What are they doing with the N4?

Heroditas

I had to drive out to Leixlip this morning and then drive all the way back in to the M50 this morning. First time I've ever done the whole route in rush hour traffic. Left Lucan at 7.45 and joined the N4 westward at Woodies and was booting up the M50 towards the N3 at 8.25 after heading out to a certain American multinational opposite Lidl in Leixlip. :P

As MYOB said, the traffic is now filtered along the inside lanes that have been upgraded. The work at the underpass is really accelerating. The underpass now has tarmac on the east side of it and the west side seems to be nearly done. This morning they were attaching wooden frameworks to the "valley walls" (for want of a better term) - I think these are for the concrete slabs that will cover up the bare rock.
The bridge itself is in place so they only need to join it up to the rest of the road. Westward on the N4 heading out past the Spa Hotel seems to be primed for the surfacing work but heading inbound there is still an awful lot of work to be done even widening the road. This was always going to be difficult anyway because of the lack of room.
The road widening is definitely proceeding much slower from Woodies up to Liffey Valley but it shouldn't pose many difficulties.

I was impressed at how short a time it took me to get from west Leixlip to the M50 - I left the Lidl car park at 8.05 and as I stated earlier, was leaving the M50 at the Blanchardstown at 8.25.

I'd be curious to see when the work will be finished on the underpass - early next year maybe?

whosedaddy?

anyone any pictures???

Looking at the rate of progress, I expect there will be traffic using the new underpass before christmas. Then work will continue on the other sections, getting this junction freeflow for N4 traffic appears to be the prime objective.

Upgrading the remainder of the road to three lanes looks like it's the secondary task.

lord lucan

Deleted User wrote: »

Looking at the rate of progress, I expect there will be traffic using the new underpass before christmas.

november sometime is what i heard. my job is located on the newcastle road and our manager has been in constant contact with the works manager and he was adamant they'd have it ready by the middle of november. it looks like they've poured most of the man power into getting this done first at the expense of road widening on other stretches.

Ice_Box

The queue in the morning goes back beyond the Celbridge interchange and was 35 minutes this morning. A few weeks ago it was 45 minutes. I counted over 70 cars that passed me on the hard shoulder. Guards there up to twice a week lately so I wouldnt chance it.

Heroditas

25 minutes this morning from the west Leixlip interchange to the M50. It's definitely getting quicker.
Also hilarious to pass three cars pulled in on the hard shoulder on the M4 crossing over the river with a motorbike Garda taking down their details. Muahahahaha, serves them right.

Heart

They've put the edging for the footpath in along the section from Woodies slip road towards Liffey Valley slip road.

H

lord lucan

Heart wrote: »

They've put the edging for the footpath in along the section from Woodies slip road towards Liffey Valley slip road.

H

went for a walk from the footbridge at surweld to woodies this evening,looks like they just have to re-surface the path and then the nearest lane. was only down that way 2 days previous and it was in bits:eek:

Looks like the N4 will be closed for a short while maybe tonight (didn't get a good view of the VMS) while the new pedestrian bridge is swung into place.

Diversions via Lucan.

jmkennedyie

N4 closing tonight at Lucan, presumably for install of the new single span pedestrian footbridge replacing the existing 2-span one between Spa Hotel and Newcastle road junction. I wonder will they take the opportunity to do other stuff too.

The new underpass is coming on in leaps and bounds. The new mainline now seems ready for final surfacing. Drainage done. Lighting half in. Jersey barrier about to go in. They have started surfacing the new bridge too, and railings in place.

Agree with the previous posters...the underpass is the clear priority...get the mainline freeflowing before they start compressing the lanes around the Foxhunter etc. Should be big improvement for commuters in a couple of weeks time.

Edit: Opps. DolanBaker beat me to it.

There are two cranes on standby & part of the road leading to the new underpass already had lines on it.

Not long now...

steyr fan

Anyone know when the road closes & reopens. I have to go out that way this evening and again in the morning.

Cheers for any info.

Or maybe I'll have a peek at www.aaroadwatch.ie

steyr fan

ok had a look at aaroadwatch. N4 is closed from 9pm toningt till 10am tomorrow inbound from Leixlip road to Tandys lane.

http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/traffic/story.asp?id=96464

Dublin - From 9pm today until 10am Sun 12th Oct the N4 Lucan rd will be closed inbound from the Leixlip Rd(R835) to Tandys Lane Jct
Updated: 11/10/2008 09:22:10
This is to facilitate the construction of a new footbridge. Alternative routes via the Lucan Bypass, Leixlip Rd and Tandy's Lane will be signposted. Expect minor delays.

I take it that outbound traffic will just be stopped for a few minutes while the bridge is swung into place.

ohnoigotsick

Bridge is in place - middle support pillar from old bridge taken down also.

underpass nearly finished too , looks well will get things moving

Ice_Box

40 minute queue this morning. Somebody please kill me.

I hope lord lucan is right about them opening in November.

lord lucan

Ice_Box wrote: »

40 minute queue this morning. Somebody please kill me.

I hope lord lucan is right about them opening in November.

they're bombing along with it from what i see on my way in every morning,i reckon the underpass(N4) could be open within 2 weeks then they just have to sort out the on/off ramps properly on the sides. even an ad hoc on/off ramp would do the trick just to get things moving.

ciarsd

There is a sign up at the Newcastle Junction informing of a closure to the U-turn lane (which brings traffic from the westbound lanes to the eastbound lanes) on Tuesday Oct 28th... you'll have to continue up the N4 to the Leixlip interchange, over the motorway and back down again to get onto the eastbound side.

Must be aligning the underpass with the existing road and resurfacing it.

I imagine that this closure will affect both U turns as they need to construct the concrete barriers first then resurface carriageway.

The traffic using the western U turn would likely have to turn at the Leixlip junction.

Davidth88

Guys it looks to me like the underpass is just about to be opened, any idea when that will be ?

The lights are on, the central reservation is installed , they were laying the final tarmac yesterday.

Boy thats going to be great when it's open !

L1011

The outbound lanes before the Spa Hotel are well below the height of the start of the lip on the Jersey barrier in the middle - meaning it loses one of its protection elements (namely being able to deflect shalow angle collisions with no damage). Any idea if they're going to hoike it to the clearly planned height?

I imagine it had to be left at the "wrong" height to allow the existing access to remain in use during construction, they'll probably do the outside lanes - switch traffic over to the left and regrade the main carriageway.

gibo_ie

underpass at Newcastle X is now lined in both directions so looks like it wont be long now before opening, the bridge still is not at road height each side at the top of the overpass and still needs backfill to level off but this shouldnt take much.

A third lane is now in place eastbound (citybound) from the leixlip exit onto the N4 which no longer requires traffic to stop and pull out dangerously to oncoming traffic, there are now three lanes from here to the lucan exit eastbound.

Not long now.....

Colm R

Just heard on the radio that the underpass is now open. Traffic that wants to leave the N4 here will have to follow diversions.

dublinhead

http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/


Slow on the N4 outbound between Woodies and the Spa Hotel. There is a new layout on the N4/Lucan Rd. Motorists are now able to travel straight, under the Newcastle Rd Bridge without having to stop at traffic lights. Traffic coming from the Adamstown Rd and the Newcastle Rd will merge with the N4 and, until the bridge is completed at the end of November, right turning motorists will have to follow diversions.

Ice_Box

Thank you God! (and dublinhead)

L1011

Only ASCII art can symbolise this well enough:

\o/

Now theres less traffic lights from my house to Tesco Coleraine than Tesco Maynooth.

Colm R

MYOB wrote: »

Only ASCII art can symbolise this well enough:

\o/

Now theres less traffic lights from my house to Tesco Coleraine than Tesco Maynooth.

Best laugh I had all day.

bigpinkelephant

dublinhead wrote: »

http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/


Slow on the N4 outbound between Woodies and the Spa Hotel. There is a new layout on the N4/Lucan Rd. Motorists are now able to travel straight, under the Newcastle Rd Bridge without having to stop at traffic lights. Traffic coming from the Adamstown Rd and the Newcastle Rd will merge with the N4 and, until the bridge is completed at the end of November, right turning motorists will have to follow diversions.

w00000000000t!!!

wish I'd known this earlier, really bad traffic in Lucan village this evening!

gibo_ie

Travelled east (citybound) on this yesterday evening at 5pm and traffic was great, westbound was still quite slow as people didnt know where the junction had disappeared it would seem

This morning citybound at 8:45am on the N4 there were no buildups at all from the M4 at Leixlip the whole way through to the M50 and traffic was flying!!! even the concolbert road was basically empty and up as far as heuston station was great. Hopefully when people realise the junction is there and stop slowing down it will see vast improvements!!
Good work guys!

serfboard

MYOB wrote: »

Now theres less traffic lights from my house to Tesco Coleraine than Tesco Maynooth.

That's an amazing statement.

Heroditas

Urgh, it'll still be a nightmare using the Woodies flyover for the next while, particularly if you're coming from Lucan village/Strawberry beds due to the increased traffic traveling east and then coming off at that ramp before turning to go back down it and west again. It's taking sometimes up to 30mins in the evening to get from Chalet Gardens to the the outer ring road.

Heroditas

Well I was coming home from town last night at 9.30pm and decided to pop out the N4 to see what it was like - big mistake!
It took me 30 minutes in first gear to get from the Texaco to McCoy motors.
They had closed off one of the lanes just past the underpass and appeared to be surfacing part of the outside lane. Utter chaos with people nose to tail so no option to merge at a decent pace :rolleyes:

Anyway, then came off the N4 at the Celbridge exit and crossed over to boot back eastward - it certainly makes a difference being able to join the N4 again at pace. I made the return trip in about 3 minutes.

MYOB

MYOB wrote: »

The outbound lanes before the Spa Hotel are well below the height of the start of the lip on the Jersey barrier in the middle - meaning it loses one of its protection elements (namely being able to deflect shalow angle collisions with no damage). Any idea if they're going to hoike it to the clearly planned height?

Heroditas wrote: »

They had closed off one of the lanes just past the underpass and appeared to be surfacing part of the outside lane. Utter chaos with people nose to tail so no option to merge at a decent pace :rolleyes:

Was it the 'dip' MYOB was referring to that was being filled?

Heroditas

Deleted User wrote: »

Was it the 'dip' MYOB was referring to that was being filled?

Well spotted! It could very well have been.

Ice_Box

Found this link to a camera at the newcastle junction.
It works most of the time...

http://87.192.116.112/MOBILE/tcn4j4.htm

ipodrocker

is there a time free for the complete upgrade to be done?, does anyone think the road surface after coming off the m50 to west could do with an extra layer of tarmac?

(Im talking about the bit once you pass the liffey valley exit leading up to the start of the current road works.)

ipodrocker

ipodrocker wrote: »

is there a time free for the complete upgrade to be done?, does anyone think the road surface after coming off the m50 to west could do with an extra layer of tarmac?

(Im talking about the bit once you pass the liffey valley exit leading up to the start of the current road works.)

That section is next on the list! Just as soon as the Newcastle road jucntion is complete.

ipodrocker

Deleted User wrote: »

That section is next on the list! Just as soon as the Newcastle road jucntion is complete.

so you saying it wil be done once the newcastle bit is done?

ipodrocker

class so we will have 3 lanes on the n4 up to the start of the m4.?

L1011

ipodrocker wrote: »

class so we will have 3 lanes on the n4 up to the start of the m4.?

Yes, not that Irish people know how to drive on 3 lane roads :mad:

ohnoigotsick

MYOB wrote: »

Yes, not that Irish people know how to drive on 3 lane roads :mad:

or 2 lane roads for that matter

ipodrocker

ipodrocker wrote: »

so you saying it wil be done once the newcastle bit is done?

Yes! Some work has already started in places, along the eastbound carriageway between woodies & liffey valley.

ipodrocker

presume that will upgrade the carriagway to the standard as the newcastle bit and change the median to a concrete one etc..

Heroditas

Anybody have any idea when the Newcastle Junction flyover will be finished? It appears that all the traffic that would use this junction to join the N4 is now being forced to join at Woodies - thus clogging up the junction between Willsbrook Road and Ballyowen Road?
Willsbrook Road is bad enough in the mornings at the best of times but the queues now stretch up as far as the roundabout at the intersection between Willsbrook Road and Esker Lane. It can sometimes take 20mins in the morning to even get to Ballyowen Road, never mind get onto the N4.

L1011

Deleted User wrote: »

Was it the 'dip' MYOB was referring to that was being filled?

It was, by the way.

jmkennedyie

Heroditas wrote: »

Anybody have any idea when the Newcastle Junction flyover will be finished? It appears that all the traffic that would use this junction to join the N4 is now being forced to join at Woodies - thus clogging up the junction between Willsbrook Road and Ballyowen Road?
Willsbrook Road is bad enough in the mornings at the best of times but the queues now stretch up as far as the roundabout at the intersection between Willsbrook Road and Esker Lane. It can sometimes take 20mins in the morning to even get to Ballyowen Road, never mind get onto the N4.

Last we heard was end November. Traffic Lights are wired (but not installed). Tar was being laid today.

L1011

Tried the N4 today, traffic was back to Lomans from the Spa Hotel merge - roll on the third lane and a proper merge or auxillary lane there...

lord lucan

Heroditas wrote: »

Anybody have any idea when the Newcastle Junction flyover will be finished? It appears that all the traffic that would use this junction to join the N4 is now being forced to join at Woodies - thus clogging up the junction between Willsbrook Road and Ballyowen Road?
Willsbrook Road is bad enough in the mornings at the best of times but the queues now stretch up as far as the roundabout at the intersection between Willsbrook Road and Esker Lane. It can sometimes take 20mins in the morning to even get to Ballyowen Road, never mind get onto the N4.

i've been told it'll open fully on friday.

Holsten

MYOB wrote: »

Tried the N4 today, traffic was back to Lomans from the Spa Hotel merge - roll on the third lane and a proper merge or auxillary lane there...

Aye, it's been the cause of most of the holdups since they started on it, and it really doesn't look like it will be done any time soon, stuck in traffic for nearly 2 hours through Lucan when they first started it.

Also it's very annoying heading eastbound just as the traffic comes onto the N4 from the M4 at Lexlip, everyone still jams on the breaks for no need.