N8/N25/N40 - Dunkettle Interchange [under construction]

KrisW1001 · 30-01-2023 2:47pm

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.

Hibernicis · 02-02-2023 2:56am

New video from Dronehawk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puwefpQWEX8

AugustusMinimus · 03-02-2023 12:14am

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

serfboard · 03-02-2023 12:26am

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?

Shedite27 · 03-02-2023 10:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120194680#Comment_120194680

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

cork_south · 03-02-2023 12:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120195402#Comment_120195402

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.

gooseman12 · 03-02-2023 12:47pm

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.

Cookiemunster · 03-02-2023 12:55pm

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

AugustusMinimus · 03-02-2023 1:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120195718#Comment_120195718

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.

hans aus dtschl · 03-02-2023 1:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120195970#Comment_120195970

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.

hans aus dtschl · 03-02-2023 1:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120195928#Comment_120195928

Agreed.

Just posting to add that what they're designing is not even an optimum outcome for vulnerable users from a distance/detour/beg-button perspective. It's just crap all round.

I currently cycle on the road here and just avoid what they're putting in "for cyclists". I've no doubt that some motorists behind me think I'm just being ignorant, unaware that what's there isn't really fit for purpose.

It's all OK though, because it's "not designed as cycle infrastructure" according to the project team. Yes, I'm being serious, unfortunately.

Risoc · 03-02-2023 4:14pm

Shared use paths piss off everyone. Pedestrians either think its a foot path for them or that the cyclists are going too fast.

Motorists are stunned when a cyclist has the audacity to use the road as they believe theres a cycle-path there for them.

And the cyclists are caught in the middle of this not knowing where to go.

I will say they're nice for really slow leisurely cycles, maybe with the kids as parts of Glounthaune are nicely landscaped. It's commuting options we should be providing for though and a commuting cyclist still has to choose between a road and a footpath.

I guess this is the 'Roads' forum so I'll leave it there.

cantalach · 03-02-2023 4:16pm

The design of that roundabout at the top of Link I is absolutely disgraceful from the perspective of cyclists. The designers can't really believe that any cyclist is going to cycle 10-15 metres down link I, press a button and wait for a green to cross, and then cycle back up to the roundabout they just left. It is tokenistic box-ticking..."yes, we catered for cyclists." Whenever I next cycle from the Bury's Bridge roundabout to Little Island, I'll be in the main traffic lane. Idiots.

cantalach · 03-02-2023 4:18pm

And when the new roundabout on the south side of the new flyover is fully operational, are cyclists expected to go through the same routine again to cross the slip road taking traffic off the N25W? Absolute joke.

hans aus dtschl · 03-02-2023 5:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120196958#Comment_120196958

They will be, yes. I'm not sure whether there will be beg buttons but certainly the detour. As you say, it's tokenistic box-ticking at best. At worst, it makes things more dangerous for the people who avoid using it, as a tiny minority of motorists will "punishment pass".

Extremely frustrating, that when the government and NTA and TII are asking for ideas for sustainable transport "quick-wins" they're simultaneously funding this horrible crap on the side.

niloc1951 · 03-02-2023 5:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120195928#Comment_120195928

The sight line to the crossing is very short, but it's not the only place that has a pedestrian crossing so close to the exit from a roundabout exit.

It's a recipe for creating the environment to get rear-ended if stopping at short notice for an amber light.

AugustusMinimus · 03-02-2023 6:09pm

I wouldn’t be surprised if a dedicated bridge to carry cyclists and pedestrians will be built in a few years time.

Madness that it couldn’t have been properly built into plans now.

BagofWeed · 03-02-2023 7:21pm

So here we go ! Signalised crossing on the N25 eastbound slip from the roundabout ! LOL. And I was slated on here previously for saying they would get lights in someway although I'll admit I didn't think they would end up on the actual slip. The Irish way of doing things of course.

cantalach · 04-02-2023 12:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120197334#Comment_120197334

Yes, good point. Cars leaving a roundabout and speeding up for merge onto a 120 kph dual carriageway aren’t going to be expecting a ped xing (*). Definite rear-ending zone there.

(*) The World’s favourite Americanism.

hans aus dtschl · 04-02-2023 10:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120197680#Comment_120197680

I don't remember you saying this, but just to clarify that the lights were not in the original plans at all. What's been constructed for pedestrians and cyclists around Dunkettle hasn't been shown to the public before construction, it's just "sprouting" up out of the ground. It's bizarre.

niloc1951 · 04-02-2023 3:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120199630#Comment_120199630

There looks to be only about 15m (an arctic is 16.5m long) between the roundabout exit and the pedestrian lights. The roundabout is likely to be heavily trafficked by HGV's leaving Little Island and heading East on the N25, all it needs is just two stopped one behind the other by those pedestrian lights and the whole roundabout becomes gridlocked. Particularly if the drivers are observing the correct lane usage when heading to the third exit, ie. straddling both lanes as they change from the right lane into the left lane on the way to the third exit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rsdaSTOkWk&ab_channel=rsairelandvideos

BagofWeed · 04-02-2023 6:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120200295#Comment_120200295

My instinct was that they would get them in somehow but this is a complete spit into the face of both road safety and of cyclists. Over €250 million just to build an interchange that will be a hazard from day 1.

Rush hour in the evening is going to be interesting at that roundabout. I reckon the solution to any issues there will be ...... traffic lights, lol.

There is some agenda in Cork regarding traffic lights IMO, they get them in wherever they can. The only two roundabouts left on the northside are dilapidated as in they haven't been painted, line marked or have proper signage on their approaches and the council let slip recently after an accident at one of them that they intend to retrofit them which will entail the removal of the roundabouts and the installation of lights ! Two roundabouts that never have traffic issues ! Speed humps on approach and proper bright signage and some actual line markings would actually do but the council seem adamant to install lights everywhere they can.

jackrussel · 06-02-2023 12:38pm

Cameras on the app have been down for nearly a week for me. Same for everyone or my phone being a POS?

AugustusMinimus · 06-02-2023 1:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120207680#Comment_120207680

Yeah. Not working the last few days. The browser based version is working however.

AugustusMinimus · 06-02-2023 1:27pm

As I mentioned already, City to Tunnel loop is progressing very swiftly. They have placed kerbing on the inside of the loop already.

Assume they’ll open the loop but has it signalised alternating with traffic coming from M8 Southbound. This will allow the City to Roundabout slip to be permanently closed.

calnand · 06-02-2023 2:57pm

Surely they could just run it like it eventually be, with the one lane from the M8 southbound alongside the City to tunnel loop, so then M8 southbound has the option still of heading to the tunnel or city, and the inside lane can only enter the tunnel? So just the one set of lights before it crosses the southern section of the interchange.

AugustusMinimus · 06-02-2023 3:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120208105#Comment_120208105

I was thinking that. However that would half throughput for M8 South to Tunnel. Not optimal when lights are still there.

Chris_5339762 · 06-02-2023 4:50pm

Agreed, I think they'll keep the lights.

When the City to Roundabout sliproad gets closed, thats another set of traffic lights gone coming out of the tunnel northbound. Only one left then!

AugustusMinimus · 06-02-2023 5:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120208421#Comment_120208421

It will also allow the team to close a section of the roundabout between the M8 exit and entrance.

niloc1951 · 06-02-2023 6:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120208421#Comment_120208421

Two sets gone, with the City to Roundabout sliproad closed traffic from the M8 should be freeflow to the tunnel, apart from the lights where it merges with the N25 heading into the tunnel.

Last-minute barging, from the M8 lane into the N25 lane, still going on today between the tunnel exit and the roundabout. There really needs to be a row of these https://www.pittman.ie/flexbritetm-flexible-bollard-750mm-orange-white.html installed from the tunnel exit

N8/N25/N40 - Dunkettle Interchange [under construction]

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