The National Roads Authority has promised an end to the confusion for motorists who have been led astray by poor signposting at the notorious Red Cow roundabout in Dublin.
The NRA is hoping that a new road layout, which will begin operation from Sunday week, January 13th, will help filter traffic better than has been the case since work on the upgrade began two years ago.
Motorists have complained that the upgrade of the roundabout, one of the busiest intersection in the country, is particularly hazardous driving from the N7 in the direction of Dublin and that the filter lanes for the M50 and for the city centre are badly signposted and appear too late to change lanes.
Dozens of listeners deluged the Today with Pat Kenny Show on RTÉ Radio One yesterday complaining that they had got lost because of the signposting. One woman said she had missed her flight. Another listener said he was driving towards Dublin airport to catch a flight to Helsinki and instead ended up going in the direction of Limerick, while a woman said it should be called the "magic roundabout" because it needed magical directions to figure it out.
Presenter Pat Kenny said his own brother-in-law was just one driver who had gone astray and had ended up on the Long Mile Road heading in the direction of Dublin city centre rather than the M50 South. "Are they all stupid? Are they all careless, are they all not watching what they are doing?" Mr Kenny asked.
NRA spokesman Seán O'Neill said the problems at the Red Cow roundabout had been caused by the construction of an underpass, which had left traffic approaching from the south without a clear line of sight until too close to the interchange.
"We have to force you left because we are putting in an underpass. There is signage up to that point. There is another sign right on that pedestrian bridge that if you are going slow enough, ie during normal traffic, you are going to see well in advance, but if you are not and you are looking straight, it can come on top of you," he said.
Mr O'Neill said from January 13th, traffic approaching the roundabout from the south will be filtered into four lanes at the traffic lights just before the Monastery Road junction - the last before they approach the roundabout.
The two inside lanes will be for the M50, north and south respectively, and the two outside lanes will be for the city centre and the Luas park and ride.
The filter lanes will be signposted well in advance, with variable message signage and lane markings.
The NRA said the curve in the road that had caused so many problems will now be straightened out as construction moves elsewhere, making it easier for motorists to see the layout of the roundabout.
The NRA has also admitted that temporary signs had to be erected by the contractor SIAC Ferrovial over the footbridge near the roundabout in recent weeks to warn motorists to get into the proper lane.
The changes to the Red Cow roundabout are part of the €1 billion upgrade for the M50, which will be completed by 2010.
It is hoped to eliminate the notorious bottlenecks thereby making it a freeflow junction, while the Luas will be carried on stilts.
