M50 Upgrade

The upgrade project involves construction works/widening on approximately 34km of the mainline motorway from 2 to 3 lanes in each direction (with a 4th auxiliary lane between some junctions) from south of the M50/M1 interchange near Dublin Airport through to the Sandyford Interchange with the upgrade of 10 junctions along this length. The total cost of the upgrade is approx. €1b and it is being undertaken in three phases:

Phase 1 comprises the widening of almost 8km of carriageway between the N4 (Jct 7) and Ballymount (Jct 10) junctions and the upgrading of the N4, N7 and Ballymount interchanges.

Phase 2 (PPP – Public Private Partnership) comprises the widening of 24km of the M50 from south of the M1/M50 Turnapin interchange to the N3 interchange and from south of the Ballymount interchange to the Sandyford interchange including the upgrade of interchanges along these sections.

Phase 3 (Design & Build) comprises the widening of 1.3km length of motorway south of the N3 interchange to north of the M50 West-Link toll plaza.

A crucial element of the M50 upgrade is the introduction of barrier free tolling in Quarter 3, 2008. The transition to the new barrier free tolling system on the M50 took place on 30 August 2008.