centre and is massively underspecced. Dual overbridges needed here, left-turn slips and double-lane slips.

#12. Ongar to Barnhill Link
#41. N3 – N4 Barnhill to Leixlip Interchange
This big western distributor has been on the cards for ages. In particular #12 has been nearly ready for go for years at this stage. It's part of the Outer Ring Road and would finally bypass the Strawberry Beds road (road between Lucan and Clonsilla via the Liffey).

#29. Swords Western Bypass
Don't like the sound of this too much. Swords should be intensifying in the centre and expanding eastwards, not west, due to the future Metro. Building more roads to the west will only expand the town ever further westwards and further from the metro.

#35. Cappagh Road – North Road Link
#36. Cappagh Road – River Road Link
This has been on the plans for many years and would complete a Castleknock-Finglas link *inside* the M50.

#37. St. Margarets Road upgrade
This would continue the distributor east to Ballymun.

#39. Castaheany Interchange Upgrade
Confusing name as Castaheany is not beside an interchange - I presume they mean Clonee interchange right at the start of the M3. Might be time to get rid of the one-way system for some of the roads around here. It's a bit silly and I never saw the point.

#40. N3 Upgrade Littlepace to M50
#49. N3 Outbound Bus Lane
Very excited by this. Wonder what's in scope. 6-laning, private access closure and hopefully bus lanes in both directions - Not clear though since they listed a bus lane separately. Overdue as the N4 and N7 have been upgraded to this level and it's a revelation.

#44. N3 – N2 Link Castaheany to Damastown
#45. N3 – N2 Link Tyrrelstown to Cherryhound
This one has been on the plans for some time and completes the Outer Ring Road section from Ballycoolin up to the new N2 junction at Cherryhound.

JayeL

Won't believe this Ballycoolin - Cherryhound - Stockhole Lane road until I see it, it's so badly needed and it's a disgrace that non-M50 traffic still has to use Kilshane Cross and Ward Cross to get from the airport to the D15 area.

Incidentally, any word on Fingal's alleged plans for a Ward Cross roundabout or will they keep pointlessly reducing the speed limit, waiting for more people to die?

Empire o de Sun

Think it went through the Part VIII planning process. It was online a while ago. But it probably got hit by budget cuts.

Godge

spacetweek wrote: »

On Fingal County Council's Development (such as there will be) Levy page, there is a big project list showing the roads and junction upgrades they plan to build by 2017. Some very interesting stuff.

Notes:

#12. Ongar to Barnhill Link
#41. N3 – N4 Barnhill to Leixlip Interchange
This big western distributor has been on the cards for ages. In particular #12 has been nearly ready for go for years at this stage. It's part of the Outer Ring Road and would finally bypass the Strawberry Beds road (road between Lucan and Clonsilla via the Liffey).

These roads are badly needed if only from a road safety point of view. The amount of traffic coupled with the relative recklessness of driving means an accident is just waiting to happen.

L1011

That N3-N4 link is significantly further west than was originally planned - it was expected for the existing ORR to be extended to the suspiciously high capacity and oddly shaped L3036 in Coolmine.

Size of Liffey bridge required and impact on tolling revenues must be a factor.

Irish and Proud

I came across this interesting thread and felt it would be appropriate to bump same, given the recent publications and tender notices on the part of Fingal County Council. I've taken a selection of items listed in the first post:

spacetweek wrote: »

#4 Swords Rd R132 Upgrade
Very glad to hear about this. The state of the old N1 along here is shocking and a big surprise when you compare to the fresh-looking roads just inside the Airport entrance, recently reconstructed as part of the T2 works. In particular the footpaths are very narrow and in bad nick, and there are no cycle tracks.

Believe this scheme is out to tender at the moment and may go to construction before the year is out.

spacetweek wrote: »

#5 Malahide Rd upgrade/N32/E-W distributor
This is a big scheme that would see a big new distributor built from the M1 over to the coast. It's been talked about for several years now but has been on hold.

Can't see this happening any time soon - seems very dependent on property development.

spacetweek wrote: »

#11 Mulhuddart Interchange Upgrade N3
This is interesting as the Mulhuddart interchange is the one leading to the Blanch Centre and is massively underspecced. Dual overbridges needed here, left-turn slips and double-lane slips.

This scheme for this was recently on view and includes a loop for traffic heading from the R121 NB to the N3 SB. A second bridge is included.

spacetweek wrote: »

#29. Swords Western Bypass
Don't like the sound of this too much. Swords should be intensifying in the centre and expanding eastwards, not west, due to the future Metro. Building more roads to the west will only expand the town ever further westwards and further from the metro.

I think some form of a Swords western bypass is outlined on the new Fingal Development Plan. Part of the R108 Naul Road is to be incorporated.

spacetweek wrote: »

#37. St. Margarets Road upgrade
This would continue the distributor east to Ballymun.

Isn't that the new road by IKEA linking Charlestown to Ballymun Road?

spacetweek wrote: »

#40. N3 Upgrade Littlepace to M50
#49. N3 Outbound Bus Lane
Very excited by this. Wonder what's in scope. 6-laning, private access closure and hopefully bus lanes in both directions - Not clear though since they listed a bus lane separately. Overdue as the N4 and N7 have been upgraded to this level and it's a revelation.

The short section of M3 between the Pace and Clonee interchanges is D3 - presumably in anticipation of the M/N3 being upgraded from there towards the M50 - however, I haven't heard anything on such an upgrade.

There seems indeed to be a fair bit of activity in Fingal these days, regarding road schemes and overlays etc.

Regards!

L1011

Irish and Proud wrote: »

The short section of M3 between the Pace and Clonee interchanges is D3 - presumably in anticipation of the M/N3 being upgraded from there towards the M50 - however, I haven't heard anything on such an upgrade.

Think that's actually more so that traffic for Clonee from the junction at Pace (e.g. Ratoath, Navan non-toll, etc) doesn't need to weave on/off the mainline