COMHAIRLE CHONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday 14th November 2005

QUESTION No. 29

TRAFFIC DISRUPTION - MAJOR ROAD PROJECTS

QUESTION: Councillor F. McCarthy

"To ask the manager to report upon what measures will be taken to minimise the disruption to traffic caused by major road projects on national routes through the county with specific mention of work on the M50, N4 and N7?"

REPLY:

Tenders for the M50 upgrade scheme contract 1 ( Palmerstown to Ballymount) are being assessed presently and a contract is likely to be signed this year with some initiating works being undertaken in 2005.  The main bulk of the works will commence in early 2006 and are expected to take between two and three years to complete.  

Traffic management is a key element of the scheme and the consulting engineers were requested to prepare an indicative, workable traffic management scheme which accomodates existing traffic flows. The chosen Design & Build contractor will be obliged to adhere to these principles as a minimum requirement. The overall traffic management methodology will be agreed as part of the contract and approval must be sought from the council traffic department for individual traffic measures. 

The balance of the M50 upgrade works is to be carried out as a PPP contract and will follow approximately 1 year behind contract 1. 

In relation to the N4 upgrade a decision is due from An Bord Pleanala shortly. Tender documentation for a Design & Build scheme will then be prepared. Construction of this scheme is unlikely to commence before 2007.  Traffic Management is also a key element  of this scheme and similar conditions will be imposed as part of the tender documentation.  It is expected that construction will take up to two years to complete. 

The contract for the N7 widening between Rathcoole and the County boundary is  expected to be completed  in summer 2006.

It should be pointed out that there will be traffic disruption during the course of the construction of these major works and every effort will be made to keep this to a minimum.