N8/N25/N40 - Dunkettle Interchange [open to traffic]

For N25 they changed the light sequencing massively over the last week which has helped a lot with the tailbacks to Midleton.

Those joining the tunnel from the Little Island slip only have around 6 seconds of green light now.

Latest update appears to mention piling being done at night time, from the pic it looks like it's on the existing roundabout. How does that work? I thought it required closure of road for a period of time but mustn't be.

That's for each night during the works, but it's more about the day time side of it. Thought piling was done for a structure so when it starts, the affected area wouldn't be used at all again, but seemingly not the case

Speaking of piling and ground stabilisation works, I was curious as to what this actually involves as they've been doing it all over the place on this job.

I understand it's because of the tidal nature of the site and that it involves drilling quite deep piles but what are they back filling all these piles with? Is it concrete? Or some sort of compacted sand/gravel?

Like most problems faced by civil engineers, there are lots of solutions, each with its own pros and cons. This page gives a good overview of the different techniques: https://theconstructor.org/geotechnical/ground-improvement-techniques-soil-stabilization/1836/

Without having somebody with specific knowledge of the works write a comment here, it’s difficult to know which technique is being used at the DKI.

Latest Drone footage of project

https://youtu.be/sQZ1G_1mKTA

Traffic probably is a bit lower this week. However, it’s impossible to ignore people now understanding the revised junction and light sequences being updated. I think it bodes very well for the final design.

I would change to the lane for the M8 when it's safe to do so, somewhere between the start of the overhead signs and road markings which indicate the destinations, and the tunnel entrance depending on traffic flow and speed. I would ignore any clowns tailgating me. Any undertaking is not an issue as both lanes are for different destinations and if the lane for the N25 etc. is moving faster so be it.

IMHO, from the start of the M8 lane signs, the lane 1 for driving and lane 2 for overtaking rule no longer applies.

Latest video from Drone Hawk.

For both directions you're asking, traffic is still using the roundabout.

Long term, there will be no roundabout :)

Thanks guys, I wonder will the freeeflow result in a bit of a log jam in the tunnel and/or people exceeding the speed limit in it. Perhaps it will be increased anyway

Yep backups will be near the N28 (Bloomfield interchange) and no increase in speed limit, if anything a reduction to 60kmh on sections of the interchange.

Yeah sorry I wasn't clear enough, the issues will be somewhere between around Bloomfield and around Douglas West for the medium-term and possibly long-term future.

Absolutely. And when the M28 is opened, I still think it'll be one of the biggest bottlenecks in the country, if not the biggest. Delays during the day for longer than rush hour.

It IS possible to widen the viaduct, there actually is space without much/any demolition, but realistically I don't think it'd happen. People would go ballistic thesedays. With NIMBYISM taking on the douglas valley bridge (part of the southern distributor) it does not bode well for doing anything much about it.

Would the North Ring help? Not as much as people think, I don't reckon.

I'm convinced if they put blocked the view into Douglas village heading west it would prevent some of the slow down. Once vehicles have passed the flyover everyone speeds up again. Otherwise as mentioned already it'll get worse once traffic volumes increase. Plus the regular collisions on that stretch of road.