N27 Cork South City Link Road

murphaph

I am interested in finding out a bit more about this road. It strikes me as almost or possibly unique in the RoI as an urban dual carriageway built through existing residential areas in a (at times) deep cutting. The only thing that I can think of that would be in the same vein is Westlink in Belfast.

Dublin doesn't have anything like it that I can think of anyway.

When was it built? Did it require much demolition? was the land reserved or was it perhaps an old railway? Interesting bit of road to say the least and it has a distinctly british feel to it still with the style of construction and the old Mellor traffic signals still in place in part.

Carawaystick

It was an old railway, the station yard was at the back of the elysian tower.

I think it was the railway to Bandon, which would have gone over the Chetwynd viaduct further out.

The road was built in the '80's. I can remember coming from Nemo back into Turners Cross and looking over at the works being done.

I was always amazed there were never any serous crossover accidents as the two carriageways were seperated by a 4" high, 2' wide median.


The lights at the turners cross junction are recent enough instalation, while the lights at the T junction to Mahon were always there.

corktina

plenty of evidence around of the railway if you are interested. The station builing (minus platforms)is still there on the quay by the former metal lifting bridge which linked it to the main station,. The petrol station at the start of the Link is on the site of the Engine "shed" (no ACTUAL shed ever) and you can see traces of it quite clearly. This was the line for Bandon and also later for Macroom , the station site for which is now the Capwell Bus Depot.

JupiterKid

The South City Link road was built on the trackbed of an old railway. The cutting was there before the road was built but I'm not sure if the bridges over the road are the original from the time of the railway line or if they were built later.

AFAIK it opened around 1984 or thereabouts. It is pretty unique in Ireland. Apart from Westlink in Belfast, I can't think of any other road like it.

It's very much an urban dual carriageway.

marmurr1916

JupiterKid wrote: »

The South City Link road was built on the trackbed of an old railway. The cutting was there before the road was built but I'm not sure if the bridges over the road are the original from the time of the railway line or if they were built later.

Douglas Road, South Douglas Road and Old Blackrock Road: bridges were in place to carry these roads over the former railway line, but were rebuilt when the dual-carriageway was built.

JupiterKid wrote: »

AFAIK it opened around 1984 or thereabouts. It is pretty unique in Ireland.

Cork has a few roads that are pretty unique in Ireland - Parnell Bridge is one of them!

corktina

Cork ios also pretty unique in the number of Railway Terminii it once possesed.... i can count 9 off the top of my head!

AugustusMinimus

Been doing a lot of reading lately about trains in Cork and I think it ties in nicely with this thread.

As has already been stated, for the most part, the N27 follows what was the old train line to Bandon. The N27 also occupies part of what was Albert Quay Train station.

Along with the building of the N27 itself, two bridges, Michael Collins and Eamon DeValera were opened on 19th November 1984 in order to facilitate access to the South Link Road from the North side of the city. Both bridges carry traffic from Penrose Wharf to Albert Quay and act as the main North - South access route for city traffic in the centre of the city.

I presume that if both bridges opened in 1984, then the N27 itself probably opened shortly before.

Here's a great photo from when the station was present from roughly where the South Link Road begins today. As you can see, huge changes have taken place.



One interesting change was the removal of the Hibernian Road, road bridge. After this was demolished, it was decided to replace it with only a foot bridge. The reason ? When the train station was there, this was an important street, linking Anglesea Street to Jewtown and Blackrock. Today, we can down the side of Anglesea Street Garda station. However, this road has only existed in the last 35 years.

I'm hoping to take a screen grab from google maps and adjusting it in order to try to get a flavour of the road setup when the station was in operation. I presume that the station itself occupied all of the Elysian block as well as part of where Anglesea Street Garda and Fire stations are now present. Would this mean that Eglinton Street is a relatively new street also ?

I presume Albert Street has always been there ?

niloc1951

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Been doing a lot of reading lately about trains in Cork and I think it ties in nicely with this thread.

As has already been stated, for the most part, the N27 follows what was the old train line to Bandon. The N27 also occupies part of what was Albert Quay Train station.

Along with the building of the N27 itself, two bridges, Michael Collins and Eamon DeValera were opened on 19th November 1984 in order to facilitate access to the South Link Road from the North side of the city. Both bridges carry traffic from Penrose Wharf to Albert Quay and act as the main North - South access route for city traffic in the centre of the city.

I presume that if both bridges opened in 1984, then the N27 itself probably opened shortly before.





Here's a great photo from when the station was present from roughly where the South Link Road begins today. As you can see, huge changes have taken place.



One interesting change was the removal of the Hibernian Road, road bridge. After this was demolished, it was decided to replace it with only a foot bridge. The reason ? When the train station was there, this was an important street, linking Anglesea Street to Jewtown and Blackrock. Today, we can down the side of Anglesea Street Garda station. However, this road has only existed in the last 35 years.

I'm hoping to take a screen grab from google maps and adjusting it in order to try to get a flavour of the road setup when the station was in operation. I presume that the station itself occupied all of the Elysian block as well as part of where Anglesea Street Garda and Fire stations are now present. Would this mean that Eglinton Street is a relatively new street also ?

I presume Albert Street has always been there ?

Eglinton Street was a dead end street starting as it does now at Albert Quay, between the City Hall and the old Bandon Railway station. However it only ran to where the Eglinton Street multi-story car-park is now situated, which was then the site of the Eglinton Street Swimming Baths.

Albert Street was always there, however it did not consist of the present section to the South of the Elysian, it went straight towards Gas Works Road.

Anglesea Street garda station, the fire station and Old Station Road are all on land originally within the old Cork City Corporation Yard which occupied the east side of Anglesea Street between the City Hall and Saint Joachim and Annes

DeepSleeper

Here's a link to an old 25"-to-the-mile map of the area from the early 1900s ...

http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,568191,571726,7,9

Click Historic 6" to see an earlier map from the mid-1800s and click STREET MAP to see a modern map of the area - use the slider at the bottom (where it says Overlay Off) to blend one map over the other.

Victor

From Mick Barry Road (the dump) to Michael Collins Bridge / Penrose Quay was opened in 1984, although wiki says May 1985. This included Old Station Road and the widening of Albert Street.

The spur to Boreenamanna Road was opened later, probably about 1988, with that road widened and realigned as far as Victoria Avenue. The plan was to have the whole Boreenamanna Road upgraded, but I think some sections still need doing.

The section south of Mick Barry Road required part of the dump to be excavated and it opened around the same time as the first section (Kinsale Road-Douglas) of the South Ring Road about 1990.

There was a suggestion to build a direct link from Michael Collins Bridge to Lower Glanmire Road, but this was never built. Partly cost and partly as the Jack Lynch Tunnel reduced the need.

http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,568121,572167,7,3

Only 2-3 buildings needed to be demolished for the project - at Half Moon Bridge (South Douglas Road). Hence the bungalow on the western slip road.

The Old Blackroack Road bridge is shown as a tunnel here: http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,568178,571329,7,9

AugustusMinimus

Victor wrote: »

There was a suggestion to build a direct link from Michael Collins Bridge to Lower Glanmire Road, but this was never built. Partly cost and partly as the Jack Lynch Tunnel reduced the need.

I'm not sure that would have even improved traffic flow. Going over Michael Collins Bridge, accessing the Lower Glanmire Road is easy via Ship Street. Having a TV junction at the end of the bridge is better than having a full junction for traffic flow IMO.


What I really don't understand though is why they didn't retain the Hibernian Road as a road bridge. Would have really aided traffic flow in the area.

RahenyD5

murphaph wrote: »

I am interested in finding out a bit more about this road. It strikes me as almost or possibly unique in the RoI as an urban dual carriageway built through existing residential areas in a (at times) deep cutting. The only thing that I can think of that would be in the same vein is Westlink in Belfast.

Dublin doesn't have anything like it that I can think of anyway.

Aren't the N11 Stillorgan Road and N4 from Palmerstown (the road isolates the village away from surrounding areas) to Heuston close enough?

Yes, Cork still has UK-spec traffic lights and still installs them instead of the futuristic ones found all over Greater Dublin.

EDIT: Just remembered, the crumbling useless old lights on the N4 at Palmerstown were replaced recently but with new UK-spec lights not of the modern style which is unusual for Dublin perhaps cost cutting?

Sheldons Brain

Aren't the N11 Stillorgan Road and N4 from Palmerstown (the road isolates the village away from surrounding areas) to Heuston close enough?

These are suburban rather than urban.

EDIT: Just remembered, the crumbling useless old lights on the N4 at Palmerstown were replaced recently but with new UK-spec lights not of the modern style which is unusual for Dublin perhaps cost cutting?

This is South Dublin council, a noted home of west British influence in their traffic light division. In general, some of this variation in traffic lights is undesirable, one pedestrian crossing has a 3 phase light, the next a 2 phase one. Some standardisation would be helpful.

RahenyD5

Sheldons Brain wrote: »

This is South Dublin council, a noted home of west British influence in their traffic light division. In general, some of this variation in traffic lights is undesirable, one pedestrian crossing has a 3 phase light, the next a 2 phase one. Some standardisation would be helpful.

Ha ha, didn't expect a reply, just realised the original post was from 4 years ago!

Thanks for the info, didn't know there was a south Dublin council that I assumed Dublin City Council controls the whole urban area from Dalkey to Skerries.

So are Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny, Drogheda & Sligo "West Brit" for installing UK-spec traffic lights too? Perhaps these councils couldn't afford the futuristic Dublin-style lights?

Strangely enough Galway City are installing both UK-spec and Dublin-style lights adding inconsistency for maintenance.

blindsider

What's the difference in the traffic lights? any pics or links? (Interested novice)

RahenyD5

blindsider wrote: »

What's the difference in the traffic lights? any pics or links? (Interested novice)

Dublin style:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Collins+Avenue+Extension,+Dublin,+Ireland&hl=en&ll=53.382285,-6.244644&spn=0.00343,0.00751&sll=53.382917,-6.244281&sspn=0.001728,0.003755&oq=Collins+A&hnear=Collins+Avenue+Extension,+Dublin,+County+Dublin+City,+Ireland&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.382208,-6.244677&panoid=gsh3pfjQH0g3rXBhrvomGA&cbp=12,45,,2,2.6

UK style 1:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Collins+Avenue+Extension,+Dublin,+Ireland&hl=en&ll=53.278336,-6.321874&spn=0.003464,0.00751&sll=53.382917,-6.244281&sspn=0.001728,0.003755&oq=Collins+A&hnear=Collins+Avenue+Extension,+Dublin,+County+Dublin+City,+Ireland&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.278336,-6.321874&panoid=Zozba_7i3evGAGicL0j8IA&cbp=12,359.36,,0,-3.86

UK style 2:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Collins+Avenue+Extension,+Dublin,+Ireland&hl=en&ll=53.306757,-6.35688&spn=0.003462,0.00751&sll=53.382917,-6.244281&sspn=0.001728,0.003755&oq=Collins+A&hnear=Collins+Avenue+Extension,+Dublin,+County+Dublin+City,+Ireland&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.306757,-6.35688&panoid=dvlq7CyrcXWg0TaAHjtMxQ&cbp=12,311.62,,1,1.29

KCAccidental

Does anyone remember the temporary road bridge across the south channel of the Lee between Sullivan's Quay and Grand Parade? It was there in the mid-90's, bu does anyone know why it was there and when it was dismantled?

Carawaystick

KCAccidental wrote: »

Does anyone remember the temporary road bridge across the south channel of the Lee between Sullivan's Quay and Grand Parade? It was there in the mid-90's, bu does anyone know why it was there and when it was dismantled?

I remember it, but that's all

AugustusMinimus

Where exactly did this bridge run ? Right beside the present foot bridge ? Did it allow motorised traffic ?

KCAccidental

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Where exactly did this bridge run ? Right beside the present foot bridge ? Did it allow motorised traffic ?

yeah it was for motorised traffic. From what I remember, it was rarely open though. The only reason I could think that it was used for would be for renovations to parliament or south gate bridge. It was to the east of the foot bridge.

Victor

KCAccidental wrote: »

yeah it was for motorised traffic. From what I remember, it was rarely open though. The only reason I could think that it was used for would be for renovations to parliament or south gate bridge. It was to the east of the foot bridge.

Correct. I think the council own / owned two(?) bailey bridges that they use when building / rebuilding other bridges.

For a long time after the new North Gate Bridge there was one here: https://maps.google.ie/maps?q=north+mall+cork&hl=en&ll=51.901041,-8.481504&spn=0.001374,0.003819&sll=53.32432,-6.251695&sspn=0.1702,0.488892&hq=north+mall&hnear=Cork,+County+Cork&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=51.901081,-8.481317&panoid=Y2w-NkDXp1xL08XEunl-Ng&cbp=12,156.23,,0,0.4

niloc1951

KCAccidental wrote: »

Does anyone remember the temporary road bridge across the south channel of the Lee between Sullivan's Quay and Grand Parade? It was there in the mid-90's, bu does anyone know why it was there and when it was dismantled?

The Bailey Bridge between Sullivan's Quay and The Grand Parade was in place while Parliament Bridge was closed for strengthening works.

dmeehan

marmurr1916 wrote: »

Cork has a few roads that are pretty unique in Ireland - Parnell Bridge is one of them!

whats unique about Parnell Bridge?

AugustusMinimus

dmeehan wrote: »

whats unique about Parnell Bridge?

Traffic drives on the right hand side of the road on it. Can't think of anywhere else in Ireland that this happens.

marmurr1916

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Traffic drives on the right hand side of the road on it. Can't think of anywhere else in Ireland that this happens.

Exactly!

Officially, the bridge is divided into two one-way systems, but the practical effect is that traffic drives on the right.

murphym7

marmurr1916 wrote: »

Exactly!

Officially, the bridge is divided into two one-way systems, but the practical effect is that traffic drives on the right.

I have driven over that bridge a thousand times and never noticed, what a dope!:o

audab

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Traffic drives on the right hand side of the road on it. Can't think of anywhere else in Ireland that this happens.

You drive on the right on O'Neill-Crowley St in Youghal: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.954975,-7.849226,3a,75y,52.71h,96.9t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sq9z2ziJLe5eYEosbHwpqIw!2e0

kub

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Traffic drives on the right hand side of the road on it. Can't think of anywhere else in Ireland that this happens.

What about the one that connects the end of South Mall with Anglesea Street? By the city hall.

KCAccidental

kub wrote: »

What about the one that connects the end of South Mall with Anglesea Street? By the city hall.

that's Parnell Bridge.

kub

KCAccidental wrote: »

that's Parnell Bridge.

Oh silly me , I thought Parnell Bridge was the one from Georges Quay to South Mall.

Carawaystick

audab wrote: »

You drive on the right on O'Neill-Crowley St in Youghal: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.954975,-7.849226,3a,75y,52.71h,96.9t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sq9z2ziJLe5eYEosbHwpqIw!2e0

That's actually fairly daft!
there's some logic in Parnell bridge in Cork, none there!

Also great quiz question....

AugustusMinimus

Carawaystick wrote: »

That's actually fairly daft!
there's some logic in Parnell bridge in Cork, none there!

Also great quiz question....

Makes perfect sense to me. Due to the one way system in Youghal, it stops cars from crossing over each other when turning off the main road. Helps traffic flow.

marno21

RTE News report from 1985 on the opening of the South City Link Road, including news on the plan to progress a downstream river crossing (the Jack Lynch Tunnel which opened in 1999).

https://www.rte.ie/archives/collections/news/21198214-new-cork-bypass-opened/

Aontachtoir

Interesting article in the Echo. Looks like the Council is aiming to open up the area around the Tramore Valley Park (AKA the old dump) for pedestrian access. The plan in the Echo involves building a four-metre-wide, kilometre-long pedestrian and cycle path through the park, which will stretch from the Grange Road (R851) to the Blackash Park and Ride. It will also involve the construction of two new overbridges, one to carry the path over the hopefully-soon-to-be M40 at an unclear location (presumably close to the Mount Vernon exit), and one over the N27 close to the Park and Ride.

Something like this would certainly be very helpful in opening up that entire area - as a cyclist, it's essentially impossible to safely travel from the city centre out to Frankfield/Grange without taking a long detour through Togher or Douglas. Plus this would definitely help open up the park, which is quite isolated at the moment. Sounds like a good plan overall, hope it goes ahead.

http://www.eveningecho.ie/corknews/City-Council-planning-Tramore-Valley-bridge-3c1797a1-5bff-410b-af4f-0ad9a76b2cf1-ds