One of Cork's busiest traffic junctions is set for a multi-million euro overhaul the National Roads Authority (NRA) has confirmed.

The Dunkettle Interchange is located at the mouth of the Jack Lynch Tunnel on the north bank of the River Lee where the N8 Dublin Road meets the N25 Waterford Road, Tivoli Dual Carriageway and the South Ring Road via the tunnel.

In recent years ever-growing traffic volumes at the junction and constant hold ups in the tunnel have led road planners to look at ways in which traffic capacity ca be increased at the interchange to ease hold-ups in the Jack Lynch Tunnel.

An additional river crossing next to the tunnel had been contemplated but the very tight geographical area and high likely costs have made this option one of last resort. The Cork Independent understands that the NRA has allocated €200,000 in the 2008 roads budget to the Cork National Roads Office (CNRO) to begin planning a complete revamp of the Dunkettle interchange. According to planners upgrading the interchange to a free-flowing or partial free-flowing junction along with the completion of the North Ring Road and the Midleton Rail Line will significantly easy congestion at Dunkettle.

Currently all traffic coming from Dublin and Waterford and heading to the west of the city uses the tunnel and South Ring Road. The completion of the North Ring Road will provide an alternative route for much of this traffic to get to the western side of the city without using the tunnel.

The upgrading of the Dunkettle interchange is seen as a vital part of the overall traffic plan for Cork. Due to the limited room for expansion at the interchange it is likely that the final design will require a complex engineering solution.

The NRA stated that the project is currently at the feasibility study stage and more details of what is specifically planned for the junction will be announced at a later stage.

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