The National Roads Authority (NRA) has backed a plan to upgrade the M50 motorway beginning with radical alterations to the notorious Red Cow interchange on the outskirts of Dublin. Tim O'Brien reports
The €300 million plan is to be incorporated into the current roads programme and is not expected to delay the opening of the Tallaght to Dublin city centre Luas link next year.
The NRA board meeting in Limerick last night heard comprehensive details of the scheme which also allows the Luas proceed unhindered by the necessary road works.
The scheme is less ambitious than complete free-flow or "spaghetti junction" style proposals initially considered, but caters for uninterrupted traffic flow on the major crossings such as that from the airport (M50) to the Naas Road (N7), and the Naas Road to Sandyford.
It will, however, incorporate a third lane on the M50 - but only in the heavily trafficked section between the airport and Sandyford. The key aspect of the scheme as far as the NRA was concerned was the cost, which has been scaled back from €700 million to €300 million.
Crucial to this is the authority's determination that it does not need to acquire additional land to achieve the "virtual" free flow for traffic crossing the Red Cow junction. Additional land had previously been costed at almost €100 million at the Red Cow interchange alone.
The authority has also determined it can build the extensions in phases - phase one incorporating the Red Cow works and a section of the third motorway lane between the Palmerstown N4 junction and the Red Cow interchange. Other phases will involve the redesign of existing junctions and the extension of the third lane. The €300 million is to be spread over five to seven years costing €50 million or less per year.
NRA corporate affairs spokes- man Mr Michael Egan said the board had affirmed its support for the solution but warned it could still be undermined. The authority was not happy with current arrangements to access a park and ride facility for Luas which would involve cars travelling between the Red Cow interchange and Newlands Cross.
However, Mr Egan said the planning was to "now go ahead on the basis that the outstanding issues can be agreed". He said the scheme could happen "with the Luas on stilts or on the ground".
The scheme is to be the subject of a new Environmental Impact Assessment and a new motorway order and the NRA hopes to publish this documentation early next year with a construction start early in 2005.
Mr Ger Hannon of the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) said the agency was aware of the plan and accepted the junction could be rebuilt without disruption to Luas. "Since 1997, the RPA knew the junction was in trouble. We don't cross the roundabout, we go south of it. We knew the NRA would have to do something and we are perfectly au fait with that."
A spokesman for the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, also welcomed the news of the plan last night. "The Minister's desire is to see a solution to potential conflicts on the junction," he said.