N32 and the mysterious new R139

Ernest

In the past few days I have noticed that towards the end of the M1 motorway when it merges with the M50, on the southbound carriageway, the direction signs to exit towards Howth, Baldoyle, Clontarf etc have now been changed to remove all reference to the N32. Instead the southbound carriage of the motorway refers to a road called the "R139, Malahide".
However, on exiting the southbound motorway towards the roundabout there is no further reference to R139. Instead the familiar N32 signs remain and the road itself is still labelled N32 as it has been since it was created more than ten years ago.. When this road reaches the Malahide Road junction, a sign refers to the Malahide Road itself as R107 as always.

So, What is this "R139 Malahide" road? Why is reference to the N32 deleted from motorway signage? Why do the signs point towards "Malahide" particularly rather than "Malahide Road". Why do these road signs instead, not mention Howth or Sutton or Baldoyle or Raheny or Clontarf which is where the N32 road leads to? Or even mention "North Eastern Suburbs" as a destination from the N32 rather than the rather illogical "Malahide"?
Very confusing.

The Hill Billy

Hi OP - You'll get a more informed opinion from the posters here.
Moved from Dublin City.

tHB

L1011

The N32 was detrunked in 2012.

Superdestinations (what North Eastern Suburbs would be) were removed from the standards in the 1990s although some still exist.

Victor

All the national routes in Dublin City were de-listed last year, except the M50, which includes the port tunnel. The N32 became the R139. The signage is in transition.

Before junction 3 (Hollywell, Swords) was opened on the M1, it was justifiable to have Malahide as a N32 destination. However, the R139 extends all the way along Grange Road, etc. to Baldoyle Village.

OpenStreetMap is the nearest thing to being right: http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.4043&lon=-6.1847&zoom=14&layers=M I haven't checked, but there may be an overlap with the R809.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2012/en/si/0053.html
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2012/en/si/0054.html

Quickelles

Victor wrote: »

OpenStreetMap is the nearest thing to being right: http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.4043&lon=-6.1847&zoom=14&layers=M I haven't checked, but there may be an overlap with the R809.

So...there is still about 100m left of the N50 between the M1/M50 interchange and Woodlands?

murphaph

Quickelles wrote: »

So...there is still about 100m left of the N50 between the M1/M50 interchange and Woodlands?

The entire length of the M50 is legally defined as the N50.

Ernest

Thank you responders. From these responses I have learned the following:

(1) the N32 is being renamed the R139 (of course it never really was a National Primary route)

(2) the relevant authority (Fingal CC, Dublin CC or NRA?) haven't bothered to remove the very prominent N32 signage that remains in place all over the road, even though they have gone to the trouble of changing all the approach signs on the motorway to remove every reference to N32.

(3) the relevant authority (NRA presumably) didn't think it worthwhile to install temporary notices to tell motorists that the important link road N32 is now being renamed R139. "Let them figure it out" after much confusion. seems to be the attitude

(4) The designation "R139 Malahide" is indeed illogical as I said. "R139 Malahide Rd" might be more accurate but superdestinations like my suggested "North Eastern Suburbs" is not approved nomenclature (unlike ones like "The North" "The West" etc. presumably)

L1011

"The North", "The West" are also not meant to be used and are very rarely these days - although there's very new signage near Dublin Port that does...

Ernest

MYOB wrote: »

"The North", "The West" are also not meant to be used and are very rarely these days - although there's very new signage near Dublin Port that does...

"Not meant to be used" according to whatever authority has been given control over these things, but there is little doubt that such "super destinations" are very useful to motorists in practice and are widely used on motorways in the UK and elsewhere.