Road improvements to separate southbound traffic on the N11

Tim O’Brien

State road builder Transport Infrastructure Ireland has announced funding of €2million to help ease traffic on the N11 in Co Wicklow.

The village of Kilmacanogue is the location of two fuel stations on either side of the N11, which are frequently very busy as there are no filling stations opening directly onto the M50. For traffic travelling south, Kilmacanogue represents to first sight of a fuel station, while for traffic traffic travelling north on the N11, Kilmacanogue is the last “online” place to get fuel before joining the M50.

The improvements which may be complete by July next involve the separation of local and “through traffic” on the southbound lane at Kilmacanogue.

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Traffic heading for the filling station on the southbound carriageway is to be separated from through traffic, using plastic ’finger’ posts , in much the same way that traffic is separate on the westbound approach to Lucan on the N4, in west Dublin.

Southbound traffic at Kilmacanogue having opted for the slower, designated left lane, will only be able to access the filling station or an overbridge across the N11. It will not be able to rejoin the two main southbound lanes.

Meanwhile traffic movements on the eastern, or northbound, side of the N11 are to be the subject of a new major improvement scheme,which is to be designed by Transport Infrastructure in 2019.

This major scheme will address traffic over a longer route from Ashford to the M11/M50 junction and a budget of €1 million has been allocated for the planning phase.

A 2017 study of the same route from Ashford to the M50 M11 junction found road users were experiencing “significant queuing and delay during the peak periods” due to high volumes of traffic. It determined “various sections and junctions along the route are not in accordance with current design standards and recommended increased road capacity between the M50 and Kilmacanogue. To increase capacity the study recommended upgrading of the M11 to three lanes within the existing road reservation. This study will now be considered as part of the emerging best option.

Wicklow county councillor Derek Mitchell welcomed the announcement of initial funding. “I have been lobbying for this for many years am pleased money has been allocated to proceed’ he said.