N3 (Republic of Ireland)
N 3 | |
|---|---|
| Bóthar N3 (Irish) | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 127.39 km (79.16 mi) |
| Location | |
| Country | Republic of Ireland |
| Primary destinations | (bypassed routes in italics) |
| Highway system | |
The N3 is a national primary road in the Republic of Ireland, running between Dublin, Cavan and the border with County Fermanagh. The A509 and A46 roads in Northern Ireland form part of an overall route connecting to Enniskillen, and northwest to the border again where the N3 reappears to serve Ballyshannon in County Donegal.
Rush hour congestion between Navan and Dublin city was very heavy (up to 22,000 vehicles per day on single carriageway portions of the N3 in 2002), and problems occurred at most built-up areas between these points. A tolled motorway bypass replacement, the M3, was opened to traffic on 4 June 2010.
The former section from its junction with the M50 to Dublin city centre, as well as the bypassed section from Clonee to the border with County Cavan, have been reclassified as the R147.
Route
The route, known as the Navan Road as it leaves Dublin, starts at its junction with the M50 (junction 6), bypassing Blanchardstown, Mulhuddart and Clonee with a dual carriageway opened in November 1992. The dual carriageway changes into the M3 near the Meath border bypassing Dunshaughlin and Navan. Near Kells the route continues as the N3 dual carriageway to the border with County Cavan. It then passes through Virginia, past Cavan and continues past Butlersbridge and Belturbet.
The route then crosses the border into Northern Ireland at the Senator George Mitchell Peace Bridge (also known as Aghalane Bridge), which spans the Woodford River (Irish: Sruth Gráinne), crossing into County Fermanagh where it becomes the A509, continuing on to Enniskillen. The A46 (known as the Lough Shore Road) connects Enniskillen and the County Donegal border, becoming the N3 across the border at Belleek, and connecting to Ballyshannon. In Ballyshannon certain road signs have destinations A46 Enniskillen with N3 Dublin with the requisite single arrow pointing in the same direction.
History
During The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the border crossing at Aghalane Bridge, which spanned the Woodford River just north of Belturbet, was closed. Aghalane Bridge crossed from County Cavan into County Fermanagh. The bridge was targeted by Loyalist paramilitaries and finally left impassable in 1973. The shortest route was along the N87 and A32 via Swanlinbar. The crossing was reopened in 1999 when a new bridge, named after US Senator George Mitchell, was built beside the old Aghalane Bridge.[1]
N3 upgrade
The National Roads Authority in conjunction with Cavan and Donegal County Councils plan major improvements to the N3 route in Ulster.
A 6.7 kilometre bypass of the town of Belturbet in County Cavan was partially opened to traffic on 2 August 2013, and the entire section including a bridge over the River Erne was opened in December 2013.[2][3][4]
M3
Junctions
 | This section contains a table that is missing kilometre posts for one or more junctions. |
The route begins as a dual carriageway at junction 6 of the M50, becoming a motorway after junction 4. It then becomes a dual carriageway after the motorway which terminates at Kells.
| County | km | mi | Junction | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fingal | ||||||
| 1 |  M 50 – Dublin Airport, Dublin Port, Dún Laoghaire, Wexford
|
Continues as R147 towards Dublin city centre. | ||||
| Castleknock, Blanchardstown Village | Connolly Hospital
Northbound entrance and southbound exit only. | |||||
| 2 |  R 843 – Blanchardstown Village, Ballycoolin
|
Northbound exit and southbound entrance only. | ||||
| 3 |  R 121 – Blanchardstown Centre, Mulhuddart
|
Blanchardstown Village (southbound). | ||||
| Fingal/County Meath | Ballycoolin, Tyrellstown, Mulhuddart | Hollystown
Left-in/left-out junction. Southbound entrance and exit only. | ||||
| 4 |  R 156 – Clonee, Damastown, Dunboyne
|
Junction is split across county boundary.
Continues as M3. | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||
See also
- Roads in Ireland
- Motorways in Ireland
- National secondary road
- Regional road
- National Development Plan
- History of roads in Ireland
- Transport Infrastructure Ireland
References
- ^ "A bridge to close the gap and open up a town". Irish Times. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
- ^ "Part of N3 Belturbet bypass opens". Northern Sound. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- ^ "N3 Belturbet Bypass". National Roads Authority. Archived from the original on 7 May 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- ^ "N3 Belturbet Bypass Complete with Opening of Bridge" (Press release). National Roads Authority. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.