Cork city traffic gridlocked after tunnel closure
Traffic in Cork city is gridlocked tonight following the closure of the Jack Lynch tunnel and the partial closure of a key eastern artery.
Motorists stuck in lengthy traffic jams have taken to social media to vent their fury over the timing of the planned tunnel maintenance while lane restrictions and a stop-go system are in place on the Lower Glanmire Rd.
The tunnel closed in both directions at 9pm and will remain closed until 4am for scheduled maintenance.
It will close again between 9pm and 4am tomorrow and Thursday for the work continue.
But the Lower Glanmire Rd road onto which most tunnel-bound traffic has been diverted is partially closed to facilitate water main installation works.
There are reports tonight of gridlock across the city, including around the Kinsale Road roundabout.
Some motorists have complained that the journey from that roundabout to Glanmire, which would normally route through the tunnel but which is now being rerouted into the city and east along the partially-closed Lower Glanmire Rd, took 90-minutes.
Others have complained of hour-long journeys from Glanmire to Douglas - a journey which should normally take 20-minutes through the tunnel at this time of night.
Gardai have advised motorists of very slow moving traffic inbound on the N27 South City Link road and on the approach to the Lower Glanmire road.
Motorist should consider using Summerhill North and Christy Ring Bridge/North City Ring road. Both of these routes are free-flowing currently,” a spokesman said.
The works on the Lower Glanmire Rd are due to continue until the middle to the end of November.
The stop-go system is due to be in place again tomorrow night from 7.30pm until 6am, on Thursday night from 9pm until 6am, on Friday from 9pm until 8am, on Saturday from 8am until 8pm and Sunday from 8am to 6am.
Night time closures of the road are also planned right through the mid-term break for Irish Water pipe laying.
