M50 upgrade - Phase II

tomhappens

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

Junc 12 seems largely finished now and fully opened

A few questions for M50 Traffic Mgt

There are traffic lights on all approaches to the junction. When exiting travelling from the southbound on the M50 there are 2 lanes both with traffic lights. Turning left from the off ramp onto Colmcille's Way there is a red light? Why is this? Should it not be a flashing amber light? There is an extra join lane on Colmcille's Way that allows the traffic to merge when coming from the off ramp. I can see this causing a jam in the evening and don't understand why this isn't freeflow.
Likewise when exiting M50 travelling Northbound and turning left a similar situation exists.
Why isn't this freeflow?

Also when exiting from M50 travelling Northbound and turning right over the bridge to go onto Colmcille's Way the traffic lights have a straight on and right turn filter arrow?
Why is this? THis is encouraging traffic to up and over the off ramp from the M50 if there are jams.

Overall the junction seems over engineered, an extra bridge, extra lanes and loads of traffic lights.

And what I love.... When you are coming from the Marley park/Knocklyon direction to the junction there are two lanes and the one on the right has a "straight ahead" arrow.... and then when you get closer to the junction the lane turns into a right to the M50 lane. The lane that is now on your left is the only straight ahead lane... and guess what... you can't get into it due to the line of traffic. It is not a big line but by the time you realise what has happened you are about 5-7 cars from the lights.

I was caught out on it over the weekend (low traffic and still had to wait to cut into traffic!) and today when going home I saw at least two others who had to cut into the straight ahead lane.

It would help is some one removed that "straight ahead arrow but not really, as it is really a lane that is a right turn onto the M50" eh arrow.

Other than that... works well in the mornings

peter1892

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

Turning left from the off ramp onto Colmcille's Way there is a red light? Why is this? Should it not be a flashing amber light? There is an extra join lane on Colmcille's Way that allows the traffic to merge when coming from the off ramp. I can see this causing a jam in the evening and don't understand why this isn't freeflow.

Well, yesterday at 6:15 PM I used this slip road and was at the back of a queue of around 15 cars. When I joined the queue it wasn't back out onto the M50 mainline but it appeared to be back that far by the time I reached the top of the off ramp. Which is the same situation as used to exist before the upgrade.

Interestingly, very few cars exited the M50 north to turn right (towards Scholarstown rd/Knocklyon), it seemed that most were joining the queue to turn left.

I wonder if it would be possible to change the light on left turn to a flashing amber light, or to allow more time for traffic heading left (if it is the case the the majority of traffic exiting here is headed towards Firhouse/Colmcille's Way).

M50 Traffic MGT

peter1892 wrote: »

Well, yesterday at 6:15 PM I used this slip road and was at the back of a queue of around 15 cars. When I joined the queue it wasn't back out onto the M50 mainline but it appeared to be back that far by the time I reached the top of the off ramp. Which is the same situation as used to exist before the upgrade.

Interestingly, very few cars exited the M50 north to turn right (towards Scholarstown rd/Knocklyon), it seemed that most were joining the queue to turn left.

I wonder if it would be possible to change the light on left turn to a flashing amber light, or to allow more time for traffic heading left (if it is the case the the majority of traffic exiting here is headed towards Firhouse/Colmcille's Way).

This issue has been raised and SDCC are in the process of getting both left turns (from NB & SB off ramps) changed to flashing ambers

tomhappens

peter1892 wrote: »

Well, yesterday at 6:15 PM I used this slip road and was at the back of a queue of around 15 cars. When I joined the queue it wasn't back out onto the M50 mainline but it appeared to be back that far by the time I reached the top of the off ramp. Which is the same situation as used to exist before the upgrade.

Interestingly, very few cars exited the M50 north to turn right (towards Scholarstown rd/Knocklyon), it seemed that most were joining the queue to turn left.

I wonder if it would be possible to change the light on left turn to a flashing amber light, or to allow more time for traffic heading left (if it is the case the the majority of traffic exiting here is headed towards Firhouse/Colmcille's Way).

M50 Traffic MGT wrote: »

This issue has been raised and SDCC are in the process of getting both left turns (from NB & SB off ramps) changed to flashing ambers

That is good because what the clever people are doing now is going into the right lane for the right turn... and then turning hard left at the lights to beat the queue in the left lane!

W.B. Yeats

M50 Traffic MGT wrote: »

This issue has been raised and SDCC are in the process of getting both left turns (from NB & SB off ramps) changed to flashing ambers

Thanks for that
Common sense prevailing

W.B. Yeats

M50 Traffic MGT wrote: »

This issue has been raised and SDCC are in the process of getting both left turns (from NB & SB off ramps) changed to flashing ambers

M50 Traffic MGT

Any idea when this will be complete? It doesn't seem like something that would take long but we're still here almost a week since your reply and no progress

Sponge Bob

M50 Traffic Mgt.

Trivia Question. Of all the upgraded junctions along the M50 which has the lowest AADT passing through it outside the mainline traffic ??? Would that be Ballymun ??

Guy:Incognito

Whats teh situation with the new slip at Tallaght headign northbound? It looks finished but seems to be just a place for workmen to park their cars. The traffc on the N81 coming up to the roundabout is now worse because theres only 2 lanes to service traffic going to north and southbound M50 as well as continueing towards town.

Gus99

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

M50 Traffic MGT

Any idea when this will be complete? It doesn't seem like something that would take long but we're still here almost a week since your reply and no progress

Probably part of the Go Slow that wasn't going to affect the public

W.B. Yeats

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

M50 Traffic MGT

Any idea when this will be complete? It doesn't seem like something that would take long but we're still here almost a week since your reply and no progress

Flashing ambers for left turn at junction 12 exit southbound yesterday evening so presume the same was in place for northbound exit. Speeded things up a lot.

Just an observation: exit 12 was closed from 8pm last night. The first warning sign that I saw informing me about this was between junc 11 and 12 when you had gone past the place the warning sign was advising you divert via.

peter1892

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

Flashing ambers for left turn at junction 12 exit southbound yesterday evening so presume the same was in place for northbound exit. Speeded things up a lot.

Yes, they're also in place on the northbound off ramp as well. Made a big difference compared to a couple of weeks ago

peter1892

Well my enthusiasm about the new filters* is diminished having approached the junction from the Knocklyon side yesterday evening.

Traffic heading towards Firhouse (westbound) only has one lane on the bridge, while the middle & right lanes are right-turn only onto the M50 northbound. This causes traffic to backup quite badly when it's busy, but it also means that traffic exiting the M50 south & turing right has nowhere to go, so the whole thing jams up. So much so that I got stuck for 4 light changes without actually getting onto the bridge itself (before I gave up, changed lanes & eventually went on to the M50 north).

Assuming that it's SDCC who look after this section of road, then they have a bit more work to do on working out the light sequences and lane allocations here.

*actually the left turn filters are great & they're not the problem!

ciaran75

Hi M50 Traffic MGT,

has the traffic light sequence on the N3 interchange changed recently?

The traffic has been horrible the last few weeks shortly after the auburn roundabout was taken out. taking about 15-20 minutes to get past auburn from the snugsborough road entrance. And now we have the added traffic trying to get past the halfway house which was never there before.

Cheers,

KTG78

peter1892 wrote: »

Well my enthusiasm about the new filters* is diminished having approached the junction from the Knocklyon side yesterday evening.

*actually the left turn filters are great & they're not the problem!

I thought it was all sorted too until last night when I was coming off the M50 northbound and the left filter lights were flashing away....happy days :0) ...until they went red?? So instead of a green light we get a filter light....correct me if I'm wrong. If that's the case that's no help, they need to be continuously on the filter and get rid of the red altogether! At least though the traffic problem is a fraction of what it was like a few months ago :0)

peter1892

KTG78 wrote: »

I thought it was all sorted too until last night when I was coming off the M50 northbound and the left filter lights were flashing away....happy days :0) ...until they went red?? So instead of a green light we get a filter light....correct me if I'm wrong. If that's the case that's no help, they need to be continuously on the filter and get rid of the red altogether! At least though the traffic problem is a fraction of what it was like a few months ago :0)

I think there's a pedestrian light there which would require normal red & amber lights for vehicular traffic.

KTG78

Thanks, yeah it seemed to be grand today, hooray...my mistake!

cargo

Hi M50, any update on the work at the 2 big junction sections left? Notice the "alongside" bridge sections at the N2 junction i.e. new bits that run alongside M50 N&S have now received some tar so must be getting near to some new layout movements? Any update?

SomeGuyCalledMi

cargo wrote: »

Hi M50, any update on the work at the 2 big junction sections left? Notice the "alongside" bridge sections at the N2 junction i.e. new bits that run alongside M50 N&S have now received some tar so must be getting near to some new layout movements? Any update?

from m50.ie
Please be aware that as of Tuesday 30th March at 06:00hrs a new free flow slip will open at Junction 5 N2. This new free flow slip will allow traffic travelling Dublin-bound on the N2 to access the northbound M50 without having to use the M50/N2 roundabout.

M50 Traffic MGT

SomeGuyCalledMi wrote: »

from m50.ie
Please be aware that as of Tuesday 30th March at 06:00hrs a new free flow slip will open at Junction 5 N2. This new free flow slip will allow traffic travelling Dublin-bound on the N2 to access the northbound M50 without having to use the M50/N2 roundabout.

The opening of this freeflow is weather dependant as works were stopped last night due to heavy rain.

Works are also progressing well on the new lane of the M1 NB. This weekend will see restrictions on the M1 NB between 22:00 and 07:00 with all traffic being diverted onto the M50 SB to turn at Ballymun and access the M1 via the freeflow from the M50 NB. Once on the M1 all traffic will once again be diverted off the M1 to turn around at the Airport roundabout. These closures are to facilitate removal of all existing lining on the M1 NB between the M50 and the Airport interchanges. Four lanes will open on Monday morning and eliminate merging. I've attached drawings showing the new layout

celticbest

Hi M50 Traffic MGT,

Do you have any idea when the last 50 meters of permanent marking will be applied to the top of NB off ramp @ Junction 6 (Blancharstown).

M50 Traffic MGT

celticbest wrote: »

Hi M50 Traffic MGT,

Do you have any idea when the last 50 meters of permanent marking will be applied to the top of NB off ramp @ Junction 6 (Blancharstown).

Both off ramps at J6 Blanchardstown and the N3 outbound from Auburn Avenue to the M50 will have 2 lanes in the permanent scenario. At the moment they are all being used in a temporary 3 lane layout. Until the new freeflows open these permanent markings will not be laid as it will significantly reduce the capacity of the junction at peak times

cargo

M50 Traffic MGT wrote: »

Both off ramps at J6 Blanchardstown and the N3 outbound from Auburn Avenue to the M50 will have 2 lanes in the permanent scenario. At the moment they are all being used in a temporary 3 lane layout. Until the new freeflows open these permanent markings will not be laid as it will significantly reduce the capacity of the junction at peak times

How is the schedule of works coming on at this junction? When are the next few milestones coming up on the project?

celticbest

M50 Traffic MGT wrote: »

Works are also progressing well on the new lane of the M1 NB. This weekend will see restrictions on the M1 NB between 22:00 and 07:00 with all traffic being diverted onto the M50 SB to turn at Ballymun and access the M1 via the freeflow from the M50 NB. Once on the M1 all traffic will once again be diverted off the M1 to turn around at the Airport roundabout. These closures are to facilitate removal of all existing lining on the M1 NB between the M50 and the Airport interchanges. Four lanes will open on Monday morning and eliminate merging. I've attached drawings showing the new layout

Can anybody confirm if above new layout was in place this morning as there is no notice about it on M50.ie.

cargo

M50 Traffic MGT wrote: »

The opening of this freeflow is weather dependant as works were stopped last night due to heavy rain.

Works are also progressing well on the new lane of the M1 NB. This weekend will see restrictions on the M1 NB between 22:00 and 07:00 with all traffic being diverted onto the M50 SB to turn at Ballymun and access the M1 via the freeflow from the M50 NB. Once on the M1 all traffic will once again be diverted off the M1 to turn around at the Airport roundabout. These closures are to facilitate removal of all existing lining on the M1 NB between the M50 and the Airport interchanges. Four lanes will open on Monday morning and eliminate merging. I've attached drawings showing the new layout

celticbest wrote: »

Can anybody confirm if above new layout was in place this morning as there is no notice about it on M50.ie.

Any update M50? Did the M1 layout changes get completed over the weekend?

sk8board

cargo wrote: »

Any update M50? Did the M1 layout changes get completed over the weekend?

I couldn't see with the rain this morning heading sth on M1, but I hope its in place for the return journey this evening.

...now for 3 lanes all the way to Lissenhall!??

celticbest

sk8board wrote: »

...now for 3 lanes all the way to Lissenhall!??

Oh... what a dream that would be.... maybe in another 20 years.

Why was this not included as part of the M50 upgrade, you look at every other major route off the M50 and you can see the upgrade works that were carried out in conjunction with the M50 mainline/junction upgrades, the M2 is a prime example.

I get from the NAAS road to the M1 in about 15 minutes most nights and then it takes about 20 minutes to get from the M1/M50 to Lissenhall (about a 1/4 of the M50 distance).

Why can't they install a free flow slip from the M1N to Swords at this junction(there's plenty of land)?? This would reduce some of the queuing each evening at this junction and save everyone some time whether going North or South on the R132.

oddiot

celticbest wrote: »

Can anybody confirm if above new layout was in place this morning as there is no notice about it on M50.ie.

Yes. Two lanes for airport. 2 lanes for m1 beyond airport. The line markings between lanes 2 and 3 should probably be modified to the fatter aux lane style on the m50.

VERYinterested

Just wondering M50 Traffic Mgt if it is possible for some paint to be added to the road at the end of Kilcross Square where it meets the roundabout that takes traffic on to the M50 Northbound or around to Dundrum, Ballinteer and Rathfarnham.

Basically there are two lanes and I have seen so many near misses when some motorists in the outer left hand lane intended for M50 North, turn right with traffic heading to Dundrum, Ballinteer and Rathfarnham. The traffic in the right hand lane is blindsided to people on their left such is the curve in the road and they have to merge at the worst possible position. Right hand lane traffic has to cross over to the left side at this point so as to be in the correct position to go to Dundrum, Ballinteer or Rathfarnham.

The ambiguity would be removed if 'M50 North' was painted on the left lane and 'Dundrum, Ballinteer and Rathfarnham' on the right. Or a simple sign with the two options showing people to get in lane would help.

chinchin

oddiot wrote: »

Yes. Two lanes for airport. 2 lanes for m1 beyond airport. The line markings between lanes 2 and 3 should probably be modified to the fatter aux lane style on the m50.

Didn't stop people slowing down to 'merge' (i.e. jump straight into the right most lane as quickly as possible, just in case someone else might get past them and take their place in the line of traffic.)

cargo

chinchin wrote: »

Didn't stop people slowing down to 'merge' (i.e. jump straight into the right most lane as quickly as possible, just in case someone else might get past them and take their place in the line of traffic.)

It's a bit of a surprise to come down the ramp from the M50 and not have to merge with the M1. Taffic was light last night when I was coming through (9pm) so you're travelling at a higher speed and looking all round to make sure you can merge as you dont know what the new layout is going to look like or even if it has been done and suddenly you can see a "lane" especially for you (yeah just me so keep out of it ) pretty cool. Will be a good help when people get used to it.

One little bit near the end will also take a bit of "getting used to" time. Just where the new lane ends and the 2 lanes for teh airport drop there seems to be a bit of a move to the left in the 2 airport lanes and all cars passing through it last night braked briefly at this point. With the new layout you're not really certain if your going to lose your new lane or not but it does carry on with that little squiggle to the left. It was my only time over it and new markings etc were only settling in so maybe i over estimated it but I'm sure everyone will settle in to it soon enough.