05/10/2007

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

Major Traffic Diversions to take place along the M50 Corridor effecting traffic at three main interchanges the N4, N7, and Ballymount, these diversions will be in place until end of November.

• Starting next Saturday, 6^th October 2007 and continuing until the end of November, major new traffic diversions will come into effect at the N7/Red Cow Interchange on the M50 this will to allow for the new free flowing N7 interchange to be built.

• From the 6^th of October for the next four weeks, traffic wishing to exit at the N7 Southbound Off-ramp will be directed to the next Interchange at Ballymount, where a dedicated free-flow detour lane will direct traffic back to the N7 (Red Cow) Northbound Off-ramp.

• A permanent new Ballymount Bridge will open for M50/Ballymount traffic on October 6th. The old Ballymount Bridge will be used for traffic diverted from the closed N7 (Red Cow) Southbound Off-ramp. This diverted traffic will exit/enter at Ballymount Interchange and be routed over the old Ballymount Bridge in a free-flow u-turn movement back to the N7 outbound at the N7 (Red Cow) Interchange. This traffic will be segregated, within the Ballymount Interchange area, from the normal M50/Ballymount traffic and will use the “inside ramps” when exiting / entering the M50 mainline. In early November the u-turn detour for N7 traffic will cease and the final layout using both old and new Ballymount Bridges and new free-flow slip-roads will be open to traffic.

• There will also be diversions at the N4 (Palmerstown) Interchange. (Motorists are asked to drive carefully and follow the diversion signs. Work on the upgrading of this section of the M50 is progressing well and is due to be completed next summer.)

• A new free-flow loop for the N4 outbound to M50 northbound movement will open to traffic within the next week. This will end the need for the current detour to Liffey Valley Junction.

• In mid October the N4 (Palmerstown) southbound Off-ramp will be closed to allow completion of construction of new free-flow traffic links at this Interchange. At the same time traffic currently exiting at the M50 southbound ramp to link with the N4 outbound (West) will divert from the M50 mainline on to a new temporary free-flow ramp which will allow this movement to take place without stopping at signals as at present.

• Traffic currently exiting at the M50 southbound ramp to link with the N4 inbound (City) will divert on to the new temporary free-flow ramp, but will u-turn back towards the City at Liffey Valley Junction. This movement will also take place without stopping at signals at the N4/M50 roundabout as at present.

• By mid-November the permanent loop for the M50 southbound to N4 outbound (West) will be completed and opened to traffic.

• By mid-November the M50 southbound to N4 inbound (City) free-flow slip-road will be completed and opened to traffic.

• By mid- December the N4 inbound to M50 southbound and the M50 northbound to N4 inbound (City) free-flow slip-roads will be completed and opened to traffic.

• On the night of the 13^th Oct the N4 will be closed between the M50 and the Liffey Valley Junction while the new N4 and M50 Pedestrian Bridges and 2 sign gantries are being erected. Diversions will be in place.

• “Work on the new freeflowing N4 (Palmerstown) Interchange is likely to be completed several months ahead of the due date of next March,” says Frank Coffey, Director of Transportation, South Dublin County Council. “We also hope to have sections of the new permanent M50 mainline with three lanes in each direction and an additional fourth lane linking junctions, in place early in the New Year”.

• “We are please with the progress of work so far, but there will be considerable traffic management challenges ahead and we appreciate everyone’s patients. We will continue to drive the schedule so that we can complete this major upgrade sooner rather then later.” said Hugh Creegan, Head of Program Management, National Roads Authority