[Article] M1 open Friday

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/931964?view=Eircomnet

M1 motorway opening to cut journey times
From:ireland.com
Thursday, 26th June, 2003

One of the final remaining sections of the M1 motorway linking Dublin to the Border in Co Louth will be opened to motorists tomorrow.

The Taoiseach will open the road linking Dublin Airport to the southern end of the Balbriggan bypass at 2 p.m. The Minister for Transport Mr Brennan, and Cllr Michael Kennedy, Cathaoirleach of Fingal County Council, will also attend the ceremony.

The 16.3-kilometre stretch of road has been completed three months ahead of schedule at a cost of €230 million. It was co-funded by the Cohesion Fund of the European Union and by the Government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006.

It is estimated motorists will save 30 minutes at peak times, avoiding the busy airport and roundabout and the series of roundabouts on the old Swords bypass. Motorists travelling from Dublin and Dundalk are expected to save up to one hour on their journeys.

The new road will mean motorists will be able to travel from Whitehall in Dublin to just south of the Border near Dundalk. The 72-kilometre route will become the longest stretch of motorway in the State.

Traffic volumes on the N1, from Balbriggan to the M1/M50 motorways and at the Dublin Airport roundabout, are expected to fall by 40 per cent.

Earlier this month the Drogheda bypass, linking the northern end of the Balbriggan bypass to the Dunleer bypass, opened. The new road includes the Boyne suspension bridge and has a toll for all vehicles.

The move was rejected by the Irish Road Haulage Association, whose members are driving their trucks through Drogheda and Slane to avoid paying the toll.

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/935937?view=Eircomnet

Dublin-Belfast motorway section opens today
From:ireland.com
Friday, 27th June, 2003

The Taoiseach will open a new stretch of the Dublin-Belfast motorway today that is expected to ease congestion on one of the State's busiest routes.

The €230-million project has been completed three months ahead of schedule.

Motorists will save an estimated 30 minutes at peak times over the 16.3 kilometre and traffic volumes on the N1, from Balbriggan to the M1/M50 motorways and at Dublin Airport roundabout, are expected to fall to 60 per cent of current levels.

Long distance traffic to and from Dublin, Drogheda, Dundalk and Belfast will use the new motorway, according to Mr Michael Kennedy, Cathaoirleach, Fingal County Council.

Mr Kennedy said the motorway will remove 3,000 heavy goods vehicles and 30,000 other vehicles a day from the N1 and other local roads in Fingal.

"The many immediate benefits to the residents of Rush, Lusk, Skerries, Portrane, Donabate and the general Fingal coastal areas include safer roads for local drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, and a less polluted urban environment, particularly around Swords," he said.

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/937460?view=Eircomnet

Longest motorway in State set for rush hour
From:ireland.com
Friday, 27th June, 2003

The newest section of the M1 was formally unveiled today, making the road the longest motorway in the State.

Opened by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, with the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, and the chairman of Fingal County Council, Mr Michael Kennedy TD, it will be available for use for rush hour today when it open for traffic at 5 p.m.

It is estimated the now 72-kilometre stretch of road will take 3,000 trucks and 30,000 other vehicles per day off the N1 and local roads and cut the travel time to Dundalk by an hour at peak times.

Traffic volumes on the N1, from Balbriggan to the M1/M50 motorways, and at Dublin Airport roundabout are expected to fall by 60 per cent.

The section from Dublin Airport to Balbriggan is 16.3 kilometres long and cost €230 million to build.

The Taoiseach said the road "clearly demonstrates the Government's commitment to the delivery of Ireland's new motorway network as set out in the National Development Plan".

Mr Brennan said he was "particularly pleased" the road had been delivered ahead of ahead of schedule.

The motorway is a four-lane dual carriageway, with provision for widening to three lanes in each direction. There are ten bridges and three interchanges. The interchanges are at Dublin Airport, Lissenhall and Rowan's Road, joining the motorway to Balbriggan Bypass.

Over €700 million has been invested to date in the upgrading of the M1 to motorway standard with €270 million coming from the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund.

Borzoi

Have been up and down to Belfast (from Dublin) over the last few days - the new motorway is suberb.

It now takes me about an hour and ten minutes to get to Dundalk, and another hour from Dundalk. This used to be a 2hour 30 to 3 hour trip depending on the state of Drogheda and Swords.

It is very boring driving tho.:D