M50 Upgrade

Idbatterim

How is the M50 upgrade coming along, is it ahead of schedule?

Ice_Box

Well they dont seem to have updated www.m50.ie for months.

ad hoc

It was updated on the 16/3/07 - less than 3 weeks ago.

jmkennedyie

Note that the website does not explain the updated plan as posted a here a few months back. Updated plan was that around Easter all 4 mainline lanes moved into the centre, so that both edges can be worked on in parallel. Keep an eye on the traffic diversion updates - they might hint when this change will happen.

Last published dates I saw were completion of mainline and N4 junction by end of 07, completion of N7 junction next year.

The N4 junction is coming along, still working on the outer movements. N7 junction is early days yet. Centre 4 lanes of mainline section look largely complete - maybe another months work?

Oh yeah, almost forgot, static speed camera now installed on the mainline construction zone...60 km/h

Capt'n Midnight

They will need signs like this on it , and the one with the fine , and to enforce it, if they want to benefit from all the money spent on the upgrade.

corktina

excuse my ignorance, but i assume the junctions are being upgraded....they seem to be the problem areas to me and without freer-flowing junctions, it doesnt matter how many lanes you have as they will be a car park....

murphaph

corktina wrote:

excuse my ignorance, but i assume the junctions are being upgraded....they seem to be the problem areas to me and without freer-flowing junctions, it doesnt matter how many lanes you have as they will be a car park....

You'd be surprised. The road itself needs more lanes to meet current demand. It's not just the junctions that are over capacity.They are being upgaded too

jmkennedyie

Some photos of the works around N4 junction...sorry Chris only got around to it now. It's not a very pedestrian friendly site, so no photos of new 3 lane bridge to S of N4/M50 junction, nor excavations at SE or SW corners of the N4/M50 junction.

The photo from the footbridge shows the newish lane allowing freeflow N4 Eastbound to M50N. It also shows the next lane in for through traffic (city bound) which is nearing completion. Hard to see from the photo but both lanes are lower than than the previous/existing N4 mainline.

BTW if there's a better way to upload images lemme know...

jmkennedyie

...and a few more.

Chris_533976

Nice ones

jmkennedyie

Biggish changes on Red Cow starting tomorrow. Westbound traffic on N7 will head into the Luas park and ride area. Decent map (EDIT: and lots of details of upcoming work) just uploaded to
http://www.m50.ie/pages/pressarea-n7-interchange2.htm

Also on RTE...
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0412/luas.html

Drivers warned of Red Cow diversions
Thursday, 12 April 2007 16:55

Drivers are being warned that as part of the M50 upgrade there will be new diversions in force near the Red Cow roundabout from tomorrow.

At a news conference, a project spokesman said that the Luas is to be separated from road traffic at the roundabout and that the upgrade was now entering a critical phase.

The Luas track will no longer cross the traffic lanes of the roundabout when the phase is completed.


The roundabout will also become freeflow with all traffic lights being removed.

It is hoped that this will be completed in about one year.

Westbound traffic at the N7 Red Cow Interchange will be diverted onto a new carriageway from tomorrow.

In two weeks inbound traffic will be diverted to the existing outbound lane.

Motorists are being reassured that all diversions will be well signposted.

A leaflet detailing the diversions and the changes being made to the M50 will be made available to motorists from tomorrow.

Chris_533976

I must say that in all this, the company doing the upgrades are doing a great job of letting people know whats going on. Unlike most projects, where you dont hear a peep out of them.

Chris_533976

Actually one thing to notice in all this. In the old image, there was concern that people coming out of the turning on the left of the image, near the bridge (dont know the street names, sorry) was going to have to cross like 6 lanes of traffic.

http://www.m50.ie/images/N7-LFF-large.jpg

New image addresses that. Looks freeflow, with slips.

http://www.m50.ie/pages/pressarea-n7-interchange2.htm

So good news

jmkennedyie

Ah...well spotted . Now, just wonder did they do some magic with the exit from the Red Cow Moran Hotel (if that is what it is called) at the SE corner of junction. On old image looks like traffic wanting to go M50 N has to cut across 2 lanes, then hang on for break in traffic. On new image, it is just outside the picture...

Ice_Box

Chris_533976 wrote:

Actually one thing to notice in all this. In the old image, there was concern that people coming out of the turning on the left of the image, near the bridge (dont know the street names, sorry) was going to have to cross like 6 lanes of traffic.

http://www.m50.ie/images/N7-LFF-large.jpg

New image addresses that. Looks freeflow, with slips.

http://www.m50.ie/pages/pressarea-n7-interchange2.htm

So good news

Nice one. There is a similar problem with traffic coming out of liffey valley and wanting to go south on the M50.