M50 thread

Jayuu

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

.. and the N7 to M50 N and S movements could do with a re-jig. All traffic for M50 N and S coming eastbound along the N7 has to be in one lane whereas two lanes go into the city.

One of the most ridiculous things that was done when the M50 was upgraded. The person who made this decision should never be allowed near a road project again! The problem now is that they way the lanes are structured it would be quite tricky to reorganise it properly.

Chris_5339762

Nah its easy, simply sign it properly from Newlands onwards and make the left lane for M50N, middle lane for M50S and right lane for citybound. That will be easier to do when Newlands is built as you'll have more room to do it. You might waste a little bit of area close to the split but there is plenty of room to do it.

Also, block off the stupid left 'bus lane' completely, regardless of what the petrol station says. Very dangerous. Traffic from there could be routed further along.

Dirigent

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Nah its easy, simply sign it properly from Newlands onwards and make the left lane for M50N, middle lane for M50S and right lane for citybound.

But the problem with that (and all Irish motorways) is the E-Class/SUV/Type-R/etc pilot who feels that their rightful place is in the "fast lane", and the only way to exit is to swerve across as many lanes as there are, regardless of other traffic.

klypso

Is this in the process of being changed? Driving in on Wednesday there was a sign to alert traffic to a new road layout. New signage appears to have been erected to line M50 SB traffic in the middle lane after Newlands and M50 NB in the left. But then just before the exit you need to move from the middle to the M50 SB slip. Anyone noticed this?

Dirigent

klypso wrote: »

Is this in the process of being changed? Driving in on Wednesday there was a sign to alert traffic to a new road layout. New signage appears to have been erected to line M50 SB traffic in the middle lane after Newlands and M50 NB in the left. But then just before the exit you need to move from the middle to the M50 SB slip. Anyone noticed this?

Yeah, it's changed all right, drove in last night. Wasn't expecting the change! Maybe the useless prats in AA Wrongwatch will use their airtime to provide motorists with something helpful instead of repeating the good old reliable filler about delays between Merrion Gates and Vincent's Hospital, chaos won't ensue next Wed morning.

veryangryman

Anyone else think that the south bound and north bound signs on M50 are redundant now that its strictly a 3 quarter circle motorway with long term plans for full circle. Should they be talking clockwise and anti clockwise or is it too soon.

veryangryman

veryangryman wrote: »

Anyone else think that the south bound and north bound signs on M50 are redundant now that its strictly a 3 quarter circle motorway with long term plans for full circle. Should they be talking clockwise and anti clockwise or is it too soon.

Probably confuse the hell out of many drivers, but I see your point.

Edit: Better off calling the section north of the tunnel the "city" direction as calling it north is daft!

As for completing the circle, no realistic chance of that, unless there is an even bigger boom than the Celtic tiger one!*

*Chances of which are in the order of Elvis being found alive.

KevR

veryangryman wrote: »

Anyone else think that the south bound and north bound signs on M50 are redundant now that its strictly a 3 quarter circle motorway with long term plans for full circle. Should they be talking clockwise and anti clockwise or is it too soon.

During the upgrade works, I had hoped that they would have made this correction. Made sense to do it then as all the signs were being changed anyway. Would cost a lot to do it now..

It's ridiculous that it's still called north and south.

_Kaiser_

KevR wrote: »

During the upgrade works, I had hoped that they would have made this correction. Made sense to do it then as all the signs were being changed anyway. Would cost a lot to do it now..

It's ridiculous that it's still called north and south.

Disagree.. 3-quarter circle or not, the direction is still generally north/south.. eg: the M1 interchange is most definitely north of the Blanch or Naas exits.

Clockwise/counter-clockwise is something that might look good on some architect's plans but would be ridiculous in real life IMO

KevR

You do realise the Port Tunnel is part of the M50?!

Jayuu

KevR wrote: »

You do realise the Port Tunnel is part of the M50?!

While it is part of the M50 I would suggest that most people still think the Port Tunnel is part of the M1 if they think about this at all.

This isn't helped by the lack of signage at the junction that definitively marks it as the M50. Even the exit signage at the M1/M50/N32 - Junction 3 interchange points in the wrong direction (pointing at the overbridge as the exit instead of the roundabout to the N32).

To be perfectly honest I don't think any reference (direction or clock) is necessary as I think most people are quite used to the junction numbers now.

Does anybody know how this issue is handled on the M25 in London or if it is even mentioned at all?

veryangryman

Jayuu wrote: »

Does anybody know how this issue is handled on the M25 in London or if it is even mentioned at all?

They say clockwise etc. Used to work in breakdown service and that's how you say what carriageway. Eg clockwise between exit 4 and 5

Chris_5339762

klypso wrote: »

Is this in the process of being changed? Driving in on Wednesday there was a sign to alert traffic to a new road layout. New signage appears to have been erected to line M50 SB traffic in the middle lane after Newlands and M50 NB in the left. But then just before the exit you need to move from the middle to the M50 SB slip. Anyone noticed this?

Any update on this?

Chris_5339762

I came along there today, left lane is for M50north, middle is for M50south AND city, right lane is for city.

Signage is not all complete and the gantries contradict each other. Its also hard to switch lane coming from a standing start at Newlands. There was the natural chaos even late in the evening.

Enbee

Jayuu wrote: »

Does anybody know how this issue is handled on the M25 in London or if it is even mentioned at all?

I can't say I've noticed this on signs. (My current commute involves the M25.) The distinctions are made by referring to destinations and other motorways. So if you approach the M25 in Hertfordshire it tells you which way to go to Heathrow or the Dartford Crossing.

Live info tends to use the junction numbers to refer to congestion but the direction of travel is indicated by the direction of the numbers. e.g. 15 to 16 is northbound between the M4 and M40 but 16 to 15 is southbound.

Chris_5339762

I reckon the Port Tunnel should have been left part of the M1 until (if) the eastern bypass is built. That way you still have the NB/SB now, and when the eastern bypass is done you can use anticlockwise and clockwise. As we stand, its a bit of a mess.

veryangryman

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

I reckon the Port Tunnel should have been left part of the M1 until (if) the eastern bypass is built. That way you still have the NB/SB now, and when the eastern bypass is done you can use anticlockwise and clockwise. As we stand, its a bit of a mess.

Im sure that the idea was that the truckers from foreign countries knew how to get the hell out of Dublin if needs be (using the common M50 marker and the relevant distributor roads for this purpose). M1 would assume that all traffic is either

a) Northbound (East coast or NI)
b) Somewhere else and knows where theyre going.

If you do the M1 idea, you have to somehow know to use the M50 for travel to the West. SatNavs and all that i know but not everyone has them. Combined with the truckers ban in the city, its good to make sure everyone is helped along their way. So "M50 anti-clockwise" signs for those leaving the port IMO :cool:

HydeRoad

I have copied this post across from the Newlands X thread, where it may have been misplaced. I refer to the revised N7 northbound / M50 junction. The centre lane northbound has been redesignated for M50S as well as citybound. The left lane becomes the M50N lane.

This makes sense in terms of the greater volume of traffic bound for the M50. However the execution of it is simply awful. Basically, they have retained the alignment of the N7 traffic lanes all the way to the junction, and simply added in a hasty 'twitch' from the centre lane to the M50S lanes at the last minute, by painting in some angled white lines.

This is a disaster, and must go against every concept of good and safe road design. I drive buses on this road almost daily, and on every single occasion, I am being sideswiped by cars who fail to heed the new road markings. The result is that, as a safe driver, there is no safe lane for me to take for my chosen M50S route. If I take the old left lane alignment, I am in the wrong lane, and must cut up correctly positioned traffic to head southbound. If I take the marked centre lane, I have cars undertaking me and almost hitting me side on, as they barge from the left lane, in a straight line towards M50S.

This road alignment, I hope, is a temporary arrangement until the Newlands X works are finished. However, eighteen months to two years is too long a time frame for a road alignment which is simply undriveable, and must surely lead to regular accidents, and all the ensuing delay and frustration in what must be one of the most over-congested corridors in the country.

Please tell me others are complaining too, and that it will be revisited as soon as possible, with a view to safety and proper road design practice.

ACE_FGT

HydeRoad wrote: »

I have copied this post across from the Newlands X thread, where it may have been misplaced. I refer to the revised N7 northbound / M50 junction. The centre lane northbound has been redesignated for M50S as well as citybound. The left lane becomes the M50N lane.

This makes sense in terms of the greater volume of traffic bound for the M50. However the execution of it is simply awful. Basically, they have retained the alignment of the N7 traffic lanes all the way to the junction, and simply added in a hasty 'twitch' from the centre lane to the M50S lanes at the last minute, by painting in some angled white lines.

This is a disaster, and must go against every concept of good and safe road design. I drive buses on this road almost daily, and on every single occasion, I am being sideswiped by cars who fail to heed the new road markings. The result is that, as a safe driver, there is no safe lane for me to take for my chosen M50S route. If I take the old left lane alignment, I am in the wrong lane, and must cut up correctly positioned traffic to head southbound. If I take the marked centre lane, I have cars undertaking me and almost hitting me side on, as they barge from the left lane, in a straight line towards M50S.

This road alignment, I hope, is a temporary arrangement until the Newlands X works are finished. However, eighteen months to two years is too long a time frame for a road alignment which is simply undriveable, and must surely lead to regular accidents, and all the ensuing delay and frustration in what must be one of the most over-congested corridors in the country.

Please tell me others are complaining too, and that it will be revisited as soon as possible, with a view to safety and proper road design practice.

Yes, this is an accident waiting to happen, it needs sorting out ASAP. Everytime I go through this junction now the same thing happens to me. I have emailed the NRA (info@nra.ie) and the M50 consulting engineers (<snip>@rod.ie of Roughan & O'Donovan) about it, they said they recognize the problem, but they seem to be saying its poor driver behaviour at fault, and the temporary road signs up near Newlands cross warning of lane marking changes is all they have mentioned so far as a fix. I am very concerned that they plan to do nothing else, which is ridiculous as it is clearly a very very poor road marking change which is the main issue at stake here. I have emailed them several times, perhaps if more people start emailing too, they might be forced to improve the new lane markings. Hopefully it wont take an accident and someone to get seriously hurt before they agree to improve the really poor lane markings change they've put in place.

Victor

Folks

There isn't a particular problem with publishing email addresses that are in the public domain like info@nra.ie

However, when it is person@organisation.ie and it isn't publicly available, it can be unfair on the individual involved.

Moderator

Chris_5339762

I really cant understand why is isn't Left Lane = M50 north, middle lane = M50 south and right lane = City center.

Surely the N7 -> M50N/S slips should carry more traffic than the N7 -> Long Mile Road. Even if not, its far more logical to have two lanes for the M50.

Packet

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

I really cant understand why is isn't Left Lane = M50 north, middle lane = M50 south and right lane = City center.

Surely the N7 -> M50N/S slips should carry more traffic than the N7 -> Long Mile Road. Even if not, its far more logical to have two lanes for the M50.

That would be an improvement but still not perfect as drivers of the middle lane on the N7 still have to sharply turn into the lane heading for the M50 South. They need a much longer run to be able to get into the correct lane.

Mac-Chops

Another ranter re n7/m50 layout here..I take southbound every day and used to always get in to left lane early for this.

It's more of an experiment these days taking the middle lane and seeing who is looking at the road ahead of them in left lane. Majority drive straight over broken white lines not a bother so yes this is certainly an accident waiting to happen!

rameire

Mac-Chops wrote: »

Another ranter re n7/m50 layout here..I take southbound every day and used to always get in to left lane early for this.

It's more of an experiment these days taking the middle lane and seeing who is looking at the road ahead of them in left lane. Majority drive straight over broken white lines not a bother so yes this is certainly an accident waiting to happen!

you need to find a truck and sit along side of them, most of them will be going northbound, it works for me.

Defiler Of The Coffin

Can someone explain the following...?!

Stark

Is it being towed?

squrm

Defiler Of The Coffin wrote: »

Can someone explain the following...?!

Cab being towed?

Defiler Of The Coffin

Stark wrote: »

Is it being towed?

squrm wrote: »

Cab being towed?

You're both probably right. Unless this was the last picture the photographer ever took...

Defiler Of The Coffin

Defiler Of The Coffin wrote: »

Can someone explain the following...?!

Prepare to meet the Duffy Express!

csd

West Link bridges at sunset this evening.


M50 pano by csd75, on Flickr