M3 Clonee-Kells Motorway construction updates

fresca · 03-06-2010 07:56AM

will it open tomorrow?

mcgeebers · 03-06-2010 09:21AM

http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/roundup/articles/2010/06/02/3997554-new-era-for-trafficchoked-towns/

big mce · 03-06-2010 09:26AM

Any idea what time it opens at?

mcgeebers · 03-06-2010 09:32AM

Unfortunately not. Keep an eye on the Meath Chronicle website. It should have updates

fresca · 03-06-2010 09:50AM

Based on recent openings, the unveiling will be around noon, with traffic supposed to flow around 4, but actually flows somewhere between 1:30 and 2....
whether that applies here or not ... no idea!
Enjoy!!!

mcgeebers wrote: »

Unfortunately not. Keep an eye on the Meath Chronicle website. It should have updates

GeneHunt · 03-06-2010 10:24AM

There's another article in the chronicle too

"Historic Week as M3 Finally Opens"

Stroke Politics · 03-06-2010 10:43AM

There's a whole supplement on the M3 in the Chronicle this week. One half-page article the rail link to Dunboyne on the second last page, no mention that you have to pay the toll to come off the M3 to enter the park and Ride, though. Oh, and the main paper has a half page full-colour ad from Fianna Fáil to congratulate everybody on the completion of the M3......

bauderline · 03-06-2010 11:17AM

I am looking forward to a nice handy drive into bloom on Saturday and an equally hassle free journey home to whitegate.

Looks like the old easypass tag is gonna get a new lease of life as well..

Dermotsull13 · 03-06-2010 11:22AM

Looking forward to this opening... will bring a new lease of life to the county hopefully.

Can anyone tell me how this new motorway ties in with the M50 or will there still be massive traffic buildups around Blanch?

GeneHunt · 03-06-2010 11:38AM

Dermotsull13 wrote: »

Looking forward to this opening... will bring a new lease of life to the county hopefully.

Can anyone tell me how this new motorway ties in with the M50 or will there still be massive traffic buildups around Blanch?

There's a new junction layout currently under construction at the N3/M50 Junction (J6). here's how it will look

Enbee · 03-06-2010 01:32PM

Ugh! No matter how often I look at it I still can't get over the ugliness of this thing. It is such a hideous, misshapen and ungainly design! Were the final designs based on a model that melted after being left in the window of an engineering firm during a heatwave? It looks like Peter Crouch going in for a diving header.

At least the excuse for the original is that construction began round about 1987 or 1988 when funds weren't available for a better design. Not that this can be used as an excuse for the botch job at the M1-M50 which was always intended to take interurban commercial traffic off the quays and into the port.

Just out of interest does anybody have a pic of another proposed design from ten or so years ago? Think it was published in the Irish Times.....

etchyed · 03-06-2010 01:41PM

Enbee wrote: »

Ugh! No matter how often I look at it I still can't get over the ugliness of this thing. It is such a hideous, misshapen and ungainly design! Were the final designs based on a model that melted after being left in the window of an engineering firm during a heatwave? It looks like Peter Crouch going in for a diving header.

Motorway junctions are not supposed to be aesthetically pleasing. When are you ever going to see it from above anyway?

dcr22B · 03-06-2010 01:42PM

If you are entering the motorway on any of the exits between the two tolls, will there be toll booths on the slip roads?

For example, I will be travelling from Swords to Cavan on Sunday week and I intend joining the M3 north at junction 4, Dunshaughlin.

Enbee · 03-06-2010 01:43PM

etchyed wrote: »

Motorway junctions are not supposed to be aesthetically pleasing. When are you ever going to see it from above anyway?

I'd argue that the more elegant the design the more pleasant the driving experience. Possibly safer too.

Aard · 03-06-2010 01:52PM

function > form

etchyed · 03-06-2010 01:53PM

Enbee wrote: »

I'd argue that the more elegant the design the more pleasant the driving experience. Possibly safer too.

Whatevs

Enbee · 03-06-2010 02:05PM

etchyed wrote: »

Whatevs

A rather poor riposte.

As other posters have noted there is a correlation between function and form. Traffic movements between M50 South and N3 West aren't going to be too efficient and I suspect that the required drops in speed could have an effect further back.

GeneHunt · 03-06-2010 02:29PM

dcr22B wrote: »

If you are entering the motorway on any of the exits between the two tolls, will there be toll booths on the slip roads?

For example, I will be travelling from Swords to Cavan on Sunday week and I intend joining the M3 north at junction 4, Dunshaughlin.

No toll booths on slip roads, just two toll Plazas. However Dunshaughlin isn't at Junction 4!

List of Junctions

(J4) - Clonee, Damastown
(J5) - Dunboyne, Trim & Ratoath (Pace Interchange)
Toll Plaza
(J6) - Dunshaughlin, Kilcock & Trim
(J7) - Skryne & Johnstown (Blundelstown Interchange)
(J8) - Navan (South) (Kilcarn Interchange)
(J9) - Navan (North), Delvin, Athboy (N51) (Athboy Interchange)
Toll Plaza
(J10) - Kells (South) (Kilmainham Interchange)
End of Motorway - Kells Bypass (N52)

etchyed · 03-06-2010 02:35PM

Enbee wrote: »

As other posters have noted there is a correlation between function and form. Traffic movements between M50 South and N3 West aren't going to be too efficient and I suspect that the required drops in speed could have an effect further back.

That has nothing to do with what you posted originally. Some waffle about the junction being ugly. Yeah, it's a tight curve from M50S to N3 West, if that was your point originally why didn't you say so?

Stark · 03-06-2010 03:01PM

Not as tight as some of the loops at the Red Cow and the N4 and N2 interchanges though.

dcr22B · 03-06-2010 03:29PM

GeneHunt wrote: »

No toll booths on slip roads, just two toll Plazas. However Dunshaughlin isn't at Junction 4!

Thanks for that, I read it wrong on Wikipedia. D'oh!

Enbee · 03-06-2010 03:31PM

etchyed wrote: »

That has nothing to do with what you posted originally. Some waffle about the junction being ugly. Yeah, it's a tight curve from M50S to N3 West, if that was your point originally why didn't you say so?

I did. Review the post and you will notice that I describe it as ungainly.

L1011 · 03-06-2010 05:12PM

Enbee wrote: »

I'd argue that the more elegant the design the more pleasant the driving experience. Possibly safer too.

You design an elegant junction WITH A SODDING GYM IN THE MIDDLE and we'll see how it works.

Bad planning by the councils going back years caused this. Nothing more. No engineering oversights, its about as advanced as you'll get in that space.

Enbee · 03-06-2010 06:31PM

MYOB wrote: »

You design an elegant junction WITH A SODDING GYM IN THE MIDDLE and we'll see how it works.

Bad planning by the councils going back years caused this. Nothing more. No engineering oversights, its about as advanced as you'll get in that space.

Given our history of political interference in infrastructural projects I know that planners might be more to blame than engineers but even then finance (and lack of it in the 1980s) is probably the main culprit. I'm pretty sure the road designers would have made it freeflow from the beginning if they had the option. I've also seen an illustration of an N4-M50 type interchange for this intersection which I can only conclude did not proceed to the construction stage due to the difficulties of surmounting the on-site difficulties.

One can criticise a design and be simultaneously aware that the designer is not necessarily at fault.

L1011 · 03-06-2010 07:17PM

Most of the junctions on the M50 which have been/are being upgraded were going to be freeflow from the off bar lack of money.

Its improper protection of the land to allow the original plans that the planners are at fault for.

wilsoan · 03-06-2010 09:21PM

According to AA Roadwatch the opening ceremony is at 11 am and the road will be open to traffic at 4 pm.

Enbee · 04-06-2010 08:13AM

MYOB wrote: »

Most of the junctions on the M50 which have been/are being upgraded were going to be freeflow from the off bar lack of money.

Its improper protection of the land to allow the original plans that the planners are at fault for.

So, do you think it's a good junction layout or not?

L1011 · 04-06-2010 09:08AM

Enbee wrote: »

So, do you think it's a good junction layout or not?

Its the best that could be acheived in the circumstances.

Colm R · 04-06-2010 09:37AM

Tailbacks in to Kells on a Friday afternoon can stretch for miles. Its going to be a very strange evening in Kells today!!

Nuno · 04-06-2010 09:41AM

I love how this has changed from an M3 thread to an M50 thread. :rolleyes:

M3 Clonee-Kells Motorway construction updates

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