The first step in improving traffic flow on Dublin's congested c-ring motorway, the M50, will be taken this morning with the opening of a new slip-road at the N4 interchange.
The National Roads Authority confirmed the permanent slip-road will open at 6am.
"Motorists will be able to use the new slip road leading from the N4 eastbound (i.e. coming from Leixlip and the west) and turn left to go northbound onto the M50," the NRA said in a statement.
"Temporary pedestrian signals will be provided until the new pedestrian bridge across the M50 has been constructed."
In conjunction with the opening of this new slip-road a temporary traffic arragement will also be implemented.
"Traffic heading westbound on the N4 (from Dublin city centre) wishing to access M-50 northbound will be directed to the Liffey Valley interchange and redirected in a u-turn movement back onto the N4 eastbound accessing the new slip road to the M50 northbound," the NRA said.
Hugh Creegan, head of programme management with the NRA said: "Work is progressing well and the new slip road is part of the permanent configuration bringing us one step closer to improving the overall interchange. We apprecitate everyone's patience while we undertake this upgrade."
Project engineer John Glynn of SIAC Ferrovial, the lead contractor, said: "While traffic impacts during the major upgrade of the M50 are unavoidable from time to time and inconvenience people, good traffic planning and advance notice in the media is minimising the impact on motorists generally."
By 2010, the M50 will have three lanes in either direction and an additional fourth lane linking junctions. Barrier-free tolling will replace the toll booths at the Westlink bridge and 'freeflow' traffic movements at major junctions will mean no roundabouts or traffic lights, the NRA said.
Work has now begun on adding an additional lane on both sides of the remaining stretch of the M50 between the N7 and the N4.