N1 road
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other roads named N1 see N1.
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| M1 motorway | |
| Length | 51 miles 83 km |
| Direction | South - North |
| Start | Dublin (Turnapin) |
| Primary destinations | Dublin Airport Swords Balbriggan Drogheda Dundalk |
| End | Ballymascanlon |
| Construction dates | - Airport Motorway 1984 Dunleer Bypass 1993 Balbriggan Bypass 1998 Dunleer to Dundalk 2001 Drogheda Bypass 2003 Airport to Balbriggan 2003 Dundalk Bypass 2005 |
| Motorways joined | 1 -  M50 motorway |
The N1 road is a National Primary Route in the Republic of Ireland, partly connecting Dublin and Belfast along the east of Ireland (mostly as the M1 motorway). The route heads north via Drogheda and Dundalk to the Northern Irish border just south of Newry, where it becomes the A1 and further on, the M1 (Northern Ireland).
The route is part of European route E1.
The N1 begins at Bachelor's Walk where it connects to the N4. From here it follows O'Connell Bridge, O'Connell Street, Parnell Street, Parnell Square West, Granby Row, Dorset Street Upper (and via North Frederick Street, Parnell Square East and Cavendish Row), Dorset Street Lower, Drumcondra Road and the Swords Road. At Whitehall, the road follows the route of the former M1 Airport Motorway (this section now downgraded to dual carrigeway primary route following the construction of the Dublin Port Tunnel). At the Dublin Port Tunnel portals, the road follows the M50 motorway for 2km, before the M1 motorway begins at M50 Junction 3.
[edit] M1 motorway
Almost the entirety of the N1 has been upgraded to motorway standard and is designated the M1 motorway. At 83km (52 miles) it is the longest motorway in Ireland. As from 2006, it runs from the nothern most part of theM50 ring road in Dublin, to just north of Dundalk town, bypassing the intermediate towns through which the original route travelled. The original N1 route now forms the R132 [1]. On directional roadsigns along the N1 route, the N1 designation is only present between Dublin city centre and Santry (the motorway section of the N1 uses the M1 designation). Small yellow route markers along the motorway route also read N1. Old signage marked "N1" has not been updated/removed in some locations along the R132.
The motorway was built in several stages as short disconnected bypasses, replacing the original N1 route. The first section opened was the Airport Motorway between Whitehall and Dublin Airport, only the second motorway opened in the Republic of Ireland, and the only section with the 1980s style direction signs still intact. Part of this original M1 is now a spur to Dublin Airport, while another part. between Whitehall to the Port Tunnel portals is now narrowed to two+one lanes (although still grade separated) as a result of the Dublin Port Tunnel work. This configuration will remain the completion of the tunnel, however this section has lost its motorway status and has reverted to N1. The section between the port tunnel portals and the next interchange (M50 J3/ M1 J1) is part of the M50.
There is a toll on the motorway south of Drogheda to fund the construction of the motorway. 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.
[edit] Future upgrades
Construction commenced in 2005 on a cross-border stretch of dual-carriageway linking the northern end of the M1 with the A1 near Newry in County Down. This is due for completion in Quarter 2 of 2007. It will be 15km (9.4 miles) in length. 4.6km (2.9 miles) will be North of the border, and 9.4km (5.9 miles) will be South of the border. The Northern Ireland authorities have no plans to replace the A1 route (currently a mixture of single and dual carriageway) with motorway, although the upgrading of the remaining single carriageway stretches to dual carriageway is underway, as well as plans for several grade separated junctions. Currently, to drive from Dublin to Belfast, one travels along the M1, N1, A1 and M1 (Northern Ireland).
[edit] References
| National primary roads of the Republic of Ireland |
|---|
| N1(M1) - N2 - N3(M3) - N4(M4) - N5 - N6(M6) - N7(M7) - N8(M8) - N9(M9) - N10 - N11(M11) - N12 - N13 - N14 - N15 - N16 - N17 - N18 - N19 - N20 - N21 - N22 - N23 - N24 - N25 - N26 - N27 - N28 - N29 - N30 - N31 - N32 - N33 - M50 |
| Roads in Ireland - National secondary roads - Regional roads |
| See also: National Development Plan, National Roads Authority |
