Port Tunnel to open soon

[pete]

Reading AA magazine yesterday & they said it was Irelands version of the Boston Big Dig.

The big dig was 3.5 mile tunnel under the city with a believe 6 lanes in each direction.

Will be some interesting traffic flow north bound on the tunnel as traffic cuts across lanes to make the M50 exit.

[drummerboy]

Clonliffe Harriers are holding a run through the tunnell. Think it would be a good idea if EL fans, wore the club colours and raced in this. Good way of raising a few bob for charity.

[Student Mullet]

There's a 10k road race in it the day before it opens. It's probably the only chance we'll get to see it close up.

http://www.clonliffeharriers.com/

Edit: Snap.

[paul_oshea]

ok so can someone tell me the full route, where is the entrance at the port tunnel?i actually haven't a clue i thought there were 3 entraces, one at santry, one out near islandbridge ( or was this just talk?!?! ) or further down at the m50 turn off on the west link road, and one at port tunnel is that correct? if its their for HGVs going from dublin port out west or southwest to join up with the M50 that makes no sense as the trucks are going around in a semicircle rather than going straight through the diameter. if that were the case to me that seems illogical, but hold on its ireland...

the big dig went 20 billion over budget and 15 years late....

[pete]

ok so can someone tell me the full route, where is the entrance at the port tunnel?i actually haven't a clue i thought there were 3 entraces, one at santry, one out near islandbridge ( or was this just talk?!?! ) or further down at the m50 turn off on the west link road, and one at port tunnel is that correct?

What country do you think this is?

if its their for HGVs going from dublin port out west or southwest to join up with the M50 that makes no sense as the trucks are going around in a semicircle rather than going straight through the diameter. if that were the case to me that seems illogical, but hold on its ireland...

Thats the one.

the big dig went 20 billion over budget and 15 years late....

Can't imagine how much would be over budget if we tried similar project. Port Tunnel is approx 30% over budget but not decided who will pay for yet as still in Arbitration.

[Dr.Nightdub]

ok so can someone tell me the full route, where is the entrance at the port tunnel?

Only two entrances, one's in Whitehall / Santry, the other's near, err, the port. Logistically, to dig out a route under the city centre would have been a complete non-starter so that's probably the quickest route to get traffic out from the port and onto the M50, . How the trucks get off the M50 and out of Dublin is their problem.

[BohsPartisan]

Also no one has pointed out that now that the port tunnel is opening the government wants to move the port out to Balbriggan an area without the sufficient infrastructure to deal with thousands of trucks every day. Meanwhile if Tom Morrissey's Dublin Madhatten plan goes ahead, the hoi polloy will have a lovely tunnel route to avoid the traffic on their way to their millionaire penthouses.
Planning how are ye?

[Student Mullet]

Also no one has pointed out that now that the port tunnel is opening the government wants to move the port out to Balbriggan an area without the sufficient infrastructure to deal with thousands of trucks every day. Meanwhile if Tom Morrissey's Dublin Madhatten plan goes ahead, the hoi polloy will have a lovely tunnel route to avoid the traffic on their way to their millionaire penthouses.
Planning how are ye?

The motorway goes past Balbriggan, hoi polloy are commonors not rich people and 'hoi' means 'the' so it is incorrect to say 'the hoi polloy'.

[BohsPartisan]

The motorway goes past Balbriggan, .

A long way from Balbriggan though. It goes nowhere near the proposed port at Bremore which is right out in the country and only accessable via country roads.

hoi polloy are commonors not rich people and 'hoi' means 'the' so it is incorrect to say 'the hoi polloy'.

Fair enough, mistake noted, however basic point stands. We've spent a fortune on this tunnel for what? So that it can be a private road for the upper crust - while the already overcrowded and poorly serviced town of Balbriggan has to put up with even more traffic?

[Poor Student]

BP, this is probably naivete on my part but isn't the planned move of the port at least a decade away and is it possible they'll upgrade infrastructure to meet the eventual move?

[Schumi]

We've spent a fortune on this tunnel for what? So that it can be a private road for the upper crust - while the already overcrowded and poorly serviced town of Balbriggan has to put up with even more traffic?

Isn't it some huge price for cars to use the tunnel, €12 or something?

[drummerboy]

Yes, its €12 at peak times. There are lower rates at different times of the day and night, down as low as €3!!!!

[pete]

I look forward to elimination of trucks from the city quays as they are a menace at the moment.

Moving the port away from the City is a good idea but would have been better off using the 750m upgrading facilities to new location. Making the current port area a residential one would add an East side to the city centre.

The organisation of the traffic cominh north out of the tunnel gets worse the more I look at.

[onceahoop]

I look forward to elimination of trucks from the city quays as they are a menace at the moment.

Moving the port away from the City is a good idea but would have been better off using the 750m upgrading facilities to new location. Making the current port area a residential one would add an East side to the city centre.

The organisation of the traffic cominh north out of the tunnel gets worse the more I look at.

Not alone does the organisation get worse, it's positively dangerous both entering and leaving the tunnel at the Coolock interchange, Trucks will be going from the inside to the outside across three lanes of traffic within a kilometre going south and from the outside to inside going north to get onto the M50. Look out for chaos. AA Roadwatch will be going overtime on the radio. And here I was thinking that new road laws forbade HGV's from overtaking and travelling in the outsde lanes on motorways

[pete]

And here I was thinking that new road laws forbade HGV's from overtaking and travelling in the outsde lanes on motorways

Ah sure its ok they'll add lights onto the motorway to regulate the traffic

If someone in the NRA or City Council had even half a brain they would have ensured the traffic travelling north through Whitehall would join the tunnel traffic on the right side so HGV would at least start on the inside lane of the motorway.

[BohsPartisan]

People on the city councl having half a brain? And to think you called me utopian!

[onceahoop]

Ah sure its ok they'll add lights onto the motorway to regulate the traffic

If someone in the NRA or City Council had even half a brain they would have ensured the traffic travelling north through Whitehall would join the tunnel traffic on the right side so HGV would at least start on the inside lane of the motorway.

They are putting traffic lights in to regulate traffic. Most of the accidents that I see on the M1 occur at interchanges. The tunnell is just after the Coolock interchange and about 1k from the M50 interchange. I can see absolute havoc and motorists been forced back to using the secondary roads.

[paul_oshea]

Logistically, to dig out a route under the city centre would have been a complete non-starter

Why?!

[Dr.Nightdub]

I'm guessing for much the same reason the tube in London doesn't go out around Hackney - high water table underground, which they'd've ran into if drilling under the river from the port to out beyond Heuston which would've been the only logical city-centre route.

Let's face it, if they couldn't keep the tunnel dry where they did build it, what hope would they have had of keeping the Liffey out?

[BohsPartisan]

I know what you are saying but how are they going to manage with the Metro?