Primary Route

Road Name:
N20

Section (where applicable):
Pope's Quay to Assumption Road and Commons Road to junction with Lower Kileens Road.

Existing Facility and Quality of Service (QoS):
There are currently no dedicated cycling facilities on this route.

Proposed Infrastructure Type:
This route is proposed as a primary route connecting the northern environs of the city and interurban route IU-6 (to Blarney) directly with the city centre. The route is currently a traffic dominated urban dual carriageway with no cyclist facilities. This directness of this road providing a connection directly to Cork City Centre from the north is an advantage which should be exploited for the benefit of cyclists, it will be a functional, direct route which will improve journey times for cyclists, increase safety for all road users by reducing vehicular speeds, improve the overall environment of an area currently dominated by traffic and also reduce vehicular emissions and noise by reducing speeds. The current layout of the road, with a hatched central median, wide traffic lanes and grass verges means there is a lot of underutilised roadspace which should be exploited in order to provide high quality segregated cyclist facilities in both directions. This approach has been implemented elsewhere where an urban dual carriageway, also a National Primary route, has had high quality segregated cyclist facilities retrofitted by reducing traffic lane widths and utilising previously underutilised roadspace. Figure 7.3 below illustrates the underutilised space currently on the N20 while Figure 7.4 provides an example of a high quality segregated cycle track which has been retro fitted to an urban dual carriageway. Figure 7.5 shows a potential future cross section for the N20.

Key Locations Served:
Surrounding residential area, primary and secondary schools, Blackpool Shopping Centre, IU6 to Blarney and the city centre

Pinch Points/Constraints:
Strategic standing of N20 as a national primary route, although precedent has been set in establishing cycle tracks on National primaries in other locations.