oddiot wrote: » The final junction with the N51 seems to have been planned with a view to continuing the route between the dumbell roundabouts at some date in the long term.
The route seemed noticably 'curvier' than most other motorways, in that for a lot of the time you can't see more than 500-1000 meters in front of you. This wasn't an issue for sightlines, and in a way it made the route more interesting to drive.
wellbutty wrote: » Is it single or dual carriageway from Kells to the border?
larryone wrote: » While I am a roads enthusiast, I am 100% behind the protesters on this one. Another route could have been chosen that would have saved time, money, and the damage done. It really takes away from the feeling of seeing another fantastic piece of infrastructure being added.
THE BIGGEST and most contentious single stretch of roadway in Irish history was opened without a hitch yesterday morning. Though frequently on the defensive since the M3 motorway was first proposed 13 years ago, the developers of the €1 billion M3 project had their day in the sun. Security was unprecedented for an event like this. The opening was by invitation only and there were Garda checkpoints at the Athboy interchange where the protesters gloomily gathered at least 2km (1.25 miles) away. It was “Spanish weather” according to Iñigo Meirás, the managing director of Ferrovial, the Spanish construction giant which built the project in a joint venture with Irish company SIAC. An outsized Spanish flag and the tricolour flew side-by-side at the opening ceremony as a strong sun beat down on the guests who gathered on a stretch between the Athboy interchange and Navan for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Those in attendance were local mainstream politicians, representatives from various local chambers of commerce, a number of clergymen and some of the 1,000 construction workers who worked on the project including a substantial delegation from Spain. “This day is for the people of Meath and not for those under the ground,” said former chairman of Meath County Council, Cllr Nick Killian who has been a trenchant supporter of the project from the beginning. The protesters who considered the M3 routing through the Tara-Skyrne valley as a desecration of Ireland’s cultural heritage were conspicuous by their absence. Onlookers gathered on an overpass, but they were so far away it was hard to see if they were protesters or curious bystanders. A Garda helicopter was in operation in the skies overhead monitoring protesters, though none got near disrupting the opening ceremony. It was a happy day for Minister for Transport and local TD Noel Dempsey who said his only regret was not building the motorway years earlier. The M3 was a “much needed and strategically significant” motorway and he was proud to be the minister responsible for opening it. It was a “historic day in a county steeped in history” he said, adding that the best route was chosen. Protesters would beg to differ. He said the people of Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells would now get their towns back from the “choking traffic” which had blighted their quality of life for years. “All of us who commute or have a business along this route have been looking forward to this day for quite some time and it is great that it has finally arrived,” he said. The chairman of Meath County Council, Cllr William Carey acknowledged that there were people upset by the routing of the M3 motorway, but he believed it would be “impossible” to build any road through the Tara area without disturbing remains. The whole project constitutes nearly 100km of new road, the largest single road project ever built in the State. Along with 60km of motorway, there will be 35km of side roads, 15km of link roads and a 4km N52 bypass of Kells. There are tolls at Dunshaughlin and Clonee and one at Grange between Navan and Kells. The cost will be €1.30 for each toll. The road was supposed to open at 4pm yesterday, but by early afternoon 200 cars had queued up to try and be the first to use it.
THE Minister for Transport was positively elevating with excitement as he looked out from the podium and surveyed the smooth ribbon of tarmac snaking off towards the Meath skyline. "Today is one of the most historic days in the history of this county," he declared, which is a big claim considering that the Royal County has a particularly action-packed past. But Noel Dempsey -- or "Minister Noel" as one local councillor addressed him, for, like Madonna, he doesn't need a surname on his home turf -- was fair bursting with pride. For the construction of the 60km M3 motorway (or "mohorway" in Meathspeak) was a project most dear to this Trim man's heart. And given the bitter controversy which raged around it for years, Noel must have wondered if this day would ever come. There had been howls of outrage from many quarters -- including high-profile citizens such as Seamus Heaney, Paul Muldoon, Louis le Brocquy and the Chieftains -- when the road was routed right through the hills of Tara and Skryne, an area regarded as the spiritual capital of Ireland. Since construction began in 2007, it was dogged by protests, campaigns and court challenges to have the road rerouted. And although the campaigners lost the battle and yesterday the ribbon was rolled out for the minister to cut, officially opening the €1bn highway from Clonee to north of Kells, it was clear at the opening ceremony that the gardai feared the protesters might have one last scrap for the road. There was a heavy garda presence on the tucked-away stretch of motorway a few kilometres outside Navan; a garda helicopter hovered overhead and there were uniformed bizzies on all nearby roundabouts, ramps and even on the overpass bridges, for fear that some crazed conservationists would suddenly absail into Noel's party like Israeli commandos. The small handful of protesters didn't even get within sight of the Minister for Transport and were stranded on a roundabout near Navan town. But a large assembly of invited locals and guests did turn up, including almost the full set of Meath TDs -- Fianna Fail's Tommy Byrne, Johnny Brady, Mary Wallace and Fine Gael's Damien English. But Damien's party colleague, Meath East deputy Shane McEntee boycotted the event in protest over the presence of the mineral pyrite in the construction of the road. But Noel saw no pyrite before him, only a glorious river of tarmac. And it was all his own work. "It's not too often in politics that you get to see a project from its conception, almost, right through to its design and building. But this is one project that I can certainly say I've seen through all of the stages," he informed the crowd, reminding them that his M3 baby had been conceived while he was Environment Minister. And such was his interest in the motorway, which now bypasses the traffic-choked towns of Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells, that the road was completed two months ahead of schedule, just in the nick of time for the June bank-holiday weekend. After the ceremony, Noel was delighted to talk about the Mohorway. "I'm absolutely thrilled, it's a big occasion opening a motorway of any sort. It's particularly a proud moment for me -- I'm here in my own county. It's just fantastic," he beamed proudly. The Transport Minister preferred not to dwell on the decade-long battle. "There was a lot of controversy generated, but I think this was the best possible route to choose," he insisted. "We're in such an historic county, no matter where you went, you were going to have some difficulties, but the €30m that was spent on archaeological digs, the discoveries that have been found, would never have been found without this route. So I think that on balance this is a positive news story," reckoned Noel. But not everyone agreed. Yesterday, author Colm Toibin attacked the construction of the road. "The desecration of the landscape around Tara was shameful, short-sighted and beyond belief," he blasted. And not everyone has given up, now that the road is up and running, with an estimated 37,000 vehicles every day. At the Hill of Tara yesterday afternoon, the Tara Skyrne Preservation Group was assembling for a protest. "We don't see today as being a joyous occasion," said one member. But nor do they see their fight as over either. "We have applied for the Hill of Tara to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and we want the ancestral bones which were disinterred from ancient burial grounds in Ardsallagh and Collierstown to be reburied," said spokesperson Carmel Diviney. They are also worried that the road -- as roads have a tendency to do -- will bring with it new development in the valley, with further destruction of ancient sites. "We're still watching -- we're guardians of the valley," said Kyrie Murray whose families have lived in the area for 800 years. It was a beautiful day on the Hill of Tara yesterday. The road can't be seen from the hilltop, just a rolling landscape to the distant Dublin mountains. Nor was there any noise, save for that of a waming wind rustling the trees, loud birdsong and the contented bleating of sheep grazing on the lush grass. Noel may be King of the Road, but despite his claim, it's not as historic as the precious royal seat of Tara. In fact, it's not even close.
Furet wrote: » I think the protesters were a diverse lot; but none of the clips I saw on Youtube of eminent archaeologists likening construction to "Auschwitz" (seriously) or other such eccentricism made me feel any support for them at all. If a better route existed, then it should have been chosen. You won't get any argument from me on that score. One thing you'd also have to consider is that the M3 became the focus of anti-roads demonstrations to such an extent that the entire of the M8, M7, M9 and basically the M6 could be built unhindered. I think we can expect the M20, the Slane and Galway Bypasses and the LOOR to have a far rougher ride when construction eventually starts on these.
Chris_5339762 wrote: » Slane will probably be the next fight (as I reckon they picked the route solely to cause delays and thus not have to build it). Galway has its own group of whiners and nothing to do with historical stuff like the M3 crowd mostly were. Shouldnt make it any worse than it is though.
Chris_5339762 wrote: » M20 I reckon will go through pretty much unhindered apart from the landowners naturally. There is nothing of interest along the route at all TBH Slane will probably be the next fight (as I reckon they picked the route solely to cause delays and thus not have to build it). Galway has its own group of whiners and nothing to do with historical stuff like the M3 crowd mostly were. Shouldnt make it any worse than it is though.
murphaph wrote: » Is this really how the M3 flows into the new 2+2 N3 near Kells? I always assumed the two would flow into each other seamlessly, please tell me you don't have to negotiate 2 roundabouts here!
bauderline wrote: » Yeah, the mototway ends with two roundabouts a two stretches of 2+2, no big deal really... doesn't delay much.
malman wrote: » Would someone have a link to a map of the M3; one which i could look at the different exits? Thanks
The largest motorway project in the history of the state
DWCommuter wrote: » From the M3 website; I know its an infrastructure forum, but that statement mocks and be-littles the inter urban motorway programme, which was far more important. Many busier routes could have benefitted from such an onslaught of motorway construction in one tranch. The M3 stinks of something dodgey and for the record Im not one of the eco warrior types concerned with Tara.
Fiskar wrote: » Disagree that other roads or areas were more important, please list them. The Navan to Dublin route was the worst in the country and I speak as a motorbike rider, the queues I passed and on days were part of in my car were ridiculous.
Fiskar wrote: » Have to agree and disagree with you on this, very good post though, you ask a good question. One could expand that and ask why there are two Tolls in Meath rather than one and why the bloody M3 didn't stop at Kells althogether. If the M3 stopped at Kells with one Toll it would have meant a toll of 1.80 / 1.90€. that would suit a lot of people. Where to put the toll to capture the masses would be the problem to generate revenue for MCC. Two Tolls and a longer road will upset those in the Cavan border who are penalised to pay 2 or possibly 3 tolls just to get where they need to. Disagree that other roads or areas were more important, please list them. The Navan to Dublin route was the worst in the country and I speak as a motorbike rider, the queues I passed and on days were part of in my car were ridiculous.
Fiskar wrote: » Have to agree and disagree with you on this, very good post though, you ask a good question. One could expand that and ask why there are two Tolls in Meath rather than one and why the bloody M3 didn't stop at Kells althogether. If the M3 stopped at Kells with one Toll it would have meant a toll of 1.80 / 1.90€. that would suit a lot of people. Where to put the toll to capture the masses would be the problem to generate revenue for MCC. Two Tolls and a longer road will upset those in the Cavan border who are penalised to pay 2 or possibly 3 tolls just to get where they need to.
murphaph wrote: » Nothing a couple of bypasses around Dunshaughlin and Navan couldn't have sorted, plus a bit of 2+2 online upgrading of the old N3 (there was plenty of room along most of it) would have produced a similar end result to road users and would have saved them €5.20 a day in tolls. The M3 looks nice, but it was a scam that will make Eurolink lots of money, even if nobody uses it, that's how dodgy it is. Btw, your point about the road stopping at Kells is moot, you can always use the new bit of 2+2, come off at Kells, trundle along the old N3 until past the first tolls, then join the motorway and just pay €1.30.
Pete_Cavan wrote: » The M3 stinks of something dodgy because it is now the fourth motorway passing through count Meath, the home of the minister for transport.
SeanW wrote: » Ok, if you think "4" motorways in County Meath is a waste of money, consider that:
Jayuu wrote: » As far as I can see the best long term planning here would be to build the M3 onwards bypassing both Virginia and Cavan on their eastern side. Then have the road turn back eastwards to pass Clones on the east and Monaghan on the west and reach the border where the exiting N2 does. Exits could be provided for all of these towns and link roads in. Doing this would give us a motorway to the border serving the main towns of Meath, Cavan and Monaghan along the way and eliminating the need for any major work along the N2 corridor.
Jayuu wrote: » The M2 then from its current end then should turn westward to join the M3 at a new interchange north of Dunshaughlin (Junction 6a). This would have to be tolled along the same lines as the toll between Junctions 5 and 6 on the M3.
