Today I watched cars struggling to merge from both M50 slip roads and thats on a quiet day! The place will be in total chaos once the Tunnel opens. It will be interesting to see who has the priority.
| Author | Comment | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stevie1202 |
Port Tunnel |
Lead | ||
|
While I was driving up towards the M1(northbound) earlier I was just looking at the amount of roads merging to the left and right of the flow of traffic from Whitehall to near the airport.
Today I watched cars struggling to merge from both M50 slip roads and thats on a quiet day! The place will be in total chaos once the Tunnel opens. It will be interesting to see who has the priority. |
||||
|
|
||||
Redstarcastles |
Re: Port Tunnel | #1 | ||
|
As a user of the M50, I will take a long holiday when the tunnel opens, preferably to the far side of the world. I don't want to hear or see the chaos. The tunnel sums up this country. The actual tunnel I am sure will be world class. The connections to it will be useless. A grade separated junction of the M50 so as not to interfere with the M1 is required. I am not sure what is happening in the docks. The loss of a lane on the M1 to Whitehall is a farce. I will leave that for another day as it makes my blood boil.
|
||||
|
|
||||
Billy563 |
Re: Port Tunnel | #2 | ||
|
Lets not get too excited about The PT just yet.
As the headline in todays Indo reveals,the hardball is only beginning. Essentially it`s the Consortium vs The Council with stakes of over 500 MILLION to play for. The only certainty is that if you have a Family Member in the legal proffession then he/she will be wearing a BIG smile today. The important thing to remember is that the Consortium itself is comprised of some of the largest and most competent construction firms in the world. It seems however that even these Giants among Builders were somewhat unprepared for the "Irish" way of progressing these things...... Personally speaking I`m waiting for the evidence relating to the disappearance of certain "invaluable" documentation from the Site Office complex following a break-in and the stealing of a JCB which was it seems used to cause substantial damage to the Portacabins and filing systems..... It was reported that the "Documentation" was invaluable to the City Council for the preparation of it`s rebuttal of the Consortium`s claims...... So far,Thank God,the Irish way has prevailed and No resignations,dismissals or even reprimands have been evident,except perhaps for the odd security guard held to be asleep at his post...... It`s all irrelevant really as the essence of Imbicilic,Self Aggrandizing Corruption is now far too deeply ingrained in Irish Public Administration and will remain so until the Revolution... In the meantime all we can do is ask the question...... "Would you give these people 34 BILLION to spend on a 21st Century Transport Plan ? " |
||||
|
|
||||
Eastern Nat |
Re: Port Tunnel | #3 | ||
|
I am eternally thankful that my journey to / from the port each working day can only be improved by the opening of the PT.
On those mornings when I hear the road report talking of M50 southbound delays at the toll bridge backing up to Ballymun turn-off and even the M1 / N32 junction, to add a couple of hundred trucks from the tunnel to that mayhem is, frankly, hard to take on board. On days when the ferries are delayed by weather conditions I do expect to hear a road report advising that the traffic is backed up into the tunnel. It may even happen when the ferries are on time. The crossover from the tunnel exit to the M 50 slip road is going to be a total nightmare. If the traffic entering the tunnel travelling northwards is seperated by destination at entry then there is a chance that those lorries travelling northwards from the tunnel on the M1 may be able to flow freely , but it would only take one continental driver to get it wrong to scupper that little plan. I'm not sure that the planners will have considered that level of congestion, and therefore will not have considered such remedies. In the Port itself, the vehicles will enter / exit the tunnel from within the port estate and that should definitely improve things in the general area of the East Wall Rd. So I'm all right Jack ! |
||||
|
|
||||
Stevie1202 |
Re: Port Tunnel | #4 | ||
|
Part of the overall problem in the management of it is that there is too much traffic entering and leaving the motorway in such a small space.
Correct me if this isn't the right order, heading north from Collins Avenue: Santry/Coolock offslip Port Tunnel M50 offslip M50 onslip (x2) Airport/Swords offslip All that in the space of about a mile (or less!). Its hardly any wonder the back road from the Ballymun M50 exit is nearly as congested as the M1. I wonder how much the Ashbourne bypass when it opens next year will affect the M1? |
||||
|
|
||||
Nigel |
Re: Port Tunnel | #5 | ||
|
What will happen in practice, is that a wall of slow moving lorries will exit the port tunnel northwards, and be forced to merge with a solid wall of general traffic coming from the city, undertaking the port tunnel traffic, doing nearly twice the speed, and with NO intention of facilitating tunnel traffic to merge.
Lorries exiting the tunnel will be faced with either having to force the issue, and risk an accident, for which the lorry driver will no doubt be found guilty in the national media, or else simply to STOP, and thus begins a long queue of unmoving traffic backing all the way into the tunnel, probably back to the port exit. But it is the way all our roads have always been designed, be they motorway roundabouts, bus lanes, junctions, whatever. The assumption being that everything using the roads will be a BMW Mondeo containing two adults and 2.3 children, travelling at the same legal speed, and with no comprehension from road engineers who have never driven anything else, that lorries and buses need more consideration, and more room to manoeuvre and accelerate, or that the level of frustration among Dublin motorists at this stage means they are highly unlikely to co-operate with road traffic law or even common courtesy. And when it all reveals itself to be a total and unmitigated disaster, then we will stick a few traffic lights haphazardly all around it... |
||||
|
|
||||
Daz42C |
Re: Port Tunnel | #6 | ||
|
As my skool is right beside the M50/M1 junction we are often told of what is going to happen to this junction the lastw e heard was from DCC and Fingal that theyw ere going to build a spaghetti style junction there with no lights what-so-ever.
I dont know how well that would work, but I'm sure it's a long way off in anyway. I think the same is to happen at the Red Cow and the Finglas junctions... |
||||
|
|
||||
Eastern Nat |
Re: Port Tunnel | #7 | ||
|
Nigel, you have painted an horrific picture, and there are many who would say you have exaggerated it to make a point.
Not so !!! Your picture has portrayed exactly what is going to happen, and the ultimate solution of traffic lights will be the final nightmare. How a fly-under/over hasn't been included at day one to cater for the merging / crossing traffic beggars belief. Here we are spending XXXX Million [ X being a totally unknown number ] and we end up with a tunnel that is too low and which will create further mayhem on top of the existing mayhem. As I said yesterday I'm eternally grateful that my morning / evening journey doesn't include the M 50. |
||||
|
|
||||
65DONARD |
Re: Port Tunnel | #8 | ||
|
What is the headroom in the tunnell??.
Anthony. |
||||
|
|
||||
SickCert |
Re: Port Tunnel | #9 | ||
|
Heard last night this tunnel had a 'local' flooding problem.
Was the man talking good PR (on rte) or will it open on time with trucks using wipers at the 'local flood' section? Good luck on the Metro tunnel under the Liffey! |
||||
|
|
||||
Billy563 |
Re: Port Tunnel | #10 | ||
|
Perhaps,in the context of what was very plainly visible on the RTE TV News report last night the Modeerators might consider moving this thread to the Marine section......
|
||||
|
|
||||
Eastern Nat |
Re: Port Tunnel | #11 | ||
|
The amazing thing about the local flooding problem is that the same man gave 2 different opinions on the opening date in one day.
During an interview at about 0745 yesterday he said the tunnel was still on track for opening at the end of April, and by evening news time he had modified this to 'in the summer'. I have inside information that this, in fact, is a new sophisticated washing system designed in such a way that trucks entering the country can be sprayed against the spread of bird flu, whilst trucks leaving can be sprayed against the spread of MRSA !!!! |
||||
|
|
||||
metrovick001 |
Re: Port Tunnel | #12 | ||
|
The funny thing is that until treasury holdings got their greasy mitts on Irish Rails midland yard at the north wall a lot of this traffic entered and left the port of Dublin by rail and did not contribute to the carnage that takes place today on our roads as a result of the truck madness that is now on us.
God help the folk who use the M50 between the M1 & the N3/4/6. On a slightly separate note, whats going to happen at the toll bridge? I can see a lot of HGVs heading north to Dunboyne and across to Celbridge/Kill. |
||||
|
|
||||
shilltpo |
Re: Port Tunnel | #13 | ||
|
A lot of trucks already use this route. Personally the design of the Northern Portal seems to make the RPA work look good and thats saying something. Has there been any other place not only in Ireland but on the planet were a stretch of road has been narrowed from a four lane motorway to a single carraigeway. I know what I fel like saying but it would not be in keeping with the acceptable language policy of this discussion board
|
||||
|
|
||||
metrovick001 |
Re: Port Tunnel | #14 | ||
|
There certainly are a lot of trucks using it but I believe that there will be at least five times that figure when the tunnel opens. It will be interesting to see how desperate things get when hikes in fuel costs hit.
Anyway, vback to the tunnel, is it stil leaking? |
||||
|
|
||||
metrovick001 |
Re: Port Tunnel | #15 | ||
|
From "letters to the editor" in the Irish Times 24 March 2006.
Traffic and the port tunnel. This guy must be very very good at his job!!! Madam, - Trucks using the Dublin Port Tunnel will add just 3 per cent more peak time traffic in each direction at the West Link toll plaza, because a large number of them will go north instead, on the MI, or N1, N2, and N3. They will not be traveling on the M50 as far as the West Link , toll plaza. The Dublin Port Tunnel will take approximately 9,000 trucks from the port area. It has been built specifically to t benefit the hauliers who need to access the port. They and the port constitute a vital element of the economy of Dublin city. The high value we place on their contribution to the economy is being acknowledged by the provision of a four-lane motorway-quality road that will allow them to travel, free of charge, between the M50 and - Dublin Port in around six minutes; saving them time, fuel and the stress and aggravation of negotiating the city streets. The opening of the Dublin Port Tunnel will also provide Dubliners and those living in local communities with an unprecedented opportunity to enjoy an improved local environment. Pedestrians, cyclists and local communities living in the city will benefit greatly. No one should underestimate the importance of Dublin having a first-class public domain. The removal of heavy goods vehicles off the streets, and the management of those remaining, is an essential step if Dublin is to develop this type of domain and compet with other major European cities. MICHAEL PHILLIPS, Dublin City Engineer, Civic Offices, Wood Quay. |
||||
|
|
||||
Stevie1202 |
Re: Port Tunnel | #16 | ||
|
I made an intersting discovery, that buses will be exempt from the toll on the port tunnel.
Scroll to the end of this document |
||||
|
|
||||
7minus1 |
Re: Port Tunnel | #17 | ||
|
Yup, it ain't going to be crowded either; check out the car rates
might be useful for peak time M1 express services to/from Busaras. Will have to see what the traffic flows are like after it's opened. I have a vain hope for an express city bus service from Airport to south east Dublin via DPT and East Link which AFAIK is also free for buses. |
||||
|
|
||||
Eastern Nat |
Re: Port Tunnel | #18 | ||
|
Has anyone any idea when it is going to open.
It has all gone very quiet. At the Port end it appears that one final big push should have the approach roads ready but what is happening in the tunnel itself is a complete mystery. They have been doing landscaping etc beside Fairview DART depot. I also have no idea what is happening at the M1 / M 50 end, as I avoid that area like the plague |
||||
|
|
||||
oneoftheskulls |
Re: Port Tunnel | #19 | ||
|
You are right - it has gone very quiet! They should be making lots of noise about when it is going to open.
Maybe they are afraid to say anything in case it reminds the media about the leaks again? Maybe the press office has disappeared under water? |
||||
|
|
||||
Eastern Nat |
Re: Port Tunnel | #20 | ||
|
----------------
Has anyone any idea when it is going to open. ---------------- To answer my own question, in an article in I.T. yesterday about the potential naming of the tunnel, it mentioned 'in the autumn' , but that might be just speculation by the jounalist concerned. |
||||
|
|
||||