Leinster Orbital Route (DOOR) Feasibility Report

Is the LOOR planned to be a motorway?

Because I think it may not be a motorway. The various routes shown here look like they plan to use junction 8 of the M3 and the Navan link road, but what I can't understand is how a motorway route could continue after crossing the R147 (old N3) as there's a large estate (Johnstown) in the way for a route to the M1 near Drogheda!

At the other end of the route, LOOR must join the M7, I think the best location for a junction is to upgrade the M7/ M9 junction to a full free flow junction with the LOOR motorway joining the northern side of this junction. However, I think the NRA don't do best plans, I think they will use the Variant 2 route and tie in to the M7 at the Osberstown Interchange (J9A). If this is the case, the route around Osberstown and Sallins has some tight bends which indicates to me that LOOR would be a dual carriageway, or maybe a regional road similar to the ORR!

Furet wrote: »

I'm sure a motorway is planned.

It links the M1, M3, M4 & M7/M9. It will be motorway, if built

Get Newlands done and the upgraded M50 will do the job of an LOOR for the next 20 odd years anyway.

anymore inside news about this, looking at the TII website it could possibly go ahead but not until 2040. There is a more suitable location at City North where it can finish. City North is starting to boom now with another big industrial development planned

Stan27 wrote: »

I think this road needs to be built before 2035. Traffic on the m50 is crazy

Of all roads to be built this is way down the agenda. Even the majority of the roads on the list above this are unlikely to be built full stop never mind before 2035. Traffic on the M50 is crazy due tom
1. The lack of public transport
2. Local traffic travelling between 1/2 junctions.

LOOR solves neither of these issues.

The fact that they are currently upgrading the M7 to where the LOOR would start (the M9 merge) gives an idea of where this road is at on the list.

What would make a huge impact at relatively low cost would be an extension of the Dublin outer ring road between Lucan and Ongar. This would mean that there is a viable alternative between the N81, M7/8/9, M4, M3,M2 and M1. This would also mean if you wanted to get from Blanch to Liffey Valley you wouldn’t need to use the M50.

Long term I think an extended Metro West as Luas between Bray and the airport would reduce a significant amount of traffic on the M50

Stan27 wrote: »

Fair enough. Public transport (or proper decentralisation) is the answer then.

Like I said public transport is part of the solution (a big part granted).

My view is that the extension of the Dublin outer ring road between Lucan N4 and Ongar would have a major impact on the M50 for far less than metro west. This would take all traffic jumping from 1 exit to the next because it is the only viable option currently out of the equation.

Unfortunately, given the green wave this is going to be a different sell.

Another option would be building just the bridge part of Metro West and using it for buses in the short term. Under Busconnects they are proposing running buses along the M50 between Liffey Valley and Blanch. That is absolutely ridiculous in my opinion

I learned to my disappointment this week that this was essentially cancelled in 2021. From Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2022-2042:

13.3.5 Leinster Orbital Route

The Leinster Orbital Route comprises an orbital road proposal extending from Drogheda to the Naas/Newbridge area with intermediate links to Navan and other towns. Given the above road principles and Government policy related to reducing transport’s contribution to emissions, this project will not be progressed in its existing form. Instead it is proposed to provide online, or mainly online, improvements to the existing road network to cater for orbital demand along these corridors.

I wonder where the accountability and follow up is for the proposed online improvements in extract above. The N52 has improved a lot with Delvin to Mullingar section, Ardee Bypass slowly progressing, poor areas of road seem to be gradually improving all along it. Also on N51, great recent improvement on Slane Navan N51 (albeit 50kmh construction signs mysteriously still not taken down). Distributor roads planned for Navan. So for me the big required improvement on Enfield - Trim - Navan - Drogheda orbital route is between Trim and Enfield. Just an unpleasant stretch of road between Trim and Longwood and beyond, many lorries trundling along it, no hard shoulder, boggy bumps, lots of concealed entrances, lots of turns, often meet cars travelling too fast. I don't know how the citizens of Trim and Navan have put up with this for so long - for accessing Enfield and that side of Meath on one hand, and on other accessing Kinnegad and the west. I also have heard of no word on upgrading this stretch, would be happy to hear if there are any upgrades in the process.

My final comment on the outer orbital route is I also see Enfield Summerhill Dunsany Duleek used as an orbital route. This is the orbital route of a 1930s Ireland, not 2020s Ireland, makes me sad that there seems to be opposition to finishing our road network.. should not be a zero sum game between roads and other forms of transport. We should be capable of investing in multiple modes.

I blame them for my lunch being cold today too.

Mentioned on a story on RTE website this morning. From https://www.rte.ie/news/primetime/2025/1202/1546829-m50-commuting/, extract below

Alternative options?

Laois man Ger Hyland, of the Irish Road Hauliers Association (IRHA), says M50 congestion comes at a huge cost.

"We estimate for every hour that we're standing up on the M50, it's costing us €100," which, he says, trickles through into prices for consumers.

"It's now taking an extra hour to do a load from Naas into Dublin and the same on the way back... that extra cost is going to be found in the shopping basket at the weekend."

Mr Hyland is among those calling for the Government to revisit plans to build an Outer Orbital Route around Dublin.

The route would run from Drogheda to Naas, via Navan, Trim and Enfield. It was previously mooted, before it was shelved a few years ago in favour of developing public transport infrastructure.

"The M50 at the present time is just not fit for purpose. There has to be an outer ring road from Naas the whole way up as far as Drogheda or Dundalk," Mr Hyland said.

"It won't alleviate it completely, but it will be a huge help. There's a lot of traffic going from the M7, up on to the M50 and heading on up the M1. The outer ring road would take all that traffic out of Dublin completely," he added.

Maybe if enough people's hopes and prayers combine, induced demand will magically stop being a thing and an outer orbital route would actually make sense.

The eastern ring to the M50 could only conceivably make sense if it was designed in a way that vehicles couldn't access it from the existing M50 on either end and it only allowed connections between M11 and M1. Even then, how much north south traffic is there really?

Here is my solution.

Firstly add two extra lanes each way on the M50

Replace all junctions with complete freeflow American style flyovers

Remove all roundabouts and replace with flyovers within 2kms of the road

A 12 lane highway through Sandymount to complete the ring

3 extra lanes in the Port Tunnel

An outer ring motorway from Drogheda to Naas.

Job done.

Sure Eamon, sure.

There will have to be a new motorway built from Naas to Drogheda.

The parochial small time mindset won't work anymore.

We need to think big and future proof our road network.