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West-Link
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==History== Plans were announced for the construction of the bridge in 1987, and launched by [[Minister for the Environment]] [[Pádraig Flynn]].<ref name=rtearchive>{{cite web |url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/0614/882747-new-toll-bridge-for-dublin/|work=RTÉ Archives |title=Toll Bridge For Strawberry Beds - 1987|publisher=RTÉ |access-date=2022-04-29 |date=1987-06-17 }}</ref> At the time it was expected to be the largest bridge ever built in the state and to cost in the region of [[Irish pound|£30]] million. When complete, the expected toll was to cost the driver "about [[Irish pound|sixty pence]]".<ref name=rtearchive/> The bridge was constructed as part of the first phase of the M50 motorway, and it and the section of motorway associated with it (Junctions 6-7) were the first section of the M50 to open in 1990.<ref name="twin">{{cite web|url=http://www.nra.ie/PublicPrivatePartnership/ProjectTracker/M50SecondWest-LinkBridge/ |publisher=National Roads Authority |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070228191203/http://www.nra.ie/PublicPrivatePartnership/ProjectTracker/M50SecondWest-LinkBridge/ |archivedate=28 February 2007 |title=M50 Second West-Link Toll Bridge |url-status=dead }}</ref> Built by [[NTR plc]] (then called National Toll Roads plc) under a deal with [[Dublin County Council]], the bridge was an early example of [[public private partnership]] (although that term was not used at the time) and was the first section of toll motorway to open in the State. In return for constructing and maintaining the bridge, NTR received the right to operate it as a toll bridge for thirty years. Originally a single-span structure, a second span was completed and opened in September 2003.<ref name="twin"/> In 2007, the National Roads Authority reached a deal with NTR to buy out the toll bridge effective 1 August 2008. However, for [[traffic management]] purposes, a toll remained, a situation prompting widespread and ongoing criticism.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.bridgesofdublin.ie/bridges/west-link-bridge/history | publisher = Dublin City Council | work = Bridges of Dublin | title = West-Link Bridge - History | accessdate = 15 December 2016 }}</ref> NTR continued to operate the bridge until 29 August 2008 when at midnight [[eFlow]] took over. The toll plaza barriers were at that point replaced by overhead gantry-based electronic tolling.<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/no-barrier-means-no-jobs-for-120-tollbridge-staff-26472588.html | publisher = Irish Independent | title = No barrier means no jobs for 120 toll-bridge staff | date= 28 August 2008 |accessdate = 15 December 2016 }}</ref>
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