N2 road
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The N2 road is a National Primary Route in Ireland, running from Dublin to the border with Northern Ireland at Moy Bridge near Aughnacloy, County Tyrone to connect Dublin with Derry via the A5.
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[edit] Route
The N2 commences at a junction with the N1 along Dorset Street Upper. From here the route goes to Drumcondra, via St. Mary's Place, Western Way and the Phibsborough Road (and also in the opposite direction; North Circular Road, Berkeley Road, Berkeley Street and Blessington Street). The route leaves the city past Glasnevin via Prospect Road, and Finglas via the Finglas Road. The N2 meets the M50 motorway at Junction 5.
The N2 runs as a dual-carriageway for 17 km (11 mi) from the M50 to north of Ashbourne, County Meath. This project was opened on 25 May 2006, and includes 3.5 km (2.2 mi) of three lane dual carriageway built to motorway standard. The route is the first to have a 120 km/h (75 mph) special speed limit (this was previously reserved for motorways, see Road speed limits in the Republic of Ireland for particulars).
The route continues through Balrath towards Slane, where a dangerous bridge brings the road through the town by the historic Hill of Slane, now home to the occasional rock festival. The N2 continues through Collon in County Louth. Just after Ardee the N2 meets the N33 road, which connects the N2 to the nearby M1 motorway. North of this, in County Monaghan, the N2 bypasses Carrickmacross to the east, along a bypass opened on 21 January 2005. This 9 km (6 mi) wide single carriageway has been named The Kavanagh Way, after Monaghan writer and poet Patrick Kavanagh. The route by-passes Castleblayney and Clontibret on the way to Monaghan. North of the town, the N12 diverges east to the border. The N2 continues north through Emyvale to reach the border at Moy Bridge directly south of Aughnacloy, County Tyrone. From here, the road becomes the A5 road to Omagh and Derry.
[edit] Upgrades
Projects under construction on the N2 include a 16 km (10 mi) 2+1 carriageway bypass of Castleblayney. A 3 km (1.9 mi) single carriageway bypass of Monaghan town to the east was opened on the 25 September 2006 By Pat Gallgher (Junior Minister For Transport).
Planned projects along the N2 include a 9 km (6 mi) bypass of Ardee and a 4 km (2.5 mi) bypass of Slane. All these projects will be standard two lane single carriageway roads. It is hoped to commence the Slane Bypass within the next 4 years.
[edit] Discussion
There have been calls (by both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland political parties) to upgrade the whole Dublin–Derry route to dual carriageway, including the A5 in Northern Ireland. In October 2006, the Irish government announced it was funding infrastructure costing €1 billion in Northern Ireland, and one possible project to be funded is the upgrading of the A5 Derry - Omagh - Aughnacloy road to motorway standard for a distance of 87 km (54 mi). However, there was no mention of the N2 road being upgraded to motorway standard in the Republic. [1]. The Irish Department of Finance website confirmed on March 22nd 2007 that €400 million had been set aside for Northern investment to include a dual carriageway to Derry and Donegal. It was unclear if any of this would be built in the Republic.
The 2007 Fianna Fáil election policy document on transport includes a dual carriageway from Dublin to Letterkenny/Derry as one of Fianna Fáil's promises if re-elected. it is unlikely this would involve a dual-carriageway along the route of the N2, given its absence from Transport 21 and the fact that the recently opened Monaghan and Carrickmacross by-passes are single lane national primary roads. The Slane By-pass is also due to be single carriageway. More likely, any such dual carriagway built would be located in Northern Ireland and the southern section would mainly comprise the existing M1. The NRA currently encourages hauliers heading north to Derry to use the M1 as far as the N33 road to Ardee, avoiding the dangerous sections of the parallel N2 in the environs of Slane, Collon and Ardee.
[edit] Exit list
| N2 National Primary Route | ||
| Northbound | Junction |
Southbound |
| Start of high-quality dual carriageway | Image:Motorway Exit 1 Ireland.PNG | Dublin Airport, Dublin Port and ALL OTHER ROUTES M50. (Road continues as regular dual carriageway for Finglas and Dublin) |
| Killshane | - | Dublin Airport, Dublin Port and ALL OTHER ROUTES M50 |
| St Margaret's, Blanchardstown |  |
St Margaret's, Blanchardstown |
| Ashbourne, Ratoath, Swords R135 |  |
Ashbourne, Ratoath, Swords R135 |
| Ashbourne. |  |
Ashbourne |
| N2 continues as regular highway for Derry | - | Start of high-quality dual carriageway |
[edit] References
- Roads Act 1993 (Classification of National Roads) Order 2006 (PDF)- Department of Transport
- Official site of the N2 Ashbourne Bypass/M50 Junction project
- National Roads Authority (details of projects completed, under construction, and planned on the N2, and other routes)
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