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N8/N25/N40 - Dunkettle Interchange [open to traffic]

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,600 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    Thanks guys, I wonder will the freeeflow result in a bit of a log jam in the tunnel and/or people exceeding the speed limit in it. Perhaps it will be increased anyway



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    I don't think so.. the lane arrangements are planned well enough I think.


    I reckon myself that the logjam will move to the N28 merge along the south ring.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,241 ✭✭✭hans aus dtschl


    Yep backups will be near the N28 (Bloomfield interchange) and no increase in speed limit, if anything a reduction to 60kmh on sections of the interchange.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,555 ✭✭✭kub


    The Douglas flyover section West bound is going to a issue also.

    All the tunnel traffic plus the N/M28 Wesbound on the N40 will well and truly be bottlenecked there.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,241 ✭✭✭hans aus dtschl


    Yeah sorry I wasn't clear enough, the issues will be somewhere between around Bloomfield and around Douglas West for the medium-term and possibly long-term future.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭mcburns07


    Anyone find the outer lane heading west on the N25 toward the interchange very very narrow with the temporary barriers?

    Even at the 60kmh limit I see some cars struggle to stay within the lane.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    Absolutely. And when the M28 is opened, I still think it'll be one of the biggest bottlenecks in the country, if not the biggest. Delays during the day for longer than rush hour.


    It IS possible to widen the viaduct, there actually is space without much/any demolition, but realistically I don't think it'd happen. People would go ballistic thesedays. With NIMBYISM taking on the douglas valley bridge (part of the southern distributor) it does not bode well for doing anything much about it.

    Would the North Ring help? Not as much as people think, I don't reckon.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,561 ✭✭✭AugustusMinimus


    The only solution to Douglas flyover would be to stack it and have a lower 3 or 4 carriageway serving westbound traffic and have the upper deck serving westbound traffic.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,150 ✭✭✭Gru


    I'm convinced if they put blocked the view into Douglas village heading west it would prevent some of the slow down. Once vehicles have passed the flyover everyone speeds up again. Otherwise as mentioned already it'll get worse once traffic volumes increase. Plus the regular collisions on that stretch of road.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 453 ✭✭BagofWeed


    Exactly its the fear factor at play. The lack of a hard shoulder at that location seems to induce fear into a certain type of driver of which Cork has a plentiful supply of. I don't think though that a view blocking screen would stop it as the screen would then become the fear inducer.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,476 ✭✭✭✭Mushy


    Just accidentally ended up on first page of this thread and 2nd comment is praising the news of works and saying to expect it in 10 years....that was in 2009. Finny and sad!

    Does anyone know if the slip from n25w to the interchange is going to be raised? There's the edge of a structure right beside the existing off-ramp, and it seems to be much higher than the road as it currently is. I think its st04 which will seemingly have beams in place over the next month or so. Or is it just that this link is for little island to city and so is the same height as the main carriageway?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    Screening off places of interest is quite common in Europe, it removes the temptation for drivers to be distracted or engage in rubbernecking which does slow traffic and also increases the probability of wandering out of lane and crashes.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,561 ✭✭✭AugustusMinimus


    I do think in this case that the primary reason for slowing is the perceived narrowing of the road.

    It probably contributes to some of the congestion. Drivers slowing will create waves of stop start flowing backwards through traffic from the flyover which gets worse and worse with increased traffic.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    I don't disagree with that assumption, it certainly would be one of the contributing factors given the incompetence of so many drivers to manage their vehicles.

    The standard of driving is so bad in this country, particularly when it comes to using the full potential of a vehicle. One sees so many drivers concentrating on the road a few meters ahead of the vehicle and holding the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip instead of sitting relaxed, letting the vehicle do the work and scanning the road ahead for potential challenges.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 153 ✭✭Corkladddd!!



    I did think when it was screened for the Douglas Shopping Centre renovations that it seemed to flow better (All of Douglas flowed better but thats a different discussion!, with some decent design you could screen it and make it seem more open. Plenty architectural tricks for that with shapes and light.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    I know it's a little off-topic.

    Why are the road surfaces of the northbound and southbound carriageways of the M8 at junctions 17 and 18 marked N8 while all roadside signs say M8? The road markings are fresh so do not predate the upgrading of the road to motorway status in 2009





  • It becomes the N8 at the last junction, so I guess they're signing for the N8 which continues as N road from there on.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,753 ✭✭✭KrisW1001


    The road opened as N8, and was re-classified as a motorway afterwards, so the original lane markings said N8. When it came to renovate the lining on the road the crew just went over the existing markings: to change them would mean burning off the original "N" on each lane and replacing it with new paint, which takes much longer than just touching up what’s there already.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    Unbelievable, those markings should have been left to fade away to nothing and not touched up. It's not as if there aren't enough other signs in place to inform drivers what road they are driving on.



  • Registered Users Posts: 708 ✭✭✭cork_south


    Anyone know what the final layout will be for traffic exiting the tunnel northbound?

    I'd estimate 80÷ of the traffic is using the left hand lane (town and east cork) in the existing layout which causes the left hand lane to back up and the right hand lane to flow well, even during peak hours. In theory this shouldn't be an issue if the interchange is really free flow but allowing the right hand lane to head to East Cork would make sense.

    Will they keep the existing lane layout once the work on the interchange has been fully completed?



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    Have a look here https://www.dunkettle.ie/media/1776/dki-labels.jpg zoom in and you will see there will be total free flow. M8-bound traffic exiting the tunnel will be going under the eastern section of the present fly-over.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,862 ✭✭✭✭markodaly


    Latest Newsletter stating that overall works to be complete by Feb 24.

    Id image this year, especially over the summer that the majority of the links to be finished and open to traffic.



  • Registered Users Posts: 708 ✭✭✭cork_south


    Thx, yeah aware it's designed to be free flow but with the majority of traffic using 1 of the 2 bores presently it may prove to be a problem if they keep the current layout.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    The final layout looks like traffic heading for the M8 will have to be in the correct lane before the south entrance to the tunnel as it looks like there will be little or no opportunity to lane change between the exit of the tunnel and the interchange.

    I see the whole interchange working very well once drivers get used to it and negotiate it with confidence at the appropriate speed. Last-minute lane jumping is unlikely to be a profitable exercise.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,561 ✭✭✭AugustusMinimus


    Feb 24 would be slightly ahead of schedule I think. As you say, I think the links will all be open ahead of this. The later work will be landscaping / surfacing work etc to bring it up to final standard.

    Tunnel to City link to be opened by end if Feb 23. Assume free flow which will greatly help with the left lane going through the tunnel.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,561 ✭✭✭AugustusMinimus


    Interesting looking at the camera pointing towards the tunnel. They have built up a large bank of rubble to the right of the south bound carriageway before the tunnel entrance.

    I cannot understand what its purpose is. Is it just temporary housing?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,476 ✭✭✭✭Mushy


    Had requested if an overview of proposed link openings coukd be provided in the weekly emails, but it got pushed back as there's so many moving parts/unexpected delays.

    What did come back was that Link I should open early February, with Link B by end of February. Nothing then until hopefully Q3 where Links A, D (northbound & southbound), F, K, L, J and M will open at the same time. Final Links (P and C - so n25w to m8n and little island to m8n) will be by end of year. Not all links will be 100% final alignment, so may be some smaller adjustments afterwards.

    Going to be sone change at 1 point in time.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,561 ✭✭✭AugustusMinimus


    Map showing road links below.

    By saying link A, I assume that it will be Q3 for fully free flow?



  • Registered Users Posts: 708 ✭✭✭cork_south


    The opening of Link B free flow from tunnel north towards town should make a huge difference alright.


    I'm still convinced we could see traffic backed up from the lights at the Dunkettle roundabout into the tunnel at peak times though.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,476 ✭✭✭✭Mushy


    Yeah sorry was in work when did earlier post. All those will be free flow at that point according to email, but not necessarily the final alignment be it vertical or horizontal. No idea how it works out in practice, no doubt it'll be fairly simple in the end



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,216 ✭✭✭cargo



    The are due to start work on a new retaining wall structure (RW03) on the right as you come out of the JLT northbound. This is just across that little works area from where the soil is stockpilled so I'm guessing it's going to be used as infill for the retaining wall when it goes up. The wall was mentioned in this weeks newsletter as it involves some lane restrictions in the area.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    Looks to me (on the south facing cameras) that they are going to move the southern part of the roundabout north a little bit, and then build the rest of the embankment for the N25W to M8N movement.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,216 ✭✭✭cargo


    I deny ever making that statement above!!! :-)

    There's a fella in a Hitachi after taken into that mound this morning and flattening it... In fairness he did move a good bit of it over to the other side of the space. it looks like it's been used to raise the area.



  • Registered Users Posts: 169 ✭✭Risoc


    It was constant changes and openings there for a few months. Just the minor openings next month now. After that, it looks like one Big Bang opening of everything then. I reckon there’ll be problems with m8s traffic heading for Lr Glanmire Road thinking they still have a roundabout instead of heading East.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,427 ✭✭✭Shedite27


    Almost every opening someone's thought "there'll be problems with...", one day of teething problems and it's grand



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 153 ✭✭Corkladddd!!


    Is there any talk of any monitoring the tunnel/after the tunnel northbound by AGS?

    Nearly had an incident this morning with a van that had traveled up the right lane but was intent on going to Little Island/Midleton but not willing to wait the 30s as the rest do, he hit the indicator but there wasn't sufficient space to get into the gap but he turned in anyway, I was fortunate the driver behind me was paying attention and had slowed enough that when I hit the brakes he didn't rear end me.

    To the driver behind, thanks for better driving ability than the driver in front!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭niloc1951


    I notice that there is still a lot of last-minute barging going on by drivers using the M8 lane up to the roundabout and wanting to go to the N25 East lane.

    The M8 lane from before the south entrance to the tunnel should be marked M8 ONLY and a row of these https://www.google.ie/maps/@51.9051724,-8.2851601,3a,75y,149.53h,78.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTKzU1Z5lAlX1wjgtZ9r0WA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en bollards fitted from the north end of the tunnel to the roundabout.

    Any driver wanting to get to the N25, after exiting the tunnel, can then do a circuit of the roundabout and emergency vehicles can still do an emergency lane change if using blues & twos



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    A solid line or something should happen. At the moment it is completely legal (albeit immoral) to do last minute lane barging to skip the queue.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,561 ✭✭✭AugustusMinimus


    Nice video on todays progress update.




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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,241 ✭✭✭hans aus dtschl


    Interesting: I never realised that the southern roundabout would have two different arms/exits off it, for Tunnel and M8 respectively. I always assumed it was two routes originating from the one shared roundabout exit. I wonder why they did it this way, but possibly to allow for easier diversions in future, in times of tunnel maintenance!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,753 ✭✭✭KrisW1001


    There’s going to be a big difference in height between those two links (tunnel ends at ground-level, M8 North stays high, crosses the southern part of the interchange, then dips under the bridge before rising again to cross the N25-East link (already open) and eventually merge with M8, so giving them separate exits allows that height divergence to happen as soon as possible. Like you, I thought it was one exit, and I had wondered how they were going to manage this.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭Hibernicis




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,561 ✭✭✭AugustusMinimus


    Appears to be big progress being made on the City to Tunnel loop. Could be open within a few months I suspect.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,720 ✭✭✭serfboard


    Surprised to see not much (no) progress made on the tunnel to city slip. Are they waiting for something else to finish before doing what looks like a simple job?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,427 ✭✭✭Shedite27


    I'd say they're focusing on the jobs that will alleviate traffic the most, Tunnel to City is a fairly light one and won't save people much time



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  • Registered Users Posts: 708 ✭✭✭cork_south


    As someone who need to navigate the tunnel northbound through evening rush hour traffic is backed up to Douglas most days.

    If they are focusing on the jobs that will alleviate traffic the most the opening the tunnel to city free flow slip road should be the top priority at the moment as the left hand lane is a big problem.

    In fact I really don't understand why they didn't add this simple slip road first day, but that is another conversation.



  • Registered Users Posts: 77 ✭✭gooseman12


    That signalised crossing point at the top of the new slip onto the n25E is a tricky one.

    While it is needed, I hate to see crossings so soon after coming off a roundabout. It's dangerous for people crossing and it's a danger for motorists stopping here as some drivers just don't expect these things in these sort of locations.




  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 12,181 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    Yeah, in the cost of whole project, would it have been that much more expensive to add an underpass here for pedestrians and cyclists?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,561 ✭✭✭AugustusMinimus



    There are as a plan to add left turn slips onto several arms back around 2005 but that was shelved and the present scheme investigated instead.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,241 ✭✭✭hans aus dtschl


    I can't understand why they didn't do a better job of the whole Pedestrian/Cyclist design. The costs would have been minimal in comparison with the rest of the project.

    And I promise you that the issues were pointed out in detail, in both written and verbal form. You wouldn't believe some of the replies, to be quite frank. To use the word "dismissive" would be extremely generous.



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