M3 Clonee-Kells Motorway construction updates

Cookie33

darkman2 wrote: »

This motorway is a very boring piece of road. If a motorway could be tagged with "most boring" this one would be it. Not much to see in that part of the country. M11 is much nicer drive.

the M1 isn't too bad either.. got a nice bridge to look at when your driving over it

_Kaiser_

darkman2 wrote: »

This motorway is a very boring piece of road. If a motorway could be tagged with "most boring" this one would be it. Not much to see in that part of the country. M11 is much nicer drive.

Sssh! You'll only draw the Hill of Tara brigade out with crazy statements like that!

My own thoughts after a few days on it is that the biggest benefit is being able to overtake all the 80-anywhere muppets that infested the old N3 without any hassle

It's definitely not worth paying the tolls though - judging by the pickup of traffic even yesterday on the stretch between Navan and Kells it seems a lot of people have realised this. If you do it right you can avoid the Navan toll altogether but still bypass Kells and Carnaross which were the 2 big hold-ups on that stretch...

mackerski

BrianD wrote: »

I'm surprised that they haven't tidied up the road signage from J4 onwards. M3 signs with the M3 greyed out, end of motorway signs and speed limit signs indicating 100kmh (is it 100kmh from J4 or should it be 120?).

This 100 limit has been a bugbear of mine since it was posted, and even more so since I saw the guards out enforcing it at the very start of the Clonee Bypass a few weeks ago. As far as I can tell, this section has been motorway since the day of the last redesignations and as such carries a 120 limit by default. That they painted out the chopsticks signs during construction doesn't revoke the motorway status, so unless anybody knows any different, all of the prohibited traffic that has been forced down this road in the meantime has been using it illegally.

I've just checked the Meath County Council site and can't find any section where speed limit bye-laws are available. If this 100 limit is or ever was valid then it must be either a special speed limit enacted by bye-law or a works limit for which documentation must also be lodged somewhere.

So does anybody know? Or is this just an arm-chance on the part of the authorities?

Fiskar

Seconds impressions, the road is still muck. Went on it again last night for a spin so heres my list of moans

- Toll was very slow on Friday, so complained to customer service about it and have yet to hear back.

- Cannot fathom why there is no turn off for Trim on the M3 other than Dunshaughlin, as the crow flies it directly left of Navan off the M3.

- It is 2.4 miles or 3.8 km longer than going the old N3!

- Went the old N3 to work and back home this evening, the m3 saving would only be 4 to 5 mins, no point stopping the bike for the toll.

- It appears narrow, one cannot imagine a truck broken down fitting onto the hard shoulder with encroaching onto the inside lane.

This road suits those in Kells or Cavan and those who don't already pay the M50 toll. Add that toll into the equation and you are paying a lot for your road use.

marmurr1916

Fiskar wrote: »

Seconds impressions, the road is still muck. Went on it again last night for a spin so heres my list of moans

- Toll was very slow on Friday, so complained to customer service about it and have yet to hear back.

Keep complaining, and complain to the NRA too.

Fiskar wrote: »

Cannot fathom why there is no turn off for Trim on the M3 other than Dunshaughlin, as the crow flies it directly left of Navan off the M3.

Too bad.

Fiskar wrote: »

It is 2.4 miles or 3.8 km longer than going the old N3!

It does have a slightly higher speed limit!

Fiskar wrote: »

It appears narrow, one cannot imagine a truck broken down fitting onto the hard shoulder with encroaching onto the inside lane.

How wide is the hard shoulder? Appearances can be deceptive.

Fiskar wrote: »

This road suits those in Kells or Cavan and those who don't already pay the M50 toll. Add that toll into the equation and you are paying a lot for your road use.

You don't have to use it if you don't want to. It's not compulsory.

Beau

The Skryne/Johnstown exit? Surely if you were going to Johnstown, it'd make more sense to take the Navan exit?

Love the road by the way!

Fiskar

Beau wrote: »

The Skryne/Johnstown exit? Surely if you were going to Johnstown, it'd make more sense to take the Navan exit?

In a straight line it is quicker to come off at Junction 7, you travel in a semi circular fashion to Junction 8 where you loop back and take long slip road to the Kilcairn roundabout.

Beau

Fiskar wrote: »

In a straight line it is quicker to come off at Junction 7, you travel in a semi circular fashion to Junction 8 where you loop back and take long slip road to the Kilcairn roundabout.

Yeh true, I thought of that but then would you be quicker just coming off on the Johnstown exit to go to Navan!

Agree with you by the way about it not servicing Trim properly like it could.

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

My own thoughts after a few days on it is that the biggest benefit is being able to overtake all the 80-anywhere muppets that infested the old N3 without any hassle

I hear ya! That was the most frustrating thing about that road.

nordydan

BrianD wrote: »

I'm surprised that they haven't tidied up the road signage from J4 onwards. M3 signs with the M3 greyed out, end of motorway signs and speed limit signs indicating 100kmh (is it 100kmh from J4 or should it be 120?).

The R147 has also dropped to 80kmh as it has lost its N status. Is there an a mechanic for the local authority to up this back to 100? Similarly the N2 was upped to 120 before it got its motorway designation?

As of Sunday, the signs on the Kells Bypass had still not been tidied up (e.g. M3 still greyed over). There are a few more places to clean up as well

Empire o de Sun

Cookie33 wrote: »

Ok so I've been on the M3 Friday evening and Monday evening, travelling from Clonee to Cavan and vice versa.

A few negative points:
The south toll bridge was really slow on friday evening and that wasn't just my queue both manual and automatic lanes. on monday, it picked up. Maybe they were just rusty lol

Is it just me or is the motorway narrower from Clonee until after the south toll bridge than the other half?

After the toll bridge at Kells, shortly afterwards the M3 ends and transforms into a dual carriageway at only 100kph. Why not 120kph? It's of the same standard and width?

Don't get me wrong, I love the motorway, cuts 30mins off my journey

Toll Bridge?

Toll Plaza

Cookie33

Empire o de Sun wrote: »

Toll Bridge?

Toll Plaza

same difference

L1011

Anyone know if easytrip tags are working yet? Need to blip to Baileborough tomorrow and don't want to have to carry a monster of coins...

anotherlostie

Guessing that as nobody posted anything about delays in Virginia on Friday evening means there were none? If it was OK on a bank holiday weekend, then it should be OK every weekend. Well until lights are installed at the Ballyduff and Bailieboro junctions!

runway16

Had my first trip on this last night. Now, it wasnt the best night to be driving, with the rain and wind, but I was very impressed.

The signage is good, as are the catseyes - lets just hope they keep them clean.

It is noticably curvy, but nothing major, and certainly not dangerously so. In fact, i personally prefer some curves rather than the dead boring straight stretches.

The surface is fine - although is a tad bumpier than the M6 Athlone - Galway, with one notably bumpier stretch approaching the end of the route coming from Dublin. Again, its all subjective, and it certainly isnt the worst stretch of motorway ive been on.

2 tolls - ridiculous. I'd rather pay 2.60 and stop once.

Saying the road is "muck" is going way too far IMHO. It seems to me to be to the same spec as any of the newer stretches of motorways. Yes, the hard shoulders are narrower, but I like the concrete central barrier for one reason - no one wants to drive beside a concrete wall for very long, so when people are done overtaking, they ACTUALLY GET BACK INTO THE CORRECT LANE!!! must be a first for an Irish motorway! ;-)

Sponge Bob

runway16 wrote: »

no one wants to drive beside a concrete wall for very long, so when people are done overtaking, they ACTUALLY GET BACK INTO THE CORRECT LANE!!! must be a first for an Irish motorway! ;-)

Not a first, I had noticed precisely this effect in Galway.

Cookie33

when people are done overtaking, they ACTUALLY GET BACK INTO THE CORRECT LANE!!! must be a first for an Irish motorway! ;-)

Actually I witnessed on Monday evening some idiot was driving the whole way beside the concrete wall, he only moved into the correct lane when someone wanted past

Jayuu

Cookie33 wrote: »

Actually I witnessed on Monday evening some idiot was driving the whole way beside the concrete wall, he only moved into the correct lane when someone wanted past

As opposed to an idiot, this might have been a European driver who would be more inclined to stay right and overtake left.

Cookie33

I think if they changed the concrete boulders to the poles and wires they have on the dual carriageway, it might not look as narrow

Irish and Proud

runway16 wrote: »

Saying the road is "muck" is going way too far IMHO. It seems to me to be to the same spec as any of the newer stretches of motorways. Yes, the hard shoulders are narrower, but I like the concrete central barrier for one reason - no one wants to drive beside a concrete wall for very long, so when people are done overtaking, they ACTUALLY GET BACK INTO THE CORRECT LANE!!! must be a first for an Irish motorway! ;-)

The interesting thing is that the motorway seems to be the same as the inter-urbans, except that the median is 4.0m as opposed to 2.6m for the M8 etc. Some of the junctions also appear to be of higher spec, as do the link roads - anything it seems from a 12.3m S2 (N51 West Approach) to an inter-urban style D2 (M3 Kilcarn Link, N51 East Approach) - the Dunboyne Bypass appears to be anything from 14m to 15m in width (WS2).

Meath motorways certainly seem quite different, especially with interchanges such as Kilcarn (M3) and Ashbourne South (M2), both of which are greenfield trumpets. There are also variants at Kells South (M3) and Gormanston (M1 Link with R132 - links with the M1 itself via a dumbell junction). Another typical Meath interchange are split diamonds such as Clonee (M3) and Drogheda South (M1).

If the LOOR goes ahead, wonder what the spaghetti junctions will look like?

irishbuzz

Sorry lads, could someone tell me if there is any existing discussion on the LOOR and if so could they point me to the thread. I had a dig for it but was unable to find anything.

Thanks

Beau

So whats the plan for the Blanchardstown exit on the M50? Once they get that sorted it'll be mighty.

Today I took the Clonee exit before the toll coming from Dublin and got back on the motorway after Dunshauglin to get to Navan. The road is so quiet its worth skipping the toll if you're not in a rush.

Spotnut

MYOB wrote: »

Anyone know if easytrip tags are working yet? Need to blip to Baileborough tomorrow and don't want to have to carry a monster of coins...

I have an e-trip tag, in credit.

They haven't charged me for any of my joruneys yet. I've used either toll plaza 6 times and nothing charged...I've been using the express lanes and it gives me a green light every time.

anyone else...? or should I keep my mouth shut

Fiskar

Beau wrote: »

So whats the plan for the Blanchardstown exit on the M50? Once they get that sorted it'll be mighty.

Today I took the Clonee exit before the toll coming from Dublin and got back on the motorway after Dunshauglin to get to Navan. The road is so quiet its worth skipping the toll if you're not in a rush.

Sssh, don't tell everyone or they'll all be back on it

L1011

Spotnut wrote: »

I have an e-trip tag, in credit.

They haven't charged me for any of my joruneys yet. I've used either toll plaza 6 times and nothing charged...I've been using the express lanes and it gives me a green light every time.

anyone else...? or should I keep my mouth shut

Can take a day or two for any charges to come through at all, and the roads only open a few days...

My tag did work today x4 (both plazas both ways), not billed through YET. But neither is the M50 from either today or yesterday. Expecting all to appear.

Amtmann

irishbuzz wrote: »

Sorry lads, could someone tell me if there is any existing discussion on the LOOR and if so could they point me to the thread. I had a dig for it but was unable to find anything.

Thanks

Here ya go: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055529922

irishbuzz

Much obliged Furet.

veryangryman

The M3 should never have been built. Nobody gives a poop about it, best backed up by the current wiki page for the N3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N3_road_(Ireland)

Note the fact that the page STILL refers to the old route of N3 ("heavily congested towns of Nav and Dun")

Complete waste of money (and im sorry Meath commuters, but the road is from Dublin to Nowhere as opposed to every other Motorway project). Slane bypass should have been motorway before Navan/Dunshaughlin got theirs. At least that road would lead to a city

GeneHunt

veryangryman wrote: »

At least that road would lead to a city

Ardee? :D:D

which city is that then?!

Stark

I believe he was referring to Derry.

veryangryman

Stark wrote: »

I believe he was referring to Derry.

At least someone had their Weetabix this morning :rolleyes: