The N40 road (commonly known as the Cork South Ring Road, or locally 'The South Link') is a
national primary road
A national primary road ( ga, Bóthar príomha náisiúnta) is a road classification in Ireland. National primary roads form the major routes between the major urban centres. There are 2649 km of national primary roads. This category of ro ...
in
Cork City
Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city's ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. The road runs through
Cork City
Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city's ...
forming an orbital and distributor route through the south side of the city, linking the
N22 at
Ballincollig
Ballincollig () is a suburban town within the administrative area of Cork city in Ireland. It is located on the western side of Cork city, beside the River Lee on the R608 regional road. In 2016 it was the largest town in County Cork, at wh ...
to the
N25 at the
Dunkettle Interchange
The Dunkettle Interchange is a major road junction in Glanmire, to the east of Cork City, Ireland. It forms a junction between the M8, N25 and the N40. The junction is currently a four-arm signalised junction with a flyover, allowing traffic ...
. The present N40 was created on 23 February 2012 via statutory instrument. The newly designated N40 was formed from parts of both the
N22 and
N25. It is intended that once the Cork North Ring Road is completed, that the N40 will comprise a complete orbital route through the inner city.
Route
![Cork South Ring Flyover 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Cork_South_Ring_Flyover_2.JPG)
The Cork South Ring Road commences at the junction with the N22 at the end of the
Ballincollig
Ballincollig () is a suburban town within the administrative area of Cork city in Ireland. It is located on the western side of Cork city, beside the River Lee on the R608 regional road. In 2016 it was the largest town in County Cork, at wh ...
bypass. The N40 next passes the Curraheen Interchange before meeting the Bandon Road Roundabout, which forms a junction with the
N71. This junction also gives access to west Bishopstown. The next exit leads from the Sarsfield Roundabout up to the Wilton Roundabout after passing
Wilton Shopping Centre
Wilton Shopping Centre, located in the Wilton area of Cork, is the second biggest shopping centre in the city. It opened on 6 December 1979, and has 65 shops.
In 2003, construction began to add 10 new units, and outlets in the centre now inclu ...
on the left,
Cork University Hospital
Cork University Hospital ( ga, Ospidéal na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a large university teaching hospital in Wilton, Cork in Ireland. Its academic partner is University College Cork. It is the only Level 1 Trauma Centre in Ireland. It is a public ...
and west
Bishopstown.
From there, after passing the exit to
Togher/Turner's Cross, The South Ring Road runs east over the
Kinsale Road Roundabout by
flyover. It also meets the
N27 to
Cork International Airport,
Kinsale
Kinsale ( ; ) is a historic port and fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Located approximately south of Cork City on the southeast coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon, and has a population of 5,281 (a ...
Road and the
N27 South Link Road to the city centre by exiting onto the
Kinsale Road Roundabout by
slip road
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, usin ...
.
The Cork South Ring Road continues east,
overpassing Douglas
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
* Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civi ...
and meets the
N28 to
Ringaskiddy
Ringaskiddy () is a village in County Cork, Ireland. It is located on the western side of Cork Harbour, south of Cobh, and is 15 kilometres from Cork city, to which it is connected by the N28 road. The village is a port with passenger fer ...
(
Carrigaline
Carrigaline () is a town and civil parish in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the River Owenabue. Located about south of Cork city, and with a population of 15,770 people, it is one of the largest commuter towns of the city. The R611 regiona ...
Road) at The Bloomfield Interchange. From here the road passes under the
River Lee
The River Lee (Irish: ''An Laoi'') is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's ...
through the
Jack Lynch Tunnel
The Jack Lynch Tunnel (Irish: ''Tollán Sheáin Uí Loingsigh'') is an immersed tube tunnel and an integral part of the N40 road network in Cork, Ireland. It is named after former Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, a native of Cork.
It takes the road ...
.
North of the tunnel, the South Ring Road ends at an interchange with the
M8 to
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
, the N8 to the city centre and the
N25 to
Waterford City
"Waterford remains the untaken city"
, mapsize = 220px
, pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe
, pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe
, pushpin_relief = 1
, coordinates ...
via
Midleton
Midleton (; , meaning "monastery at the weir") is a town in south-eastern County Cork, Ireland. It lies approximately 16 km east of Cork City on the Owenacurra River and the N25 road, which connects Cork to the port of Rosslare. A satellit ...
and
Youghal
Youghal ( ; ) is a seaside resort town in County Cork, Ireland. Located on the estuary of the River Blackwater, the town is a former military and economic centre. Located on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a long and narrow layout. ...
.
Kinsale Road Roundabout upgrade
On 4 August 2006, a flyover of the Kinsale Road Roundabout was opened to traffic 6 months ahead of schedule. The project cost 55 million euro and consists of 3 lanes eastbound, 2 lanes west-bound and four on/off-ramps connecting the dual-carriageway to the roundabout.
Bandon Road Roundabout and Sarsfield Road Roundabout upgrade
On 12 March 2010, the NRA confirmed that both the Bandon Road Roundabout and the Sarsfield Road Roundabout would have flyovers built, with traffic travelling on the Cork South Ring Road being able to avoid both roundabouts when staying on the mainline. While minor work on this scheme had already commenced in 2008, full construction started on 6 July 2011 and was completed in July 2013.
[ ] As well as two flyovers being built, the dual carriageway between both roundabouts will be upgraded and straightened with two access roads being built on either side for local access.
Cork North Ring Road
A Cork North Ring Road is in the planning phase with a number of different routes having been proposed. The road will run from
Glanmire
Glanmire () is a suburban town from Cork city centre, in the civil parish of Rathcooney, County Cork, Ireland. Glanmire is within the administrative area of Cork City Council and the Dáil constituency of Cork North-Central.
The greater Gl ...
to the junction of the N40 and the
N22 in
Ballincollig
Ballincollig () is a suburban town within the administrative area of Cork city in Ireland. It is located on the western side of Cork city, beside the River Lee on the R608 regional road. In 2016 it was the largest town in County Cork, at wh ...
.
Upon completion, it is likely that this stretch of high quality dual carriage/motorway will be designated as part of the N40. In addition, a stretch of motorway presently designated as the
M8 may also be redesignated as the N40, meaning the N40 will completely encircle the inner city and city centre.
List of exits
See also
*
Roads in Ireland
The island of Ireland, comprising Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, has an extensive network of tens of thousands of kilometres of public roads, usually surfaced. These roads have been developed and modernised over centuries, from tr ...
*
National primary road
A national primary road ( ga, Bóthar príomha náisiúnta) is a road classification in Ireland. National primary roads form the major routes between the major urban centres. There are 2649 km of national primary roads. This category of ro ...
*
Regional road
*
N22
References
{{Roads in Ireland
40
Roads in County Cork