N81 - Hollywood Cross to Tallaght [delayed until after 2027]

Pete_Cavan

Much of the N81 looks suitable for online upgrade, apart from the houses on it of course. Fairly straight alignment, few roads connecting to it, few geographical obstructions. The main settlements obviously need offline bypassing but good portions could conceivably be built online. Ironically, some of the people complaining about the delay in this scheme are probably living in houses which are preventing a much quicker, cheaper and more environmentally friendly road upgrade.

marno21

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Much of the N81 looks suitable for online upgrade, apart from the houses on it of course. Fairly straight alignment, few roads connecting to it, few geographical obstructions. The main settlements obviously need offline bypassing but good portions could conceivably be built online. Ironically, some of the people complaining about the delay in this scheme are probably living in houses which are preventing a much quicker, cheaper and less environmentally friendly road upgrade.

The route north of Blessington will likely be a 2+2. Unless it's an offline alignment, 2+2 on a existing road isn't cost effective with all the CPO and access diversions. The section south of Blessington which is planned to be SC will likely be realigned if possible.

marno21

The group unhappy with this are to meet Shane Ross on the issue

http://kfmradio.com/news/11052018-1157/meeting-stalled-n81-grades-secured-transport-minister

larryone

https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/wicklow-people-west-edition/20180516/283317523066749

Muahahaha

Meeting with N81 action group and Minister Ross set for June 13th to ask him to put the N81 upgrade back on the agenda.

Anyone know where Simon Harris stands on this? Or is only a small part of the N81 actually in his constituency?

Heartbreak Hank

Muahahaha wrote: »

Anyone know where Simon Harris stands on this? Or is only a small part of the N81 actually in his constituency?

I would estimate the majority of the N81 is in his constituency, Wicklow covers a portion of Carlow also.


http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/ireland.pdf

marno21

http://wicklownews.net/2018/06/strong-delegation-meets-minister-for-transport-to-push-for-funding-for-the-n81-upgrade-scheme/

The funding required for the above work of project appraisal is approximately €25k, going by precedent set in relation to other schemes nationwide.

If this scheme gets reactivated in this manner, I hope other councils are awake and watching to this.

marno21

https://kfmradio.com/news/13082018-1253/listen-transport-minister-attending-meeting-stalled-n81-grade-today

Fair play to all involved in continuing to push this issue. They are an example to the rest of the country.

Muahahaha

Was there any outcome with the meeting with the Minister?

larryone

https://www.facebook.com/n81upgrade/

"The Minister later admitted on August 13, 2018 that in fact, the upgrade plans for the N81 were abandoned, and should the upgrade be considered in the future, it would be back to the drawing board, and consultations would start from scratch."

JupiterKid

There have been no significant improvements to the N81 since the 1980s. The route has suffered decades of under-investment as those who travel it regularly will know only too well.

In the late 1980s there were plans to extend the Tallaght bypass DC to the Embankment but these plans never materialised. Also, as Blessington has grown hugely since then the town really needs a bypass. South of Blessington the N81 needs realignment and widening.

Ash.J.Williams

Leave it as it is, any improvements will destroy the area.

marno21

It's a real pity this scheme wasn't given statutory footing in the 2016-2035 GDA Transport Strategy, but it seems TII are firmly fixed on getting the NP/TEN-T network upto scratch this side of 2030 and working on national secondaries thereafter. Major upgrades on the N59/N71/N81 have been deferred.

However, some works will take place on the N81 south of Hollywood Cross before then. First is the N81 Knockroe scheme just south of Hollywood and further realignments are planned at Tuckmill, Hangmans Bend, Irishtown and Whitestown Lower.

spacetweek

The N81 should be made into an alternative route into Dublin to reduce load on the N7. Turn the M7/M9 split into a 4-way junction and build DC from there to Blessington and continue to Tallaght.

Any traffic heading to Lucan, Clondalkin, Citywest or Rathcoole could use this route and the Outer Ring, taking pressure off the N7. Not appropriate for traffic heading to the M50 though as the slow parts of the N81 past the Square would be overwhelmed.

roadmaster

I believe this road is starting next month as RPS are currently looking for an RE team for the next 18 months

Heartbreak Hank

roadmaster wrote: »

I believe this road is starting next month as RPS are currently looking for an RE team for the next 18 months

https://joinrps.com/showJob.aspx?j=5411&s=lp

marno21

That's for the 1km N81 Knockroe realignment unfortunately lads

Heartbreak Hank

marno21 wrote: »

That's for the 1km N81 Knockroe realignment unfortunately lads

Yeah. Seems like a fairly long time for one bend.

roadmaster

Ah Jesus got over excited, 12 to 15 months seams a little long for 1km

marno21

Officially off the table until after 2027

http://wicklownews.net/2019/06/brady-slams-minister-shane-ross-for-washing-his-hands-on-the-n81-upgrade-works/

roadmaster

marno21 wrote: »

Officially off the table until after 2027

http://wicklownews.net/2019/06/brady-slams-minister-shane-ross-for-washing-his-hands-on-the-n81-upgrade-works/

At this rate Only for housing and development a lot of machinery would be parked up

spacetweek

That's a pity, but at the very least they should be doing the West Tallaght part, from Outer Ring Road junction to west of Mount Seskin.

That part was the entire original scheme back in the early 2000s.

Muahahaha

It will be 20 years at least before this is done. Which is shameful given that every other main route into Dublin is now motorway or dual carriageway

Supertoucher

N81 features twice in Gamma Location Intelligence report - "most dangerous major road segment in each county" for Wicklow and Carlow:


https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/new-data-reveals-irelands-most-dangerous-stretches-of-road-952570.html



But still not worthy of attention for at least another 8 years.

Muahahaha

Pretty shoddy alright. I wrote to Shane Ross about it who then said the TII have responsibility and forwarded my letter to them. Got a reply a few weeks later from some fonctionnaire they just sent me back a generic copy and paste letter saying road funding allocation is done on need and they didnt address any of the points that I had made in the letter. Dont know why I bothered, a complete waste of time.

On another point the works done on the N81 south of Blessington to Baltinglass have in a way made the road feel more dangerous than before- the new surface is excellent so it feels like people are driving at even higher speeds.

road_high

Muahahaha wrote: »

It will be 20 years at least before this is done. Which is shameful given that every other main route into Dublin is now motorway or dual carriageway

At the current rate of roads “progress” 20 years is wildly optimistic sadly.

Muahahaha

road_high wrote: »

At the current rate of roads “progress” 20 years is wildly optimistic sadly.

Its maddening that they had all the planning and assessments done and then they just throw that work out the door and it will have to be done all over again in years to come.

Its a crazy road, you've long sections of 100kmh limits with cars coming out of dozens of minor roads mixing with cars doing the limit. Then you've all the quarries along the road with tons of slow moving construction lorries trying to join the fast flow of traffic. On top of that a good few of the crossroads along the route have awful sightlines, it is a recipte for disaster and more lives will be lost because of government inertia.

Supertoucher

Didn't take long unfortunately for this road to continue to live up to it's reputation:

https://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/news/483938/update-one-man-killed-and-another-hospitalised-following-fatal-collision-in-wicklow.html?fbclid=IwAR3FhO57dYy_Z3vKFNPJyD8z8ql3X8GAEKP_kzOT_Berd2YB7kmUvEQFoR0

Muahahaha

Very sad, RIP.

larryone

I emailed a Wicklow TD with regard to this:

__________________________________________________________________________
John, a chara,

I am writing to you because I know that you have been outspoken about the N81 upgrade situation, and there was something that I was thinking about recently with regard to it.

<some personal bits redacted>

However, the angle that I was thinking about recently might be one that could be more appealing to the current Minister for Transport.
Because the road from Hollywood to Tallaght was a part of the 1998 Tour De France, it has been popular as a cycling route.
While other arguments of the benefits of the upgrade have been stated time and again, I'm not sure if the possibility of promoting the current road (after an upgrade replaces large sections of it) as a safer cycling facility has gotten much air time.
The current mixture of bikes and the sand/gravel trucks is something that would hold back the potential for what could be a hugely popular cycling route.
The sections of the 1998 Tour route really do showcase some of the most amazing parts of Wicklow, but I feel that the danger of the N81 to cyclists makes this part of the county fairly treacherous for those who would like to explore it by bike.
I think there could be some great tourism potential in this, as well as great for promoting cycling in general, which I know the Minister for Transport has an interest in.

I think that the way the N81 scheme was viewed by the previous minister was problematic, with it being seen through the lens of economic return on investment rather than improvements for public safety.
I think his successor might be more persuadable in that regard, and that cycling safety could be part of a convincing argument in favour of including this upgrade in the NDP.
I do understand that a Green Minister for Transport is less likely to be all for plastering the country with more roads for cars, but I'd imagine the potential of what could be done with the old road in a post-upgrade scenario might help to nudge the balance of judgement on this in favour of inclusion.

Would you be able to let me know your thoughts on this?

Le meas,
__________________________________________________________________________