M3 Clonee-Kells Motorway construction updates

CUCINA

Well, actually just one more...the Pace railway station, W.I.P.

Amtmann

Looks like the M3 could open within the next two months so!

munchkin_utd

Indeed, imeddyhobbs is working on the project was predicting an early opening since mid september.

Since Saturday we can now drive the entire length of the motorway without having to use other roads,99 percent of the project is now covered in blacktop.Weather pending the motorway could be open by march 2010

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=62106510&postcount=247

Maybe the Authorities mentioning a June opening date (as stated by emfiffty) is simply expectation management, better to give a date that cannot be missed, than a realistic one that could be affected by bad weather.

etchyed

Noticed today that signage has been erected on the gantries heading westbound towards the Pace junction. However the signs above the mainline have been blacked out, with only exit portion (Dunboyne, Ratoath) remaining visible. Sorry I don't have photos. This would suggest that the road will open as far as the Pace junction first, as others here have suggested might happen.

KevR

Anyone know how many people are currently working on the M3 scheme?

congo_90

A thought occurs as to why the p&r was built after the toll if the idea is to make it economical to motorists entering Dublin to use? Would people not just use the bypass roads?

Nice to see this coming on. I'll try head out tomorrow and get pics of the m3 as it progresses and the railway in the area.

murphaph

congo_90 wrote: »

A thought occurs as to why the p&r was built after the toll if the idea is to make it economical to motorists entering Dublin to use? Would people not just use the bypass roads?

Because this whole scheme (more than any other) was a FoFF jobbie designed purely to make money for already rich people. It was never a good idea to build the M3. The N3 was probably the most upgradable route out of Dublin and offline 2+2 bypasses of Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells could and should have been built years ago and gradually linked together with online upgrades of the N3. This is not a Tara rant, I don@t think the M3 does any harm in that regard at all.

Irish and Proud

murphaph wrote: »

Because this whole scheme (more than any other) was a FoFF jobbie designed purely to make money for already rich people. It was never a good idea to build the M3. The N3 was probably the most upgradable route out of Dublin and offline 2+2 bypasses of Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells could and should have been built years ago and gradually linked together with online upgrades of the N3. This is not a Tara rant, I don@t think the M3 does any harm in that regard at all.

When I was younger (19 or so), I had a an idea which involved upgrading the N2 to full D2 to as far as Balrath (bypassing Ashbourne of course), then upgrading the R153 bypassing Kentstown to the south and continuing to the east of Navan - that would be a full grade separated D2 to Navan. From there, an S2 bypass link from the N3 (Dublin Road) would join at a relatively complex interchange and the dual carriageway would continue as motorway across the Boyne to the north of Navan and the south of Kells - the motorway would terminate at the N52 (west of Kells) and continue to Carnaross as S2.

The N51 would multiplex with the M3 (my version that is!) and N52 Delvin Road, which would mean that the N51 would only have to be upgraded from Navan to Drogheda. Also, the R153 would get a piggyback from Balrath to Navan! Of course, most of the N3 from Clonee to Navan would not need a major upgrade apart from a Dunshaughlin relief route. I was even looking at the idea of diverting the N52 traffic via the motorway and N51 to Slane, then to Collen (via N2), and coming out on the M1 at Dunleer (via R169).

I still agree with most of the above concepts - but of course, few (if any) will actually happen!

Regards!

BluntGuy

CUCINA wrote: »

...and finally for now...shot showing the rear of the "Emo" garage on RHS.

Great pictures... but I'm not liking where those End of motorway "chopsticks" are. :mad:

Roryhy

From m50.ie

mysterious

munchkin_utd wrote: »

total tangent, sort of.
I was trying to get a link to a costing , even a rough one of the cost of this 80km of brand new motorway between Limerick and Cork.
I havent come across anything yet though, except maps and detailed engineering reports.
Can anyone actually provide a link to a government (or other official) document and tell us what this new road will cost to build?

If the M3 cost 650Million for 59km of mainline (according to SIAC, and thats 49km motorway and 10km N3 offline upgrade), then very very roughly the 80km for Cork to Limerick would be in the region of 880 Million Euro.

Land prices in Meath are ALOT more valuable than land between Cork and Limerick which a lot of it is hills, bog and under used land.

The M3 is a wide median high quality toll motorway. Land prices are continueing to fall btw.

I would give the figure 550million.

Irish and Proud

mysterious wrote: »

The M3 is a wide median high quality toll motorway

er... wide median?

AFAIK, the M3 is a narrow median (type 1 DC with concrete barrier) spec. The M3 Clonee Bypass is wide median, but that section was built some time ago (early 1990's), and was one of the recently re-classified sections.

Would love to see the finished product though - the scheme (with all its large scale link roads) is massive!

Regards!

L1011

The M3 scheme is most definitely narrow-median, reduced profile motorway.

GeneHunt

Furet wrote: »

Looks like the M3 could open within the next two months so!

I don't think it will, the wearing course is yet to be laid from Pace Jn onwards towards Navan.

Looking at the map of the new M50 / N3 junction, does anyone know if the M3 starts from this junction or will it start at Clonee a bit like the N2 / M2?

etchyed

GeneHunt wrote: »

Looking at the map of the new M50 / N3 junction, does anyone know if the M3 starts from this junction or will it start at Clonee a bit like the N2 / M2?

The M3 will start (and indeed already does) immediately after the Clonee exit. From M50 to Clonee there are 1 or 2 local accesses and no real alternative route. See this thread for pictures of the short stretch already redesignated M3.

Once all is completed the alternative (non-motorway) route will be to take exit 4, travel through Clonee and over the new bridge (pictured in the link above) onto the old N3, which will become Rwhatever. Hope that makes sense!

D.L.R.

Junction reminds me of a turntable for some reason..

GeneHunt

I see now I wasn’t clear in my earlier post, I know the M3 currently starts or will start at Clonee, I should have asked this question a little differently – does anyone know if the M3 will eventually start at the M50 (Junction 6) as the new layout of this junction will leave the old junction layout mainly intact, and there will be an alterative non-motorway route to Clonee via Blanchardstown village and Mulhuddart? However I have noticed on this new layout junction that the southbound ramp is to go, so someone in Blanchardstown village can’t travel southbound on the M50, they will have to get on to the N3 first. I think have just answered my own post!!!

L1011

There are no known current plans to move the start of the M3 further towards the M50 junction.

Stark

Afaik, the "alternative route" between Clonee and Blanchardstown village, Damastown Road, is private road. They close it off as a through route at night. There's also a few private entrances right on the side of the dual carriageway which would make it unsuitable for motorway status. (Annoyingly enough it's 100km/hr along the section with private entrances, then it drops to 80km/hr as soon as the road becomes safer).

GeneHunt

MYOB wrote: »

There are no known current plans to move the start of the M3 further towards the M50 junction.

Thanks MYOB & to all, for answering my question.

I travelled up the N3 from Blanchardstown on Saturday and saw the above mentioned gantries with only the exit portion (Dunboyne, Ratoath) remaining visible. I also noticed the surface of the tie-in westbound section didn't look finished yet, but a concrete barrier has been installed from Clonee back towards Junction 5 (Pace interchange). Has anyone noticed on the Clonee to Pace section if there is a break in this barrier closer to the Junction 5? This would be to felicitate east bound traffic from Junction 5 on ramp to temporarily cross onto the westbound side while the east bound lanes are realigned with the M3. I suspect this changeover will happen in early March, but I could be proofed wrong!

PauloMN

I have a couple of questions/comments on the M50/N3 junction that was posted there. Am I correct in assuming that traffic heading from the city towards Navan will have to go through the existing roundabout over the M50? Obviously the city inbound traffic has a new road avoiding the old roundabout, but from what I can see on that picture, the outbound traffic follows the current route.

Another thing is the Auburn Ave junction which I guess will be a traffic light controlled T-junction instead of the current roundabout. I had assumed that inbound traffic coming from Navan/Clonee direction would be coming back onto the existing road past this junction i.e. nearer the Halfway House, but obviously not. Same for outbound traffic heading towards Clonee/Navan, I'd have thought the road would have bypassed that junction somehow. Maybe I was expecting a miracle of road engineering or something, but will that Auburn Road/N3 junction not be absolute mayhem just as it is today?

burger1979

etchyed wrote: »

Once all is completed the alternative (non-motorway) route will be to take exit 4, travel through Clonee and over the new bridge (pictured in the link above) onto the old N3, which will become Rwhatever. Hope that makes sense!

really through the village??? alot more traffic going to be going through there so. either that or head for the motorway then come off the dunboyne exit and then re-join the old n3. i think this could be a busy junction for traffic if people are not going to pay the toll.

GeneHunt

PauloMN wrote: »

I have a couple of questions/comments on the M50/N3 junction that was posted there. Am I correct in assuming that traffic heading from the city towards Navan will have to go through the existing roundabout over the M50? Obviously the city inbound traffic has a new road avoiding the old roundabout, but from what I can see on that picture, the outbound traffic follows the current route.

Another thing is the Auburn Ave junction which I guess will be a traffic light controlled T-junction instead of the current roundabout. I had assumed that inbound traffic coming from Navan/Clonee direction would be coming back onto the existing road past this junction i.e. nearer the Halfway House, but obviously not. Same for outbound traffic heading towards Clonee/Navan, I'd have thought the road would have bypassed that junction somehow. Maybe I was expecting a miracle of road engineering or something, but will that Auburn Road/N3 junction not be absolute mayhem just as it is today?

Yes PauloMN, your right about the out (west) bound traffic will still travel through the existing roundabout over the M50, however the existing roundabout will have a lot less traffic flowing though it, as the new free flow junction will remove most, if not all of the N3/M3 traffic. I think the traffic lighting sequence on the existing roundabout will also be changed to accommodate the flow of traffic on the N3 outbound. You will also notice that the M50 south ramp from the existing roundabout is to be removed, this will benefit the traffic flow outbound as it will no longer have to stop to let inbound traffic onto the M50. I think the Auburn Road/N3 junction will benefit from this too, as the traffic shouldn’t back-up onto Auburn Road/N3 junction. Also the Auburn Road/N3 roundabout will be removed very soon and replaced with traffic lights with dedicated lanes to turn right or left off the N3 to New Dunsink Lane and Auburn Avenue which will keep the three main lanes free flowing. This junction will probably be similar to the Newlands Cross junction, however I think it wouldn’t have the same traffic volumes as Newlands Cross has.

burger1979

I was driving along the N3 this evening on the way home and i noticed that the new lanes at the works just past clonee were being cleaned. i wonder if they are going to open up in the next few days. this would mean work could begin on getting the in bound stretch tied into the existing road.

PauloMN

burger1979 wrote: »

I was driving along the N3 this evening on the way home and i noticed that the new lanes at the works just past clonee were being cleaned. i wonder if they are going to open up in the next few days. this would mean work could begin on getting the in bound stretch tied into the existing road.

Noticed that myself, fresh lines painted also. More signs going up as well, lots of lovely shiny* blue signs!!

* until they get covered in muck!

PauloMN

GeneHunt wrote: »

Yes PauloMN, your right about the out (west) bound traffic will still travel through the existing roundabout over the M50, however the existing roundabout will have a lot less traffic flowing though it, as the new free flow junction will remove most, if not all of the N3/M3 traffic. I think the traffic lighting sequence on the existing roundabout will also be changed to accommodate the flow of traffic on the N3 outbound. You will also notice that the M50 south ramp from the existing roundabout is to be removed, this will benefit the traffic flow outbound as it will no longer have to stop to let inbound traffic onto the M50. I think the Auburn Road/N3 junction will benefit from this too, as the traffic shouldn’t back-up onto Auburn Road/N3 junction. Also the Auburn Road/N3 roundabout will be removed very soon and replaced with traffic lights with dedicated lanes to turn right or left off the N3 to New Dunsink Lane and Auburn Avenue which will keep the three main lanes free flowing. This junction will probably be similar to the Newlands Cross junction, however I think it wouldn’t have the same traffic volumes as Newlands Cross has.

I hope so, I've spent many long evenings at that Auburn/N3 junction, the thoughts of a T-junction doesn't fill me with much optimism for things improving. Hopefully the improvements you describe on the main M50 roundabout will make the Auburn junction a lot better.

GeneHunt

PauloMN wrote: »

I hope so, I've spent many long evenings at that Auburn/N3 junction, the thoughts of a T-junction doesn't fill me with much optimism for things improving. Hopefully the improvements you describe on the main M50 roundabout will make the Auburn junction a lot better.

I'm hoping too... ...that this design/ layout will work well too! I suspect the left turns on and off the Auburn Avenue from the N3 will be a flashing amber light!

I do have visions of people coming inbound from Navan/Clonee (using the new layout) and then trying to cross 3 lanes to get into the right turn lane for the Auburn Avenue!:eek:

GeneHunt

burger1979 wrote: »

I was driving along the N3 this evening on the way home and i noticed that the new lanes at the works just past clonee were being cleaned. i wonder if they are going to open up in the next few days. this would mean work could begin on getting the in bound stretch tied into the existing road.

PauloMN wrote: »

Noticed that myself, fresh lines painted also. More signs going up as well, lots of lovely shiny* blue signs!!

* until they get covered in muck!

This is great news, I was thinking it would take a little longer, but if the lanes are painted, the opening (up to Junction 5) will be very soon (days I think). The next thing to keep an eye out of, I think is for cones running down this new stretch of road. The cones will be temporary measure (hours - may even happen over night) just to keep the outbound traffic to the left (I suspect the outbound lane to open first) until they lift the steel barriers from the inbound side over concrete barrier and positioning it beside the line of cones on the new M3 section. then they can open the inbound route between the two barriers and close the other side.

etchyed

burger1979 wrote: »

I was driving along the N3 this evening on the way home and i noticed that the new lanes at the works just past clonee were being cleaned. i wonder if they are going to open up in the next few days. this would mean work could begin on getting the in bound stretch tied into the existing road.

To be clear, the toll isn't until after junction 5, so it'll only be learner drivers etc. travelling through Clonee, which they should be doing already.

GeneHunt

burger1979 wrote: »

really through the village??? alot more traffic going to be going through there so. either that or head for the motorway then come off the dunboyne exit and then re-join the old n3. i think this could be a busy junction for traffic if people are not going to pay the toll.

I agree Dunboyne Exit (Junction 5) will be a busy exit, but it's a big junction so it should move quiet quickly. it's the Fairyhouse roundabout (beside Toll bridge) in the mornings which is going to be a nightmare I think, because inbound traffic from Navan wishing to avoid the toll will exit at Junction 6 (R125 Dunshaughlin) travel down R154 through Batterstown and join the R147 (old N3) at the Fairyhouse roundabout, now if this is the rat run, then the R147 from Dunshaughlin and R155 from Ratoath will build-up very badly at this roundabout.:mad: