IRL: M50 updates

murphaph · Post by **murphaph** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 22:30

MT wrote:You didn't pull over into the verge and take a pic by chance, Murphaph?

I'll have to get down to Dublin for a snoop about - it all seems very interesting.

Sorry MT, was on the M50 at the time and there's no shoulder!

odlum · Post by **odlum** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 02:14

m11ldncam wrote:Hi,

Haven't posted about IRL roads before and have searched to see if this has been mentioned and found nothing but apologies if I have missed it.

Anyway was on the SANEF website and saw this press release. The proposed system sounds impressive but not knowing what the queues are likely to be at the barriers how much will it improve flow?

link

Hi m11ldncam,

Thanks for that.

There will be no barriers of any kind on the completed scheme AFAIK. Motorists wont have to stop. The M50 toll plaza at the bridge will be removed as part of phase 3 of the upgrade next year. Not sure how they will begin tolling since the entire upgrade wont be complete by then. Apparently the gantries will read your license plate and bill you accordingly. I wonder how this will work for UK registered or European cars. Im sure they have thought of something. Thats all I know about it atm.

MT · Post by MT » Sun Apr 15, 2007 22:00

murphaph wrote:
MT wrote:You didn't pull over into the verge and take a pic by chance, Murphaph?

I'll have to get down to Dublin for a snoop about - it all seems very interesting.
Sorry MT, was on the M50 at the time and there's no shoulder!

I was thinking that. Is there any space at all that a motorist can pull into if they have difficulties? Have they left a narrow strip beyond the verge line that you can at least get some of your car into so that other vehicles can still pass?

Newer stretches of road up here - be they single lane each way or D2AP - usually don't have hard shoulders but instead have a narrow strip at the edge of the carriageway. It's the same in Britain. Just wondering if they've done something similar while the lanes on the M50 have been pushed out to the very edge of the available space.

murphaph · Post by **murphaph** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 22:09

Some parts of the upgrade site have shoulders but most don't as the shoulders are now the running lanes. They have provided 'emergency breakdown places' at some locations. I have only seen one broken down vehicle block lane one since the works began. I wouldn't fancy it!

mackerski · Post by **mackerski** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 23:58

MT wrote: My only concern with the planned N7/M50 junction is the fact that traffic coming from the northbound carriage of the M50 and joining the N7 eastbound will enter the later road in what becomes the fast lane. I think this will also be the case with traffic joining the N7 westbound from the M50 southbound. Even though the new lanes in each direction on the N7 continue for some distance traffic in what will become the fast lane will have to eventually merge with the next lane in. Then there's the issue of slower vehicles like trucks having to cross the whole carriageway to get to the slow lane.

That doesn't worry me too much. Remember that the junction with the M50 is where the N7 begins (the inside M50 section having been detrunked). Since one of the feeder roads has to land its traffic in the fast(er) lanes, it seems fair that it should be the Motorway.

nirs · Post by **nirs** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 00:01

murphaph wrote:Some parts of the upgrade site have shoulders but most don't as the shoulders are now the running lanes. They have provided 'emergency breakdown places' at some locations. I have only seen one broken down vehicle block lane one since the works began. I wouldn't fancy it!

On the Westlink in Belfast they have a breakdown truck on standby to haul anyone who breaks down off the road within minutes - I assume it's the same on the M50. (This of course assumes the breakdown truck doesn't get stuck in the resulting traffic jam!!)

murphaph · Post by **murphaph** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 00:16

Yeah, there are signs all along the upgrade with a mobile number for the towtruck. The M50 however (being a lot wider than westlink) has a lane inside the works fencing for emergency vehicles to use.

odlum · Post by **odlum** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 03:14

You know what I saw on the M50 today.

Two special trucks from 'transroute' which run the DPT. They must be operating on the main motorway too because they flew up the HS whilst I was stuck in what must have been a 4 mile tailback to the N2 from the N3.

Also the HS on the M50 is currently in the median. If you break down they tow you in. Its a good simple solution given how unusually wide the median is.

odlum · Post by **odlum** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 14:27

Truvelo - Are you able to draw interchange layouts by any chance? I tried it but im not too good at it

Would you be able to give the N7 and N3 a stab!

Think they look 'interesting'!

Truvelo · Post by **Truvelo** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 14:31

Here's an alteration I made of the proposed N3 junction. The arrows point to bits of grade separation I've added.

odlum · Post by **odlum** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 14:38

Nice! Its a fine layout especially the 'new' GS you have added. That would be really cool. You should add the pipeline, canal and railway line for extra effect. That really is a very big junction. Its high too. Gonna be interesting to see that under construction.

Chris_533976 · Post by **Chris_533976** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 14:39

Nice

What program do you actually use for that?

Located · Post by **Located** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 14:39

Local Traffic from blanchardstown village doesn't have access to M50 south bound? or am I wrong?

Truvelo · Post by **Truvelo** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 14:44

Chris_533976 wrote:Nice What program do you actually use for that?

Windows Paint

Located wrote:Local Traffic from blanchardstown village doesn't have access to M50 south bound? or am I wrong?

I never noticed that before. I drawn the map exactly from the NRA version. Does anyone have a link to the N3 junction maps? The photo montages for this junction are no longer online. The only way this movement is possible is by having a U turn facility at the planned traffic lights just to the east of the roundabout which I've shown as GSJ'd.

odlum · Post by **odlum** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 14:46

Truvelo wrote:
Chris_533976 wrote:Nice What program do you actually use for that?
Windows Paint

Located wrote:Local Traffic from blanchardstown village doesn't have access to M50 south bound? or am I wrong?
I never noticed that before. I drawn the map exactly from the NRA version. Does anyone have a link to the N3 junction maps? The photo montages for this junction are no longer online.

I have the PDF opened and the images are on them. Can I rip the images? Also how can I upload them here?

Truvelo · Post by **Truvelo** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 14:49

odlum wrote:
Truvelo wrote:
Chris_533976 wrote:Nice What program do you actually use for that?
Windows Paint

Located wrote:Local Traffic from blanchardstown village doesn't have access to M50 south bound? or am I wrong?
I never noticed that before. I drawn the map exactly from the NRA version. Does anyone have a link to the N3 junction maps? The photo montages for this junction are no longer online.

I have the PDF opened and the images are on them. Can I rip the images? Also how can I upload them here?

Just press the Print Screen (PrtSc) button when the images are on the screen. Open Windows Paint and select Paste from the Edit Menu.

odlum · Post by **odlum** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 14:55

Truvelo wrote:
odlum wrote:
Truvelo wrote: Windows Paint
I never noticed that before. I drawn the map exactly from the NRA version. Does anyone have a link to the N3 junction maps? The photo montages for this junction are no longer online.

I have the PDF opened and the images are on them. Can I rip the images? Also how can I upload them here?
Just press the Print Screen (PrtSc) button when the images are on the screen. Open Windows Paint and select Paste from the Edit Menu.

Thanks Ive it up on paint now ready to go. Can I upload it here?

Truvelo · Post by **Truvelo** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 15:00

You need to save it as a jpeg, then upload it to a website or the Sabre gallery.

murphaph · Post by **murphaph** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 15:00

You'll need to save it as a .jpg and then upload it.

Located · Post by **Located** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 15:08

Truvelo wrote:
Chris_533976 wrote:Nice What program do you actually use for that?
Windows Paint

Located wrote:Local Traffic from blanchardstown village doesn't have access to M50 south bound? or am I wrong?
I never noticed that before. I drawn the map exactly from the NRA version. Does anyone have a link to the N3 junction maps? The photo montages for this junction are no longer online. The only way this movement is possible is by having a U turn facility at the planned traffic lights just to the east of the roundabout which I've shown as GSJ'd.

Maybe it's not such a bad thing, as local traffic is the problem for the M50
to much local traffic using it, but then again there isn't much of an alternative route. I dunno.