Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 May 2004
215 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport his proposals for crossing the M50 at the Red Cow roundabout without the disruption of existing traffic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12712/04]
View answerThe implementation of the national roads programme and the planning, design and construction of individual projects, including the proposed upgrade of the M50, is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, in conjunction with the relevant local authorities.
I understand from the NRA that the position relating to the Red Cow roundabout is that the upgrade works proposed at the roundabout as part of the overall M50 upgrade project are intended to remove as much traffic as possible from the signal controlled environment through the provision of additional structures and free-flow slips that are separated from other traffic movements. This will significantly increase the overall capacity of the interchange. Subject to satisfactory progress in planning and design and securing An Bord Pleanála approval, it is expected that work on upgrading the Red Cow interchange will commence in spring 2005 and be completed by spring 2007. In accordance with usual practice on major road improvement projects, traffic management arrangements will be put in place to maintain traffic flow during construction.
216 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the progress to date in respect of his plans to upgrade the Port tunnel to cater for anticipated traffic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12713/04]
View answerThe position in relation to the height of the tunnel is that my Department appointed consultants to review the feasibility, safety implications and cost of raising the height of the Dublin Port tunnel. They were requested to review a range of options for increasing the operational height of the tunnel, their feasibility, having regard to the state of implementation of the current design and build contract and the likely additional costs and impact on the project completion date.
Having reviewed the findings of the report, further information has been sought from the NRA pertaining to its conclusions in particular relation to the costs should the tunnel height be increased. As a result, the contractors have been requested to provide a fixed price cost for the work involved. Following receipt of this information a decision on the height of the Dublin Port tunnel will be made.
