N40 - Cork South Ring Bandon & Sarsfield Flyovers

Days 298

Are my eyes playing tricks or did they put up permanent 60km/h signs west bound after the kinsale road roundabout. There are also signs at all the exits off the proceeding flyovers.

Looks like we are in for a wait. Not that Ill be waiting....

MB1380

Anybody know whats causing the traffic every morning for a couple of miles before dan sheehans bar (srelane)? It comes to a complete stop and then speeds up after passing the bar with no obvious reason?

Ambush Rebel 2010

MB1380 wrote: »

Anybody know whats causing the traffic every morning for a couple of miles before dan sheehans bar (srelane)? It comes to a complete stop and then speeds up after passing the bar with no obvious reason?

That area is a reduced speed zone. Traffic from the left (Beside the pub tends to pull out also which slows traffic. This has a domino effect before the bar i'd be thinking. What time do you find this happens.

MB1380

Ambush Rebel 2010 wrote: »

That area is a reduced speed zone. Traffic from the left (Beside the pub tends to pull out also which slows traffic. This has a domino effect before the bar i'd be thinking. What time do you find this happens.

8.30 every morning, its only started in the last few weeks.

Tony Ramone

MB1380 wrote: »

8.30 every morning, its only started in the last few weeks.

I've noticed this too. I think it may have something to do with the BalCoach bus that pulls into the carpark at the pub around 8.10 or so (a few mornings I've been early enough to spot it either going in or coming out). Not sure exactly who it's for though - this morning after it pulled out it headed down the Killumney road (next right after the pub).
I'm guessing that what happens is someone stops to let the bus in (and/or out) and while the main traffic is stopped, the cars from the left start pulling out onto the main road.

sonnyblack

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/transport-and-tourism/siac-faces-examinership-after-polish-losses-1.1568640


Wonder if this will have any effect on the finishing off of the work

Days 298

Spotted an unmarked garda going westbound today and I'm seeing the same garda car around Wilton and saw it coming eastbound today as well (not at 60 anyway!)

There was an awkward moment when the unmarked guards noticed I knew what they were guards


They had the reg plate scanner yoke by the looks of it.

Traffic has definitely slowed with the rain. Nice to see common sense prevail without the need to dish out points.

Outkast_IRE

I know the whole SIAC examinership thing but even before that was announced, they are terribly slow at finished this project off, there has been little progress in the last 2 months in terms of tidying off under the flyovers etc.
Is there any expected final finish date

xabi

Joined the N40 at the Sarsfield junction last week heading East, about 6 or 7 cars in front of me all joined and moved straight into lane 2 , Lane 1 was empty all the way to Douglas where it dropped.

TheChizler

xabi wrote: »

Joined the N40 at the Sarsfield junction last week heading East, about 6 or 7 cars in front of me all joined and moved straight into lane 2 , Lane 1 was empty all the way to Douglas where it dropped.

There's a huge reluctance to use that leftmost lane over the Kinsale roundabout flyover! Granted it's prudent to move into lane 2 as you come down the Douglas side to make way for traffic coming on from the slip road. I'd suggest laziness but they're just moving into lane 2 anyway before Togher.

crc

I'm weary of middle-lane hoggers at this stage; it's a carbon copy of the Naas Road. The sad reality is that the great majority of Irish drivers have no idea how to use three-lane carriageways, and it is highly unlikely to change.

Ludo

crc wrote: »

I'm weary of middle-lane hoggers at this stage; it's a carbon copy of the Naas Road. The sad reality is that the great majority of Irish drivers have no idea how to use three-lane carriageways, and it is highly unlikely to change.

You cannot compare those 2 roads. Most people will end up moving right between the douglas exits anyway so they do it sooner to avoid the mess there. I would never stay in the left lane from sarsfield roundabout as it is a lot more hassle later and most people would think the same.

It is less than a mile of three lanes followed by a melee of lane changing. Best avoided.

AugustusMinimus

A right pity IMO, that Douglas to Bloomfield isn't 3 lanes.

The SRR would be 3 lanes between Bandon and Mahon Interchange if this was the case. The Douglas flyover, being only 2 lanes can cause traffic queues due to it being the only funnel point between Bandon and Mahon.

I would imagine that the cost of increasing this section to 3 lanes could be prohibitive due to part being the Douglas flyover.

spacetweek

crc wrote: »

I'm weary of middle-lane hoggers at this stage; it's a carbon copy of the Naas Road. The sad reality is that the great majority of Irish drivers have no idea how to use three-lane carriageways, and it is highly unlikely to change.

I think it's debatable whether you should be in the middle or left lane on a 3-laner, regardless of what the law/driving instructors say.
If exits are closely spaced and you drive in the left lane, you will continually have to move over to the middle lane to let people in, then back to the left lane again. Better to just stay out of the way of merging and diverging traffic by staying in the middle.

hoodwinked

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

A right pity IMO, that Douglas to Bloomfield isn't 3 lanes.

The SRR would be 3 lanes between Bandon and Mahon Interchange if this was the case. The Douglas flyover, being only 2 lanes can cause traffic queues due to it being the only funnel point between Bandon and Mahon.

I would imagine that the cost of increasing this section to 3 lanes could be prohibitive due to part being the Douglas flyover.

the reason the traffic funnel's there really is down to the queues to take the exit onto the airport roundabout,


rather than cars moving into the left lane exit and queueing they will stay in the left lane on the flyover that turns into the 'middle' lane before the roundabout flyover and stop dead in that lane until someone lets them in.


which means all traffic going over the airport roundabout flyover stays in the right lane to avoid hitting these idiots and slows that down too, creating the traffic funnel....


Edit - sorry i see you mean the other direction, same thing applies though just with traffic queueing at the douglas east exit backing up the road, and then traffic trying to squeeze in!

mackerski

spacetweek wrote: »

I think it's debatable whether you should be in the middle or left lane on a 3-laner, regardless of what the law/driving instructors say.
If exits are closely spaced and you drive in the left lane, you will continually have to move over to the middle lane to let people in, then back to the left lane again. Better to just stay out of the way of merging and diverging traffic by staying in the middle.

No, just keep your distance. Simple.

Ludo

mackerski wrote: »

No, just keep your distance. Simple.

Nope...easier and safer between Kinsale roundabout and Douglas exits to be in middle lane if you are not going to Douglas. Or even the right hand lane as I do myself to let people coming frmo Kinsale roundabout merge safely and then merge left so I can take Rochestown exit. No way on earth would I stay in the left lane on that stretch of road. Simple.

crc

spacetweek wrote: »

I think it's debatable whether you should be in the middle or left lane on a 3-laner, regardless of what the law/driving instructors say.
If exits are closely spaced and you drive in the left lane, you will continually have to move over to the middle lane to let people in, then back to the left lane again. Better to just stay out of the way of merging and diverging traffic by staying in the middle.

Perhaps, but I see this behaviour even at times when there is little or no traffic, which indicates that people are slavishly moving to the middle lane due to lazy / ignorant habit rather than actively thinking about good driving behaviour or best practice.

AugustusMinimus

I think the simple solution here would be to treat the 1st lane on the SRR as a merging lane.

You would have thicker dotted lines between lanes 1 and 2 to show that 1 is the merging lane and 2 is the driving lane, similar as done on the M50.

murphym7

I stay in the middle lane between Sarsfield until after Douglas East exit (where it becomes two lanes anyway). I find it safer for me personally. There is too much going on in the left lane.
1) Merging traffic from Wilton
2) shortly after that departing traffic to Togher/Ballypheane
3) followed quickly by merging traffic from Togher/Ballypheane
4) shortly after that departing traffic for Kinsale road rondabout
5) shortly after that merging traffic from the South link
6) shortly after that departing traffic for Douglas West
7) followed quickly by Douglas East.

All that activity in about 4 to 5 minutes of driving. Better to stay out of the way and let them all get on with it over there on the left. I don't believe you can compare this stretch of road to most other 3 lane roads. I would always advocate driving in the left most lane and am really bothered about middle lane huggers, but in this case I believe it is the safest thing to do.

cjpm

murphym7 wrote: »

I stay in the middle lane between Sarsfield until after Douglas East exit (where it becomes two lanes anyway). I find it safer for me personally. There is too much going on in the left lane.
1) Merging traffic from Wilton
2) shortly after that departing traffic to Togher/Ballypheane
3) followed quickly by merging traffic from Togher/Ballypheane
4) shortly after that departing traffic for Kinsale road rondabout
5) shortly after that merging traffic from the South link
6) shortly after that departing traffic for Douglas West
7) followed quickly by Douglas East.

All that activity in about 4 to 5 minutes of driving. Better to stay out of the way and let them all get on with it over there on the left. I don't believe you can compare this stretch of road to most other 3 lane roads. I would always advocate driving in the left most lane and am really bothered about middle lane huggers, but in this case I believe it is the safest thing to do.

That traffic is sent directly to the Kinsale Road Rbt....

TheChizler

murphym7 wrote: »

I stay in the middle lane between Sarsfield until after Douglas East exit (where it becomes two lanes anyway). I find it safer for me personally. There is too much going on in the left lane.
1) Merging traffic from Wilton
2) shortly after that departing traffic to Togher/Ballypheane
3) followed quickly by merging traffic from Togher/Ballypheane
4) shortly after that departing traffic for Kinsale road rondabout
5) shortly after that merging traffic from the South link
6) shortly after that departing traffic for Douglas West
7) followed quickly by Douglas East.

All that activity in about 4 to 5 minutes of driving. Better to stay out of the way and let them all get on with it over there on the left. I don't believe you can compare this stretch of road to most other 3 lane roads. I would always advocate driving in the left most lane and am really bothered about middle lane huggers, but in this case I believe it is the safest thing to do.

How does departing traffic affect you? Unless they're going slower in which case you'd just overtake as normal. All you basically have to contend with there is merging traffic from Wilton and the KRRB, which at worst is a quick move to the right and back again if traffic from the merge is heavy or slow.

dulpit

TheChizler wrote: »

How does departing traffic affect you? Unless they're going slower in which case you'd just overtake as normal. All you basically have to contend with there is merging traffic from Wilton and the KRRB, which at worst is a quick move to the right and back again if traffic from the merge is heavy or slow.

There's also the backlogs by Douglas if it's busy..

TheChizler

dulpit wrote: »

There's also the backlogs by Douglas if it's busy..

Well obviously you overtake traffic if you don't need to queue in it. I'm talking about in the normal flow of traffic.

phatmanwc

TheChizler wrote: »

How does departing traffic affect you? Unless they're going slower in which case you'd just overtake as normal. All you basically have to contend with there is merging traffic from Wilton and the KRRB, which at worst is a quick move to the right and back again if traffic from the merge is heavy or slow.

In fairness, it wouldn't attract you to the left lane, contending with diverging traffic cutting in front/behind you, and the prospect of having to overtake. I'd stick to the middle lane myself.

Days 298

Can I take it the 60kmh is here for the foreseeable? They've put up "reduced speed limit ahead" signs I've just noticed.

Laughable.

johnayo

It may be there to try and keep noise levels down in the estates adjoining the SRR. Westside Estate, elmvale, The Headlands have had an increase in decibels since the Flyovers opened.

tipperary

I reckon the reason for the 60kph is to do with the finishing works not being fully complete yet. Unfortunately with the contractor going into Receivership, the works are not likely to be finished any time soon. The various sub-contractors will not be inclined to do work for SIAC if they think they might not be paid for it, and will look for cash up-front. If SIAC do not have the cash, then the work will not be done. I reckon the 60kph will be there until either SIAC get some cash, or go into liquidation and the contract terminated.

There could be more to it but that's my take on it anyway.

Outkast_IRE

This project is moving crazily slowly at the moment, they closed the pedestrian path alongside the at the beginning of October, with the intention of opening it 3 weeks later. Now they wont have it open till December.

No visible works at sarsfield rd for a month now.

neddynasty

Since the flyovers are open a few momths now, schools are back, the hour has changed and we're heading deeper into winter, how is the traffic in the JL Tunnel these days? Has it settled down a bit from the days after the flyovers were opened? How does it compare now to pre-flyover days?