N3 - Mulhuddart Interchange Upgrade

nordydan

May be of interest to some. My sister lived in Mulhuddart a few years ago and I can remember the traffic being pretty bad at times in and around Blanchardstown SC. The junction is well below capaciy:

http://www.fingalcoco.ie/Roads/SchemesonDisplay/N3MulhuddartInterchangeUpgrade/

Comhairle Contae Fhine Gall
Fingal County Council

Planning and Development Acts 2000 – 2006
Part VIII Planning and Development Regulations 2001 – 2006

N3 Mulhuddart Interchange Upgrade

Pursuant to the requirements of the above, notice is hereby given of the proposed construction by Fingal County Council of the above Scheme.
The proposed works comprise:-
Construction of a new 2-span bridge on the western side of the existing road bridge together with footpath and on-road cycle lane.
Modify existing bridge to one-way traffic flow southbound. Remove existing footpath on western side of bridge to provide for right turning movements and provision of on road cycle lane on eastern side of bridge.
Construction of 260m of 4m wide looped on ramp to the N3 eastbound from the new bridge.
Widening of the Blanchardstown Road North, Blanchardstown Road South and Old Navan Road on approach to the interchange, and widening of the N3 westbound on/off ramps.
Extension of existing bus lanes on Blanchardstown Road North and Blanchardstown Road South to the proposed signalised junction.
Provision of on-road cycle lane together with pedestrian footpath and grass verge on both sides of the Old Navan Road, Blanchardstown Road North and Blanchardstown Road South.
Relocation of the N3 off-ramp from Navan/Cavan to the Old Navan Road approximately 48m northwest of existing T-junction. The new junction to be signalised.
Relocation of the on-ramp from the Old Navan Road to the N3 approximately 150m southeast of existing junction.
Replace existing interchange roundabouts with signalised junctions incorporating advanced signaling for buses.
Provision of all watermains, sewers, drainage and utility infrastructure, public lighting, signage, road lining and landscaping associated with the above works.
Plans and particulars of the proposed development as shown on the Public Display Drawings are available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy thereof from Thursday 10th March, 2011 to Tuesday 3rd May,2011 as follows:
Fingal County Council, Monday – Friday 9.30a.m. – 4.30 p.m.
Grove Road, (open through lunch)
Blanchardstown,
Dublin 15.
Written submissions or observations with respect to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development would be situated, may be made in writing to:- Mr. Tommie McManus, Administrative Officer, Fingal County Council, Grove Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 to arrive no later than 4.30 p.m. on Tuesday 17th May 2011.
Tommie McManus
Administrative Officer

• Download 09016200 - pdf - 8570kbs

jack presley

i drove past this junction this morning and saw the Fingal Co Co planning notice but couldn't see what it was for obviously so i had intended to stroll down this evening and see what it was for. So it looks like you've saved me a trip. Thanks!

robbie1876

Glad to see this coming, I spend probably 10 to 20 minutes a day in total queuing at this interchange. My first thoughts were that it isn't going to be freeflow enough, but having studied the plan in more detail I think it will be a lot safer for pedestrians, particularly pedestrians coming from the shopping centre crossing the old N3 offramp towards the bridge.

My only concern would be that eastbound N3 traffic exiting up towards Mulhuddart will still get caught in lengthy queues at the top of the ramp. I guess it all boils down to how well the light sequences are programmed. Also glad to see the N3 onramp from the Old Navan Road being moved down a bit and for me personally, the new loop from Blanch Road South onto the N3 east will be sweet.

Good stuff.

JupiterKid

This was a very poorly thought out interchange and even when first opened 20 years ago it was clearly not up to the job.

The on and off ramps from the N3 citybound are particularly bad - who decided that they should meet the old N3 at T junctions instead of directly linking with the roundabout?

Godge

Yes, this is an improvement but I still expect serious access issues to the centre to persist. As for anyone east of the Centre trying to access N3 West, this won't improve things.

More to be done.

alentejo

The only way this jct might work is to get rid of traffic lights and try to design "free flow" as far as practicable.

triple-M

how would the "signalised junctions incorporating advanced signaling for buses"work? also on a similar note,what are they doing in mulhuddart they have an area of the park next to the bridge fenced off?could this be the start of the bridge replacement works?

jack presley

triple-M wrote: »

how would the "signalised junctions incorporating advanced signaling for buses"work? also on a similar note,what are they doing in mulhuddart they have an area of the park next to the bridge fenced off?could this be the start of the bridge replacement works?

Yeah, the bridge is getting replaced. Here's a link.

http://www.fingalcoco.ie/Water/WaterServicesProjects/SurfaceWaterProjects/ReplacementofMulhuddartBridge/

robbie1876

Looks like work has started on this, tree clearing has been happening for the last few days. With a bit of luck a good chunk of the disruption will happen during the summer holidays, but it won't be complete by the time the schools are back on. September will be fun!

The Dark Knight

This design looks like another waste of tax payers money.... A lot of of money, time and effort spent for little (if any) improvement.
Why oh why is fingal co co obsessed with removing roundabouts and replacing with signalised junctions!!???

With a little bit more spend, this junction could be made at least semi-freeflow.

road_high

Whoever "DESIGNED " this junction should be shot. It's absolutely horrendous. A tee junction leading from the N3 exit right onto a roundabout! Clever

sdanseo

mfitzy wrote: »

Whoever "DESIGNED " this junction should be shot. It's absolutely horrendous. A tee junction leading from the N3 exit right onto a roundabout! Clever

Which junction do you mean?

spacetweek

The Dark Knight wrote: »

This design looks like another waste of tax payers money.... A lot of of money, time and effort spent for little (if any) improvement.
Why oh why is fingal co co obsessed with removing roundabouts and replacing with signalised junctions!!???
With a little bit more spend, this junction could be made at least semi-freeflow.

mfitzy wrote: »

Whoever "DESIGNED " this junction should be shot. It's absolutely horrendous. A tee junction leading from the N3 exit right onto a roundabout! Clever

Surprised to say the least at the level of rage here! Am pretty pleased with the design myself.

road_high

spacetweek wrote: »

Surprised to say the least at the level of rage here! Am pretty pleased with the design myself.

Coming off the N3 from Navan direction and turning right towards Blanchardstown; give it a whirl on a wet friday afternoon

sdanseo

mfitzy wrote: »

Coming off the N3 from Navan direction and turning right towards Blanchardstown; give it a whirl on a wet friday afternoon

There's a couple of fairly large flaws in the plan so I was curious which one you meant!

I'd be more worried about coming inbound on the old N3 from Ballycoolin direction and having to turn up towards Mulhuddart. The run before the next junction is so short that the junctions will be permanently clogged and backed up.

It really is very poor road design.

The Dark Knight

spacetweek wrote: »

Surprised to say the least at the level of rage here! Am pretty pleased with the design myself.

What direction are you pleased with?
Most flows aren't improved at all, and others only very marginally!! Terrible waste of money IMHO.

Must write to Leo!!! Surrely he could have cast an eye on a design that's in his constituency.

Irish and Proud

According to this, construction work has commenced on the N3 Mulhuddart Interchange Upgrade scheme. Can anyone confirm this?

Many Thanks!

jack presley

Irish and Proud wrote: »

According to this, construction work has commenced on the N3 Mulhuddart Interchange Upgrade scheme. Can anyone confirm this?

Many Thanks!

Nothing going on when I drove past this evening.

Irish and Proud

jack presley wrote: »

Nothing going on when I drove past this evening.

...and there's nothing on Leo's site either - he's lighting quick when it comes to updates regarding local news etc and indeed, there are new items (dated today and yesterday) posted - so surely, if work on the interchange had started, it would be on the Leo's site.

Thanks for the info!

spacetweek

Irish and Proud wrote: »

According to this, construction work has commenced on the N3 Mulhuddart Interchange Upgrade scheme. Can anyone confirm this?

Many Thanks!

Don't mind yer man Odlum on Skyscraper, he's very optimistic. I think he just read the Fingal notice and assumed it meant the construction was happening right now.

Irish and Proud

spacetweek wrote: »

Irish and Proud wrote: »

According to this, construction work has commenced on the N3 Mulhuddart Interchange Upgrade scheme. Can anyone confirm this?

Many Thanks!

Don't mind yer man Odlum on Skyscraper, he's very optimistic. I think he just read the Fingal notice and assumed it meant the construction was happening right now.

Yeah, that's what it looked like to me, so I thought it would be wise to seek confirmation here...

Ah well...

triple-M

There are quite a few "Bam" labelled containers stacked in the small carpark at tolka valley park here http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.395624011755&lon=-6.38675004243851&zoom=18 could they be related to the upgrade?

Irish and Proud

triple-M wrote: »

There are quite a few "Bam" labelled containers stacked in the small carpark at tolka valley park here http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.395624011755&lon=-6.38675004243851&zoom=18 could they be related to the upgrade?

Looks like it - if >>this current thread<< (from another forum) is anything to go by!

spacetweek

Irish and Proud wrote: »

Looks like it - if >>this current thread<< (from another forum) is anything to go by!

Yea, one guy on there got verbal confirmation from the staff, sounds like they're getting their gear set up.

I remember working near the Blanch Centre back in 2002 and commenting on how that junction needed improvements even then. Very overdue!

rolion

jack presley wrote: »

Nothing going on when I drove past this evening.

Seen recent activity over there,not sure what's going on...hopefully the upgrade has started !

A-Train

rolion wrote: »

Seen recent activity over there,not sure what's going on...hopefully the upgrade has started !

Yeah local signage says work on the upgrade has started.

555guy

There hasn't been an update here for a while ... so here are a few pics of the new slip road onto the N3 is starting to take shape (tarmac laid there now)...

rolion

555guy wrote: »

There hasn't been an update here for a while ... so here are a few pics of the new slip road onto the N3 is starting to take shape (tarmac laid there now)...

Thanks for the pictures...
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056775872

spacetweek

Here's an album of photos I took of this today.

road_high

How's this coming along? When is it likely to finish?

jack presley

road_high wrote: »

How's this coming along? When is it likely to finish?

Coming on quite nicely. I've no idea of the finish date as the last few bits on these things always seem to take forever. The majority of the heavy work is done and the main bit left to be done seems to be at the slip road beside the shopping centre.

spacetweek

I drove through this junction last week and it certainly looks finished.

spacetweek

spacetweek wrote: »

I drove through this junction last week and it certainly looks finished.

I don't live around there, is this junction finished now or what?

January

spacetweek wrote: »

I don't live around there, is this junction finished now or what?

Yes, finished a few weeks now. Traffic doesn't seem heavy going through but haven't been near it at peak times.

Apart from the bus lane from the centre (along the Crowne Plaza) that's not open yet.

robbie1876

January wrote: »

Yes, finished a few weeks now. Traffic doesn't seem heavy going through but haven't been near it at peak times.

Apart from the bus lane from the centre (along the Crowne Plaza) that's not open yet.

I drive through it every day, peak times also. Overall, I think traffic flows through quicker than before, and it is much safer for pedestrians.