What are they doing with the N4?

KevR

Think it has been mentioned here before but there's a real stupid lane drop going East through the roadworks. My Sat Nav was telling me to get off at the next exit for Lucan so I got myself into the left lane only to realise the lane is suddenly about to be dropped for no apparent reason. Of course a bloke in the lane to my right decides to match my speed no matter what way I vary it and not let me out. :mad:

Also, the speed limit is ridiculous. It's pretty much impossible to stay at 60kmh on a wide 3 lane road after driving 120kmh the whole way from Athlone - 60kmh feels like you're stopped! I didn't know whether to obey it or not - there were signs for speed cameras but none of the Dublin registration cars seemed to be paying any notice to the speed limit so I was thinking the speed camera (wherever the hell it is) isn't operational or something? I remember passing a speed camera on that stretch before but didn't spot it on Thursday..

Heroditas

That lane drop is extremely annoying - particularly during rush hour in the morning. It really slows down the traffic.

There's no cameras there currently. They used to be there opposite the Spa Hotel. Occasionally a van is there however, picking them off like fish in a barrel.

Redsoxfan

Watch for a van under the bridge just after the Leixlip exit and within sight of the motorway-the speed limit is still 60kph at that point.

df1985

practically no one is sticking to that 60 limit.at that speed you literally would be holding everyone up!

KevR

df1985 wrote: »

practically no one is sticking to that 60 limit.at that speed you literally would be holding everyone up!

Yeah I was trying to stay as close to the limit as I could because I really want to get flashed by a speed camera (didn't realise they had been removed) or a gatso van. But at the same time I was very conscious about holding people up and I honestly felt 60kmh was hazardous because I could have been railroaded by someone coming up behind me at speed.

What will the speed limit be on the N4 from where the M4 ends to the M50 when roadworks are finished? It should be 100kmh in my opinion but I have a feeling it will be 80kmh.

a_ominous

The speed limit before the roadworks was 80kmph so they'll probably retain that. I empathise with your comment re 100kmph limit: road quality should be good enough, but unfortunately, this road goes closer to more houses that souther parts of M50 where there was 100kmph before the road works. There have been many complaints regarding the noise from the traffic and machinery from various groups according to reports in local press. I believe the wooden panels that are erected on road edge are supposed to reduce noise, but haven't done enough.

icdg

There is a bizzare history of speed limits on the Lucan and Palmerstown bypasses.

The road opened, as I recall, as NSL, was reduced to 40 mph in 1997 or thereabouts (60 km/h after metrification) when they started the works to GSJ the R113 junction. This was meant to be temporary but the works "never completed" until 2006 or thereabouts when the Hermitage Golf Club finally backed down over the median closure. Then they upped the speed limit to 80km/h. In the meantime, at some point in the early 2000s SDCC decided that having the NSL section between Leixlip and Woodies had suddenly become "dangerous", so they reduced this to 50mph (became 80 km/h after metrification).

AFAIK it will remain 80 km/h after the works are completed. There are new speed limit signs up however, but they are taped over so I don't know what they read.

Redsoxfan

df1985 wrote: »

practically no one is sticking to that 60 limit.at that speed you literally would be holding everyone up!

Yeah-but that doesn't stop the Gardai from policing it-I know to my cost.

Anyway, why was the traffic so bad this evening with the schools off? Tailbacks all the way onto the M50.

lods

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Yeah-but that doesn't stop the Gardai from policing it-I know to my cost.

Anyway, why was the traffic so bad this evening with the schools off? Tailbacks all the way onto the M50.

if they opened some of the new section on the left going West, it would ease the pressure at Liffey valley. I know the works at the spa aren't finished, but it might ease the M50 as well

madds

Left Cherrywood (exit 16) at 7:30pm this evening and was home to Leixlip by 7:56pm. The roads were by no means empty but all traffic moved well. Hopefully a sign of things to come.

df1985

the leixlip/celbridge entrance to the exit has been reduced in size.i was comin towards it earlier and for a minute though id have to keep going onto the M4.you'd nearly miss it.

Heroditas

df1985 wrote: »

the leixlip/celbridge entrance to the exit has been reduced in size.i was comin towards it earlier and for a minute though id have to keep going onto the M4.you'd nearly miss it.

I noticed that myself a short while ago. It's quite dangerous now.

The stretch going eastwards from Ballyowen/Woodies up to the M50 is all done now bar the "bridge" that crosses over the intersection up to Liffey Valley. Traffic is now moving in what will eventually be the 2nd and 3rd lanes and work is progressing on the hard shoulder and innermost lane. That stretch could very well be open to three lanes by the time the schools are back the week after next.

The only sections that still appear to need a lot of work are:
1. the stretch from the Newcastle interchange to the Ballyowen interchange going eastwards.
2. The section by the Spa Hotel/McCoy Motors
3. Westbound from the Liffey Valley junction to the Woodies/Ballyowen interchange

lord lucan

The buslane between the woodies interchange and newcastle road interchange westbound was open this morning. There's still an armco barrier dividing it from the mainline N4. I seen buses using it this morning,they're having to continue up the newcastle road slip and back down the far side if they're heading westbound.

lods

Saw that. They should push all the newcastle traffic that way & close off the turn off further down. Its not signposted at all.

Winger_PL

Nobody has said anything here in a while...

SDCC released an update document related to the N4 upgrade works in March:

http://roads.southdublin.ie/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=283&Itemid=62

Long story short, the following are the key points as I see them:

Eastbound (inbound):
- section between Newcastle Underpass and Ballydowd (Woodies exit) to be completed by the end of May - although I personally think it'll be June before it's completed
- section between Ballydowd and the M50 Jct was supposed to be completed in early April according to the document (which was done in March!), clearly the works are still ongoing from Liffey Valley exit to the M50.

Westbound (outbound):
- no completion date on section between the M50 and Ballydowd (Woodies exit)
- section between Newcastle Underpass and Leixlip Jct should be completed by the end of May (and this is the biggest pain on the outbound!);

Although I shouldn't be sharing this I've found a perfect way to get from Parkwest area towards Newcastle Underpass in the rush hours.
Leave Parkwest towards north (passing the railway station and the hotel), at the roundabout by the M50 go left towards the recently reopened Cloverhill bridge (don't be fooled by the 'Bridge Closed Ahead' signs still placed here & there). Turn right at the T junction behind the bridge and go straight on towards Adamstown. Once you get into Adamstown turn right at the first lights and left at the next ones, that'll get you straight onto Newcastle Road. I've been using this road for the last week and it usually takes me no more than 15 minutes to get from the Plaza in Parkwest to the Newcastle Underpass/SPA hotel. Beats the queue by the Cloverhill prison and the Liffey Valley N4 merge. I'll keep using this road until the whole westbound section of the N4 is completed.

Seth Brundle

Is the bus lane on the N4 westbound between Liffey Valley and the Foxhunter legal?
I thought that by law it needed the solid white line and appropriate signage.

lord lucan

kbannon wrote: »

Is the bus lane on the N4 westbound between Liffey Valley and the Foxhunter legal?
I thought that by law it needed the solid white line and appropriate signage.

Under law i doubt it has any legal standing but i think it's more for the sake of public transport flow that it's been created. It's being used an elongated merge lane anyways for traffic coming from the fonthill road and ballyowen lane onto the N4.

I reckon that Newcastle to Ballydowd section(eastbound) will get done by end of may,they've started initial surfacing work on it,all the pipe-laying etc. appears to be done.

bazzer

All N4 eastbound traffic was being funnelled down the Fonthill interchange from about 8pm Tuesday night (28 April). Looked like a lot of re-surfacing works from the Fonthill Bridge towards the Liffey Valley pedestrian bridge.

swingking

please tell me they are not gonna continue doing this today. It took me an hour to get home from Leixlip to Templeogue yesterday and the day before. Don't know why they are carrying out roadworks in rush hour traffic and closing sections of the n4 carrigeway towards the m50

BrianD3

Is there a spelling mistake on the big gantry signs inbound near the Spa hotel.

Signs say "Palmerston", is this an alternative spelling for "Palmerstown" or did someone forget a "w"

Rawr

BrianD3 wrote: »

Is there a spelling mistake on the big gantry signs inbound near the Spa hotel.

Signs say "Palmerston", is this an alternative spelling for "Palmerstown" or did someone forget a "w"

Be sure to watch out for 'Sop', 'Yeld' and 'One Wa' signs too.

bazzer

BrianD3 wrote: »

Is there a spelling mistake on the big gantry signs inbound near the Spa hotel.

Signs say "Palmerston", is this an alternative spelling for "Palmerstown" or did someone forget a "w"

The good citizens of that area are due to hold a vote during May on whether the official name should be Palmerston or Palmerstown.

manc

anyone know what exactly the little islands between the bus lane and the driving lanes (about 30) are for on the N4 at the junction before the Spa heading west, they look like protection for the bus/junction, but hey would hardly put up metal barriers there?

also has anyone noticed the gantry at the Spa is between the bus lane and the driving lanes rather than on the side of the road, this maybe why the little islands are there.

jmkennedyie

If I remember correctly that 'bus lane' will actually be a service road for all traffic coming in & out of Spa hotel / Kew Park / McCoys. All this traffic will be forced up the Leixlip interchange. This will avoid dangerous weaving. Similar approach used on N7 inbound. Similar approach to be applied at Foxhunter.

Hence, the little concrete bollards to segregate this service road.

Last plans I saw had two entrances to this service road, one before the turnoff for Lucan/Dodsboro (jn 4a?) and one before the leixlip/celbridge interchange (jn 5?). Hence all Spa/Kew/McCoy traffic needs to join the service lane quite early on.

When they get this service lane finished it will allow them open up all the previous completed lanes.

lord lucan

bazzer wrote: »

All N4 eastbound traffic was being funnelled down the Fonthill interchange from about 8pm Tuesday night (28 April). Looked like a lot of re-surfacing works from the Fonthill Bridge towards the Liffey Valley pedestrian bridge.

Rather bizarre coming home on the bus from town last night(wed.) and the bus taking the liffey valley slip and heading up to and around the liffey valley roundabout and back out onto the N4!! I'd a few scoops on me and wasn't aware they had a diversion in place,a little freaked out to say the least!:eek:

L1011

swingking wrote: »

please tell me they are not gonna continue doing this today. It took me an hour to get home from Leixlip to Templeogue yesterday and the day before. Don't know why they are carrying out roadworks in rush hour traffic and closing sections of the n4 carrigeway towards the m50

8pm isn't rushhour, thats about the earliest they ever close a lane.

ciarsd

MYOB wrote: »

8pm isn't rushhour, thats about the earliest they ever close a lane.

True, but it is within the hours of shift changeover at HP/Intel/Wyeth

Heroditas

ciarsd wrote: »

True, but it is within the hours of shift changeover at HP/Intel/Wyeth

Shifts change over at 7 in Intel. Even allowing for passdown, the vast majority would be passing by the roadworks by 7.45 at the very latest

Seth Brundle

I'm quite sure that I saw a glimpse of one of the speed limit signs (westbound) and that it was 80.

Heroditas

kbannon wrote: »

I'm quite sure that I saw a glimpse of one of the speed limit signs (westbound) and that it was 80.

Took ages to get from Liffey Valley to St. Lomans road tonight - loads of traffic coming up the hill to the main roundabout and heading straight back down to the N4. It would appear they've closed it off again tonight to do some more work on the bridge/Clondalkin exit

ciarsd

Heroditas wrote: »

Shifts change over at 7 in Intel. Even allowing for passdown, the vast majority would be passing by the roadworks by 7.45 at the very latest

Its 730 and 8pm at HP and god knows what at Wyeth and other factories surrounding the area - hence the words "within the hours".

vektarman

BrianD3 wrote: »

Is there a spelling mistake on the big gantry signs inbound near the Spa hotel.

Signs say "Palmerston", is this an alternative spelling for "Palmerstown" or did someone forget a "w"

The official name is Palmerston, it's become Palmerstown through common usage.
Just like Wilkinstown has become Walkinstown.

lods

From 7pm Sat 9th May until 10am Sun 10th May,the N4/Lucan Bypass will close between Adamstown Rd (R120) and Ballyowen Rd (R136). This is to facilitate the installation of the new Esker Lane Footbridge. Traffic will be diverted via the Old Lucan Rd, Ballyowen Rd, Adamstown Rd and back onto the N4/ Lucan Bypass. Local access will be maintained.

Seem to be moving fast now going east between Lucan & Woodies.

Capt'n Midnight

Looks like they will be replacing a footbridge soon, the new one is on a very long trailer and there is a large crane too.

L1011

The current footbridge out of the back of Colaiste Padraig (I would presume this is 'Esker Lane' as mentioned in the AA report) has had supports for a new bridge built under it, so its presumably this one. Why they're bothering is another question though, unlike the Cherbury one (support pillar fouling the median) and Spa Hotel one (too low) there doesn't appear to be a reason why its needed...

L1011

What they've done here is very odd - the centre section of the old bridge has been removed with a black steel cage structure like the other replaced bridges put in over it. The original runups, etc, are still there...

lord lucan

MYOB wrote: »

What they've done here is very odd - the centre section of the old bridge has been removed with a black steel cage structure like the other replaced bridges put in over it. The original runups, etc, are still there...

It does look quite peculiar. I can only assume it was due to budgetry constraints,ie. it was cheaper to save the original supports and ramps and just mount a single new section in the middle rather than demolish the old supports and ramps and build from scratch!

Fecked if i know what they're at,it looks weird especially in comparision to the other new footbridges on the N4.

L1011

I can't see why they'd bother replacing it at all though; unless they wanted the caging for safety for cars below. But seeing as theres an open pedestrian bridge 400M or so further city bound and then two more after that before the M50...

lord lucan

MYOB wrote: »

I can't see why they'd bother replacing it at all though; unless they wanted the caging for safety for cars below. But seeing as theres an open pedestrian bridge 400M or so further city bound and then two more after that before the M50...

Yeah,very true. And if anything the sureweld footbridge could do with replacing,the surface on it is in a bad way,it gets a lot of use from residents of mount andrew and liffey valley park.

L1011

lord lucan wrote: »

Yeah,very true. And if anything the sureweld footbridge could do with replacing,the surface on it is in a bad way,it gets a lot of use from residents of mount andrew and liffey valley park.

Might be plans for it, but I don't think so - is it that one or the one further in that had crash barriers put in very tight to it?

lord lucan

MYOB wrote: »

Might be plans for it, but I don't think so - is it that one or the one further in that had crash barriers put in very tight to it?

The sureweld bridge has crash barriers fitted(or did before they got lifted for the road widening). I assume they'll be reinstated when the road surfacing is completed.

manc

these new bridges are oversized and damn ugly making the place look like a ghetto, if there was specific reasons for the caged type as oppose to open one at Woodies, could they not have at least got them painted white or silver

murphaph

The open one at woodies was part of a different scheme (the R136 outer ring road) so may have had the budget for that fancy bridge.

lord lucan

They're making great progress on the woodies/newcastle road section of the N4. Today they marked out the buslane and woodies slip exit with white lines on the eastbound side and started lifting the armco barriers seperating the buslane/3rd lane from the N4 westbound. Looking like they'll have both sections opened by the end of the month.

lods

lord lucan wrote: »

They're making great progress on the woodies/newcastle road section of the N4. Today they marked out the buslane and woodies slip exit with white lines on the eastbound side and started lifting the armco barriers seperating the buslane/3rd lane from the N4 westbound. Looking like they'll have both sections opened by the end of the month.

It'll be brilliant. seems to going on forever at the Spa Westbound. They seem to have done the eastbound bit very quickly.

lord lucan

They had the westbound section between woodies and newcastle road down to one lane a little while ago,i assume they're gonna re-paint the white lines to give proper width to the 3 lanes. They were also moving the barriers on the eastbound side in,i assume for the same reason.

Davidth88

Well I don't know what they are doing now but it's a mess !


Outbound before the Newcastle Jct...... they have closed the RH lane and are ripping it up , this was a lane that was only surfaced in November ( I think )

Inbound between the Spa and the Newcastle Jct , they are ripping up the RH lane as well on the bridge.

Its maddening , the traffic is really bad now leaving town

Davidth88

Davidth88 wrote: »

Well I don't know what they are doing now but it's a mess !


Outbound before the Newcastle Jct...... they have closed the RH lane and are ripping it up , this was a lane that was only surfaced in November ( I think )

Inbound between the Spa and the Newcastle Jct , they are ripping up the RH lane as well on the bridge.

Its maddening , the traffic is really bad now leaving town

The outbound work could be removing the old bridge piller that jutted out from the central barrier.
The inbound work is to surface a section over the bridge that somehow got "missed" first time round.

Well that was an experience going westbound tonight, what a stupid way to manage the traffic!

A sign just past woodies saying "fast lane closed" :rolleyes: OK they opened lane one, but there were no signs to direct traffic to shift left one lane.

So we ended up with a jam caused by the middle and right lanes merging and only a few actually using the newly opened left lane who had to dodge those who realised it was open and jumping left! At the other end by the newcastle rd bridge the road jumps back right without warning!

Fortunately it's only for a few days!!!

Seth Brundle

Deleted User wrote: »

A sign just past woodies saying "fast lane closed" :rolleyes: OK they opened lane one, but there were no signs to direct traffic to shift left one lane.

I noticed that alright. Daft!

Deleted User wrote: »

So we ended up with a jam caused by the middle and right lanes merging and only a few actually using the newly opened left lane who had to dodge those who realised it was open and jumping left! At the other end by the newcastle rd bridge the road jumps back right without warning!

I was one of the lucky ones who had been in the left lane and noticed that lane 1 was open so I was able to drive to the Newcastle X in a matter of seconds

Deleted User wrote: »

Fortunately it's only for a few days!!!

But Irish drivers don't learn quickly and those queues are bound to happen tomorrow and the day after...