'Great day' as final links of Dunkettle Interchange Upgrade to open today 

THE official opening of the multi-million euro Dunkettle-Interchange Upgrade this morning marks a “great day” for the Cork area and wider southern region. The enhanced infrastructure is expected to be a “major boost to industry”.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin will officially open the new road network, with the final two link roads ready for traffic this afternoon.

The €215m project promises to alleviate congestion, improve safety, and streamline traffic flow for residents and businesses.

The final two link roads, Link C and Link P, are the only two links on the Dunkettle interchange upgrade that have yet to open.

Link C, N25 Westbound to M8 Northbound, and Link P, Little Island to M8 Northbound, will open to traffic before lunchtime.

Speaking ahead of the official opening, Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central, Pádraig O’Sullivan, said that the occasion marks a “great day” for the Cork area and wider southern region.

'A major boost'

Mr O’Sullivan said: “It [the upgraded road network] will be a major boost to industry and attracting further foreign-direct investment (FDI) and creating and keeping jobs in Cork.

“It’s a major relief to locals, too, that the work is finally coming to a conclusion and, hopefully, traffic and queueing at peak times will be drastically improved,” he added.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) worked in partnership with Cork County Council and Cork City Council to deliver the Dunkettle interchange upgrade, with the project team comprised of Jacobs and Sisk.

Sinn Féin councillor Kenneth Collins, who is also a truck driver, commended the work.

“For the last couple of years, I’ve been watching it, on a weekly basis, changing.

“It was amazing how live traffic was working away while work was progressing on this interchange,” he told The Echo.

Mr Collins said the only “pinch point” he has observed at peak morning hours is traffic coming from East Cork travelling towards the Jack Lynch Tunnel, but he said that, overall, “the interchange flows fantastically”.

“I’d give it a 9/10!” he added.

'Expensive but necessary'

Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central, Colm Burke, said that the upgrade has been an “expensive”, but necessary investment to support Cork’s growing population. “It’s been a very expensive project, but it’s about the delivery of infrastructure in Cork, where the population of Cork has grown dramatically over the last 10 years, the jobs have grown dramatically… we have major centres of population in Midleton, Carrigtwohill, Glanmire, and then in relation to traffic travelling to and from Dublin.

“I think this development was really necessary and I think it’s really a well-delivered project and delivered in a very reasonable timeframe, as well,” he said.

The completion of the works will be followed by three years of maintenance during which the operation of the interchange will be monitored. In this period, the project team can be contacted with any queries, comments, or concerns.

Labour Party candidate in the city’s South East ward, Peter Horgan, praised the team on their willingness to engage throughout the process.

“What has struck me most, during the work taking place, was the willingness of the team involved to react and adapt to issues raised by commuters to make the transition to a new network as simple as could logistically be,” the local election candidate said.

“It’s my hope, now, that this will make the road network safer and less complicated than before and reduce journey times.”

• The project team can be contacted via email: roadconstruction@ccc-site.com.