M50 upgrade restrictions set to last for five years

Lane closures and speed restrictions set to be implemented as part of work on the €1.1 billion upgrade of Dublin's M50 will continue for almost five years, the National Roads Authority (NRA)confirmed yesterday.

The upgrade will involve the installation of a third main motorway lane in each direction, a fourth lane designed for local traffic linking each motorway junction and the redesign of junctions to eliminate or reduce traffic lights. The upgrade covers a 32km section of the motorway between Sandyford and Dublin airport.

New guard rails and road markings currently being installed will create the first traffic disruptions for motorists when they go "live" from Monday next.

While the first €224 million contract is to be completed by autumn 2008, it will overlap with a second major contract to simultaneously upgrade the Northern Cross and Southern Cross sections of the motorway.

This contract will in turn overlap with a third contract to upgrade the M50 between the West-Link and the Blanchardstown N3 junction. All work is to be completed by 2010.

Contract one is to be financed by the Exchequer, while contracts two and three are to be financed by public private partnerships.

The removal of the West-Link toll barrier and the extension of tolling on to the M50 itself are also due to be completed by 2008.

There are currently no plans to upgrade the final section of the M50 from Sandyford to the Bray/Shankill bypass on the M11.

All of the proposed work on the M50 has been preceded by two years of work on the widening of the N7 Naas Road between the M50 and Co Kildare. This project is due to be officially opened by Minister for Transport Martin Cullen on Tuesday next.

Yesterday the NRA said traffic control "is not going to be ideal but we will manage it". A key aspect will be to have traffic management personnel in place, particularly at exit ramps, which are to be reduced by one lane during construction.

This week West-Link partner company Eazy Pass wrote to its customers warning them contract one was about to start. It said "a construction zone will be created in the middle of the motorway, resulting in the loss of the fast lanes from south of the Ballymount exits to beyond the N4 Liffey Valley interchange".

The letter added: "Traffic will be directed on to the left-hand lane and the hard shoulder, to ensure that two lanes remain in place."

However, this presents certain difficulties for Eazy Pass customers, it was noted, as the right-hand lane on the bridge will be closed and traffic coming southbound will have to taper left after the toll plaza. Eazy Pass tags are accepted in all lanes, however.

Contract one is being carried out by a consortium of Spanish firm Ferrovial and Irish company Siac.

Construction manager John Glynn said it involves upgrading 8km of the existing dual carriageway between the N4, N7 and Ballymount interchange; adding a third lane in each direction and upgrading the interchanges.

Information on the M50 upgrade is available at www.m50.ie or by calling 1800-243454.