Question about the N2-M50 interchange

Andrew Duffy

Reading that the N2 improvement from the M50 to beyond Ashbourne has been approved reminded me of something I'd noticed and never understood. There are two gated tunnels under the M50 in the centre of the roundabout. They are far too small to carry road carriageways or railway lines. The EIS for the improvement scheme mentions importand archaeology at the south end of the scheme which might have something to do with it. Anyone know more?

http://www.meath.ie/N2_EIS/Frame.htm

Victor

Originally posted by Andrew Duffy
There are two gated tunnels under the M50 in the centre of the roundabout. They are far too small to carry road carriageways or railway lines.

What direction do they go? North-South or East-West.

This bit is a bit daft, the way they have the scheme ending in a roundabout. I'm not convinced about the project at all, especially with the M1 built and the M3 planned.

http://www.meath.ie/N2_EIS/maps/N2_EIS_Ignite/image18.html

Andrew Duffy

They go the same direction as the main road, so North-South.

Andrew Duffy

Oh, there is a markedly sharp turn at the North end of the scheme, which would suggest a desire to continue with an offline upgrade at a later date. I'm more worried about the roundabout at the other end (and the relevance of the whole scheme, for that matter) - check out this for shortsightedness:

M50 / N2 Junction
The scheme would require the modification of this junction so that the existing single carriageway of the N2, north of the junction, would be replaced by a dual three-lane carriageway with the provision of free flow links to and from the M50 eastbound ramps. The existing N2 would be severed at this point. At the M50 Junction, the N2 would tie-in to the existing layout. Freeflow left turn slip roads would be required on the north side of the M50 roundabout in the opening year of the N2 Improvement. Traffic signals would also be required at some stage during the design life of the scheme.

Further work on traffic modelling is currently being undertaken as part of the first stage of the M50 Widening Study. The initial results from the study confirmed that a signalised roundabout would operate satisfactory. The M50 Widening Study is looking at the M50 and at all the radial route interchanges over its entire length. It is now anticipated from the very recent work, that due to the increase in the potential capacity elsewhere on the M50 and its associated junctions, if the various schemes are adopted, that the flows through the N2/M50 Junction may also increase. This could have the effect that a simple signalised roundabout may not be sufficient to cater for these flows in the future. Alternative layouts to accommodate the increased turning flows are currently being considered as part of the M50 Widening Study. The layout currently proposed as part of the N2 Improvement would cater for the existing two lane M50 motorway flows.

LFCFan

why do road planners in Ireland insist on using roundabouts everywhere? They are a scourge and lead to tailback and accidents because not enough people know how to use them properly.

LFCFan

Originally posted by Victor
This bit is a bit daft, the way they have the scheme ending in a roundabout.
http://www.meath.ie/N2_EIS/maps/N2_EIS_Ignite/image18.html

Is the roundabout in this map not the existing one on the M50/N2 Interchange?

Victor

Originally posted by LFCFan
Is the roundabout in this map not the existing one on the M50/N2 Interchange?

They will have a roundabout at both ends.

LFCFan

Originally posted by Victor
They will have a roundabout at both ends.

Yeah, see that now. Muppets. Surely they can design the road without a roundabout. In the plans they even talk about how the Roundabout at Finglas causing congestion yet they still plan another roundabout at the other end. Logic is obviously a word they are not familiar with.

loyatemu

to be fair here - they do say that they are waiting to see the final plans and traffic projections for the M50 upgrade before deciding on the layout of the new junction.

this is a fairly pointless road though - it is only slightly to the west of the M1. A single-carriageway bypass of Ashbourne would probably suffice. For the price of this road they could probably reopen the Navan rail line with park-ride facilities for Ashbourne commuters and take a lot of traffic off this route.

FF really love their roads...

LFCFan

there is massive amounts of traffic on this road, alot of it is HGV. There is a great need for an Ashbourne bypass but like you say, a single carraige could do the trick but roads should be future proof. Look at the disaster they call the M50. It's not even finished yet and they are planning an upgrade to 3 lanes.

John R

Originally posted by LFCFan
there is massive amounts of traffic on this road, alot of it is HGV. There is a great need for an Ashbourne bypass but like you say, a single carraige could do the trick but roads should be future proof. Look at the disaster they call the M50. It's not even finished yet and they are planning an upgrade to 3 lanes.

What good will an extra lane on the M50 do anyway? The problems on the m50 are caused by the stupid traffic light-roundabouts on every exit and the big blockade between Blanchardstown and Liffey Valley.

dmeehan

Originally posted by John R
What good will an extra lane on the M50 do anyway? The problems on the m50 are caused by the stupid traffic light-roundabouts on every exit and the big blockade between Blanchardstown and Liffey Valley.

an extra lane *should* allow those not using those exits in the area you mentioned to get passed the bottle-neck more easily

thejollyrodger

They will have a roundabout at both ends

duh !! thick designers or what??

What good will an extra lane on the M50 do anyway?

Good question... what good will it do? probably by the time they get finished it make absolutely no difference to the average car driver on it. It needs at least 4 lanes each way. The M-50 is CRAP!!!!

Victor

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/05/05/story146172.html

Contracts signed for €200m N2 upgrade
05/05/2004 - 4:17:24 PM

Contracts have been signed to allow construction work on a €200m upgrade of the N2, Dublin to Derry road.

When the work is completed, it will relieve congestion, cut journey times and improve safety on a route with a high accident rate.

The 17-kilometre scheme will stretch from the M50 at Finglas to just north of Ashbourne, Co Meath.

Crossley

Not sure how that rates as breaking news. Clearance work on the route started months ago.

thejollyrodger

when is the expected completion date?

Crossley

In the original public meetings they were talking about 2 years.

Victor

Originally posted by thejollyrodger
when is the expected completion date?

I did a quick check of www.meath.ie, www.fingalcoco.ie and www.nra.ie, www.transport.ie and all seem to under the impression that nothing has started.

Victor

http://www.sbpost.ie/web/DocumentView/did-600528614-pageUrl--2FThe-Newspaper-2FSundays-Paper-2FNews.asp

Sisk and Jons in €82 million contract
02/05/04 00:00
By Ian Kehoe

Jons Civil Engineering, the company which reportedly paid out €500,000 in a settlement for breach of contract last December, is part of a joint venture that been awarded an €82 million contract to develop the new Finglas to Ashbourne road.

The joint venture between Jons and John Sisk and Co, the state's largest building company, will begin work on theN2 schemelater this month. They won the contract from Meath County Council ahead of four other applicants.

The contract - due to be completed within two-and-ahalf years - includes the construction of more than 26 kilometres of roadway, 16 bridges, two interchanges and four roundabouts.

It may also include the provision of tolling facilities in the future.

A spokesman for Meath Council said the Jons/Sisk proposal was the most "advantageous" application. "It is a massive contract and we wanted to get the right company," he said.

Jons, based in Duleek, Co Meath, was sued last year by concrete company Framus for breach of a €1.3 million contract in 1992. Framus said that it had entered into a pre-tender contract to supply Jons with concrete for the Northern Cross route in Dublin. Jons subsequently withdrew from the agreement and the subsequent case was settled in the High Court for an estimated €500,000.

Jons' partner in the N2 project, the Sisk Group, has been involved in the construction of some of the country's largest developments, including Croke Park and the Liffey Valley shopping centre. The company, run by George and John Sisk, has also constructed buildings for Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and Coca-Cola.

The group posted turnover of more than €810 million for the 2002 financial year. It registered pre-tax profits of €36.8 million, down by 14 per cent on the previous year. It employs more than 1,400 people in Ireland, 295 in Britain and 1,929 worldwide.

thejollyrodger

thanks Victor;)

due to be completed within two-and-ahalf years - includes .... the provision of tolling facilities in the future.

Two and 1/2 years!! I didnt think it would take them so long!! and tolls to look forward to on that side of town as well

Crossley

I did a quick check of www.meath.ie, www.fingalcoco.ie and www.nra.ie, www.transport.ie and all seem to under the impression that nothing has started.

Take a run out the N2 and keep an eye out on the lhs. Best seen from the top deck of a bus admittedly. Most of the work to date has been clearance and fencing. Very obvious where the route crosses the R125 Ashbourne - Ratoath and the Hollystown -Ward Cross roads. However the most obvious site is where the feeder road from the Cherryhound Interchange is being constructed about 2 mls north of Kilshane cross.