J1, J2, J3 etc. on signs - what does it mean?

**Timbuk2**

I came across this yesterday and was just wondering what the J5, J7, etc. actually refers to?

(sorry for the poor quality - zoomed in on Google Streetview)

I perused the rules of the road but couldn't see them mentioned (despite the website claiming that it lists every legal road sign!). I think it just refers to junctions, as in Junction 5, Junction 7, but normally junctions are marked as white text in a black box, and the J isn't included!

And also, the idea of it being junctions doesn't fully make sense (at least not to me!). I could understand maybe the sign is saying that I am approaching Junction 8, but pointing left and straight on to Junctions 5 and 7 doesn't make any sense as you can't really point to a junction - there are potentially a lot of junctions either way, intersection with the N27, N25, N8, N71 etc.

The sign in the picture was on Union Quay in Cork City! It doesn't change the meaning of the sign as such, I'm just curious!

Thanks!

johnmcdnl

there the names of the junctions aren't they???

remember a heap of controversy over them when they were introduced in Dublin because no one had a notion where the new junctions were located due to the new naming system...

that was a few years back... though they got rid of them but obviously not...


at that junction your at Juction 8 I think...

then straight ahead will bring you to J7 etc etc... it's supposed to be handy for writing out directions or something I think... go to J8 then J7 then J4... instead of turn right at a roundanbout then go striaght ahead through the next 4 junctions then go left etc etc etc...
something like that anyways...

someone else who actually understands the principal better will hopefully give a better description but that's my understanding of what they're there for...

munchkin_utd

heres a wee boschure for it
http://www.corkcity.ie/services/roadstransportation/trafficdivision/corkcityorbitalroutes/filedownload,2421,en.pdf
or more general info
http://www.corkcity.ie/services/roadstransportation/trafficdivision/corkcityorbitalroutes/

**Timbuk2**

Thanks for that! It makes a lot more sense to me now!

Is this only in Cork? I'm not familiar with seeing it anywhere else but I may have just missed it!

munchkin_utd

it started in Dublin.
They made a botch job of it at first so redid the signs to be more understandable and when the design was officially decided on as a standard then Cork decided to do the same.

stevenmu

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I think it just refers to junctions, as in Junction 5, Junction 7, but normally junctions are marked as white text in a black box, and the J isn't included!

The difference here is that the sign is directing you to the junctions, not indicating that you are at a particular junction.