N40 - Cork South Ring Bandon & Sarsfield Flyovers

spacetweek

crc wrote: »

Took a spin on it last night, and then uploaded this short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nED0PphoboE

Lots of old signage not removed yet according to that. At the start a roundabout is twice signposted as being ahead which of course has since been removed.

Ludo wrote: »

Looks like it was done quickly also...pretty rough dodgey looking effort. Exits missing also. Looks like someone wanted to be first to do it and raced through it.,

Yep, they've labelled it "N40 Bandon/Sarsfields Interchanges Upgrade" which is not the name of the junction. That's the name of the upgrade scheme.

mackerski

Ludo wrote: »

Looks like it was done quickly also...pretty rough dodgey looking effort. Exits missing also. Looks like someone wanted to be first to do it and raced through it.,

I lack the local knowledge, but I'd be happy to fix the map based on instructions of somebody who knows.

PM me...

alaimacerc

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

yep, very poor (or late) signage. At the moment it's quite hard to see the exit because of the large number of traffic cones before and after the exit which kinds of creates a maze affect and hides the actual exit road...I was prepared for it this morning though

The eastbound off-junction at Ballyphehane is a real "baffle" of cones as well. Fortunately as there's a dirty great bridge and an obvious ramp you know exactly where it is, but as you approach it looks as if it's completely coned off. (Might have changed again since, mind you.)

As to the BRR, there's a huge sign obviously waiting to go up, on the western approach. They may be planning on changing other signage, too. Perhaps they didn't want to change it in parallel, lest it cause more confusion than it save...

Max_Charger

Just heard there was a multi car crash between the Sars roundabout and Togher entrance, wonder was the new lay out to blame?

Boots234

Max_Charger wrote: »

Just heard there was a multi car crash between the Sars roundabout and Togher entrance, wonder was the new lay out to blame?

I'm not surprised to hear that. There was a long stream of cars coming from Wilton earlier joining the cars coming from the west and there was a lot of sudden braking taking place. It looked like only a matter of time before there was a crash

Ludo

I wouldn't blame the "new road layout" for this exactly. I would point the blame squarely at drivers. It is still a very active construction site with a 60kmoh speed limit and traffic cones everywhere yet no-one keeps to this so it is always going to be risky. They need to park a few speed trap vans there again until it is all finished off completely.
And obviously they will re-balance all the lights eventually...it is only open 24 hours...give them a chance will ye.

alaimacerc

Yeah, too much speed, too little awareness. What's supposedly more dangerous about the new layout? If the layout of a junction changes, it's contingent on users to inform themselves and show caution. Not to bull straight through it heedlessly, and blame the layout after they prang. And as Ludo says, the speed limits are more honoured in the breach than in the observance. The Gardai need to pay it a bit tighter on the enforcement bluff -- it's being called every time, at present.

jmkennedyie

spacetweek wrote: »

Yep, they've labelled it "N40 Bandon/Sarsfields Interchanges Upgrade" which is not the name of the junction. That's the name of the upgrade scheme.

Actually it was the various construction zones (the brown areas e.g. inside the old roundabouts) that were labelled with this text...and hence the text appeared in a few places.

I've merged all construction zones into one and the text now appears just once.

Feel free to improve the construction zone boundary. There may be other improvements that can be made to the map too.

When the construction is finished someone can delete the construction zone from OSM.

alaimacerc

Good news for AugMin and other N71 eastbound fans: work of some kind has resumed there! Earlier spoil has been cleared, and there appears to have been some levelling, too. It's currently coned off in that same section after the N40 on-ramp, but now opens to two shortly before the roundabout (where it would otherwise be three). And... there's a big long trench in the second, rightmost line, running just about that entire coned-off section.



Now, either that's a new moat-style bike lane, to make it harder for us to dodge when motorists try to kill us, or this is some sort of drainage work. Hopefully straightening and resurfacing to follow!

phatmanwc

Aerial shots on opening day, courtesy of 96fm chopper

alaimacerc

Doesn't it look all spin'n'spin and new? That won't last.

spacetweek

It is only now that I am fully appreciating how skewed the roundabout at Sarsfield is. It's ridiculous! You'd really need to realign the approach roads to make it work.

Reenascreena

Nice shot of the new flyovers
flyovers.jpeg

phatmanwc

Latest update from Cork Co. Co., looks like re-surfacing works on the Eastbound off-line carriageway will get underway after the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Bandon/Sarsfield Interchanges Upgrade
Progress Update
Friday 26th July 2013

The updated road layout in the Bandon and Sarsfield Road Roundabout area is working well following on from the opening of both flyovers to traffic on Wednesday 24th July 2013. The photographs show an aerial view of traffic using the new flyover in the Sarsfield Road Roundabout area together with a composite aerial view of the scheme looking west from the Headlands Apartments area.

Motorists are reminded that the temporary works speed limit remains in place and are also reminded that traffic speeds will continue to be monitored by An Garda Siochana over the coming months as the overall scheme progresses to completion. Significant works remain outstanding including ground stabilisation
works involving piling in the an area near the Headlands Apartments and also in an area at the south of the Sarsfield Road Roundabout – resurfacing works will also be required to the previous eastbound main line between Bandon Road Roundabout and Sarsfield Road Roundabout. These work items will be progressed after the August bank holiday weekend and traffic management details associated with the works will be circulated in advance in the normal way.

As always, those with queries or concerns in relation to any aspect of the scheme can contact us on 021-4969280 or 021-4965830 during working hours or on the freephone helpline number 1800 932 046, or by email on n25@ccc-site.com.

Necronomicon

With the lanes that are still closed, the exits for each roundabout are really narrow. The first time driving over it yesterday morning I missed the exit for the Bandon Road roundabout and had to drive on to the Curaheen Park exit on the Ballincollig bypass. Nearly did it again this morning.

Does anyone know what the speed limit plans are? Will it be 100kmph when the final touches are in place and all lanes are open? The 60kmph is a bit of a killer on the flyovers.

corblimey

spacetweek wrote: »

It is only now that I am fully appreciating how skewed the roundabout at Sarsfield is. It's ridiculous! You'd really need to realign the approach roads to make it work.

Not as skewed as the proposal though.

In the pic posted by phatmanwc, coming down Sarsfield road from Wilton, you bear left and it looks like there's something going on that you can bear right and go under the flyover? There's a white van (parked?) there in his pic. Is that whole area from the roundabout to where the lanes merge just going to be wasteland?

AugustusMinimus

People on the Cork City forum reporting intense traffic in Mahon on both Wednesday and Thursday coinciding with the opening of the roundabouts.

One person said yesterday was some of the worst traffic queues he seen heading towards the tunnel for a long time.

cork_south

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

People on the Cork City forum reporting intense traffic in Mahon on both Wednesday and Thursday coinciding with the opening of the roundabouts.

One person said yesterday was some of the worst traffic queues he seen heading towards the tunnel for a long time.

I came from Blackrock thru Mahon to the tunnel on Thursday evening around half 6 and the traffic was terrible. Backed up as far as CSO.
With EMC opening shortly with 200 new jobs this will only get worse.

MP badly needs a slip road onto the link from its rear car park.
The road from CSO to MP could also do with having 2 lanes.

AugustusMinimus

cork_south wrote: »

I came from Blackrock thru Mahon to the tunnel on Thursday evening around half 6 and the traffic was terrible. Backed up as far as CSO.
With EMC opening shortly with 200 new jobs this will only get worse.

MP badly needs a slip road onto the link from its rear car park.
The road from CSO to MP could also do with having 2 lanes.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056802085

alaimacerc

corblimey wrote: »

Not as skewed as the proposal though.

I thought that was the plan they were originally working to. Is it beyond the bounds of possibility that the current alignment is just temporary, and they're still intending to change it over to that one? Not sure if it's any better for practical purposes, but it looks somewhat less of a dog's breakfast. It'd also be (one?) fewer sets of pedestrian lights for the Long and Winding Way for pedestrians crossing N/S.

In the pic posted by phatmanwc, coming down Sarsfield road from Wilton, you bear left and it looks like there's something going on that you can bear right and go under the flyover? There's a white van (parked?) there in his pic. Is that whole area from the roundabout to where the lanes merge just going to be wasteland?

Basically it's a giant traffic island. I've no idea what you'd do with it. Whether or not it's inside the roundabout or not, it seems equally unusable.

alaimacerc

Necronomicon wrote: »

Does anyone know what the speed limit plans are?

Judging by observations and reports, plans are to ignore the speed limits.

alaimacerc

No change visible in and around The Trench yesterday or today. I guess they're holding off until the August BH entirely. If the line it takes is anything to go by, they may not be planning on doing any real straightening of the road, as it seems to exactly follow the outside of the coned-off lane. Just in case anyone's curious and hasn't had a chance to see for themselves, here's a couple more pics.

TheChizler

alaimacerc wrote: »

Judging by observations and reports, plans are to ignore the speed limits.

Took a looksee yesterday, wouldn't even notice you were on a flyover! But the lack of speed traps is worrying. It's not very comforting when you're travelling through an active building site at the designated 60 km/h when being overtaken by cars who's occupants still think they're on the Ballincollig bypass!

ForiegnNational

Went from Mahon to Ovens last night about 10 minutes (it seemed)!

It used to take me 12-15 minutes from Bandon road to Sarsfield in the mornings!

So happy these are (99%) complete now.

DerMutt

I'll save myself the indignity of getting ranty about the negative comments on the OSM updates and I make no apologies for trying to keep the map as up-to-date as possible.

Anyway, after a year and a half of continuous edits, interpretations and GPS traces as construction progressed - in the absence of any imagery - the roads are as close to reality as I can manage on the map.

If ye want to make it better join OSM and fix it. It's an open project, anyone can do it.

Roll on the Dunkettle Interchange upgrade!

AugustusMinimus

DerMutt wrote: »

I'll save myself the indignity of getting ranty about the negative comments on the OSM updates and I make no apologies for trying to keep the map as up-to-date as possible.

Anyway, after a year and a half of continuous edits, interpretations and GPS traces as construction progressed - in the absence of any imagery - the roads are as close to reality as I can manage on the map.

If ye want to make it better join OSM and fix it. It's an open project, anyone can do it.

Roll on the Dunkettle Interchange upgrade!

That and direct access in and out of Mahon Point Shopping Centre. A slip road out would cost very little to implement for a start anyways.




Something like this. The exit out will allow an exit Eastbound on the South Ring Road. In order to use to exit Westbound, uses this sliproad and then do a 180 using the access road before entering the tunnel.

The entrance can be used going westbound on the SRR. If you are going eastbound and want to enter the Shopping Centre, keep going until the entrance of the tunnel, use the sliplane to avoid the tunnel and double back on yourself and use the entrance.


Such a setup would see a massive improvement at the Mahon Junction with no one having to use the present junction to gain entrance and exit from the shopping centre. Wouldn't cost that much to implement either.

DerMutt

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

That and direct access in and out of Mahon Point Shopping Centre. A slip road out would cost very little to implement for a start anyways.

The slip East should be a shoo-in, not sure if the flyover would get the green light on cost grounds.

Wasn't there a plan to convert the light-controlled junctions at the top of the existing flyover in Mahon to roundabouts to coincide with the proposed hotel development?

The traffic lights by City Gate are way over capacity at peak times but I don't know how they can fix it.

AugustusMinimus

DerMutt wrote: »

The slip East should be a shoo-in, not sure if the flyover would get the green light on cost grounds.

Wasn't there a plan to convert the light-controlled junctions at the top of the existing flyover in Mahon to roundabouts to coincide with the proposed hotel development?

The traffic lights by City Gate are way over capacity at peak times but I don't know how they can fix it.

A slip lane and proper education (showing how the exit slip can be used to go Westwards on the SRR) would take 80% of the traffic exiting mahon point away from the City Gate junction. That alone would have a significant effect on that junction.

A single lane flyover as gone in my drawing wouldn't cost that much. Would 20m cover the cost ?

bigtimecharlie

Great to see these flyovers finished, a pleasant journey westbound on Wednesday in the rain. Looked much better coming home eastbound when dry. Careful lane selection needed if not going straight in either direction.

alaimacerc

A sign!

No, not a sign of anything, just a big ol' sign. That empty set of signpoles now has an occupant. For some reason I was expecting something more complex, but it's basically just a gigantic "N71, hang a left for Wilton and parts south" sign. In fact, I think it might just be a duplicate of the sign before, close to the Curraheen junction.


Somewhat more significantly, progress on The Trench! It's been partially backfilled, and a kerb has been fitted along a good deal of the length.