Key section of M50 to open in March

Dublin- Frustrated M50 commuters are getting some good news today. A key section of the motorway upgrade will be finished and open in a matter of weeks.
However, the main contractor says the real benefits to drivers may not be felt until barrier-free tolling is introduced. From the middle of March, the M50/N4 Lucan interchange through to the Westlink toll bridge to the Ballymount interchange will be three lanes. It will be the first completed section of a €200m, eight kilometre upgrade.
More challenging has been the N7 interchange better known as the Red Cow roundabout. It's being turned into a three-level spaghetti junction to allow for free-flow traffic which will have a separate track for the Luas. However, SIAC, the main contractor, says drivers won't get the most out of the upgrades if barrier-free tolling is not introduced when the National Roads Authority takes control of the toll-bridge in August.