M1 motorway (Republic of Ireland)
M1 motorway | |
---|---|
Mótarbhealach M1 | |
Route information | |
Part of | |
Length | 87 km (54 mi) |
Existed | 1983–present |
History | Completed 1983–2005 Stages: Santry Bypass: 1983 Airport Motorway: 1985 Dunleer Bypass: 1993 Balbriggan Bypass: 1998 Dunleer to Dundalk: 2001 Drogheda Bypass: 2003 Airport to Balbriggan: 2003 Dundalk Bypass: 2005 |
Component highways | Ballymascanlon |
Location | |
Country | Ireland |
Primary destinations | Dublin Airport, Swords, Balbriggan, Drogheda, Dundalk |
Highway system | |
The M1 motorway (
Route
Almost the entire length of the N1 has been upgraded to motorway standard and is designated the M1 motorway. It runs from the Junction 3 of the M50
The motorway was built in several stages as short disconnected bypasses, replacing the original N1 route. The first section opened (in 1983) was from Whitehall to Coolock Lane followed (in 1985) by the Airport Motorway between Whitehall and
There are toll fees for use of the motorway between junctions 7 and 10, the section which forms the Drogheda bypass. Work began in 2004 on a bypass of Dundalk, and was completed three months ahead of schedule in 2005, extending the motorway to just south of the border.
Construction finished in 2007 on a cross-border stretch of
A 120 km/h (75 mph) speed limit applies on most of the M1, the exception being a 100 km/h (62 mph) limit between Junction 1 and Junction 2 at Dublin Airport. The lower speed limit is credited to the much higher volumes of traffic on this stretch. Fingal County Council raised the limit on this section to 100 km/h (62 mph) in June 2022.
Junctions
This section is missing kilometre posts for junctions. |
As of 2011[update] all junctions feature their number on road signs.
County | km | mi | Junction | Destinations | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
County Dublin | 1 | R 139 – Malahide
M 50 – Southbound |
Continues as M50 towards Dublin Port and city centre. | |||
2 | R 132 – Airport | |||||
3 | R 125 – Ashbourne, Swords | Northbound entrance and southbound exit only. | ||||
4 | R 132 – Skerries, Rush, Donabate (northbound)
Swords, Malahide, Donabate (southbound) |
|||||
Lusk Service Area
| ||||||
5 | R 132 – Balbriggan South (northbound)
Rush, Lusk (southbound) |
|||||
6 | R 122 – Balbriggan, Naul (northbound)
Balbriggan, Skerries, Naul (southbound) |
|||||
County Meath | 7 | R 132 – Julianstown, Drogheda (South) (northbound)
Julianstown, Balbriggan (North) (southbound) |
Stamullen | |||
M1 Toll | ||||||
8 | R 152 – Duleek | Northbound exit and southbound entrance only. | ||||
9 | L 1601 – Drogheda, Donore (northbound)
Drogheda, Donore, Duleek (southbound) |
Toll at northbound entrance and southbound exit. | ||||
River Boyne | Mary McAleese Boyne Valley Bridge | |||||
County Louth | 10 | N 51 – Drogheda, Navan, Collon | Drogheda Hospital, Slane | |||
11 | R 132 – Monasterboice | Northbound entrance and southbound exit only. | ||||
12 | R 169 – Dunleer, Collon | |||||
13 | R 170 – Dunleer | Northbound exit and southbound entrance only. | ||||
14 | N 33 – Ardee, Derry (N2) | Letterkenny | ||||
15 | R 166 – Castlebellingham, Tallanstown | |||||
Castlebellingham Service Area | ||||||
16 | N 52 – Dundalk (South), Mullingar | Ardee, Blackrock | ||||
17 | N 53 – Dundalk (Centre), Castleblayney | Crossmaglen | ||||
18 | Dundalk (North), Carlingford (R173) | Greenore, Ravensdale (R132). End of motorway, continues as N1. | ||||
19 | R 174 – Ravensdale | Northbound entrance and southbound exit only. | ||||
20 | Carrickcarnan, Jonesborough (B113) | Northbound exit and southbound entrance only. Exit sliproad crosses border .
Continues as A1 into Northern Ireland. | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
|
All-Ireland route
The upgrade of the N1 is now complete in the Republic of Ireland, the first major route to be completely upgraded to motorway/dual carriageway standard (outside of Dublin city centre) as per the National Development Plan. The Northern Irish authorities have no plans to replace the A1 route (currently dual carriageway) with a motorway, although many junctions have now been grade separated. Currently, to drive from Dublin city centre to Belfast, one travels along the M1 (Republic of Ireland), N1, A1 and M1 (Northern Ireland).
Motorway service areas
The first official on-line motorway service area in Ireland opened on the M1 on 8 September 2010, located near Lusk. A second near Castlebellingham (M1 North service area) opened on 29 September 2010. Each location has northbound and southbound facilities, with no connection across the motorway between each side. Open 24 hours a day, they provide fuel and food and are of a design similar to those found in other European countries. The service areas are run by a consortium of companies known as Superstop.
ITS on the M1
As with other sections of Irish motorways which feature variable-message signs, the M1 is also connected to an intelligent transportation system (ITS) providing real-time journey time information for motorists. The system works by recognising vehicle number plates at intervals along the motorway, and uses this information to calculate average vehicle speeds and hence travel times. Northbound, VMSs near Malahide and Balbriggan provide information on the journey times to the Drogheda (J7) and Dundalk (J16) exits. Similar signs southbound provide information on the travel time to Dublin Airport and the Dublin Port Tunnel.
Roadside art on the M1
Roadside art is funded under the Percentage For Arts Scheme where 1% of the scheme budget is allocated to roadside art with a cap of €63,000. The local authorities decide on a theme and are responsible for commissioning the work, usually by open competition.[3] There are several examples along the M1
- The Beehives. Three corbelled beehives on the Balbriggan bypass by artists Robert McColgan and Irene Benner made of cut stone in 2001 – Inspired by the tale of St. Molach, a beekeeper.[4]
- An Tarbh Donn, a three-metre-high (9.8 ft) bull on the Dundalk bypass by artist Micheál McKeown. Of metal mesh on a concrete base. Inspired by the Bull in the Táin Bó Cúailnge.[5]
See also
- Roads in Ireland
- Motorways in Ireland
- National secondary road
- Regional road
- List of toll roads in the Republic of Ireland
References
- ^ http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2012/en/si/0053.html Archived 10 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine S.I. No. 53/2012 — Roads Act 1993 (Classification of National Roads) Order 2012
- ^ http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2012/en/si/0054.html Archived 9 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine S.I. No. 54/2012 — Roads Act 1993 (Classification of Regional Roads) Order 2012
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 June 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Fingal Arts | Home". Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "Create Louth – the home of the arts in County Louth Ireland". Archived from the original on 1 June 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.