Tallaght Interchange

The Tallaght Interchange is a grade-separated roundabout interchange linking the N81 to the M50 in County Dublin. It provides access to the large areas of Tallaght and Rathfarnham.

It was opened with the M50 to the north in December 1990, which was known as the Western Parkway. The road to the south (Southern Cross Route) opened in July 2001. An additional left-turn lane was provided in 2009.

However, there is a bit of additional background - the northbound exit crosses the River Dodder on a bridge known as Firhouse Bridge - this was opened as a single carriageway road in 1986, which linked Tallaght Road and Firhouse Road. A replacement bridge (Spawell Bridge) was built further downstream for local traffic. The bridge survived the widening of the main M50 carriageway through the junction (2006-09), which necessitated the widening of the two main Dodder bridges.

This bridge had been deliberately designed to make way for the future motorway, and was one of many new bridges that had been proposed in this manner. It was supposed to lead directly to a new roundabout on Firhouse Road.

In 2012, as with many national routes, the N81 beyond this junction was downgraded to R137. It is still the only Dublin radial to only be classed as a secondary ("non-primary") route.

In keeping with many early Irish motorways, the first road signs here were the responsibility of the county council and their attitude was experimental. There is still a large end of motorway sign positioned well beyond the motorway, on the N81 itself.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M50	Ó Dheas SOUTHBOUND	For Dún Laoghaire
M50	Ó Thuaidh NORTHBOUND · Port Átha Cliath DUBLIN PORT	For N7, N4, N3, N2, M1 · Aerfort AIRPORT
N81	Baile Coimín BLESSINGTON · Tamhlacht TALLAGHT
R137	Teach Mealóg TEMPLEOGUE · An Lár CITY CENTRE