# [IRL] Ireland | road infrastructure • motorways



## DanielFigFoz

I don't think there is a thead on this subject so here goes...

*ALL* pics from internet.














Irish road network by 2015


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## geogregor

More pictures please!!!
Come on guys, someone had to photo them???


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## ardmacha

..


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## ardmacha

..


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## DanielFigFoz

Cool Bridge!


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## Northsider

Some from my trip last year:

















Cramped!


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## DanielFigFoz

Very nice, where were you?


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## link_road_17/7

Galleries of NI/ROI roads available here:

http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/gallery/index.php?cat=24

Rather impressive N15 Ballyshannon Bridge:


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## Northsider

DFM said:


> Very nice, where were you?


Western part of the country, near Dingle and Tralee


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## DanielFigFoz

Northsider-Oh County Kerry ok.

Link Road-That's a vey nice bridge and i'm gonna check that site


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## Northsider

Yea thats it.


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## Elmo

My brother worked for one year in Dublin (Xerox) and he told me that, despite Irelands wealth, the roads are in a horrible condition. Also there's just one freeway which is near Dublin and is always congested.


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## DanielFigFoz

Elmo said:


> My brother worked for one year in Dublin (Xerox) and he told me that, despite Irelands wealth, the roads are in a horrible condition. Also there's just one freeway which is near Dublin and is always congested.


That has changed now there are several (but not much) freeways and road condition is ok.


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## Elmo

^^

I don't think it has changed in only two months...


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## DanielFigFoz

Elmo said:


> ^^
> 
> I don't think it has changed in only two months...


Then I don't understaned why he said that.


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## Jeroen669

What are the speed limits on Irish roads? I only know some time ago they changed it from mph to km/h.


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## DanielFigFoz

Jeroen669 said:


> What are the speed limits on Irish roads? I only know some time ago they changed it from mph to km/h.


Motorway- 120kmh
Nacional Primary Route-100km
Regional and Nacional Secundary 80kmh.
In town-50kmh


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## Elmo

DFM said:


> Then I don't understaned why he said that.


Well he lived there for one year and travelled through the country. I don't believe you've been to Ireland since you can only show us 3 pictures of the road infrastructure. 

Thats why!


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## DanielFigFoz

Elmo said:


> Well he lived there for one year and travelled through the country. I don't believe you've been to Ireland since you can only show us 3 pictures of the road infrastructure.
> 
> Thats why!


I have! Several times.


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## ardmacha

Non motorway national road. This will be replaced by a motorway in the next 5 years.


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## Jeroen669

Very nice pictures. Those National roads in Ireland look very wide designed.


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## DanielFigFoz

Chris_533976 said:


> While I think of it.
> 
> One of the biggest fights in Ireland thesedays is speed limits.
> 
> Motorways are 120kmh.
> High Quality Dual Carriageways (Motorways in everything but name, legal issues and to please farmers) 100kmh.
> Standard Dual Carriageways 100kmh
> 
> Roads Bill 2007 allows direct reclassification of HQDC to motorway, but none have been done yet.
> 
> Other general speed limits, 80, 60kmh.
> 
> However, with the S2 100kmh national roads, the roads authority took a direct decision to mark most/all of the small roads that come off it as 80kmh. So you end up with tiny boreens with ludicrous speed limits.
> 
> One example I saw was up in Galway, where an 80kmh speed limit existed on a road that was barely wide enough for a car and ended 200m after the sign.
> 
> This tongue in cheek article sums it up.
> 
> http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=634
> 
> There are HUNDREDS of examples of this farce in Ireland, and there are always big forum fights about "Drive to the conditions, not the limits" vs "The limit should reflect road conditions, it should not be a target"



Here we have te exact oppsitre problem dual carrigeway's with hardsholders with a 50 kmh speed limit.


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## Chris_533976

A new section of the N8 (main road between Cork and Dublin, second and first cities) has opened. Currently large sections of this route are still single carriageway windy road with no hard shoulders but will be fully motorway or HQDC (motorway in all but name and speed limit) by the end of 2010.

New section open is the first half of the Mitchelstown to Cashel scheme. The 10 mile section from Cashel to Cahir has been opened, with the Cahir to Mitchelstown section due in a few months.

Quite impressive for a project that wasnt scheduled to be complete until 2009.

Heres a link to a page with a map of the scheme. All current and future schemes are on this website, take a look.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivit...N8CashelMitchelstown/SchemeName,10687,en.html


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## Verso

Good news. Will there ever be a motorway between Cork and Limerick, btw?


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## Chris_533976

Three schemes are in planning.

From the Cork direction -

Cork - Blarney (all of 2 miles) is dual already.

Blarney - Mallow -> http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/CorkCountyCouncil/N20BlarneyMallow/SchemeName,10712,en.html

Mallow - Croom ->
http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/CorkCountyCouncil/N20MallowtoCroom/SchemeName,10630,en.html

Croom - Patrickswell ->
(already WS2 to be made into DC)
http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivit...0CroomtoPatrickswell/SchemeName,10643,en.html

Patrickswell - Limerick is already DC.


Mallow - Croom is in a horrific state with dreadful curves, narrow roads, no hard shoulder and little overtaking opportunities. The NRA are trying to push this section, but the Government are heel-dragging until the politically better Interurbans (Dublin to Belfast, Limerick, Cork and Waterford) are done in 2010. The plan is at the moment to have this section done by 2015 along with a host of other stuff, no idea yet how accurate that'll be.

We're all assuming that Cork - Limerick will be HQDC/Motorway, but I've been a bit worried that they might make it the new 2+2 - dual carriageway with no hard shoulder and median crossings (no GSJs). They are going to use that for schemes that were to be new-build 2+1s. No idea yet if they'll do that to the Cork-Limerick section, hopefully not!


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## Wallaroo

*Irish motorways, or lack thereof*

Ireland only had around 30 kilometers worth of motorways last time I looked at a road map. hno:

I wonder if they are planning some new motorway projects, or if they wanna continue being a third world country in that regard? :bash:


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## ChrisZwolle

There is already an Irish thread.


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## Bahnsteig4

And, judging by these pics, there's nowhere near enough traffic to warrant more motorways.


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## Chris_533976

Theres a massive motorway building project in Ireland at the moment. The Interurban routes from Dublin to Cork, Waterford, Galway and Limerick (N 8/9/6/7 ) are being upgraded to motorway standard by 2010. A lot of these routes have AADTs of only about 10k on their middle sections, but are being done as motorway just for safety reasons, future proofing and because of bottlenecked villages en-route causing 30-40 mins delay in some cases.

Dual Carriageways are being put on other routes too, for example N 11/18/20. You need this when the main routes between big cities are like this -



















If you want a good site with all Irish road projects look here -

http://www.nra.ie/mapping/index.jsp

Yeah this should be merged with the Irish thread


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## ardmacha

> Ireland only had around 30 kilometers worth of motorways last time I looked at a road map


Perhaps time to acquire a new map! The pictures of the M1 above are 80km from its start in Dublin, to say nothing of the other routes. More than 30Km opens each year. 

Moderators perhaps merge this with the existing Irish thread.


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## Verso

ardmacha said:


> Moderators perhaps merge this with the existing Irish thread.


When we get new ones.


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## Chris_533976

New section of the N2 has opened, bypassing Castleblayney.

Not a DC, but still another piece of antiquated road replaced 

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1105/roads.html

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhmhojkfsnau/


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## Verso

^ These 16 km are expected to reduce travel time by 40 minutes? What kind of a road was there before?


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## geogregor

Looking on Chris_533976 pictures it's hard to believe that Ireland is one of the richest countries in Europe.hno:
I used to complain about roads in Poland and other eastern european countries but I wont anymore 
Some of the pictures of narrow roads with trucks really rise hair on my neck.
Such narrow roads in Poland or Czech Republic are only verry local villige roads.


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## Chris_533976

Verso said:


> ^ These 16 km are expected to reduce travel time by 40 minutes? What kind of a road was there before?


The old road was probably very narrow and ploughed through the center of the villages, I've never been down it myself. Its a common thing in Ireland for a short enough bypass to give a seemingly disproportionate journey timesaving, but even with an AADT of ~10k per day, lots of bottlenecked villages give ridiculous tailbacks of several kilometers. 

Gorey on the N11 was also bypassed recently, but because it never had a bypass before, traffic had to go through the middle of it. Frequently you'd be 30 minutes getting through at rush hour, with delays of an hour being fairly common too.


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## Chris_533976

geogregor said:


> Looking on Chris_533976 pictures it's hard to believe that Ireland is one of the richest countries in Europe.hno:
> I used to complain about roads in Poland and other eastern european countries but I wont anymore
> Some of the pictures of narrow roads with trucks really rise hair on my neck.
> Such narrow roads in Poland or Czech Republic are only verry local villige roads.


There are some parts of those roads that are genuinly scary to drive, you get two lorries coming in opposite directions and it is a bit hair raising! Its an example of the government delaying matters and the fact that the country got rich very quickly.

The roads that are being built at the moment, Dublin to Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, were originally supposed to be complete in 1999, then delayed to 2006, then to 2010. Various reasons for this, but a lot of the blame was given to the government.

The scary thing is that the pics above that I posted of the N18 and N20. Those roads (especially the N20) are going to be like that until at least 2010, if not 2012 or 2013. They're low on the priority list for political reasons.


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## Jonesy55

geogregor said:


> Looking on Chris_533976 pictures it's hard to believe that Ireland is one of the richest countries in Europe.hno:
> I used to complain about roads in Poland and other eastern european countries but I wont anymore
> Some of the pictures of narrow roads with trucks really rise hair on my neck.
> Such narrow roads in Poland or Czech Republic are only verry local villige roads.


That's because Ireland got rich by slashing taxes, that means there wasn't much money available in the short term for infrastructure building to keep up with the economic boom. It is slowly getting better though as infrastructure becomes more of a priority.

You have to remember though that when a poor country becomes 'rich' in a short period of time, it can still look 'poor' in many places for a long time because the housing, transport, cities etc are a product of several decades or longer and for most of that time Ireland was relatively poor.


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## ardmacha

> These 16 km are expected to reduce travel time by 40 minutes? What kind of a road was there before?


This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## geogregor

Chris_533976 said:


> There are some parts of those roads that are genuinly scary to drive, you get two lorries coming in opposite directions and it is a bit hair raising! Its an example of the government delaying matters and the fact that the country got rich very quickly.
> 
> The roads that are being built at the moment, Dublin to Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, were originally supposed to be complete in 1999, then delayed to 2006, then to 2010. Various reasons for this, but a lot of the blame was given to the government.
> 
> The scary thing is that the pics above that I posted of the N18 and N20. Those roads (especially the N20) are going to be like that until at least 2010, if not 2012 or 2013. They're low on the priority list for political reasons.


How is Ireland scoring in safety statistics?
Anyone have any data comparing accidents deaths on roads with other eruopean countries?


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## Chris_533976

One of the problems in Ireland is that the new roads being built connecting Dublin with Cork/Limerick/Waterford/Galway ( N8,7,9,6 respectively) are being built as "High Quality Dual Carriagway", which is motorway in design quality, but with a 100kmh speedlimit and no restrictions. As far as I know it was planned like this because farmers complained that they couldn't take their tractors on motorways.

Therefore, about 6 months ago, the Roads Bill 2008 was published which gave powers to declare a national road a motorway - ie: turn these HQDCs into motorways giving them new signage and 120kmh speedlimits. Finally, documents have been published giving the first schemes to be changed. Now not all these are built yet, but all will be in construction (at least) this year. 

Heres the bumpf -

http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=10193&lang=ENG&loc=2270

http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/10193-0.pdf
http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/10193-1.pdf
http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/10193-2.pdf
http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/10193-3.pdf

This has only been published in the last few days, so its yet to see the backlash from learner drivers, farmers, cyclists, horse & carriage owners etc.


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## geogregor

Chris_533976 said:


> There really are no major website for current constructions, which everyone has been complaining about recently.
> 
> www.nra.ie is the road building authority.
> 
> Best bet to check motorway construction is Wikipedia.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_motorway_(Ireland) <- links to the rest on here.


I've already checked wiki and NRA but there are just general info about projects and planned opening times.
I was looking for more infos about ongoing construction, especially pictures would be welcome 
I thought that Ireland with all this buzz about IT and new technologies would post a bit more information online for general public.

Come on guys, Poland supposed to be well behind in this field.
Well maybe we are just more crazy about road building?


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## jpeter

Can somebody post me a picture from Speed Limits in Ireland? Thanks


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## ChrisZwolle

Jammed!


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## sotonsi

ChrisZwolle said:


> Jammed!


that looks like roadworks: M50? if so it's being widened to 3 lanes, with 4th between junctions (most of which are getting freeflow upgrades). It's congested partially due to the roadworks, and partially due to not having enough capacity. that will soon change!


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch


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## ChrisZwolle

The recession? Are so many people losing their jobs in Ireland that they don't have to commute anymore? :crazy:


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## odlum833

The rate of road building in Ireland is pretty phenomenal - by 2010 in total there will have been 1100kms+ of motorway - after redesignation aswell. That is far from the end of the plans but the rate of construction of motorways is going to slow markedly. 

Projects like the M20 Cork to Limerick and the M17 are on track through PPP mechanisms.

Even if construction stop completely in 2010 (which, of course, wont happen) it is still a network to be proud of.


There is alot of motorway openings due 2009/2010. Will definately keep this thread updated.


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## geogregor

odlum833 said:


> There is alot of motorway openings due 2009/2010. Will definately keep this thread updated.


You can start updating now by posting pictures of construction


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## Ni3lS

ChrisZwolle said:


> The recession? Are so many people losing their jobs in Ireland that they don't have to commute anymore? :crazy:


Im in Ireland at the moment. Just 500m from this house they are building a brand new highway. I'll take some pics of it. It looks real impressive. They told me that such projects as highways in Ireland won't suffer by the recession. Because the people who build it are actually spanish or polish.. I'll take as much pics as possible.


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## Chris_533976

Heres a stretch of newly opened M8 between Cullahill and Cashel ->

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6P0reA2wkQ


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## Furet

Chris_533976 said:


> Heres a stretch of newly opened M8 between Cullahill and Cashel ->
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6P0reA2wkQ


I decided to check this site out after you mentioned it on boards.ie Chris.

That clip actually shows 13km of the Cashel to Mitchelstown scheme, heading south. I intend to film the remainder of the route when I head back to Cork, probably over the weekend.

I'm not happy with the version of the Cashel to Cullahill section I posted on MediaFire (here: http://www.mediafire.com/?zjzazjycu53 ). I do have a much better quality recording, but because of its length and size, I'm having trouble uploading it to Youtube. When I crack it I'll be sure to post a link here, as well as on boards and SABRE.


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## Furet

geogregor said:


> I've already checked wiki and NRA but there are just general info about projects and planned opening times.
> I was looking for more infos about ongoing construction, especially pictures would be welcome
> I thought that Ireland with all this buzz about IT and new technologies would post a bit more information online for general public.
> 
> Come on guys, Poland supposed to be well behind in this field.
> Well maybe we are just more crazy about road building?


Hi. The best place to look is here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/tags.php?tag=motorway

I have tagged all the relevant threads with 'motorway'. Many pictures of construction works are available on the M8 threads in particular. I took most of the photos on this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055311975 , though that section is now open.

This thread (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055329059) charts an ongoing project; generally, I post pictures once per month. 

There are a few new threads on the M6 that also show photos, but we have very few of the M7 and M9 projects.

Another poster on boards.ie and SABRE is thinking of setting up a dedicated website in the coming months, so fingers crossed!


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## Furet

These photos are all of the 16km M8 Mitchelstown to Fermoy Scheme. Officially this is expected to open to traffic in December 2009; unofficially, it will probably open next May.









Junction 13 of the M8 under construction, December 2008.









The M8 between Junctions 13 and 14, looking south ~ December 2008.









M8 looking north, 4km south of Mitchelstown in County Cork, Dec. 2008.









The M8 looking south just south of Junction 12, December 2008.









The M8 looking northbound from the Junction 14 overbridge, November 2008.


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## odlum833

Hi Furet, Great pics!

The Ireland section is here aswell, it was only set up recently, do contribute! 

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=29904004#post29904004

Thread on new motorways.

Also of interest Ireland is the only country in Europe that uses solid yellow hard shoulders and yellow diamonds - American style 'new world' signage.


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## Furet

Thanks Odlum. I think I'll copy this post to that other thread. Still finding my way around this site!


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## odlum833

Info on the M7 can be found here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M7_motorway_(Ireland)

It will be the longest single number motorway in Ireland. The Motorway will connect to 3, possibly 4, other motorways - the M9, M8 and M20.




















pics wiki


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## Comfortably Numb

Does anyone have a link to a map showing what Ireland's motorway network will look like when it's complete?

Great roads BTW....they look very "American" in places.


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## odlum833

Hi!


This is the best I can find - only current planned projects and those under construction. There are others (the M20 from Cork to Limerick for example and M17) but delays in the new economic environment seem inevitable.














M1 Dublin - Border
M2 Dublin - Ashbourne
M3 Dublin - Kells
M4 Dublin - Kinnegad
M6 Kinnegad - Galway
M7 Dublin - Limerick
M8 Dublin - Cork
M9 Dublin - Waterford
M11 Dublin - Wexford
M17 Tuam - Galway
M18 Galway - Limerick
M20 Limerick - Cork
M21 Limerick
M25 Waterford
M50 Dublin
Outer Orbital Motorway for Dublin - number unkown (not 2012)
Dublin Eastern Bypass (M50) tunnel (not 2012)

All appart from the M20 Cork to Limerick and M17 are U/C. The M1 is complete.


You are right that they actually don't look particularly 'European' - the yellow hard shoulder and usually wide medians and those yellow diamond signs probrably contribute to that. In the UK, for example typically there is a narrow median, the hard shoulders are white and the signage is the European standard white and red. Don't know why things are different here - it's a bit Irish to be odd I suppose!...or maybe we just like America....

I do like the yellow hard shoulders though.....and prefer the yellow diamonds.

There are some narrow median sections aswell

This is the new M8 in County Tipperary for example










Pic by Furet


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## odlum833

Nice website! Like the maps. It's about time we had more websites like this. Fair play.


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## Furet

odlum833 said:


> Furet do you not think your taking minor landscaping issues a little seriously? The objective is not to have landscaping - it is to have good roads. In tougher economic times im afraid the latter is priorty.


Not at all. 

Lanscaping:

- Makes the roads more environmentally friendly; 
- Improves a road's aesthetic (which is vital considering they will be a fixed part of the landscape for at least the next 150 years) by blending it into the surrounding countryside; 
- Prevents embankment erosion; 
- Creates a noise barrier for the thousands of homes and dozens of towns and villages these motorways pass close to (i.e. they're not in the middle of nowhere); 
- And lastly, properly planted banks reduce the spread of noxious, poisonous weeds such as dock, ragwort and thistle into adjacent fields and gardens. This is important as many of these weeds are actually illegal and should be exterminated BY LAW because of their detrimental affects on human and animal health.

I have seen my home area transformed from a green and peaceful Golden Vale oasis to a noisy, weedy, brown savanah-type landscape. This has negative effects for my home, my community and my county. It's not all about Dublin. The roadsides, as indictated in the photo I link to, include vast amounts of wasted, utterly unproductive land that has been condemned to lie fallow til God knows when. Landscaping should not be considered some optional extra - it must be an intrinsic element of any well designed road, just as accomadation works are. A road is not simply a river of concrete and asphalt. It becomes much more: a fixed, enduring and defining landmark. How a country treats its road sides says a lot about how it values its heritage and countryside as a resource. Many Irish people don't give a fig about theirs, as can be seen from a) the thousands and thousands of inappropriate, unsustainable and unsightly one-off houses that are destroying the countryside one acre at a time; b) and from the voracious removal of hedgerows and ponds; and c) from the ghastly, sprawling mass that Dublin in particular has turned into.

The irony is, I'm pro-motorway and pro-growth; I just wish it was done properly.

It really is sad.


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## odlum833

Im not against landscaping - I agree it would be nice to see more of it. Im just making the point that most motorways are well landscaped. I have never travelled the M8 so im not sure what you are getting at. I have seen your vids though and I don't see a particular issue here with the new section opened recently. Perhaps landscaping will take place in the future.


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## spacetweek

M9 Carlow Bypass. Opened May 2008. Lovely day when I took these pics.
You can also see the remarkable lack of traffic on motorways in Ireland that are far from a major city, though these were taken very shortly after the road opened.























































In response to the landscaping argument going on here, I can see in the above pics that the sides are often patchy or barren - but surely this is just because the grass/shrubs haven't had a chance to grow out yet? The road was only opened a short time when the pics were taken.


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## Furet

odlum833 said:


> Im not against landscaping - I agree it would be nice to see more of it. Im just making the point that most motorways are well landscaped. I have never travelled the M8 so im not sure what you are getting at. I have seen your vids though and I don't see a particular issue here with the new section opened recently. Perhaps landscaping will take place in the future.


I think you're right there; we'll probably see gradual additions to the plant stock later on. 

If you follow this link - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055368766&page=2 - and look at the JPG attachments to post #25 and 26, you'll see what I mean. The videos I posted aren't very high definition, and the roadsides -- which often extend many metres out from the mainline's edge -- aren't visible. Also, it's winter, so landscaping issues aren't as obvious as they are in the summer months, especially from mid-June onwards when the grass is fully grown and has turned brown.


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## Furet

spacetweek said:


> M9 Carlow Bypass. Opened May 2008. Lovely day when I took these pics.
> You can also see the remarkable lack of traffic on motorways in Ireland that are far from a major city, though these were taken very shortly after the road opened.
> 
> 
> In response to the landscaping argument going on here, I can see in the above pics that the sides are often patchy or barren - but surely this is just because the grass/shrubs haven't had a chance to grow out yet? The road was only opened a short time when the pics were taken.


If those pictures were taken in late May, that explains why the grass still looks lush and green, and consequently nice. The problem occurs from high summer until November, when grass has reached well over 2ft in height and turns stringy and brown. Weeds will have grown up, turned to seed, and then continue to stand dead also, until yet more will appear the following year ad nauseam. Looking at the pictures, I see no evidence that shrubs have been planted at all, which is a pity because it looks like a nice route. Imagine it marred by rusty coloured dying foliage for 5 months of the year, like 39km of the M8 (through the "Golden" Vale) is.


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## Ni3lS

odlum833 said:


> Great pics :cheers: Thanks! Dont forget to post your pics here btw http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=726678&page=3
> 
> Yeah looks pretty hilly and im guessing relatively high too by the terrain. Looks very advanced too. Opening this year? This is the section south of Carlow?
> 
> Furet I really don't see landscaping as much of an issue. All the motorways around Dublin are fine. Just have to agree to disagree!


Yea it's south of Carlow. Im sure of that. It's between Waterford and Kilkenny. ( Knocktopher )


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## geogregor

Thanks for great pictures from open part of M9 but also from part still under construction. It's going to be nice rural motorway.

When all the current projects open in 2010 I'll go to Ireland for driving holiday 

By the way, do you know guys where I can find data about traffic flow on major irish coridors? I mean M1, N3, N6, N7, N8, N9. I guess the busiest road in Ireland is M50. How many vehicles use it per day? 50k? 75k?
M9 look very quiet. I'll be surprise if there is more than 10k/24h.

Also, how many vehicles are registered in Ireland?

EDIT:
How toll is median barrier? It looks quite toll. Does it protect from headlights of cars on the other lanes?


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## odlum833

spacetweek said:


> M9 Carlow Bypass. Opened May 2008. Lovely day when I took these pics.
> You can also see the remarkable lack of traffic on motorways in Ireland that are far from a major city, though these were taken very shortly after the road opened.
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Stunning! Thanks Can't wait to try the Carlow Bypass myself.:cheers: Remember the Ireland section is linked in my sig. Please post there too.


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## odlum833

geogregor said:


> How toll is median barrier? It looks quite toll. Does it protect from headlights of cars on the other lanes?



I dont have the ADT's to hand atm to tell you about the traffic volumes unfortunately. You know im not sure how tall the median barriers are but they do block headlights quite well unless your on an incline of course.


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## Furet

geogregor said:


> By the way, do you know guys where I can find data about traffic flow on major irish coridors? I mean M1, N3, N6, N7, N8, N9. I guess the busiest road in Ireland is M50. How many vehicles use it per day? 50k? 75k?
> M9 look very quiet. I'll be surprise if there is more than 10k/24h.


The M50 is by far the busiest at 80,000+ vehicles per day at least, probably a lot more, maybe even 100,000. It is over capacity.

The M7 on the approach to Naas/Dublin is next, carrying over 60 to 70,000 as far as I know. But away from Dublin, midway between the capital and Limerick, it probably doesn't go far over 16,000 vehicles per day, and can fall to as low as 10,000.

The N25 around Cork City is probably next with perhaps 40-50,000 vehicles per day, but this is only around the city.

The N8/M8 carries 16,000-18,000 vehicles per day, rising to approximately 19,000-20,000+ closer to Cork.

The M6 probably carries 16,000 or less on average.

The M9 has been called a "white elephant" (a glorious waste of money) by even some road enthusiasts, with traffic falling to only 8,000 vehicles per day through some parts, although it does/will carry over 17,000 through certain short sections.

I am recalling these figures from memory. If you type "daily traffic volumes NRA" into google.ie you should get a decent chart that shows volumes - but the figures are probably a little out of date.

The bottom line is that a lot of people who take an interest in transport feel that the motorway programme should have been rationalised a lot more. They say that routes such as the M6/M7 and M8/M9, should have been amalgamated to funnel long haul traffic more economically (for a map of what a more rationalised motorway network should look like, see here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=56692566&postcount=12 ). They also say that Ireland has wasted billions of euro on empty motorways. Those in favour of the current motorway schemes say that safety is more important than simple efficiency, and they say that the critics should think more long-term: sure, the motorways are under capacity _now_; but by 2030 we will be happy we built them. 

I think that is a fair summary of the debate.


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## ChrisZwolle

80,000 is busy enough to strongly consider 2x3 lanes. At 60,000 it isn't really necessary yet. It usually creates no or only minor congestion, or only during incidents, but you can't widen roads only because of possible incidents.


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## sotonsi

Much of the M50 will be 2x4 lanes, with 2x3 between junctions in a couple of years.

The problem with the Rationalised Network, is that the route to Port Laois was already well on its way before the plans for the Interurbans to all be HQDC or better came about. You also miss serving most of the big places in-between Dublin and the Cities: Athlone, Port Laois, Mullingar, etc. Thirdly there's the eggs in one basket problem we have over the water in Great Britain. The strategic importance of some bits of road are very important: you have one bit of motorway that's Dublin to everywhere away from the East Coast. Imagine if that closes? It's bad enough that the M8 and M9 have to rely on the M7/N7 and the S/SW relies on the Naas Road (Outer Orbital, even if just to the M4 would help a lot if there were any problems). I find the plans implemented are far better than the idea of the Rationalised Network, not least for serving the inland towns, but also for serving Dublin commutes better and having that redundancy.


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## spacetweek

ChrisZwolle said:


> 80,000 is busy enough to strongly consider 2x3 lanes. At 60,000 it isn't really necessary yet. It usually creates no or only minor congestion, or only during incidents, but you can't widen roads only because of possible incidents.


The M50 is currently the scene of a huge upgrade project (running 2006-2010) which will see most of it expanded to 2x4 lanes. As a result of the road works, traffic on it has actually been dropping for a few years now: notice in this data sheet how in February, figures are:
2008 92000
2007 94000
2006 95000

So, I think when the road is completed in 2010, traffic will jump back up, probably to above 100,000 (some sections were already above 100000 even back in 2006).

The M9 is indeed a quiet road - as you can see, this section only gets around 7000 vehicles a day during the summer.

Currently, the busiest road in Ireland is the section of M1 between the Airport Exit and the M50 Junction. It has 110,000 vehicles.


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## ChrisZwolle

For reference; the Dutch A20 carries 180,000 on 2x3 and the A27 200,000 on 2x4. There's still room for an increase of traffic on that M50  With 2x4, traffic jams shouldn't be a problem for a long time, unless they start mass-building suburbs everywhere. But I don't think Irelands population growth is that big, right?


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## Timon91

How come that Ireland's population decreased so dramatically? Disease or just because parts of the Irish empire were annexed by other countries?


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## jakup

Timon91 said:


> How come that Ireland's population decreased so dramatically? Disease or just because parts of the Irish empire were annexed by other countries?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)

I've already known about that in the first grade of my junior high, man!


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## Timon91

Never learned that, really! Quite weird, it seems like it has enough historic value to teach it to Dutch school kids, but I have never heard of it, until now.


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## Furet

The graph is actually wrong; the figure for 1841 should be 8 million, not 7.


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## Furet

Timon91 said:


> Never learned that, really! Quite weird, it seems like it has enough historic value to teach it to Dutch school kids, but I have never heard of it, until now.


It's also one of the main reasons why Ireland never developed an industrial base, a left wing political movement (most of the potential working class all died), and pushed for independence from Britain with growing intensity as the 19th century progressed. But this isn't a history forum


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## geogregor

Thanks for all the ADT's guys.
Some of them higher than I expected.
So how many vehicles are registered in Ireland? So I can work out number or vehicles per capita.

I'm impressed by scale of road improvement schemes going on in Ireland at the moment.
M9 might be quiet now but it will improve safety and also help to develop south-east of Ireland in the future. Traffic volumes will rise sooner than some might expect.
M6 is also not very busy.
That's what I like about building motorways in Ireland. NRA went ahead with full-on big program even if they could use cheaper temporary half-solutions.
I'm really annoyed by all this half profile expressways which we build in Poland. They will have to be widened almost as soon as they are finished in some cases (S1 to Katowice airport is prime example)

I also realised big difference between south and north of Ireland. I don't mean the usual political division.
For me the division is M6. Almost all the big projects are south of the line between Dublin and Galway.
M6, M7, M8, M9, Wateford bypass (M25), Limerick southern bypass, and to some extent M11
North of that is just M1 on the east coast and short commuter motorways projects (like M3)
Is there any plan for long distance motorways going north-west from Dublin towards Derry, Donegal or Sligo? I mean something sooner than 20 years.
Maybe traffic volumes are not there yet but such road would help to develop this part of country. I guess it is not the richest part of Ireland at the moment.

One more question. How about junction on the approach to Dublin airport? Is it included in the M50 program? As far as I remember there was at grade roundabout. Is it going to be free flow junction? 

One more thing. More pictures please


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## Furet

geogregor said:


> I also realised big difference between south and north of Ireland. I don't mean the usual political division.
> For me the division is M6. Almost all the big projects are south of the line between Dublin and Galway.


That has a lot to do with population. Much of the west and north-west is extremely sparcely populated, and has no cities.



> M6, M7, M8, M9, Wateford bypass (M25), Limerick southern bypass, and to some extent M11


Unfortunately we've discovered on boards.ie that the Waterford Bypass will open as an N road, without motorway restrictions. hno:



> Is there any plan for long distance motorways going north-west from Dublin towards Derry, Donegal or Sligo? I mean something sooner than 20 years.


I think there is talk of an M2 between Dublin and Derry, but nothing definite. In the current economic climate it's not likely to happen for a long time. As for Donegal and Sligo, these come into the "Atlantlic Corridor's" scope - a plan to link Donegal to Waterford via Sligo, Galway, Limerick and Cork. This involves an upgrade of:
- the N15;
- N17 (plus creation of a section of M17);
- an M18 between Galway and Limerick -- 70% of which is either open or under construction, awaiting motorway redesignation approval, due any day now;
- Construction of an M20 motorway between Cork and Limerick at advanced planning stage (route selection and public consultation complete;
- Upgrades to the N25 between Cork and Waterford. 

Cork to Galway will definitely be motorway under this plan. The rest is an open question. Personally I would not like to see a motorway in Donegal. The population simply does not justify it.


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## ardmacha

> Personally I would not like to see a motorway in Donegal. The population simply does not justify it.


yet Co Donegal has a significantly bigger population than Co Waterford, albeit without a single large centre. Derry is such a centre. 

The political division also contributes to a transport division, just look at a rail map of Ireland and now the motorway map of Ireland.


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## Furet

ardmacha said:


> yet Co Donegal has a significantly bigger population than Co Waterford, albeit without a single large centre.


That makes all the difference: A population living in thousands of one-off houses that should never have been built to begin with, along with little villages/small towns so widely dispersed that it becomes impossible to supply proper, meaningful services, including transport. I am in favour of improving routes, or realigning, but in my opinion a motorway in Donegal would be utter madness.


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## geogregor

Furet said:


> That has a lot to do with population. Much of the west and north-west is extremely sparcely populated, and has no cities.


But as someone mentioned above population of the whole region is not that small. I didn't mean just Donegal co. but whole north west.
Motorway don't have to connect just one big city to another. It connects regions as well.



> Unfortunately we've discovered on boards.ie that the Waterford Bypass will open as an N road, without motorway restrictions. hno:


But "High Quality Dual Carriageway" in Ireland is almost the same like motorway. Slightly lower speed limit and narrower emergency lanes. I don't have fetish of “blue motorway signs”. This bypass will be good quality. 
Many bigger Polish cities would kill for such bypass  



> I Personally I would not like to see a motorway in Donegal. The population simply does not justify it.


Again, it's not just about population. Otherwise there would be no freeways in Wyoming or North Dakota. 
Apart from connecting existing population centres motorways also create development in poor regions. I think motorway (or just dual carriageway) would help with development of the region.

Many people on Irish forum say about end of road construction due to the economic crisis. It doesn't have to happen. Government can use big infrastructure projects to stimulate economy. As residential and commercial constructions are halting building infrastructure might provide jobs for unemployed builders.
Government can also get better deals as companies offer lover prices in difficult times. And then when good times come back you have infrastructure which can cope with growth.
It is good time to build roads now. A lot of useful infrastructure in USA was build during great depression by. 
How much higher unemployment would be now if not existing road projects?


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## nordisk celt83

geogregor said:


> Many people on Irish forum say about end of road construction due to the economic crisis. It doesn't have to happen. Government can use big infrastructure projects to stimulate economy. As residential and commercial constructions are halting building infrastructure might provide jobs for unemployed builders.
> Government can also get better deals as companies offer lover prices in difficult times. And then when good times come back you have infrastructure which can cope with growth.
> It is good time to build roads now. A lot of useful infrastructure in USA was build during great depression by.
> How much higher unemployment would be now if not existing road projects?



Very true, lets hope the government have the foresight to continue investing in public construction at a time when the private sector of the industry is contributing to the country's economic woes and increasing unemployment numbers.


Re: my post on landscaping earlier that got a few responses. Just to say, while I think the landscaping leaves a little to be desired, I don't think it's of immediate importance. Perhaps something to spend money on 5 or 10 years down the line. A bit of tree planting along the verges wouldn't go a miss!


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## Furet

geogregor said:


> But "High Quality Dual Carriageway" in Ireland is almost the same like motorway. Slightly lower speed limit and narrower emergency lanes. I don't have fetish of “blue motorway signs”. This bypass will be good quality.


We know that it will be of good quality. The problem with no motorway restrictions is a) that many agricultural vehicles will use the road, and b) more importantly, without the protection of motorway designation, many inappropriate shopping/industrial developments will likely occur along the route, which will congest and clog it up. The very same thing has happened to Cork City's equivalent - the South Ring Road section of the N25. Many sliproads there are static because of traffic jams; and traffic is notoriously heavy because of people trying to access these developments that have no public transport links. 

As for Donegal, I think you underestimate just how dispersed the settlement there is. A comparison with US flyover states isn't helpful, because there are major cities at either end of those American highways. There aren't in Donegal. It will never happen anyway.




> A lot of useful infrastructure in USA was build during great depression by.
> How much higher unemployment would be now if not existing road projects?


I agree that we should invest in infrastructure during hard economic times, and the government says that it will continue to deliver the big projects. Many believe, however, that they are lying.


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## sotonsi

Furet said:


> We know that it will be of good quality. The problem with no motorway restrictions is ...b) more importantly, without the protection of motorway designation, many inappropriate shopping/industrial developments will likely occur along the route, which will congest and clog it up. The very same thing has happened to Cork City's equivalent - the South Ring Road section of the N25. Many sliproads there are static because of traffic jams; and traffic is notoriously heavy because of people trying to access these developments that have no public transport links.


Motorway status wouldn't stop those developments, a decent set of planning laws would!


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## Furet

sotonsi said:


> Motorway status wouldn't stop those developments, a decent set of planning laws would!


We have no decent planning laws in Ireland. In theory, a motorway classification in Ireland gives the National Roads Authority far more power to resist, oppose or veto a development than mere N-road classification.


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## ChrisZwolle

sotonsi said:


> Motorway status wouldn't stop those developments, a decent set of planning laws would!


Yes indeed. You read that kind of crap too on wikipedia that freeway construction spur the development of suburbs... It's still the city/county/regional government that decides to build suburbs.


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## geogregor

Furet said:


> In theory, a motorway classification in Ireland gives the National Roads Authority far more power to resist, oppose or veto a development than mere N-road classification.


I didn't hear about that. How far from motorway NRA influences reaches? And what does it mean? Can they block developments which are not directly joined to junctions? I doubt it. It would be very unusual. I never heard about such law in any country. Local authorities have always say about local planing. 
If something doesn't affect safety, by obstruction view for example, road authorities don't have much to say about land use next to motorway or road corridor apart from narrow strip of land where they can block advertising posters for example.



> As for Donegal, I think you underestimate just how dispersed the settlement there is. A comparison with US flyover states isn't helpful, because there are major cities at either end of those American highways. There aren't in Donegal. It will never happen anyway.


Motorway could terminate somewhere between Derry and Letterkenny, seving both of them as well as all rural Donegal. It would increase tourism and development. 

Of course I-80 in Wyoming connects Chicago with San Francisco and I-90 and I-94 in Dakotas connect Chicago with Seattle. But most of the traffic is much more local. I don't know exact statistics but long distance traffic is probably in minority. Very few people drive such distances. 
But they would drive from Dublin to Donegal more often if it was easier accessible.
Such road would also integrated better both countries.
I heard there are some plans wit upgrading A5 and roads from A5 to Dublin. On what stage are they? Is it likely to happen? Is it just upgrade of existing road or new motorways or at least DC?

Edit.
I know number of cars per capita in Ireland.
It is 542. 
In UK corresponding number is 426.
Quite big difference


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## geogregor

I continue my research of Irish infrastructure so I have few more questions:

1.Is there border plaza on new N1/A1 between Dundalk and Newry? Does M1 reach all the way to the border or is it DC north of Dundalk?
2.How about II Phase of motorway redesignation? When is it going to happen? Does anyone have list of new motorways? Is Athlone bypass included? 
3.M50/N3 junction. If I understood correct (browsing Sabre) there were still designing this junction. Is final project ready? Did construction start?

I checked all the maps of Ireland available here in UK and none shows redesignated motorways so far. With all this legal changes and also due to fast construction mapmakers can't keep up with all the changes


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## spacetweek

In response to your question about the A5 in Northern Ireland, this road is due to start construction in 2013. More information here.

With a link to the future dual carriageway network of Donegal, this road would serve Donegal quite well.

In relation to planning laws, there is no specific distance from a motorway that the NRA will object to, however if they think that the development would "damage the motorway's ability to carry traffic" they can veto (forbid) the development. This has happened in the past - in particular, County Clare Council got very angry about 2 years ago when the NRA blocked a lot of developments they were planning. I agree with the NRA here.



geogregor said:


> I continue my research of Irish infrastructure so I have few more questions:
> 
> 1.Is there border plaza on new N1/A1 between Dundalk and Newry? Does M1 reach all the way to the border or is it DC north of Dundalk?
> 2.How about II Phase of motorway redesignation? When is it going to happen? Does anyone have list of new motorways? Is Athlone bypass included?
> 3.M50/N3 junction. If I understood correct (browsing Sabre) there were still designing this junction. Is final project ready? Did construction start?
> 
> I checked all the maps of Ireland available here in UK and none shows redesignated motorways so far. With all this legal changes and also due to fast construction mapmakers can't keep up with all the changes


The border plaza on the A1 was removed more than a decade ago. The road is DC from north of Dundalk.
The second set of redesignations is due to come in around March 2009. The Athlone bypass is included, though I think it needs rebuilding to be a proper motorway. Some of the roads in the list might not be included in the final list.
The M50/N3 junction began construction around Autumn 2008. It is a big project and will probably not be finished until 2010. They made a number of changes to the design over the years.

Yes, maps of Ireland are usually published by British mapmakers and are full of errors. Very few motorways in Ireland are marked as motorways in those maps. The best site to get the most up-to-date information is Open Street Map. I encourage you to use the map of Ireland on that site as it is always correct and up to date. It will be interesting to see what it looks like in March 2009.

---------------
http://www.ideasforcheapstuff.com/inex/roads/current.html


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## Chris_533976

And because there are some very sad people who stay up on the night of a new motorway opening to add it to OpenStreetMap 

Rural road coverage, even the cities, is terrible on OSM, but the motorways on it are by far the best.


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## geogregor

spacetweek said:


> In relation to planning laws, there is no specific distance from a motorway that the NRA will object to, however if they think that the development would "damage the motorway's ability to carry traffic" they can veto (forbid) the development. This has happened in the past - in particular, County Clare Council got very angry about 2 years ago when the NRA blocked a lot of developments they were planning. I agree with the NRA here.


Can NRA object and veto developments alongside DC as well? Or just alongside the motorways? 

By the way, thanks for all the answers.

I've seen Open Street Map but I just like to have old fashioned paper map. As I work in a map shop I will monitor all the latest publications


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## spacetweek

geogregor said:


> Can NRA object and veto developments alongside DC as well? Or just alongside the motorways?
> 
> By the way, thanks for all the answers.
> 
> I've seen Open Street Map but I just like to have old fashioned paper map. As I work in a map shop I will monitor all the latest publications


They can object to any development beside a National Road (begins with N, e.g. N1, N2, N3 etc).

Do you live in London? I would try to get hold of an Irish map of Ireland, e.g. the one produced by OSI, "Complete Road Atlas of Ireland".


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## sotonsi

The problem with any map of Ireland is that it's rather difficult to keep up with the construction and reclassification.


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## ardmacha

*Road programme for 2009*

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## Chris_533976

Due to the collapsing finances of Ireland, the axe has fallen. Everything bar four potential PPP programs has been put on hold. The four PPPs may not go ahead either, with Ireland horrific banking situation PPP funding may be untenable too.



> THE GOVERNMENT has ordered a halt to planned spending on almost 80 national road-building schemes, worth billions of euro, until further notice.
> 
> The instruction was issued to the National Roads Authority late last month. Under it, the NRA is forbidden from spending on all capital projects which are not already under way, unless each new project is individually sanctioned by the Department of Finance.
> 
> The curbs will affect 78 major construction projects in the NRA Roads Programme, 55 of them national primary roads and 23 national secondary roads.
> 
> The curb will also extend to road maintenance where contracts for items such as road resurfacing will also need to be pre-approved by the Department of Finance.
> 
> A spokesman for the NRA said the authority was “very concerned”, particularly as a lot of current inter-urban schemes were ahead of schedule, and would be completed this year.
> 
> Under normal circumstances the NRA would then move ahead with 55 planned improvement schemes on national primary routes, including those linking Dublin with Monaghan, Sligo, Mayo and Wexford, as well as inter-regional routes, such as Limerick to Waterford and Limerick to Cork, and national secondary roads.
> 
> In effect the move means that as the inter-urban routes are completed over the coming 20 months, the NRA will gradually run out of work, unless schemes are individually approved by the department.
> 
> The department confirmed yesterday that all new capital projects now need to be pre-approved. A spokesman acknowledged that this new requirement had been imposed “in the light of changing economic circumstances”.
> 
> The only exception to the Government’s edict is to be the 6km Castleisland bypass in Co Kerry, sanctioned by the Department of Finance on March 19th.
> 
> Credit for the sanction was yesterday claimed by the Independent Kerry TD Jackie Healy Rae, who said he had used his position as a Government supporter to “at all times put the interest of the people [of Kerry] first”. He said the Opposition should “stop trying to jeopardise the further items that I have an agreement on”.
> 
> The instruction to the NRA mirrors that issued to local authorities ordering them to halt €500 million worth of work on regional and local roads, pending approval of each scheme from the department.
> 
> The Construction Industry Federation met Department of the Taoiseach secretary general Dermot McCarthy in recent weeks to express its concern at the Government’s instruction.
> 
> The federation said the halt in spending was “right across the board in relation to the National Development Plan commitments on water, housing and roads”. In relation to the roads it said the instruction was “absolutely savage”.
> 
> “At our emergency meeting with Dermot McCarthy we pointed out that every €100 million invested in infrastructure carried with it 1,000 jobs and returned €50 million to the Government in taxes and reduced social welfare payments . . . it is a major bone of contention,” federation spokesman Martin Whelan said.
> 
> The inter-urban motorway programme that was announced by the Government in 1999 comprised motorways to the Border and the regional cities of Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford.
> 
> Road schemes affected
> 
> Two schemes between Kells, Co Meath and Belturbet, Co Cavan on the N3
> 
> Three schemes on the N2 between Ashbourne and Co Monaghan
> 
> Three schemes on the N4 between Mullingar and Castlebaldwin
> 
> Three schemes on the N16 in counties Sligo, Leitrim and Cavan
> 
> Four schemes between Longford and Westport on the N5
> 
> Six schemes on the N25 between New Ross, Co Wexford and the Cork Southern Ring
> 
> Four schemes on the N13/N14/N15 group of roads in the northwest
> 
> Five schemes on the N22 between Tralee and Cork
> 
> Seven schemes on the N24 in Co Tipperary
> 
> 23 schemes on national secondary roads.
> 
> These schemes will not now go ahead unless specifically sanctioned by the Department of Finance.


http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0324/1224243317036.html

78 major projects, originally scheduled to be done by 2015 at the latest, have now been culled for the time being.


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## Fluff

Chris_533976 said:


> Due to the collapsing finances of Ireland, the axe has fallen. Everything bar four potential PPP programs has been put on hold. The four PPPs may not go ahead either, with Ireland horrific banking situation PPP funding may be untenable too.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0324/1224243317036.html
> 
> 78 major projects, originally scheduled to be done by 2015 at the latest, have now been culled for the time being.


Following on from this article; today's Irish Independent:

http://www.independent.ie/national-...roject-funding-faces-83642bn-cut-1683737.html

At least the key motorways will be completed


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## Furet

*M7 Nenagh to Limerick photos*

I have a few photographic updates of the M7 Nenagh to Limerick scheme. A good bit of progress with the pavement and concrete barrier has been made, but we're still at least five or six months away from an opening. This is unfortunate, because the road was due to open in a few weeks' time.

This photo is taken from an overbridge west of the end of the Nenagh Bypass. You can access it by taking the first right turn up a narrow lane after you clear the bypass heading from Limerick. I photographed the same position last February; that picture is upthread.









This photo is taken from the same overbridge, this time looking towards the Nenagh Bypass and Dublin:









This photo, which looks east, was taken from an overbridge close to the turn off for Silvermines:









Taken from the same position, looking to Limerick:









Taken from an overbridge on the Limerick side of Daly's Cross, looking east:









Taken from the same location, this time looking west:


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## ardmacha

Aerial picture 

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## Furet

*M8 Mitchelstown to Fermoy, 1 May 2009*

A few photos. Still very much on track for opening on 25 May. 

The new overbridge concrete barrier style - no bulge on the carriageway to accomodate the bridge supports:









Three kilometres south of junction 13:









Same position, looking north:









About 2.5 km south of junction 13:









Same position, looking south:









ADS:









More ADS:









The wearing course:


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## Comfortably Numb

I have to say, I love Ireland's new roads. The motorways look amazing, the signage is very clear (better than the UK's signage, IMO). For such a relatively sparsely populated country, Ireland is going to have a very extensive motorway network.

Even looking at Ireland's roads from Google Earth is impressive. A lot of the 'N' roads around Dublin look like they're pretty much motorway standard.

I also like Ireland's mixture of European and "new world" signage.


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## Furet

Comfortably Numb said:


> I have to say, I love Ireland's new roads. The motorways look amazing, the signage is very clear (better than the UK's signage, IMO). For such a relatively sparsely populated country, Ireland is going to have a very extensive motorway network.
> 
> Even looking at Ireland's roads from Google Earth is impressive. A lot of the 'N' roads around Dublin look like they're pretty much motorway standard.
> 
> I also like Ireland's mixture of European and "new world" signage.


Thank you. Things are shaping up quite well. The new roads are making an enormous difference in terms of safety as well; fatalities are down by a significant amount.

There are some excellent photos of the M9 (under construction) here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/munurty/sets/72157617480146039/ as well as here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055372962&page=19


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## Mateusz

How busy is M50 ?


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## Comfortably Numb

Furet said:


> Thank you. Things are shaping up quite well. The new roads are making an enormous difference in terms of safety as well; fatalities are down by a significant amount.
> 
> There are some excellent photos of the M9 (under construction) here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/munurty/sets/72157617480146039/ as well as here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055372962&page=19


Impressive....useful site for info & updates too.

Tell me, have the Irish ever considered switching to driving on the right? I think I'm right in saying that Sweden made the switch back in the 70's....it surely could be done in Ireland too?

Also, what's the widest (most lanes) stretch of motorway in Ireland right now? I read somewhere that parts of the M50 were being widened to 4x4...is that correct?


----------



## ardmacha

> How busy is M50 ?


This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


----------



## Furet

It's also worth posting pictures of some of the new signage for detrunked former primary roads.

Someone did a very nice job re-signing the old N8 between Cullahill and Cashel:


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## Chris_533976

Unfortunately thats the exception rather than the rule. Most schemes there is absolutely no replacement of signage along the old route.


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## Furet

Chris_533976 said:


> Unfortunately thats the exception rather than the rule. Most schemes there is absolutely no replacement of signage along the old route.


Well, there's a local election coming up. I have contacted the councillors of South Tipperary to complain about their tardiness in updating signage on the detrunked routes, and I hope that others (living along the old N6 for instance) will do likewise. I think you'd have to concede, though, that the new signage (when it does go up!) is generally excellent.


----------



## transport21

geogregor said:


> 2.How about II Phase of motorway redesignation? When is it going to happen? Does anyone have list of new motorways? Is Athlone bypass included?
> 
> I checked all the maps of Ireland available here in UK and none shows redesignated motorways so far. With all this legal changes and also due to fast construction mapmakers can't keep up with all the changes


Hi Geogregor,

Regarding the phase 2 of motorway redesignations, complaints have been received by the NRA so the redesignation wont be announced until the summer. Some farmers, developers and Learner drivers are opposed to the new motorways and want to keep them dual carriageway.


----------



## transport21

*N18 Ireland Gort-Crusheen Dual Carriageway/Motorway*

Construction Photos of the high quality dual carriageway from Shannon - Gort in midwest Ireland. Construction started December last year.

tubber-gort overbridge









mainline









north of gort









Gort grade seperated junction


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## transport21

recent photos of the soon to be M18!!!


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## transport21

Here is the N18 Limerick - Shannon road which gort-crusheen will tie in with at barefield


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## geogregor

Any news or, even better, pictures from Newry bypass construction?
I know it is technically in UK but it is important project for Irish motorway network.
So, please.....


----------



## rosn19

Furet said:


> A few photos. Still very much on track for opening on 25 May.
> 
> The new overbridge concrete barrier style - no bulge on the carriageway to accomodate the bridge supports:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Three kilometres south of junction 13:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Same position, looking north:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> About 2.5 km south of junction 13:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Same position, looking south:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ADS:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> More ADS:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The wearing course:


Ireland has such beautiful natural landscapes:cheers:. The Irish scenery reminds me a-lot of the highlands of central Mexico; and the way motorways are built in Ireland, I've noticed most lack a large space in the middle, in Mexico most motorways are built like that because of the topography. You guys have very nice roads. Also, I suppose by looking at those signs that BAILE in Irish Gaelic means CITY, in Spanish BAILE means A DANCE! Do most folks in Ireland speak English or Irish Gaelic? What's the speed limit on your motorways? Here in Mexico most motorway speed limits are of 110km/hr to 120km/hr with a +10 km/hr tolerance. Do you guys use kilometres or miles in the republic of Ireland? Does the U.K. us KMs or Ms?


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## transport21

rosn19 said:


> You guys have very nice roads.


Cheers were seeing some good progress made now on our major routes with less time on the road with the new motorways.



> Also, I suppose by looking at those signs that BAILE in Irish Gaelic means CITY, in Spanish BAILE means A DANCE!


Yep baile means a city!



> Do most folks speak English or Irish Gaelic?


Generally the whole population is able to speak english but some rural areas in the Gaeltacht prefer to speak Irish



> What's the speed limit on your motorways? Here in Mexico most motorway speed limits are of 110km/hr to 120km/hr with a +10 km/hr tolerance


Speed limit on motorways are 120km/hr. Dual Carriageways(Expressways) 100km/hr



> Do you guys use kilometres or miles in the republic of Ireland? Does the U.K. us KMs or Ms?


We switched from miles to kms a few years ago. The U.K uses miles. It can be quite annoying when crossing the border in the north to change to miles.


----------



## transport21

geogregor said:


> Any news or, even better, pictures from Newry bypass construction?
> I know it is technically in UK but it is important project for Irish motorway network.
> So, please.....


The most important construction at the moment IMO is the M8/M7 link scheme. 30km of M8 mainline and linking up to the M7 with under 10km of M7. Anyway I have a link for the Newry bypass page. It has pictures of construction at the bottom of this page and also says what progress has been made:

http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/a1beechhillcloghogue.html


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## geogregor

transport21 said:


> The most important construction at the moment IMO is the M8/M7 link scheme. 30km of M8 mainline and linking up to the M7 with under 10km of M7. Anyway I have a link for the Newry bypass page. It has pictures of construction at the bottom of this page and also says what progress has been made:
> 
> http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/a1beechhillcloghogue.html


Thanks, I've seen this website.
I hoped more for pictures from someone driving or living there.

I agree that M7/M8 is crucial for the whole Irish Motorway System.
But fast and safe link to Belfast is also important. Then you could drive from Belfast all the way to Cork in speed and safely.


----------



## Furet

geogregor, what do you think of the LOR or (DOOR) proposal?

http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,16141,en.html


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## transport21

*N7(M7) Limerick ring road*

Phase 1- completed













Phase 2 - under construction due completed 2010


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## rosn19

what i like most from those pics is the scenery! i'm sure it looks very beautiful all covered with snow during the winter months. Oh and what you said (transport21) about the kilometres in ireland and miles in the UK, im sure its very anoying! here, when we visit the US our cars only have kilometres in the speed metres, and the speed limits in their highways are in miles. but im sure overthere is even weirder if you're from Ireland or the UK and decide to visit mainland europe or viseversa. it must feel very odd when you guys have your steering wheel on the left side of the car and everybody else has it on the right side of the car. why is it like that anyway?


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## transport21

rosn19 said:


> what i like most from those pics is the scenery! i'm sure it looks very beautiful all covered with snow during the winter months. Oh and what you said (transport21) about the kilometres in ireland and miles in the UK, im sure its very anoying! here, when we visit the US our cars only have kilometres in the speed metres, and the speed limits in their highways are in miles. but im sure overthere is even weirder if you're from Ireland or the UK and decide to visit mainland europe or viseversa.


The scenery is very good but even some motorways like the M1 and M9 have very few photos posted here and there stunning. Actually we rarely see any snow here even in the winter. Yeah I have only kilometers on my speedometer also and I just tend to do the Irish speed limits. 



> it must feel very odd when you guys have your steering wheel on the left side of the car and everybody else has it on the right side of the car. why is it like that anyway?


A good question but I wouldnt be sure on the answer. Some of the other guys on this forum and boards.ie would have a better knowledge of this and may be able to answer that question.


----------



## sotonsi

Napoleon changed from the Roman thing of driving on the left, and places like the US flipped over just to annoy the UK.

Only kidding - something about long distance stagecoaches and whipping. As the UK is an island, we didn't need these bigger coaches to travel 1000s of miles, so had no reason to change, nor any reason to change since, given that there is no land borders with anyone except RoI (who I'm surprised didn't change, after all, they seem to love making the road network different to the UKs - different lines, semi-new world signage (rather than european), km rather than miles).

Cost of conversion to right hand driving for the UK would be in the hundreds of billions (and rather a lot for Ireland, especially annoying as most of the roads that would have to change the geometry of are less than 10 years old) - so not worth it (changing the UK roads to metric signage would be pushing £50 billion, or take about 30 years and still cost a shedload to deal with speed limits)

Note that Japan and Indonesia, as well as various former UK colonies also drive on the left. These are big countries, that we didn't colonise, that do it 'UK style'.


----------



## rosn19

sotonsi said:


> Napoleon changed from the Roman thing of driving on the left, and places like the US flipped over just to annoy the UK.
> 
> Only kidding - something about long distance stagecoaches and whipping. As the UK is an island, we didn't need these bigger coaches to travel 1000s of miles, so had no reason to change, nor any reason to change since, given that there is no land borders with anyone except RoI (who I'm surprised didn't change, after all, they seem to love making the road network different to the UKs - different lines, semi-new world signage (rather than european), km rather than miles).
> 
> Cost of conversion to right hand driving for the UK would be in the hundreds of billions (and rather a lot for Ireland, especially annoying as most of the roads that would have to change the geometry of are less than 10 years old) - so not worth it (changing the UK roads to metric signage would be pushing £50 billion, or take about 30 years and still cost a shedload to deal with speed limits)
> 
> Note that Japan and Indonesia, as well as various former UK colonies also drive on the left. These are big countries, that we didn't colonise, that do it 'UK style'.


Thanks for your extensive answer! I'd love to visit Ireland one day, and ride one of your cars but on the front passenger side:nuts: it would feel so weird to sit on the seat where I would normaly find the steering wheel.


----------



## rosn19

transport21 said:


> The scenery is very good but even some motorways like the M1 and M9 have very few photos posted here and there stunning. Actually we rarely see any snow here even in the winter. Yeah I have only kilometers on my speedometer also and I just tend to do the Irish speed limits.
> 
> 
> A good question but I wouldnt be sure on the answer. Some of the other guys on this forum and boards.ie would have a better knowledge of this and may be able to answer that question.


Hardly any snow? wow! by judging your high lattitude I thought you guys had snow for 9 months out of the year:lol: Here in my town in northern Mexico, we are at about 30.7N and we get around 1 to 3 crappy snowfalls winter.


----------



## transport21

rosn19 said:


> Thanks for your extensive answer! I'd love to visit Ireland one day, and ride one of your cars but on the front passenger side:nuts: it would feel so weird to sit on the seat where I would normaly find the steering wheel.


Its a better option than the awful public transport we have. hno:

No what we have in buckets is rain. Not much sun and hardly ever snow. Thats our climate basically!! Were on a good patch of sun lately but that will change very soon!


----------



## geogregor

Furet said:


> geogregor, what do you think of the LOR or (DOOR) proposal?
> 
> http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,16141,en.html


Interesting project but kind of futuristic in current economic climate. 
Maybe in 10-20 years we will see some progress.

Few points, I have:

Why is it so far from M50? They write about preventing sprawl. But sprawl is there already. Radial links to Dublin fuel sprawl, not orbital links.

It brings the next question. Is it going to be mainly for transit purposes or for local journeys? If it is for local journeys it indicates more sprawl just further from Dublin.

So if we agree that it will increase sprawl why move this sprawl far to the countryside. Keep sprawl close to Dublin.
IMO it should be closer to Dublin. 

And I would like to see first, how M50 works after finishing all current improvements. Maybe improving some secondary and local roads will be then enough and full blown extra motorway won't be needed.


----------



## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## sotonsi

ardmacha said:


> The issue is not the latitude, but the elevation.


No - it's the closeness to the sea and the North Atlantic Drift as well as the elevation. The NAD is the biggest effect - look at the Baltic states as an example - low-lying, near sea, roughly the same latitude, but snowy in winter.

You did mention the sea though - that's important - sea warms and cools slower than land, so in the depths of winter it's still cooling from the summer, and when it's at it's coldest it's March. This makes February the cold month.

Elevation is important too - think top of Kilimanjaro, on the equator, with snow all year (and very very cold temperatures).


----------



## Alle

What sets the region apart though is mainly the NAD alone.


----------



## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


----------



## transport21

*Derry airport link dual carriageway to be ready in 18 months*



> A dual carriageway between Derry and City of Derry Airport should be completed in 18 months, it was announced today.
> 
> Roads Minister Conor Murphy made the announcement as he awarded the £24m (€26.8m) contract for the 6.6km of road to the Belfast headquartered company Lagan Construction.
> 
> The work is expected to begin before the end of the month.
> 
> Mr Murphy said: “In the current economic climate the commencement of this construction contract will be welcome news, as it will now allow workers to begin construction on this road and will no doubt contribute towards the continued economic development of the north west.”
> 
> The minister said it was an important step for the area that the upgrade of the A2 road from Derry to Belfast via Coleraine was being undertaken.
> 
> “The provision of a new all-purpose dual carriageway will help ease congestion, resulting in a safer, faster and more attractive route for traffic on the A2.”


http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/derry-airport-link-dual-carriageway-to-be-ready-in-18-months-410494.html


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## transport21

^^ very nice piece of engineering!

To continue on the road quest of Ireland I have a few photos of the N18 Sixmilebridge-Limerick dual carriageway. This road was constucted in the 80's so it is well underspec for a motorway with some bad junctions. The adjoining dual carriageway goes to outside Crusheen and most of that section is up for motorway redesignation. From the earlier pics, the end of the dual carrriageway will be short lived as Crusheen-Gort construction is well underway.


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## transport21

For those who mightnt know where the above pics were taken from I have a map below. The above pics were taken from Shannon the Limerick below spec expressway/dual carriageway. Shannon to Gort is on the second tranche of motoway redesignation meaning that it will be upgraded from a dual carriageway to motorway status if approved. Currently Crusheen-Gort is under construction and is looking to be completed next year and opening motorway.










Light blue - Under construction - up for motorway designation
Dark blue - Completed - up for motorway designation










The above photo is the tie in with Gort and motorway/dual carriageway standard to Tuam in county Galway. This is not under construction but has been put forward for PPP funding from banks or investment funds. It is looking unlikely that it will be funded for at this current moment in time but is the highest priority of the next road project to be done.


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## transport21

M7 Nenagh to Limerick motorway under construction, due to open roughly around the end of this year.

Northbound from R504 overbridge









Southbound from R504 overbridge


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## transport21

Here is some more photos of the N18. This time its Shannon to Ennis. This stretch of dual carriageway is pending motorway redesignation.





































The last 3 pics were of the Ennis bypass section of the N18 completed in 2007. The concrete barrier was designed for the median for that section.


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## rosn19

ardmacha said:


> The issue is not the latitude, but the elevation. Central México is high above sea-level, higher than the highest point in Ireland. No part of Ireland is far from the sea and so the climate is moderate, with little snow or high temperatures. heavy snow is possible though, just unusual especially in recent years. We had some this year, as temperatures are just around freezing ice can form and cause problems, notably on steep ramps from the M50.
> 
> Twenty-seven years ago we got dumped on, though!


that looks really cool:cheers:, there area a-lot of mountain towns in mexico that look like that in winter


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## rosn19

Those signs that you guys use in your irish roads are similar in colours to the ones here (mostly green with some blue signs)

ive noticed most of europe uses only blue


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## rosn19

ardmacha said:


> The NAD is important, of course. But there is not much snow on Vancouver Island off the N American continent far north of Mexico (although not as far north as Ireland). The Baltic States are much colder as cold air can reach them from Siberia without passing over water.


True, continentality is a major player in a region's climate. The reason north and central Mexico have quite chilly winters is because of the continentality of the country, very strong cold fronts from Greenland and Canada can make it well deep into Mexico, which makes us the only country in the world that gets snow at sealevel within the tropic of cancer. The only true all year round warm areas here are the far south beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Acapulco, those are also the most frequented tourist areas of the country, that's why most people think Mexico is an all year hot country. Even central Mexico which is slightly below the tropic of cancer, has a very cool summer and chilly winter because of the elevation which is more than 2000 metres above sea level, the vegetation there reminds me of the pictures I've seen of Ireland


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## transport21

rosn19 said:


> Those signs that you guys use in your irish roads are similar in colours to the ones here (mostly green with some blue signs)
> 
> ive noticed most of europe uses only blue


Yep its:

Blue - Motorways
Green - Dual Carriageway/Expressways, National Primary and Secondary roads
White background with black writing - Local and Regional roads

Were hoping to see those signs turned to blue in the next few months. Too many dual carriageways in our country should be motorways but at least now that will be happening.


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## rosn19

i know this is just irish roads, but so just u guys can see a pic of the countryside of central mexico im sure one pic won't get me flagged:lol:, to me it looks a-lot like Ireland or central germany
this is the federal district-cuernavaca motorway


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## rosn19

transport21 said:


> Yep its:
> 
> Blue - Motorways
> Green - Dual Carriageway/Expressways, National Primary and Secondary roads
> White background with black writing - Local and Regional roads
> 
> Were hoping to see those signs turned to blue in the next few months. Too many dual carriageways in our country should be motorways but at least now that will be happening.


what's the length your current motorway sistem right now?


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## transport21

rosn19 said:


> what's the length your current motorway sistem right now?


In december 2008 there was 435km of motorway. At the end of next year it could be possibly very close to 1000km which is alot for a small country like Ireland.


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## transport21

here is a map of the motorway network for late 2010 assuming all redesignations go ahead.


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## sotonsi

transport21 said:


> here is a map of the motorway network for late 2010 assuming all redesignations go ahead.


Wouldn't the M25 be finished by then? Also what happened to the M2?


----------



## sassenach

geogregor said:


> Interesting project but kind of futuristic in current economic climate.


It's only a feasibility study.



geogregor said:


> Why is it so far from M50?


Because M50 is already there and there is no need for another M50, especially as there is a major widening scheme of M50 going on as we speak.



geogregor said:


> They write about preventing sprawl. But sprawl is there already. Radial links to Dublin fuel sprawl, not orbital links.


That's the idea behind Leinster orbital ring running in a relative distance from Dublin, so the driver wishing to get from Naas to, say Kilcock (and farther up north) FAST wouldn't have to make unnecessary journey to M50, merge into greater Dublin traffic, exit at the N4/M4 junction and drive westwards for another 23 km. There's only 20 km from Naas to Kilcock, but as it is today it's mainly via narrow local roads and there's far too many small, easily congestible towns on the way.



geogregor said:


> Maybe improving some secondary and local roads will be then enough and full blown extra motorway won't be needed.


A full blown motorway would be an overkill, I agree with that. But personally, I wouldn't mind a proper, national quality road network (hard shoulders, town bypasses, etc) that could be an excellent alternative to overly Dublin-centered motorway system in Ireland, which only serves to perpetuate the present situation whereby 25% of Ireland's population lives in the Dublin Area.


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## transport21

sotonsi said:


> Wouldn't the M25 be finished by then? Also what happened to the M2?


Cheers, the M2 is now included in the map assuming its going to be redesignated. The N25 is not in the second tranche of motorway redesignations which raised a few eyebrows. The Waterford bypass will not be a bypass in a few years if it isint going to be put forward for motorway redesignation.


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## transport21

*Motorway network due for late 2010*










(all routes now labelled)


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## Furet

Transport, are you sure your M6 route on that map is correct? You show it dipping south for Loughrea, but it actually runs closer to Athenry, making the mainline much more direct than you show.


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## transport21

Furet said:


> Transport, are you sure your M6 route on that map is correct? You show is dipping south for Loughrea, but it actually runs closer to Athenry, making the mainline much more direct than you show.


your correct Furet its more north than loughrea. The route wouldnt be totally right. The M18 would be east also just was too quick doing out the map. I just found this site browsing around very good with some great coverage of the worlds infrastructure. 

regards,
tech2 from boards


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## transport21

*Work begins on N21 Castleisland Bypass*



> Initial site work has begun on the Castleisland Bypass. The long awaited project is the only bypass in the country to go ahead this year and is estimated to cost 27 million euro. Preliminary site investigations are taking place and site offices are being set up, since last week. Work is officially set to begin in the coming weeks


http://kerrynews.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/work-begins-on-castleisland-bypass/


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## transport21

*N7 Limerick city bypass phase 1- completed 2004*


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## ardmacha

This post deleted in protest against politically biased moderation.

Keep politics out of the roads forum.


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## odlum833

Guys, I know your posting here cause this is Irish Roads thread but if you could also post your brilliant pics and info in the Irish motorway thread in the Irish forum that would be great

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=726678

:cheers:


It's just we do have our own forum and I hate to see it being bypassed

(pardon the pun!)


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## transport21

^^ odlum is it ok to post pics of the dual carriageways into the motorway section? Some of these are up for motorway redesignations but wont be confirmed until the summer.


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## odlum833

transport21 said:


> ^^ odlum is it ok to post pics of the dual carriageways into the motorway section? Some of these are up for motorway redesignations but wont be confirmed until the summer.


Of course - I understand and know the routes. Please I hope you do.

Some of the pics are fantastic but missing from the Irish forum.


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## spacetweek

sotonsi said:


> Napoleon changed from the Roman thing of driving on the left, and places like the US flipped over just to annoy the UK.
> 
> Only kidding - something about long distance stagecoaches and whipping. As the UK is an island, we didn't need these bigger coaches to travel 1000s of miles, so had no reason to change, nor any reason to change since, given that there is no land borders with anyone except RoI (who I'm surprised didn't change, after all, they seem to love making the road network different to the UKs - different lines, semi-new world signage (rather than european), km rather than miles).
> 
> Cost of conversion to right hand driving for the UK would be in the hundreds of billions (and rather a lot for Ireland, especially annoying as most of the roads that would have to change the geometry of are less than 10 years old) - so not worth it (changing the UK roads to metric signage would be pushing £50 billion, or take about 30 years and still cost a shedload to deal with speed limits)
> 
> Note that Japan and Indonesia, as well as various former UK colonies also drive on the left. These are big countries, that we didn't colonise, that do it 'UK style'.


Great post with lots of good points. I think in the case of IRL changing to RHS driving though, this is on a totally different level to having different signage/measurements. It would provide zero benefit, in fact it would create lots of problems with NI/Republic traffic getting confused. Also in 2007 we only just opened the new A1/N1 south of Newry, which is a HQDC, necessitating a costly dual-standard traffic switchover which would need an overbridge. So there is no way we will ever do this and it has never even been considered.

However I must dispute your metrication figure - there is no way it could possibly cost £50 Billion, I presume this should be million. In any case you'd be mad to convert it all at the same time. A piecemeal approach would have it completed in 20 years (speed limits excepted). 

Finally, driving on the left is far more common worldwide than people seem to think. So there's nothing unusual about it and most countries that need to change have already done it. The only major exception I can think of is Burma/Myanmar, which used to drive on the left but changed in the 1920s to the right, despite sharing the majority of their very long border with left-driving countries. This was done for political reasons - they shared a border with right-driving China and wanted to ally themselves with the Chinese. The Indians, Laotians and Thais weren't considered important seemingly.

Another candidate for eventually changing is British Guyana in South America, though apparently there are hardly any cars in that part of the world so I'm sure it's a non-issue right now.


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## spacetweek

Here are pics of the M9 that I took last summer shortly after the Carlow Bypass section opened:













































And here are pictures of a newly-upgraded section of the M50 taken a few days ago




























This picture shows a short 11-laned section:


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## sotonsi

spacetweek said:


> However I must dispute your metrication figure - there is no way it could possibly cost £50 Billion, I presume this should be million. In any case you'd be mad to convert it all at the same time. A piecemeal approach would have it completed in 20 years (speed limits excepted).


I did say £50billion, or 30 years - 20 years is replacing signs a bit more than frequently, and what's funny is that there are still quite a few pre-63 signs all around the UK.

As for speed limits, there must be millions of signs that would need changing - say 10 million (after all, repeaters). Lets say that they cost an average of £100 (after all you'd also need new poles, as you can't take the old signs down) - there's a billion. Another few hundred million, if not more to employ several thousand people to erect the new signs/dismantle the old signs and also play about with covers over a couple of days (are there that many people who are trained to do it)? Add to that another few hundred million for a Public Information Film. You are looking at at least £2billion for speed limits alone, with fairly vague figures. £50 million is a joke and wouldn't even pay for stickers for all the speed limit signs. Metrification of UK roads is a toss up between time (if you want it in less than 30 years the costs increase) and money. It is also in the order of tens of billions (metric signs cost more, as are bigger, due to having two sets of numbers), rather than the order of tens of millions.


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## Chris_533976

spacetweek said:


> Here are pics of the M9 that I took last summer shortly after the Carlow Bypass section opened:


MASSIVE signage poles for a small sign on the right hno:


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## Timon91

A bit too large to play cricket with, unfortunately


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## spacetweek

Chris_533976 said:


> MASSIVE signage poles for a small sign on the right hno:


Not sure but I think that's a temporary sign awaiting the extension of the motorway. The long poles will be needed for the permanent sign.



sotonsi said:


> As for speed limits, there must be millions of signs that would need changing - say 10 million (after all, repeaters). Lets say that they cost an average of £100 (after all you'd also need new poles, as you can't take the old signs down) - there's a billion. Another few hundred million, if not more to employ several thousand people to erect the new signs/dismantle the old signs and also play about with covers over a couple of days (are there that many people who are trained to do it)? Add to that another few hundred million for a Public Information Film. You are looking at at least £2billion for speed limits alone, with fairly vague figures. £50 million is a joke and wouldn't even pay for stickers for all the speed limit signs. Metrification of UK roads is a toss up between time (if you want it in less than 30 years the costs increase) and money. It is also in the order of tens of billions (metric signs cost more, as are bigger, due to having two sets of numbers), rather than the order of tens of millions.


I trust your numbers as you clearly know a lot more about this than me, so if what you quote here is accurate, this is ruled out on cost grounds. 

But I've a few things I want to pull you up on - 
On the Sabre discussion group, someone estimated that there are 200,000 speed limits signs in the UK, not 10 million.
Why would you not use the old poles , I don't see why you wouldn't just take the old signs down
Finally, the metric signs aren't bigger - you wouldn't be putting two sets of numbers on them, just the one (metric) figure. You cannot have dual readout speed limits.


----------



## sotonsi

spacetweek said:


> But I've a few things I want to pull you up on -
> On the Sabre discussion group, someone estimated that there are 200,000 speed limits signs in the UK, not 10 million.


Just because it's on SABRE doesn't mean it's true.

Then again, it's probably more accurate - I plucked a number out of thin air for both the number of signs and the cost - to make the maths easier. I still stand by my figure of £2billion, as that is what I remembered that discussion on SABRE worked out as a rough cost. I did not remember the specifics. A sign won't cost £100 - more like £1000 with the cost of labour to fit it, do the changeover and remove the old signs.


> Why would you not use the old poles , I don't see why you wouldn't just take the old signs down


because you cannot have some speed limit signs in mph and some in km/h - massive confusion and nothing is legally binding for the year you spend putting up signs. Massively dangerous. Ireland did it by putting up signs, covering them, and then switching the covers and finally removing the old signs. You have to change the country round overnight (and probably block the roads = large economic cost as well) - like you said, you can't have two systems running at the same time - switching covers takes less time, though you'd still need a massive workforce to do it. The UK is much bigger, and much busier than the RoI, so much so that changing the covers on speed limit signs over the course of a week would need a large workforce.


> Finally, the metric signs aren't bigger - you wouldn't be putting two sets of numbers on them, just the one (metric) figure. You cannot have dual readout speed limits.


I was thinking distance signs with two sets of numbers - it would be confusing to have a mix of units - on one sign Newcastle is 50, then on the next it's 25, then it's 35 or something - very confusing, but not so to have both units, as you can look at one or the other. Speed limits in km/h and mph would most definitely be a mistake - I talk about that above when discussing the handover and poles and so on. Irish km/h signs have km/h on them, as well as a number, and IIRC are slightly bigger because of this.


----------



## Furet

*From the Araglin Road overbridge looking south*









*Junction 13 overbridge, looking north*








*
View south from Junction 13 overbridge*









*ADS for Junction 13*









*Towards Junction 13, looking north*








*
Completed Fermoy Bypass tie-in*









*The M8 through demesne parkland, at junction 14*









*Junction 14 onslip*









*Looking towards Junction 14*


----------



## Furet

*Junction 14 northbound onslip*




*
Carrigane Tie-in*









*Junction 12, looking south*









*From the R665 overbridge looking north*









*From the Araglin Road overbridge looking north*








*
From the R665 overbridge looking south*








*
The R665 overbridge*


----------



## odlum833

wow - nice scenery! Thanks. The motorway looks really well landscaped.


----------



## Furet

It has been superbly landcaped. In my opinion this is not only the nicest M8 section, but the nicest section of any motorway in Ireland period. It's a gem. Parts of the M9 and M7 might be even nicer when they're finished, but as of now, the Mitchelstown to Fermoy section of the M8 is without equal. It just needs to be washed and swept before it opens at around 4pm on Monday.


----------



## odlum833

What about the M50 and M1 - oh wait the M50 is an urban motorway but the M1 is very nice aswell - love the beehive huts at the side of the road at Balbriggan.


Thanks for the pics and I put them in the Ireland section also - lots of other new roads pics have been put there too.


----------



## Furet

sotonsi said:


> Napoleon changed from the Roman thing of driving on the left, and places like the US flipped over just to annoy the UK.
> 
> Only kidding - something about long distance stagecoaches and whipping. As the UK is an island, we didn't need these bigger coaches to travel 1000s of miles, so had no reason to change, nor any reason to change since, given that there is no land borders with anyone except RoI (who I'm surprised didn't change, after all, they seem to love making the road network different to the UKs - different lines, semi-new world signage (rather than european), km rather than miles).
> 
> Cost of conversion to right hand driving for the UK would be in the hundreds of billions (and rather a lot for Ireland, especially annoying as most of the roads that would have to change the geometry of are less than 10 years old) - so not worth it (changing the UK roads to metric signage would be pushing £50 billion, or take about 30 years and still cost a shedload to deal with speed limits)
> 
> Note that Japan and Indonesia, as well as various former UK colonies also drive on the left. These are big countries, that we didn't colonise, that do it 'UK style'.


The Republic of Ireland won't ever change to right-hand driving because all of the motorways have been built for left-hand drive.

This became very apparent to me when I drove on an unopened section of the M8 yesterday. The sighlines, curves and barriers are all designed for left-hand use.


----------



## Furet

*M8, 4 km north of Cashel, Co. Tipperary*


----------



## ardmacha

The white car above seems to prefer driving on the right already. 

Great pics Furet.


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## odlum833

^^Beautiful pics.


----------



## odlum833

..



> *National roads reclassified as motorways*
> Friday, 28 August 2009 16:14
> 
> 
> 
> Sections of ten national roads will today be designated as new motorways.
> 
> The Department of Transport made the changes following a recommendation from the National Roads Authority.
> 
> Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said: 'The purpose of this move is to enhance and protect the national motorway network.'
> 
> The speed limits on these roads will be increased from 100 to 120km/h, which will mean that learner drivers, certain types of agricultural vehicles and motorbikes will be banned.
> 
> Motorway status will be applied to 294km of national roads.
> 
> The sections reclassified include the N2 between Kilshane and Ashbourne, the N4 between Kinnegad and McNead's Bridge and the N6 between Athlone and Galway.
> 
> However, the section from Ballinasloe to Galway is one of a number of roads under construction.
> 
> Parts of the N3, N8, N9, N11, N18 and N20 are also covered, along with the Limerick Southern Ring Road.
> 
> Click here for more on the reclassified routes.
> 
> Conor Faughnan of AA Roadwatch says the change is a good thing and that it will make the roads safer as certain classes of vehicle cannot go on them.
> 
> RTE


----------



## ChrisZwolle

^^ interesting. So this map is outdated?


----------



## Mateusz

I suppose it is, Irish roads are developing quite fast, quite reverse to British where new editions of map are all same


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## odlum833

Chriswolle that map is way out of date at this stage by a good few years. Google maps are so slow to update.




Here is the latest printed Atlas map (only southern half)











But the redesignated sections and some routes U/C are not included there

That is the problem with Ireland - it is impossible to get an up to date map! If I was a tourist I would be pulling my hair out...


This map shows how things will stand by the end of 2010 though.


----------



## geogregor

odlum833 said:


> This map shows how things will stand by the end of 2010 though.


Wow you can see big difference in motorway density between southern and northern half of the country.
Southern half is getting almost as dense as Germany


----------



## transport21

Chris, the most up to date map online for Irelands current road network is osm

http://www.openstreetmap.org/


----------



## odlum833

Who wants to see some traffic 

M50 at Ballymun (M50 traffic management) looking eastbound.










Looking westbound near J5










Construction is moving fast at this stage

When finished the M50 will be 8 lanes between junctions and 6 under them.


----------



## geogregor

odlum833 said:


> Who wants to see some traffic
> 
> M50 at Ballymun (M50 traffic management) looking eastbound.


Where exactly is this Ballymun? Is it village? Town?


----------



## Mr_LoL

Hi. Is it countinous motorway from Dublin to Cork?


----------



## Chris_533976

No. There is still a 20km gap between Portlaoise and Culahill, which will be filled by the end of 2010.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivit...tlaoisetoCullahillCastletown/Map,16479,en.pdf

Not all of the route is motorway, about 20km on the Dublin end and 5km on the Cork end are dual carriageway. There is also Newlands Cross in Dublin which is a signal controlled junction.


----------



## ardmacha

> Where exactly is this Ballymun? Is it village? Town?


Ballymun is a district of Dublin near Junction 3 of the M50, i.e. the M50 starts on the Northside at the M1 and travelling anti-clockwise the first junction is J3. Ballymun is a poorer suburb and has been used as a background in Irish films. It is now famous for its recently opened Ikea shop, which is a significant cause of traffic on the M50. 


Aerial view of M3 under construction 









from this newspaper article 
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0916/1224254649436.html


----------



## Seagull

nordisk celt83 said:


> I know, it's pretty horrible. I had to go to galway for work a few days ago, and it is rather ugly. I think the m4/m6 is probably the ugliest route in the country. However, I think it always was. No offence to anyone, this road definitely goes through the ugliest part of Ireland!


Big changes are under way in the road infrastructure. Why is the M6 so deserted? However, I don't find the landscape ugly.


----------



## Comfortably Numb

I've never driven in Ireland, but Ireland's highways are very unique, in the sense that they appear to be a hybrid of European and US (or new world) highways. Visually, they look like US highways, but with signage that is a mixture of European / new world. This Youtube clip illustrates my point perfectly:






In this case, if it weren't for the fact that the cars were driving on the left, I'd mistake this for a US Interstate (even the gantries are more like US gantries than European ones, along with the concrete central reservation and new world signage).

Very nice highways...hope to get the chance to drive on them soon, because Ireland already has such a great motorway network for such a relatively sparsely populated country with only one land border.


----------



## odlum833

If you do come over just wait till 2010 or later so the gaps are filled!




Some pics of M8 Dublin - Cork route by Furet




> Some curious advertising on the Cashel to Cullahill scheme:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> New County signage on the Cashel-Mitchelstown scheme:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Former 'Garda Only' bay is now a parking area, close to junction 12:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> New delineation on the Glanmire Bypass:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Knockmealdowns west of New Inn, between junctions 10 and 9, southbound:


----------



## odlum833

A new service station under construction on the same route



> The junction 8 northbound offslip is under construction, shown here:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The site itself is very unadvanced:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some restrictions on the southbound carriageway:


----------



## odlum833

New signage for JL tunnel in Cork. 

Thanks to Furet.


----------



## Seagull

odlum833 said:


> If you do come over just wait till 2010 or later so the gaps are filled!
> Some pics of M8 Dublin - Cork route by Furet


I still get a little dizzy looking at this mirror image motorway traffic! :lol:


----------



## ardmacha

> I still get a little dizzy looking at this mirror image motorway traffic!



Perhaps that's because you are not in the *right* thread.


----------



## odlum833

Pics by Ramiere (boards.ie) - shows the tie in today U/C of the new M9 and the existing M9 on the Dublin Waterford route.




> taken from the n78 bridge over the m9 looking south over the kilcullen tie in.
> 
> laying down the mr t mac.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Nice.

How's Ireland doing with the recession, and it's impact on motorway construction in particular? I thought Ireland was one of the hardest hit countries in Europe.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

As I understand, the M50 is quite congested. And you pay tolls for that.

It's a common thing that people tend to avoid tolls if possible. They are called "_shunpikers_". If the policy is to relieve city streets, then bypasses should be free to attract as much drivers as possible. For many people traveling north to south in Dublin, the distance via M50 will be longer. To compensate that longer distance, there has to be something better about it; such as faster travel, and possibly toll free. 

Except for toll connections where there are no serious alternates (like the bridges in Denmark, the San Francisco Bay Area or New York), traffic volumes on a toll road are always lower than if it was toll free. Why is that? Because people avoid it, they use other streets, often not intended or designed for that kind of traffic.


----------



## niterider

emerald-roads said:


> hno:
> the exceptionally high quality bypass that the M50 will soon be when the upgrades are finished.


I'm sorry but I disagree - It will be high quality yes but nothing 'exceptional'.

Other countries have had such motorways for decades. What always struck me about the M50 was the short-term planning involved. For example it was built with 2 lanes in each direction instead of 3 which was obviously required, albeit with the sense to include wide medians to allow for future 3+3 expansion as is happening now.
Roundabout junctions are now being retrofitted to a free-flowing form, but the lack of long-term planning for this possibility in terms of securing adjacent land for future free flow junction slip roads has resulted in some of the now free-flowing junctions being of quite awkward design (eg N4/M50).

I particularly remember coming from the N4 to head south on the M50 earlier this year - the turning radius here was suprisingly sharp and I had to reduce speed considerably.
On the plus side the need for overhead gantries has now been recognised and their clarity much improved. :cheers:


----------



## x-type

look at Google Earth, the road above tunnel is extremely congested, while toll gates are gaping empty. that means that people are massively avoiding the toll


----------



## Highwaycrazy

transport21 said:


> The only way we could have an extensive motorway network was by running some schemes under the PPP mechanism. The government could not afford to build the entire motorway network with taxpayers money only.


Fair point, but the Road Tax rates in Ireland are the Highest in the EU. No other EU country charges the equivalent. My friend pays €600.00 Road Tax on his 2 Litre engine annually. In Germany, its nearly €132.00. With those kind of rates, its enough to sustain the finance for new Highways, without the need to slap on a toll. 

The M50 is the only beltway around Dublin and its not very clever of the Irish Government to impose a €3.00 toll because it only encourages drivers to use city streets. The aim of the M50 was to divert traffic away from the city...





transport21 said:


> Just the let you know, we pay road tax annually whereas the country where you live you probably pay that road tax every time you fill your petrol/diesel tank up. Compare the petrol prices and see for yourself.



not the case because petrol/diesel is also taxed in ireland. Plus the Road Tax on top of this means you still pay much more to drive in ireland, even if you only drive 1,000 km a year.


----------



## odlum833

niterider said:


> future 3+3 expansion as is happening now.



It's 4x4 with a lane drop at each junction. I would not describe the M50 as a "ring road" anyway - more like a main street at this stage.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Highwaycrazy said:


> Fair point, but the Road Tax rates in Ireland are the Highest in the EU. No other EU country charges the equivalent. My friend pays €600.00 Road Tax on his 2 Litre engine annually. In Germany, its nearly €132.00. With those kind of rates, its enough to sustain the finance for new Highways, without the need to slap on a toll.


The Netherlands is more expensive.

For instance, if you drive a car of 1300 kg with a diesel engine, the annual fee is € 1176. If you drive a small car of 1000 kg with a petrol engine, the annual fee is lower, but still € 352. They don't charge according to engine capacity, but weight and fuel type.


----------



## x-type

ChrisZwolle said:


> The Netherlands is more expensive.
> 
> For instance, if you drive a car of 1300 kg with a diesel engine, the annual fee is € 1176. If you drive a small car of 1000 kg with a petrol engine, the annual fee is lower, but still € 352. They don't charge according to engine capacity, but weight and fuel type.


this is good. here we have stupid law which says that you must pay extra fee for LPG for instance. idiotism. i don't know how large is road-tax-fee, i know that i pay for my Punto 1.2 yearly registration and techincal inspection about 1000 kn (cca 140€)


----------



## ChrisZwolle

LPG cars are also taxed more than petrol in the Netherlands. A 1300 kg LPG-G3 car will cost you € 852 annually. On the other hand, LPG costs only like € 0,50 per liter, but the fuel consumption is higher too (my dad drives a Renault Espace LPG-G3 that consumes 11 l / 100 km). 

In Denmark, the LPG price is over € 1,50 to discourage it's use. Weird politics....


----------



## odlum833

M9 motorway from Carlow to Waterford. Pics from Southern end by Alpha2zero on Boards.ie.






































Whilst no opening date is confirmed the speculation is that the road will open on the 15th of December. The scheme length is 64km.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------









Video of recently opened Mitchelstown - Fermoy motorway on the new M8 Dublin - Cork Route (Southbound)







Thanks for posting your pics here T21.


----------



## geogregor

x-type said:


> look at Google Earth, the road above tunnel is extremely congested, while toll gates are gaping empty. that means that people are massively avoiding the toll


I think tunnel was designed primarily for lorries going to Port of Dublin. They don't pay toll but can't use Dublin streets. 
Tolls for cars are quite steep to encourage people to use public transport.
At least that's official policy, I don't know how well it is working.


----------



## x-type

geogregor said:


> I think tunnel was designed primarily for lorries going to Port of Dublin. They don't pay toll but can't use Dublin streets.
> Tolls for cars are quite steep to encourage people to use public transport.
> At least that's official policy, I don't know how well it is working.


i agree with you. does Dublin have congestion fee for cars in centre zone like London?


----------



## Verso

emerald-roads said:


> hno:
> 
> Pay a couple of Euros and get to your destination on time and in comfort with no stress
> 
> or...
> 
> wind your way through the streets of Dublin to save said few Euros but end up late.


The problem is that not everyone is in transit (not at all). Someone going from northeastern to southeastern Ireland over Dublin, will most probably use the M50, while someone departing from Dublin itself might not, even if it's faster and (s)he lives close to the bypass. They also have toll on Milan orbital.


----------



## Chris_533976

x-type said:


> i agree with you. does Dublin have congestion fee for cars in centre zone like London?


No. They're talking about it but there isnt nearly enough public transport infrastructure to do it, nor is there the money available to build the public transport infrastructure


----------



## transport21

Chris_533976 said:


> No. They're talking about it but there isnt nearly enough public transport infrastructure to do it, nor is there the money available to build the public transport infrastructure


Not forgetting to mention were borrowing €500 million a week from the ECB to keep the country afloat!


----------



## odlum833

I can not tell you how angry I feel at you two. Take the imbecilic nonsense elsewhere so we can discuss roads thank you.


Anyway....

More M9 pics by Ramiere on Boards


----------



## transport21

M6 Ballinasloe to Galway (due to open next month and last bit of the M6 :cheers

Photos taken by KevR on boards.ie

Here is the N6 bit which has wide median close to Galway city as 3 lanes may be needed in the future as the road will take M18, M17 and M6 traffic once Gort to Tuam PPP is done.




























Nice shot of the traffic corps taking a spin :bash:










Start of the M6


----------



## odlum833

Looks superb. Nearly ready to go in fact. Why is the solid yellow line not all the way to the end? Will there be blue signs on that stretch?


----------



## Comfortably Numb

odlum833 said:


> Looks superb. Nearly ready to go in fact. Why is the solid yellow line not all the way to the end? Will there be blue signs on that stretch?


Wonderful roads....thanks for all the pics. I can't wait to visit Ireland someday and I can't wait to drive on your fantastic, new roads.


----------



## transport21

odlum833 said:


> Looks superb. Nearly ready to go in fact. Why is the solid yellow line not all the way to the end? Will there be blue signs on that stretch?


I think it's due to the Galway bypass(planning) that the last few km's near Galway were not redesignated to motorway. Some parts of the scheme are not as advanced as this though.


----------



## transport21

Comfortably Numb said:


> Wonderful roads....thanks for all the pics. I can't wait to visit Ireland someday and I can't wait to drive on your fantastic, new roads.


I would wait til early 2011 when all major motorways are complete. Below is the Limerick bypass(tunnel) phase 2 under construction due to open on June, phase 1 was redesignated motorway M7 a few months ago.

Looking east towards st nessans rd overbridge









Looking west(dock rd interchange)







[/QUOTE]


----------



## odlum833

> *Early completion for M4/M6*
> 
> TIM O'BRIEN
> 
> 
> THE FIRST of the State's new inter-urban motorways, the 194km M4/M6 route from Dublin to Galway, has been completed six months ahead of deadline and is on schedule to open before the end of the year.
> 
> The final stretch of the €427m motorway, which runs 56km from Ballinasloe to Galway, was finished in the last 10 days and notices placed in national newspapers this week announced the toll scheme on the route would go live from December 13.
> The road is the first of the inter-urban motorways between Dublin and regional cities, announced by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in 1999, to be completed. Motorways between Dublin and Limerick, Cork and Waterford are scheduled to open next year.
> 
> The development of the M4/M6 brings Dublin's M50 within two hours of the outskirts of Galway city, when travelling at 100km/h.
> 
> A toll plaza close to Cappataggle village will charge €1.90 for cars to use the Galway to Ballinasloe road. This is the second toll on the Dublin to Galway route after the M4 toll at Enfield. The total cost for a car on the Dublin to Galway stretch will be €4.80.
> 
> A spokesman for the National Roads Authority confirmed construction was completed but refused to confirm a formal date for the opening, saying safety certification and a formal hand-over would take a few weeks.
> 
> Irish Times


:banana:


Map of scheme on this document (last map)

http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/10978-0908_2ND_TRANCHE_N6_LEAFLET-6.PDF


----------



## ardmacha

The new M6 is expected to open temporarily today.
This is because of floods, the old N6 road looks like this


----------



## Chris_533976

Parts of the M6 have opened with a 50kmh speed limit and garda escorts to let people actually get out of Galway, which was cut off from the north, east and south by flooding.

The current state of the motorway is on Openstreetmap http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.242&lon=-8.57&zoom=11&layers=B000FTF.


----------



## odlum833

I think the new motorway has been closed now? The flooding will probrably put back opening a few weeks.


----------



## Chris_533976

Still open at the moment, they're keeping it 'under review'.


----------



## transport21

The M6 temporary opening(for flooding on the N6) will close again at midnight as the N6 is now passable again at Ballinasloe. 



> *Travel Conditions on National Roads*
> 
> Last Updated: 17.00hrs, Wednesday 25 November, 2009
> 
> *Galway*
> M6 Galway to Loughrea will remain open on a temporary basis until midnight tonight (25th November) following which traffic will revert to using the existing N6


http://nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,16920,en.html




.


----------



## niterider

Does anyone know if there are any plans to install more lay-bys on roads in Ireland? I occasionally see one but they appear to be a rarity on the National routes.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

niterider said:


> Does anyone know if there are any plans to install more lay-bys on roads in Ireland? I occasionally see one but they appear to be a rarity on the National routes.



Theres a wide shoulder lane you can use if you feel the need to stop. Use it like any other driver.


----------



## niterider

Highwaycrazy said:


> Theres a wide shoulder lane you can use if you feel the need to stop. Use it like any other driver.


that's hardly the same, or in any way safe for stopping for a rest etc.

And what about on the motorways - it's illegal there and quite right too. parking on the hard shoulders of motorways is asking for an accident.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

niterider said:


> that's hardly the same, or in any way safe for stopping for a rest etc.
> 
> And what about on the motorways - it's illegal there and quite right too. parking on the hard shoulders of motorways is asking for an accident.


Never realized Laybys on Highways were allowed. Usually, people would stop on the shoulder. 

The national routes in ireland have wide shoulders and also the adjacent traffic lane is usually wider than most roads I've seen in uk. Laybys are often used as a dumping ground too.


----------



## niterider

Highwaycrazy said:


> Never realized Laybys on Highways were allowed. Usually, people would stop on the shoulder.
> 
> The national routes in ireland have wide shoulders and also the adjacent traffic lane is usually wider than most roads I've seen in uk. Laybys are often used as a dumping ground too.


Well it would be service station rest areas for motorways, as as I've stated people can't simply pull over on a motorway unless for emergencies.

But as for laybys on the rest of the non-motorway routes - 'N' routes primarly, there is definitely a lack of parking/rest stops. Hard shoulders are not designed for people to park on for a snack/sleep etc. I'm not comparing to the UK but rather noting the lack of anywhere safe for people to pull over for a while.


----------



## odlum833

The National Roads Authority which manages the network is rolling out service stations on all the motorway routes. 3 started construction last month - 2 on the M1 and 1 on the M4.


The rest are awaiting approval.


They will have full facilities for truckers and cars, restaurants etc...until all are built we will have to make do for the time being.


----------



## transport21

Niterider, on the new motorways that were recently completed there is some rest areas/laybys constructed as there is no MSA's along the stretch to stop.

There is photos of some of them either on here or boards.ie


----------



## Chris_533976

odlum833 said:


> The National Roads Authority which manages the network is rolling out service stations on all the motorway routes. 3 started construction last month - 2 on the M1 and 1 on the M4.
> 
> 
> The rest are awaiting approval.
> 
> 
> They will have full facilities for truckers and cars, restaurants etc...until all are built we will have to make do for the time being.


I know you're gonna hate me for saying this, but "The Rest" have been put on indefinate hold as there is no money to build them.


----------



## niterider

Sounds good (whenever they get built). It's the little things that add up to improve the experience of the new network.


----------



## GrubyNH

*NEWRY BYPASS*

Map of a section under construction
http://roadimprovements.roadsni.gov.uk/beech_hill_to_cloghogue.pdf

Information about junctions
http://applications.drdni.gov.uk/publications/document.asp?docid=14394


We start from Belfast direction to Dublin 

^^Sheepbridge Junction^^





























































































^^Bridge over Newry River and Tandragee Road A27^^

































































^^Carnbane Junction^^
























































^^Bridge over Bessbrook River ^^




























^^Craigmore Viaduct^^




























^^Camlough Road Junction^^

















































































Next part will be soon :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:


----------



## MAG

GrubyNH said:


>


Oh dear me! 
Somebody had too much Guinness to drink while spelling Downpatrick. 


.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

MAG said:


> Oh dear me!
> Somebody had too much Guinness to drink while spelling Downpatrick.
> 
> 
> .


More like John Smiths or the english equivalent.


----------



## ardmacha

People will note the *Craigmore Viaduct* in the background, built in 1852 and one of the finer pieces of 19th century Irish railway engineering, altogether more graceful than the modern bridges.


----------



## odlum833

Pics of M9 tie in with existing Motorway at Kilcullen (J2) by Rameire on boards.ie














































The scheme, which is 28km long, should open in the next 2 weeks.

Map http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/KildareCountyCouncil/N9N10KilcullentoCarlow/Map,16515,en.pdf


----------



## DanielFigFoz

I last went to Ireland in 2004, Ireland has changed so much since then. Even since I started this thread, I can see that the motorway network has gotten significantly larger, and seeing where this small country came from, it is very impressive.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Yes indeed, Daniel. I wonder why the Irish manage to expand their motorway system, while the British motorway network is at a standstill for decades. Is there such a difference in mentality? 

Of course, Britain already has a large motorway network, and Ireland didn't, but Ireland also doesn't have much inhabitants. I'd say it's quite impressive what they all build for a relatively small population and few international through traffic.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

ChrisZwolle said:


> Yes indeed, Daniel. I wonder why the Irish manage to expand their motorway system, while the British motorway network is at a standstill for decades. Is there such a difference in mentality?
> 
> Of course, Britain already has a large motorway network, and Ireland didn't, but Ireland also doesn't have much inhabitants. I'd say it's quite impressive what they all build for a relatively small population and few international through traffic.


I think that the problem in Britian, and this is not meant to sound un-democratic, but the public will just not allow motorways to be built. There is a video on the internet about some people fighting against building a motorway across northern Wales. I just don't get this. People say that motorways will destroy local areas, where as infact it will help preserve local areas by diverting traffic from local areas. When the Republic became independent, the Irish, understably, wanted reform in many ways, but only now they have the money for this, whereas in the UK, there was not such a call for this. 
This is certainly not all the reasons for the huge difference.


----------



## niterider

DanielFigFoz said:


> I think that the problem in Britian, and this is not meant to sound un-democratic, but the public will just not allow motorways to be built. There is a video on the internet about some people fighting against building a motorway across northern Wales. I just don't get this. People say that motorways will destroy local areas, where as infact it will help preserve local areas by diverting traffic from local areas. When the Republic became independent, the Irish, understably, wanted reform in many ways, but only now they have the money for this, whereas in the UK, there was not such a call for this.
> This is certainly not all the reasons for the huge difference.


I'd say the biggest barrier is political - every party is pushing their environmental credentials to such a point that advocating substantial roadbuilding is akin to political suicide. Despite that fact such schemes could improve the environment of the areas they would by-pass, the impact on the areas affected by the route gets priority, even if these can be mitigated significantly. Funnily enough many of the protest groups are well meaning campaign groups rather than locals who may wish for such a route!

Congestion hotspots etc are occasionally 'improved upon'. Town by-passes/relief roads and dual carriageways etc do get built here and there, but 99% of the time not motorway designated, in order to allow all road users to use the road.

Add to the fact that the nature of the population makeup is entirely different - the vast majority live in highly urbanised settlements linked by an existing motorway network which is generally of high quality, although over-strained and which needs further 'linking up', and even more substantial dual carraigeway network which tends to go unnoticed unless it's coloured blue on a map.

The Irish network is developing like the UK network did, but at a much faster pace and has the benefits of hindsight and lower population so hopefully it will avoid many of the mistakes here.


----------



## transport21

ChrisZwolle said:


> Ireland also doesn't have much inhabitants. I'd say it's quite impressive what they all build for a relatively small population and few international through traffic.


I agree Chris. The AADT on most of the new motorway builds does not require motorway standard road at all.

However the cost of upgrading these awful routes before construction to WS2/2+2 over motorway build were marginal. There was also the advantage of these routes being future proofed. During the 90's and early 00's we made several mistakes of just upgrading sections of these routes to S2 bypasses which have become heavily congested. They are now being upgraded again to motorway offline.

An advantage Ireland has over the British motorway network is alternative routes. In England the main north to south points are mainly accessed by either the M4 or M6 which have required several widening schemes in the last few decades. Cork to Dublin for example can be access by the M20(whenever built)/M7 or N25/M9 or N25/M11(N11) if the M8 is closed to traffic.

Ireland is making good trides in its motorway network although it will take the M20 and M17/M18 to become the sort of network that would be described as extensive. 

Zero MSA's is a big concern though.


----------



## spacetweek

Chris_533976 said:


> I know you're gonna hate me for saying this, but "The Rest" have been put on indefinate hold as there is no money to build them.


Don't be such a naysayer Chris!

Why would they cost any money to build? They'd make money from shop rent etc. so should be able to pay for themselves?


----------



## csd

spacetweek said:


> Don't be such a naysayer Chris!
> 
> Why would they cost any money to build? They'd make money from shop rent etc. so should be able to pay for themselves?


In the Irish model for these MSAs, the NRA acquires the land and builds the facilities. They then earn the money back on the drip from the concessionaires. The problem is getting the up-front cash to fund the initial build.

/csd


----------



## odlum833

..



> *Port Tunnel charges to drop*
> 
> 
> TIM O'BRIEN
> 
> TOLL PRICES in Dublin Port Tunnel are to drop in the first major review of policy and charges since the tunnel opened three years ago this month.
> 
> The NRA announced yesterday that it is to scrap the current three-tier pricing system which costs as much as €12 per single journey, and replace it with a two-tier charging system with a maximum charge of €10, and a minimum of €3.
> 
> The €10 charge will apply at morning peak times into the city and at evening peak times out of the city. At all other times the charge is to be €3.
> 
> The changes are to come into operation on January 2nd, 2010. The decision to reduce charges was taken by the board of the NRA yesterday. The board said the changes were brought about by a number of significant traffic improvements between the city and the M50.
> 
> These include the opening within weeks of the new “freeflow” M1/M50 junction, the completion of a third lane on much of the M50 and this week’s opening of the Samuel Beckett bridge in Dublin city centre.
> 
> The move is a major change in policy in relation to Dublin Port Tunnel, as it was initially intended to penalise car usage, in favour of restricting access to lorries travelling between the Port and the M50. While the tariffs have been altered before, the current reduction is a clear signal to private motorists that they are now wanted in the tunnel.


----------



## transport21

The 2010 budget for road infrastructure



> Press release 9 December 2009
> 
> Minister Dempsey announces €2.787 billion budget for Transport in 2010
> 
> €0.92 billion for public transport
> €1.72 billion for roads of which
> - €1.31 billion for national roads including €37.5million for road safety
> - €411 million for upkeep and maintenance of regional and local roads
> 
> 
> The Minister for Transport today (9 December) announced the 2010 Estimates provision for his Department:
> 
> €2.1 billion for capital investment
> €686 million for current expenditure.
> 
> The capital provision is down €298 million (12.4 %) on the revised Estimates allocation for 2009.
> 
> The underlying provision for current expenditure is down € 60.3 million on the revised 2009 allocation, following implementation of a range of cuts based on the McCarthy Report recommendations.
> 
> Following are the principal features of the 2010 Estimates for Transport:
> 
> Roads €1,637million
> 
> The 2010 provision for the improvement and maintenance of roads is €1.637billion, €280.5million (14.6%) down on the revised 2009 allocation. The details are as follows:
> 
> The 2010 capital provision for national roads is €1.115 4billion, €287 million (or 20 %) down on 2009. This allocation will fund the very high level of contractual commitments to complete the five major inter- urban motorways and the M50 upgrade in 2010. Major projects expected to be completed in 2010 include:
> 
> M3 Clonee – North of Kells
> N7 Nenagh – Limerick
> N7 Limerick Tunnel
> M7 Castletown – Nenagh
> M7/M8 Portlaoise – Cullahill/Castletown
> N9 Waterford – Knocktopher
> N9 Carlow – Knocktopher
> M9 Kilcullen – Carlow
> M50 Upgrade Phase 2
> Motorway service areas (Tranche 1)
> 
> By the end of 2010 we will have completed some 750 km of motorway linking Dublin with the principal cities in the country, reducing journey times, increasing the reliability of journeys and improving road safety. This is a major achievement and reflects great credit on the NRA, local authorities, contractors and consultants. Over €2 billion of private funding has been raised to part fund the investment.
> 
> The future priorities for national road investment will be:
> 
> · To implement a number of new PPP projects, principally on the Atlantic Road Corridor and the N11,
> · To protect the existing investment in national roads, especially national secondaries.
> 
> The 2010 provision for the maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads will be €411million, down € 35 million (8%) in line with the McCarthy recommendations. This funding will be used almost exclusively to maintain the fabric of the extensive network of some 90,000 kilometres.
> 
> 
> Road Safety €37.5 million
> 
> The 2010 provision for road safety is €37.5 million, compared with €37.2 million in 2009. This will help maintain the encouraging downward trend in road accident deaths. As of end November, 218 people had lost their lives in road accidents, down 42 on the same period in 2008. The number of fatalities in 2008, at 279, was itself the lowest on record.
> 
> 
> PPP Operational Payments
> This is the only area of expenditure showing a significant increase of €43.4 million in 2010. The funding is used to make annual payments to remunerate PPP financing for road projects where the private investment is not remunerated by tolls. The expenditure involved will increase in 2010 as more road PPP projects are implemented.
> 
> ENDS
> 
> Further information:
> Department of Transport Press Office: Tel: (01) 604 1090 / (01) 604 1091
> 
> 
> Appendix
> 
> Planning and design on rail, light rail & metro projects to railway order.
> 
> National Roads PPPs 2010
> 
> In Construction
> M3 Clonee – North of Kells
> N7 Nenagh Limerick
> N7 Limerick Tunnel
> M7/M8 Portlaise-Culahill/Castletown
> M50 Upgare Phase 2
> M1 & M4 Motorway Service Areas (Tranche 1)
> 
> 
> In Preparation
> N17/18 Gort to Tuam At tender stage
> 
> N11 Arklow to Rathnew
> (including Newlands Cross) At pre-qualification stage
> 
> M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy/ Pre-qualification commencing early 2010
> 
> N25 New Ross Bypass` (inclusion of New Ross Bypass dependent on outcome of judicial review)
> 
> Galway City Outer Bypass Dependent on outcome of judicial review
> 
> The NRA are also considering an additional bundle of PPP projects, and progress on these will be determined by availability of funding.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

> Port Tunnel charges to drop


A good move. Though it's quite steep if you work in the port of Dublin and commute there very day. € 20 per day, 5 days a week, 45 weeks per year = € 4.500 per year added to commuting costs... :nuts:

I would definitely not use it, just drive through residential streets. It's what the government wants :lol:


----------



## ardmacha

The Samuel Beckett Bridge on river Liffey in Dublin Officially Opening - Fri 11th Dec.


----------



## odlum833

ChrisZwolle said:


> A good move. Though it's quite steep if you work in the port of Dublin and commute there very day. € 20 per day, 5 days a week, 45 weeks per year = € 4.500 per year added to commuting costs... :nuts:
> 
> I would definitely not use it, just drive through residential streets. It's what the government wants :lol:



I think it has more to do with general deflation then anything sensible 



> *Ballinasloe to Galway M6 to open on Friday*
> ATHLONE ADVERTISER, DECEMBER 11, 2009.
> By Triona Doherty
> The final 56 kilometres of the M6 motorway, linking Ballinasloe and Galway, is to open next Friday, six months ahead of schedule.
> 
> The stretch of road is expected to be open to motorists by the afternoon of next Friday December 18, following the official opening ceremony by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey that morning.
> 
> Once the route is open, motorists will be able to travel from Athlone to Galway in approximately one hour, while it is estimated that journey times between Dublin and Galway will be slashed to two hours.
> 
> Originally planned to come on stream in mid-2010, the completion of the country’s newest stretch of motorway has come in approximately six months ahead of schedule.
> 
> However members of the public were treated to a sneak preview of the route in recent weeks, when one carriageway was opened to facilitate motorists during the flooding.
> 
> “The contractor, Icon, has done a great job. It is a tribute to the contractor and the NRA that the road is to open ahead of schedule, and that it was able to open to motorists in recent weeks,” said a spokesperson for the NRA.
> 
> The M6 Galway to Ballinasloe scheme consists of 56 kilometres of dual carriageway between Galway and Ballinasloe, a 7km link to the Loughrea bypass, 32km of side roads, and five grade separated junctions at Glennascaul, Athenry, Carrowkeel, West Ballinasloe, and Tulrush.
> 
> Two toll charges will now apply to motorists travelling to and from Dublin, with a charge of €1.90 at a toll plaza at Cappataggle near Ballinasloe, on top of the existing charge of €2.90 at Kinnegad.


----------



## odlum833

2 stretches of motorway will open this weekend

7km of M7 Nenagh motorway (M7 Dublin Limerick)
56km of M6 Dublin to Glaway


The M9 Kilcullen - Carlow will open in January.


----------



## transport21

odlum833 said:


> The M9 Kilcullen - Carlow will open in January.


This has been put forward to the original date of next Monday. The minister apparently wanted to keep the motorway locked away until the new year so he could make it to the opening ceremony. There was also talk of local businesses along the current N9 losing money before Christmas.

Eventually after numerous emails and public out-roar Minister Dempsey saw sense and put it back to the original opening day of next Monday.


----------



## transport21

odlum833 said:


> 56km of M6 Dublin to Galway


Some excellent shots from KevR on boards.ie, M6 fully open tomorrow :cheers:


----------



## odlum833

3 different stretches of motorway will be opening in the space of 5 days from tomorrow 


M6 54km's
M7 7km's
M9 27km's


----------



## odlum833

> *M6 Galway to Ballinasloe Opens Today*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The M6 Galway to Ballinasloe motorway project was officially opened today (18/12/2009) by Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, TD. The 56kms motorway opened 4 months ahead of schedule and is on budget. The opening of this section of the M6 completes the Dublin to Galway inter-urban route as outlined in Transport21.
> 
> The scheme runs from the outskirts of Galway city to Athenry where it crosses the Galway/Dublin rail line, the Graigabbey River and the Athenry/Limerick rail line. The route then continues southeast to Carrowkeel junction from where the Loughrea link road proceeds south to the Loughrea Bypass. From Carrowkeel junction, the route continues northeast to the proposed Toll Plaza located near Cappataggle. The route then passes north of Aughrim village, continuing east again over the River Suck where ties into the existing M6 east of Ballinasloe. The town that will be bypassed are Ballinasloe, Aughrim, Killreekill, Loughea, Craughwell, and Oranmore
> 
> The scheme will:
> 
> •Complete the Dublin to Galway inter-urban route
> •Reduce travel times from Galway to Ballinasloe by 25minutes
> •Increase road safety for drivers
> •Improve traffic flow and reduce traffic congestion
> •Act as a stimulus for commercial and tourist activity
> •Improve internal road infrastructure between and with the regions
> 
> Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, TD said
> 
> 
> "A major milestone has been reached today, not only for the residents and business throughout the Galway and Ballinasloe region, but for the entire country. You can now travel safely from Dublin to Galway on motorway standard road. It is the delivery of this key commitment, outlined under Transport21, which allows for a motorway to connect the east (Dublin) to the west (Galway). Today's opening represents the culmination of years of hard work and dedication, it will offer significant benefits for the entire Western region.''
> 
> 
> Peter Malone, Chairman of the National Roads Authority, said
> 
> "The opening of the M6 Galway to Ballinalsoe motorway is an historic event because this is the first Major Inter-Urban corridor connecting city to city. From Galway to Dublin we now have motorway/dual carriageway for 194km. The benefits from a road safety standpoint and improved quality of life will be felt by all the residents of the cities, towns, and villages along the entire route. It is great to see first hand this Government’s plan to invest and improve road infrastructure, under Transport 21, come to fruition. Just think, you will now be able to travel from the M50 to Galway city in approximately two hours. It is fantastic for business, tourism and all road users."
> 
> www.nra.ie


Map of scheme

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/GalwayCountyCouncil/N6GalwaytoBallinasloe/Map,16520,en.pdf


----------



## odlum833

The newest section of the M9 between Kilcullen and Carlow (28km) opened yesterday.


Map of new M9 section. The remainder will open next year

http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.0937480926514&lon=-6.79950714111328&zoom=12


----------



## transport21

Some brilliant shots of the new M6 Ballinasloe to Galway thanks to Nath on boards.ie 

Approaching Doughiska RAB









N6 Doughiska to J19 Carnmore/Glenascaul









Approaching J19 Carnmore/Glenascaul









Approaching J19 Carnmore/Glenascaul









J19 Carnmore/Glenascaul









Wide median eastbound between J19 and Athenry









Approaching J17 Athenry/Craughwell









J17 Athenry/Craughwell









Approaching J16 Portumna/Loughrea









Toll plaza sign









Approaching toll plaza









Toll plaza









Approaching J14 Ballinasloe East


----------



## ChrisZwolle

transport21 said:


> Some brilliant shots of the new M6 Ballinasloe to Galway thanks to Nath on boards.ie


Great... Didn't know it was a toll road though. Does it have an open toll system (just barriers here and there, no ticket system)? Are other motorways in Ireland tolled as well?


----------



## flierfy

Buddy Holly said:


> The efficiency of the Eng_UK version is evident..


At least it's proper English.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

DanielFigFoz said:


> Eng_US-Median
> Eng_UK-Central Reservation.



Its referred to as a median in Ireland.


----------



## Danielk2

Yeah!! Ireland's road terms are slightly better than the UK's


----------



## DanielFigFoz

But that doesn't mean I can't call it a central reservation.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

m56phil said:


> I also like the fact that all your number fonts are written in the "English Font" !!!! which I think is good as I always like the way British motorway numbers are written.
> 
> You need to get some services built though.


Yeah, maybe Britain could lead by example and go Metric!! 

What kind of services are you talking about?


----------



## Highwaycrazy

DanielFigFoz said:


> But that doesn't mean I can't call it a central reservation.


Of course you can call it what you want. But many people won't know what you are talking about, thats all.... I had to google 'central reservation' before I found it to be the equivalent of a 'median'.


----------



## Danielk2

Highwaycrazy said:


> Yeah, maybe Britain could lead by example and go Metric!!
> 
> What kind of services are you talking about?


Yeah!!! go metric!! :banana:

In the UK, "services" refers to motorway service areas with gas (petrol) stations, restaurants and or hotel/motel


----------



## flierfy

Highwaycrazy said:


> Of course you can call it what you want. But many people won't know what you are talking about, thats all.... I had to google 'central reservation' before I found it to be the equivalent of a 'median'.


It's rather the other way around. Central reservation is the English term. It says what it is and is well-established. Median, however, is ambiguous. The term is better known for other things.


----------



## Buddy Holly

flierfy said:


> At least it's proper English.


I'm assuming you're the linguistic authority deciding which word is "proper English" and which isn't?


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Highwaycrazy said:


> Yeah, maybe Britain could lead by example and go Metric!!
> 
> What kind of services are you talking about?


He means service stations.


----------



## geogregor

Highwaycrazy said:


> Of course you can call it what you want. But many people won't know what you are talking about, thats all.... I had to google 'central reservation' before I found it to be the equivalent of a 'median'.


Come on, most people (especially users of this forum) know what he means.


----------



## Danielk2

i do prefer the term "median", but i think both is acceptable.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

How old is the M50?


----------



## csd

DanielFigFoz said:


> How old is the M50?


20 years old this year, I think.

/csd


----------



## DanielFigFoz

I didn't realize it was that old, thanks
:cheers:


----------



## ChrisZwolle

The first section opened in 1990, but it wasn't completed until 2005.


----------



## Chris_533976

http://www.thepost.ie/newsfeatures/no-major-new-roads-to-be-started-in-2010-46526.html



> *No major new roads to be started in 2010*
> 
> 
> For the first year since 1994, no new road schemes will be started by the National Roads Authority (NRA) this year due to budgetary constraints. While four interurban motorways from Dublin to Belfast, Cork, Limerick and Waterford will be completed this year, they are likely to represent the end of a golden age of road building in Ireland. The motorway from Dublin to Galway opened just before Christmas, ahead of schedule.
> 
> While planning will continue for advanced schemes, The Sunday Business Post has learned that the NRA, which has existed since 1994, is to suspend a possible 50 per cent of schemes in the early to mid planning stages, because of a lack of funding. The board of the authority will vote on which schemes planning will be suspended on in the next fortnight, and as many as thirty projects may be affected.
> 
> The authority expects to complete the tendering for two public/private partnership (PPP) schemes towards the end of 2010, and to sign the contracts on both. These are the Arklow to Rathnew section of theN11 together with the Newlands Cross upgrade on the outskirts of Dublin, and the Gort to Tuam motorway, on theN17/18 in Galway. Construction is expected to start on these projects early in 2011.
> 
> Last year, most of the NRA’s funding went towards ongoing work on the inter-urban motorways. The only new project that got underway was the Castleisland bypass in Kerry. There were some major new road and bypass openings, such as the Suir Bridge bypass of the city in Waterford, a new stretch of the M9 from Castledermot to Kilcullen, the motorway from Fermoy to Mitchelstown in Cork, and the Tullamore bypass.
> 
> Fred Barry, chief executive of the NRA, said that while the road network has been greatly improved over the last few years, ‘‘an enormous amount of modernisation’’ is still required to provide a safe and efficient network.
> 
> ‘‘The government has, of course, to deal with an extremely difficult financial situation, so it is no surprise that our funding has been reduced.
> 
> We hope that as the economic situation improves, we will be in a position to get construction moving again," he said.
> 
> ‘‘There are quite a few schemes at an advanced state of planning that will be available to build once the funding position improves. But in light of this situation and the new programme for government, we are suspending planning on some schemes for now."
> 
> Barry said that the outlook for many construction companies was very bleak, and he ‘‘really can’t say’’ who will be in a position to bid for road building projects in the future.
> 
> ‘‘We don’t foresee a shortage of bidders, but some of the international companies may exit the market, and some of the domestic companies may withdraw from the business for one reason or another," he said.
> 
> Barry said that while about a third of the national road network will be modernised by the end of 2010, the authority expects to continue working on improving the remaining two thirds ‘‘as quickly as public finances allow’’.
> 
> He said the follow-on work that would be continued this year included a mixture of low-cost improvements on secondary roads, single carriageway realignments, and some motorways.
> 
> ‘‘The mix is towards fewer motorways because the traffic volumes are lower, but that does not diminish the importance of these improvements to the communities affected," he said. Barry also highlighted the knock-on effect the lack of road-building would have on the construction and engineering industry in general, and said it was ‘‘inevitable’’ that some of the expertise in these areas built up in Ireland over the past few years would now be lost.
> 
> ‘‘The civil engineering industry is suffering badly in this recession, and as road schemes are finishing there are no new schemes for people to move on to. So companies are losing resources and capabilities, and individuals are facing unemployment," he said.
> 
> ‘‘The industry had become very efficient, with a high level of expertise, and it is now inevitable that some of this expertise will be lost."
> 
> However, others believe that while investment in the national road network is important, there now needs to be a swing towards funding the public transport system. Colm Holmes, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), claimed the only motorways that ‘‘are really needed’’ are those that will be completed this year.
> 
> ‘‘If you did a cost-benefit analysis of some stretches of these motorways, you may wonder if they were worth building, but they are what the Celtic Tiger has given us," said Holmes. I am not sure if there is a burning need to build the M20 motorway between Limerick and Cork for example - why not just upgrade the road that is already there to a dual carriageway, instead of going to the expense of building a new one?"
> 
> ‘‘Most of the €34 billion earmarked under Transport 21 will have been spent on motorways, and we will have a fabulous network of these this year that will boost economic activity. But now we need to focus on better public transport interconnections like Metro North, the Dart interconnector and bus services."
> 
> But Holmes questioned the need for the western rail corridor, and said ‘‘good bus connections’’ on the improving road system in the west ‘‘would be a lot less costly to run’’.
> 
> Noel Brett, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority, said that the improved roads system - and new motorways - would be likely to further reduce road fatalities. ‘‘Motorists using such roads are avoiding towns and villages, as well as pedestrians, so the risks are immediately reduced," he said


----------



## spacetweek

DanielFigFoz said:


> Eng_US-Median
> Eng_UK-Central Reservation.


Actually on Irish roads we usually use American terms - 
"Median" instead of Central reserve
"On/offramps" instead of slip roads
"Interchange" or "Exit" instead of junction



DanielFigFoz said:


> How old is the M50?


Although the first section opened in 1990, the whole road has now been so thoroughly rebuilt that no original parts remain.
Also, if the proposed Eastern Bypass is ever built, this will extend the M50 even more. But that won't be until 2020 at least.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Actually, the first section of _current_ M50 opened in 1983 as part of M1. M1 now seems to start at the M50 interchange near the airport.


----------



## transport21

The boggy section on the Nenagh-Limerick M7 wont be open to traffic until the end of this year. Instead the scheme is going to be partially opened from Nenagh to Birdhill:



> A MAJOR road will not be opened until the end of this year -- more than 15 months behind schedule -- because of a 'bottomless' bog.
> 
> The Limerick-Nenagh N7 dual carriageway was due to have been completed in May of last year, but the National Roads Authority (NRA) said it would not be finished until the end of this year because of unforeseen delays.
> 
> The 38km route will cost the taxpayer €424m, but the cost of having to construct the route over a seemingly endless bog near the Limerick-Tipperary border will have to be borne by the contractors Bothar Hibernian.
> 
> It is understood that tens of thousands of steel-reinforced concrete piles have been driven into Drominboy Bog at Lisnagry to support the road at a cost of millions of euro.
> 
> Only a small section of the route traverses the bog, which locals claim is "bottomless".
> 
> Local tales include heavy machinery being swallowed by the bog, which is able to absorb huge amounts of rain.
> 
> As a result, Sean O'Neill of the NRA said the final 15km of the road would not be completed until the end of the year. He said the problems presented by the rural bog were "the major engineering challenge".
> 
> Challenge
> 
> "The contractor has to deal with that implication," Mr O'Neill said.
> 
> "There is a challenge in the bog area, but that is a known condition. It's not like the bog showed up yesterday. We defer to the contractor as it's their responsibility to get the job done."
> 
> Mr O'Neill said that the NRA anticipated that major sections of the route would be open by March.
> 
> The project consists of 28km motorway standard and the widening of the Nenagh bypass to dual carriageway standard.
> 
> The route, which is hoped will ease traffic congestions in the Mid-West region, has been hindered in recent years over payments to local contractors, staff lay-offs and engineering challenges.


----------



## transport21

M18 Gort to Crusheen January Updates:

The R460 overbridge is open to traffic, slightly surprised how narrow the overbridge is for a regional road near an urban area.









Looking North from the R460 overbridge, some CBM down as mentioned on a previous post









Looking south from the R460 overbridge









Gortavoher overbridge opened to traffic









Looking north from Gortavoher overbridge









Looking south from Gortavoher overbridge









Looking north from Shanaglish overbridge









Looking south from Shanaglish overbridge


----------



## odlum833

Nice piccys - thanks!

Update pics of N18 junction on N7 Limerick Shannon Tunnel scheme

Pics by Chris_533976 




Chris_533976 said:


> Here are some bad pictures from the car of the N18 junction.
> 
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> 
> Its quite impressive





> *PLANS are being finalised in Limerick for the biggest simulated emergency exercise every carried out in this country.
> 
> Hundreds of firefighters, gardaí, ambulance and medical personnel will take part in a planned accident in the new €660 million tunnel under the Shannon, which is now nearing completion.
> 
> The tunnel, which was due to open in September, is now likely to open by June, allowing up to 16,000 cars a day to by-pass Limerick city when travelling on the western corridor, linking Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare and the West.
> 
> However, before it opens it will have to undergo a huge emergency drill to comply with new legislation on tunnel safety.
> 
> The exercise will be the final part of the safety process which entails a "book of evidence" being completed showing that the tunnel ticks the rigorous safety rules.
> 
> Twenty firefighters from Limerick and Clare have travelled to Switzerland to undergo special training in tunnel rescues and have been accredited to give the same course to their colleagues.
> 
> The tunnel is a key element of Limerick’s new Southern Ring Road, a 9.7km four-lane highway. The tunnel runs for 900m, of which 675m will be under the Shannon.
> 
> The tunnel connects the southern side of the Shannon near the cement factory in Mungret to the northern riverside near the Radisson Hotel on the Ennis Road.
> 
> Tom King, managing director Direct Route, builders of the tunnel, said up to 200 people, including 120 fire-fighters, will take part in the simulated emergency which they hope to carry out in May.
> 
> He said: "There are huge logistics involved in getting 200 people from all the emergency services for the one exercise and we are working on May 21." *
> 
> Irish Examiner


----------



## odlum833

> *'Bottomless' bog delays road plan *
> By Barry Duggan
> 
> 
> Monday January 11 2010
> 
> A MAJOR road will not be opened until the end of this year -- more than 15 months behind schedule -- because of a 'bottomless' bog.
> 
> The Limerick-Nenagh N7 dual carriageway was due to have been completed in May of last year, but the National Roads Authority (NRA) said it would not be finished until the end of this year because of unforeseen delays.
> 
> The 38km route will cost the taxpayer €424m, but the cost of having to construct the route over a seemingly endless bog near the Limerick-Tipperary border will have to be borne by the contractors Bothar Hibernian.
> 
> It is understood that tens of thousands of steel-reinforced concrete piles have been driven into Drominboy Bog at Lisnagry to support the road at a cost of millions of euro.
> 
> Only a small section of the route traverses the bog, which locals claim is "bottomless".
> 
> Local tales include heavy machinery being swallowed by the bog, which is able to absorb huge amounts of rain.
> 
> As a result, Sean O'Neill of the NRA said the final 15km of the road would not be completed until the end of the year. He said the problems presented by the rural bog were "the major engineering challenge".
> 
> Challenge
> 
> "The contractor has to deal with that implication," Mr O'Neill said.
> 
> "There is a challenge in the bog area, but that is a known condition. It's not like the bog showed up yesterday. We defer to the contractor as it's their responsibility to get the job done."
> 
> Mr O'Neill said that the NRA anticipated that major sections of the route would be open by March.
> 
> The project consists of 28km motorway standard and the widening of the Nenagh bypass to dual carriageway standard.
> 
> The route, which is hoped will ease traffic congestions in the Mid-West region, has been hindered in recent years over payments to local contractors, staff lay-offs and engineering challenges.
> 
> - Barry Duggan
> 
> Irish Independent




-------------------------------------------------------------------------


The NRA has put junction layouts for some motorways on it's website. They can be viewed here

http://www.nra.ie/JunctionLayoutsProjectVideos/


----------



## transport21

*M7 Nenagh to Limerick photos*

The first batch is the Birdhill interchange link road

Trees were being planted and general landscaping was done along here when I passed














































Some of the mainline, only a few weeks before opening now































































Notice the rest area on the one below









Approaching the Birdhill interchange









Nenagh bypass open with motorway restrictions
The opened section with motorway restrictions


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## transport21

Furet over on boards.ie posted a picture of a map of Ireland on the new Collins road Atlas. Some schemes are not opened but most of it is. Gives a good idea on how the motorway network is now coming together:



Furet said:


>


----------



## city_thing

>


Great map. I hadn't realised how centralised Ireland's motorway network is; all roads lead to Dublin it seems.

Are there any plans for a central North-South route to decentralise the network, or can the current roads handle Ireland's North-South traffic?


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## ChrisZwolle

Yeah M20-M18-M17 is planned and partially U/C from Cork via Limerick and Galway to Sligo.


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## transport21

Yeah the Atlantic Corridor(western north-south route) is being upgraded. There will be no major route upgrades through the midlands(apart from the M6) as there is not enough urban areas or population to justify it. The north to south route through there is mainly secondary roads which may be realigned with bypasses and upgraded to standard single carriageway in the future.

The N/M18 (Limerick-Galway) by June will have:

44km of motorway from Shannon to Gort
23km of dual carrigeway from Limerick to Shannon
The rest of the route (Gort to Galway motorway via M6) is bundled in with a 3 level stack at the M6 junction, M17 to Tuam and a reduced dual carrigeway bypass of Tuam into a PPP scheme. This is going to cost around €700 million.



Heres a map of the scheme











Here is the two consortia shortlisted to construct it. Roadbridge have a good record lately in finishing these schemes well ahead of schedule and have teamed up with Sisk on many occasions. It's still hard to know whether this will get the funding given how bad the lending market is at the minute.





> BAM Balfour Beatty	BAM PPP
> Balfour Beatty Capital Ltd
> 
> 
> Direct Route Allied Irish Bank
> Strabag SE
> John Sisk & Sons (Holdings) Ltd
> Roadbridge
> Lagan Construction Limited


The proposed junction where the M18 runs over the M6 is going to be a 3 level stack instead of a proper freeflow interchange. On from that junction the M17 starts. 

AADT levels of the proposed 3 level stack(M17/M18/M6) junction











The N17 (Galway-Sligo) north of Tuam is adequate from Ballindine to Charlestown. The rest of the route is poor with windy reduced single carrigeway. 

N20 (Cork-Limerick)

10 km of motorway from Limerick to Patrickswell
88km of single carrigeway

Some of this road is very poor for a national primary linking the second and third largest cities in the republic. Mallow to Cork is good standard wide S2 but from Mallow to Croom the road is bad with reduced windy single carrigeway. 


Below is the a section of the 10km M20 motorway from Patrickswell to Limerick.












The rest of the M20 is pushed back on the PPP list which is very surprising given how dangerous the Croom-Mallow section road is.


----------



## Chris_533976

And if you look at old maps, at least part of the current N20 hasnt been realigned since the 1800s.


----------



## niterider

Ach! Don't don't don't join the two motorways with a stacked roundabout - short term cost savings, long term headache.


----------



## flierfy

niterider said:


> Ach! Don't don't don't join the two motorways with a stacked roundabout - short term cost savings, long term headache.


Not so much in this case. The proposed figures give the impression that this junction is rather overdesigned. Even a flat roundabout would have coped with the amount of traffic. So, not much headache in the long term.


----------



## transport21

The 3 level stack has been debated constantly on the boards.ie website given how underpowered it could be in the future decades to come. A regular poster Spacetweek got this email back from the NRA re the junction



> Dear Mr. xxx,
> 
> In your email of the 16th December, 2009, you expressed 3 main concerns regarding the design of the junction and also commented on the proposed Motorway Service Area access:
> 
> 1. ‘Underpowered’ – You appear concerned that large traffic volumes on the M6 Galway to Dublin motorway and the M17/M18 Limerick to Tuam Motorway will limit the capacity of the junction;
> 2. ‘Difficult to upgrade’ – You also expressed concerns that the proposed junction will create difficulties if the junction was to be upgraded to a full free-flow junction such as a cloverleaf, partial cloverleaf, 4-level stack or similar; and
> 3. ‘An apparent attempt to save money by using a small land footprint’.
> 
> In May 2004, McCarthy Hyder Consultants Ltd in association with PJ Tobin & Co Ltd, prepared a ‘Junction Strategy Report’ to assess junction options for the 3no. junctions along the N18 Oranmore to Gort Scheme – namely Gort Junction, Kiltiernan Junction and Rathmorrissy junction. For the Rathmorrissy Junction there were 6no. options considered, including, dumbbell type junction (two level), oval roundabout junction (two level), oval roundabout junction with free flow slip lanes (three level), free flow clover leaf junction, roundabout junction (three level) with free flow left turn lanes (360m diameter) and roundabout junction (three level) with free flow left turn lanes (240m diameter). It was concluded in the report that the roundabout junction (three level) with free flow left turn lanes (240m diameter) be recommended as the preferred junction and it was this junction that was taken forward to preliminary design and through to the EIS and approved by An Bord Pleanála. While land take issues were considered in the junction selection, it was not the determining criteria. Junction performance and safety issues were also assessed in conjunction with the overall cost of the junction.
> 
> The proposed Rathmorrissy Junction comprises a three level junction with:
> 
> 1. The M6 Galway to Dublin Motorway unimpeded through the junction on the lower level;
> 
> 2. The M18/M17 Limerick to Tuam Motorway unimpeded through the junction on the upper level;
> 
> 3. Free-Flow unimpeded left turn slip lanes on all four arms:
> 
> i. M18 from Limerick – M6 to Galway;
> ii. M6 from Galway – M17 to Tuam;
> iii. M17 from Tuam – M6 Dublin;
> iv. M6 from Dublin – M18 to Limerick.
> 
> 4. Slip Roads off the mainline motorways to a roundabout on the middle level serving the right turn traffic movements of:
> 
> i. M18 from Limerick – M6 to Dublin;
> ii. M6 from Galway – M18 to Limerick;
> iii. M17 from Tuam – M6 to Galway;
> iv. M6 from Dublin – M17 to Tuam.
> 
> The traffic flows (at year of opening) published in the EIS for the M17 Galway to Tuam scheme is summarised below:
> 
> [see attached image]
> 
> You make reference to 50,000 vehicles per day (at opening) passing through the junction, however it should be noted it is only the right turn traffic movements that will interact with the proposed roundabout junction. In addition, the right turning peak hour flows will be tidal, where by in the AM, the peak right turn will be the M17 from Tuam – M6 to Galway and in the PM, the peak right turn will be the M6 from Galway – M18 to Limerick.
> 
> An analysis of the operation of the roundabout has been undertaken using ARCADY (a widely accepted computer program used to model the operation of roundabouts). The analysis indicated that in the peak hour in the design year (20 years after opening), the roundabout will comfortably accommodate the predicted traffic flows with ample spare capacity. In the event that traffic flows do increase significantly greater than those predicted, the layout of the roundabout will accommodate traffic signals (should such remedial measures be required to improve traffic management) since the spacing between adjacent entry / exits are sufficiently large to accommodate vehicle storage.
> 
> We note your comment that the roundabout junction was only specified to provide access to a proposed Motorway Service Area. However the decision on a possible motorway service area was made well after the decision to continue with the roundabout junction (three level), as demonstrated by the timeline listed below:
> 
> · May 2004 – Issue of N18 Oranmore to Gort – Junction Strategy Report – recommending the roundabout junction (three level) with free flow left turn lanes (240m diameter) as the preferred junction arrangement;
> 
> · In 2005 the Authority was requested by the Minister for Transport to undertake a review of policy with regard to the provision of service areas on motorway and high quality dual carriageway sections of the national roads network;
> 
> · The Authority announced in September, 2006, the decision to secure directly, through the PPP mechanism, on-line service areas was accompanied by a map indicating the intended locations of the priority service area facilities to be procured on the major inter-urban routes, including the M6 at the M6/M17/M18 junction.
> 
> · In October 2007, the NRA published ‘Policy for the Provision of Service Areas on Motorways and High Quality Dual Carriageways’ and included in this document was a preferred service area location at the M6/M17/M18 junction;
> 
> I trust the above addresses your queries and concerns.
> 
> Regards


----------



## niterider

Hmmm. Roundabouts are great for moderately trafficked routes - traffic lights are more efficient when increased traffic levels undo the advantages roundabouts provide.

Roundabouts between motorways cause needless congestion compared to a free flow route. So, IF traffic levels increase to a level that would cause congestion, as the letter above admits, traffic lights may be installed (as widespread in the UK with awful results)....then you're left with a bas*ardised junction.

It happened with the M50, and they had to re-engineer junctions to free-flow


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## ChrisZwolle

M50 is quite different than this interchange in rural western Ireland. Galway isn't exactly a metropolis. If worst comes to worst, they can make a flyover from Galway to the north. I know big roundabouts that have approaches that carry 60,000 AADT.


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## odlum833

> *M20 Cork to Limerick motorway to commence this year *
> 
> Relief has been expressed by commercial interest in both Cork and Limerick at the news that work will begin this year on the long-awaited M20.
> 
> 
> The new 82km motorway when completed will connect Cork to Limerick and is according to Minister for Trade and Commerce, Billy Kelleher essential for the future economic development of the Cork region. The news of the commencement of this project was warmly welcomed as the roads grant allocation for 2010 was severely slashed leaving many proposed projects sidelined.
> 
> The Department of Transport confirmed yesterday (Tuesday) that an allocation of €9m had been set aside for the first phase of the project between Blarney and Croom in Co. Limerick.



As the green roads flicker out the blue ignites...


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## Chris_533976

Terrible journalism  Theres no way at all that this will start this year, absolutely no chance. This money is for CPOing and I'd be surprised if there are diggers on the ground before 2015 on the M20.


----------



## transport21

Yeah it's only going to the CPO stage. Another couple of years and hopefully there will be diggers on site. 

Probably worth saying the Nenagh-Birdhill section of the M7 is due to open Thursday Feb 18th :banana:


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## Nowax

Newry Bypass :cheers:


SHEEPBRIDGE JUNCTION


----------



## nordisk celt83

Great pics; thanks for sharing them!

Great to see this almost complete. It'll make the journey time between Dublin and Belfast so much quicker!

Went up north last summer and the tailbacks at the border were a nightmare due to the roadworks, so I'd imagine it'll make a huge difference for people who make the trip more frequently...


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## ChrisZwolle

Isn't that in Northern Ireland? (a.k.a. United Kingdom)?


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## niterider

Chris_533976 said:


> Also, corrupt planning law let people build stuff right up to the very edges of the interchange, with little to no scope for a junction upgrade. Hence the really strange layout.


Don't you mean short-sighted planning policy?


----------



## Chris_533976

Both  There are all sorts of corrupt planning deals going on in Ireland.

Case in point: A councillor rezoned a pile of land near Gorey that his mother owned, in full knowledge that CPOs for the Gorey bypass would be buying some of that land. His mother got rich off the taxpayer.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

havaska said:


> I know that, but that's the way it is all over the world. What about the natives in N America? What about Australia? We could even go further back in history and say that England was taken over and all the natives displaced and subdued by the french...
> 
> More recently, looks how many countries lost land and had people displaced in two world wars.
> 
> It's one of those things that happened in history and we can't keep pointing back to it and saying this, that etc. It's a fruitless exercise.
> 
> We just have to accept that this is the way they are now in this time, and work with that accordingly.
> 
> My hope for the future is that there won't even be such a thing as a country! They're completely artificial things made up by humans who like to draw lines on maps.


Well, Considering the recent conflict over the past 30 years, theres a distinction. Obviously, they did not want to remain a part of the UK. Hence the conflict. On top of that was the oppression and racism that they suffered. Put differently, would the British 'accept' Kent as an independent entity if the French came over and took it over?


----------



## niterider

Highwaycrazy said:


> Well, Considering the recent conflict over the past 30 years, theres a distinction. Obviously, they did not want to remain a part of the UK. Hence the conflict. On top of that was the oppression and racism that they suffered. Put differently, would the British 'accept' Kent as an independent entity if the French came over and took it over?


Well they're currently planning just that for the Port of Dover!


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## Nowax

Newry Bypass :cheers:

^^ Sheepbridge Junction ^^


















































































^^














































^^Carnbane Junction^^




































^^Camlough Road Junction^^



































































































:cheers: to be continued ... :cheers:


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## transport21

M7 Nenagh-Limerick

Near J26 the M7 is complete. Fencing is excellent too.

First five from 2 overbridges









































I took a spin on the M7 off the southbound ramp before noticing security. Sure enough when I came back down the wrong way on the carriageway they were heading south towards me!

Southbound ramp J26





























































Going back down the wrong way on the southbound carriageway 










ADS for J26









I reckon traffic will be forced off here when Birdhill to Nenagh will open on thursday and will have to get on the Nenagh bypass via the roundabouts and the current arrangement.









Here I'm heading up the wrong way on the southbound ramp off J26


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## da_scotty

A signed E-road In ireland, I thought they didn't do that


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## ea1969

da_scotty said:


> A signed E-road In ireland, I thought they didn't do that


E numbers have been starting to appear on Irish signs since 2007.


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## Chris_533976

.. but not with any particular plan. It seems to be only certain contractors who bother. Some new sections have been opened without them.


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## Comfortably Numb

The UK should show E-routes too. Only fair.


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## havaska

Comfortably Numb said:


> The UK should show E-routes too. Only fair.


The E-route numbers are not much use on an island with an integrated road numbering system (England, Scotland, Wales). 

I suppose it could be useful to put them up in N Ireland but I don't think there'd be any massive benefit.

They make plenty of sense on the continent though.


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## transport21

The M20 (Cork to Limerick) motorway is moving a step closer. In reality this, the M11 and the M17/M18 schemes are the last bits of motorway probably needed to be built in this country bar dual carrigeway bypass of Galway City.



> €1bn Cork-Limerick motorway plan a step closer
> 
> Thursday, February 25, 2010
> 
> 
> 
> PLANS for one of the country’s longest and most expensive motorways linking Cork and Limerick will be lodged with An Bord Pleanála today.
> 
> 
> 
> The €1 billion M20 project features:
> 
> * 80 kilometres of dual divided motorway.
> 
> * 6km of dual carriageway.
> 
> * 45km of associated national, regional and local roads
> 
> * A motorway service area at Lissard, near Rathduff.
> 
> * 46 road bridges, eight river bridges and two railway bridges.
> 
> * 33 structures for land or farm access, and 36 major culverts.
> 
> Land values along the proposed route and construction costs have not been finalised. But the M3 from Clonee, west of Dublin, to Kells, which is 20km longer and due to open in July, will cost some €1bn.
> 
> The M20 will start at the existing Blarney junction and will remain online with the existing N20 to Mourneabbey. The proposed route will then veer east from the existing N20 passing east of Mallow and Buttevant. It will rejoin the existing N20 for about 2km at Velvetstown before again veering to the east.
> 
> It will cross the N20 just south of Ballyhea, pass west of Charleville and continue west of the existing N20 until the Croom bypass.
> 
> Most of the bypass will be reutilised as part of the new development and the new scheme will terminate near the existing junction at Attyflin, Co Limerick. An oral hearing on the proposed route will be held this summer and subject to funding, construction could start before the end of 2011. The project is being coordinated by Cork County Council and Limerick County Council, with the support of the National Roads Authority.
> 
> When the corridor scheme is complete, Cork and Galway will be linked by some 200km of motorway.


There is an incredible amount on online build for the scheme due to a having a ultra wide N20 in places. Chis uploaded these maps on boards.ie


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## transport21

The M7 Nenagh (J26) to Birdhill section is more or less complete, they are actually working flat out last week from what I saw. The lining truck was driving frantically up and down the motorway.



















J27









A river viaduct on the scheme taken by cnocboi


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## spacetweek

Comfortably Numb said:


> The UK should show E-routes too. Only fair.


It's interesting, because the approach to Euroroutes is opposite in Ireland and the UK. The UK originally said they might post them in the 1970s, and reserved a sign for it, but finally decided not to around a decade ago and scrapped the sign. 

In Ireland, we never said we were going to do it, but now we are!

That said, they aren't consistently signed anywhere in Ireland on any route, and there also isn't much point since we're an island, as people have pointed out. 



Chris_533976 said:


> Both  There are all sorts of corrupt planning deals going on in Ireland.
> 
> Case in point: A councillor rezoned a pile of land near Gorey that his mother owned, in full knowledge that CPOs for the Gorey bypass would be buying some of that land. His mother got rich off the taxpayer.


You're gonna need to give us a source for this.


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## odlum833

A map of M20 Cork Limercik scheme (90km's)

M20 Cork to Limerick Map


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## csd

*M6 pictures*

Folks,

Here are some pics of the M6/N6 taken on two occasions over the last four weeks. The start point is the beginning of the scheme at Ballinasloe, finishing up at the Galway terminus.

Ballinasloe East junction, heading west.









Ballinasloe West junction.









Motorway scene, west of Ballinasloe. The quality of the surface is excellent.us









Because of the relatively large distances between junctions, emergency access is provided at a number of locations through these locked gates, which link up with the local road network.









Between Ballinasloe and Athenry.









The scheme is peppered with these little M6 Route Confirmation Signs, which seems to be quite unique, as they're normally appended to the top of a combined distance/confirmation sign on other motorways in Ireland.









J16, Loughrea.









J17, Caughwell, with the M6 snaking away westwards in the distance.









Getting closer to Galway now.









Here is the site of the future J18 with the M17/M18 interchange. You can see the start of the diverge has been laid down as part of the M6 scheme.









...and here's the merge lane at the far side of the future J18. Having this built already will (hopefully) reduce the disruption to M6 traffic when the interchange is built.









1km from the end of the motorway section. I'm not sure all-green looks right here. Maybe a green patch on a blue background would be better to remind folks they're still on the motorway.









J19.









End of the motorway at J19. The scheme continues as the N6 until the junction with the existing Galway/Oranmore bypass.









Approaching the western terminus of the 57 km Galway - Ballinasloe scheme.









/csd


----------



## niterider

Superb quality surfacing! Excellent road. Only gripe would be route confirmation signs are still too small in Ireland - its hard to read the text & distances at high speed but I'm sure this will become more evident as the new M routes establish themselves.


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## ardmacha

> Only gripe would be route confirmation signs are still too small in Ireland - its hard to read the text & distances at high speed but I'm sure this will become more evident as the new M routes establish themselves.


This isn't really a problem, in my experience.


----------



## city_thing

How is motorway construction in Ireland going now that the economy isn't as red-hot as it was before? Has the Government ramped up construction as stimulus, or have they cut funds and postponed construction of projects?


----------



## csd

city_thing said:


> How is motorway construction in Ireland going now that the economy isn't as red-hot as it was before? Has the Government ramped up construction as stimulus, or have they cut funds and postponed construction of projects?


Apart from a small 5km bypass in Kerry, no new projects were started in 2009, and there'll probably be none started in 2010 either. Existing schemes to finish the so-called 'major inter-urban routes' (the MIUs) radiating from Dublin will be completed this year. The construction of the MIUs has burned through a large chunk of cash each year since about 2006, so once they're complete we might see a few schemes starting in 2011. These are likely to be built at least partly using private finance (so-called PPP schemes).

Some PPP schemes which may start include:

M17/M18 Gort to Tuam on the Atlantic Corridor
M11 Gorey - Enniscorthy and N25 New Ross bypass
M11 Arklow - Rathnew and N7 Newlands Cross grade separation

Other than that, there may be one or two small schemes started with government money, but the days of spending €1.5 bn/year of government money on roads are gone. The overall transport budget next year is likely to be half this figure, with at least half of it going on public transport improvements.

So no stimulus!

/csd


----------



## csd

*M1 Dublin - NI border*

Folks,

Here are some pics from the M1, starting at the exit for Dublin airport and finishing at the border with Northern Ireland (part of the UK). The road is motorway standard throughout, but a short (approx 10km) section north of Dundalk to the border is all-purpose dual carriageway. You can follow the locations using this map.

1. Heading north just after the start of the M1 (at the M50 interchange) we have the exit for Dublin airport. This section of road is currently being widened to allow two lanes to the airport.









2. The next interchange is only a few km up the road. This junction (3) was added after the road was opened, and provides south-facing slips only for access to/from the town of Swords.









3. Route Confirmation Sign with distances in km. From about 2007, Euroroute numbers have started appearing on these signs (but not yet on direction signs).









4. Advance direction signs are given 2km in advance of junctions.









5. An ITS system (Intelligent Transport System) has been installed on the M1. This provides journey times to/from Dublin, Drogheda, and Dundalk. Unfortunately the text isn't visible in this shot, but it's showing the journey times to Drogheda and Dundalk from here, a point just north of Dublin. This is the only Irish motorway with such a system.









6. In common with all the major inter-urban motorways (except the M9), the M1 is tolled for part of its route. The tolled part is the Drogheda bypass section between Junction 7 and Junction 10. It currently costs €1.90 for cars.









7. The mainline toll plaza on the M1, just north of J7. I'm in the express lane reserved for holders of electronic tags. Although the tolled sections are often operated by different companies, there is inter-working between each firm's tags.









8. The main feature on the M1 is the bridge over the River Boyne. This crosses the river near the site of the Battle of the Boyne, where James I was defeated by William of Orange in 1690.









9. North of Dundalk, the motorway is replaced by a dual carriageway. There is no difference in the standard of road, and the speed limit remains 120 km/h. The area on the left here is used for police/army checkpoints (we're within a km of the border here).









10. This is the last junction before the border. The sign is green as we're on a national route rather than a motorway at this point. The border actually straddles this interchange, with parts of the slip roads being in RoI and parts in NI. The red van/minibus visible parked on the opposite (southbound) carriageway is probably an RoI immigration check. They will stop buses and some taxis coming in from NI and check for illegal immigrants. The common travel area between UK and RoI is only in operation for British and Irish citizens, though in practice there's nowhere for anyone else to report to immigration unless stopped.









11. The border as viewed on the mainline. The international frontier is the point where the hard shoulder markings change from dashed to solid, and there is a reminder that speed limits change to mph. That's it!


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## transport21

Great photos csd. The Ballinsloe - Galway scheme is the best built scheme in the country. As another poster pointed out the road surface is excellent although other new schemes are now being laid with this type of wearing course. I wonder is there anyway we can find what type of wearing courses have been laid over the different schemes over the last number of years?. The only gripe with this is slippery conditions with ice and snow with less grip on the road.


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## odlum833

A further 34km section of the M9 Dublin to Waterford motorway opened today.:banana:




> *Further section of M9 between Dublin and Waterford opens*
> 
> 
> 
> TIM O'BRIEN
> 
> ANOTHER MILESTONE in the development of the Republic’s motorway network takes place this morning with the opening of the Knocktopher to Waterford section of the M9.
> 
> This new section of motorway allows for improved access to and from the city of Waterford via the new N25 Waterford city bypass at the southern end of the new road.
> 
> The opening leaves just one section, between Knocktopher and Carlow, of the M9 Dublin to Waterford motorway to be completed. This section is on schedule to open by the end of 2010.
> 
> However, the next inter-urban motorway to be completed is expected to be the M8, between Dublin and Cork. The final section of the M8, between Portlaoise and Cullahill, Co Laois, is ahead of schedule and expected to open in the third quarter of this year.
> 
> Today’s opening was initially expected some months ago but was delayed by inclement weather conditions.
> 
> The project came in on budget, at €274 million. The new road will link into the Waterford bypass road at Dunkitt, Co Kilkenny, and to the R699 at Knocktopher, also in Co Kilkenny. The road is expected to improve the road safety of, as well as enhance the quality of life for, residents of Knocktopher, Mullinavat and Ballyhale by eliminating through traffic. It is thought it will take about 20 minutes off the journey time between Dublin and Waterford, bringing the driving time to about two hours.
> 
> It will also improve the regional access to Kilkenny via the existing N10 and it is hoped it will act as a catalyst for investment in the southeast region.
> 
> Irish Times










Pics of the new motorway by Alpha2zulu on Boards.ie






alpha2zulu said:


> Just a couple of quick pics I grabbed today, quality isen't great.
> This is at Danesfort looking south, just as you enter the M9
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The reverse view,looking north at the N10 junction.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the approach to Knocktopher with the junction itself just visible in the distance and the road winding on to Waterford.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kind of hard to believe after all the delays and watching it being built for the past few years that its actually going to open tomorrow. It really is about as far from the old route in design terms as you could imagine. Its just a pity Ireland's biggest cycle lane closes today too!!
> Although the Waterford bypass and Suir bridge look the part, I really feel it will be this scheme that will have the largest positve effect on the south east over the years to come. There's been too many stories of potential investors in Waterford turning back to Dublin at Thomastown over the years. Hopefully it will allow the the re-birth of the by-passed villages on the route over time also.





Map


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## odlum833

> *Motorway from Nenagh to Birdhill opens early*
> TIM O'BRIEN
> 
> A 16KM section of the M7, south of the Nenagh bypass, was opened yesterday in advance of anticipated high volumes of bank holiday weekend traffic.
> 
> The move extends motorway standard road from Nenagh to Birdhill in Co Tipperary, and removes about 10,000 vehicles a day from a high collision location around Yellow Bridge.
> 
> The 16km is part of an overall 28km Nenagh to Limerick section of the M7 which was to have opened late last year. However, the project ran into difficulty in crossing the Annaholly Bog south of Birdhill in Co Tipperary, where pilings have been sinking.
> 
> As efforts continue to find a solution to the problem the National Roads Authority made a surprise announcement that it was opening the completed 16km of the road yesterday afternoon.
> 
> Barriers on a further 10km of the Nenagh bypass have also been removed, extending motorway standard road from Nenagh to Birdhill.
> 
> The authority said it expected a solution to the problem at Annaholly Bog would not delay the opening of the entire M7 by the end of the year.
> 
> Traffic heading southbound on the M7 will now filter on to the new stretch of motorway from the existing Nenagh bypass, which has recently been widened to two lanes in each direction.
> 
> Southbound traffic will rejoin the existing N7 via a roundabout and a slip road just north of the village of Birdhill.
> 
> On the northbound journey the route to the motorway from Birdhill will be signposted.
> 
> When completed, the full 28km project will link the Limerick Southern Ring Road with the existing Nenagh bypass.
> 
> There will be interchanges on the route at Newport Road, Birdhill, Carrigatogher and Thurles. Also included is a single carriageway link to the main road at Birdhill, and the now complete upgrading of 10km of the Nenagh bypass to dual carriageway standard. The contractor is Bothair Hibernian and it is being overseen by engineers RPS Scetaroute JV.
> 
> Yesterday’s opening now leaves just two sections of the M7 to be completed by the end of this year. These are a 12km section between Birdhill and the Limerick Southern Ring Road, and a 34km section between Castletown and Nenagh.
> 
> The Republic’s motorway network now extends from Galway on the west coast, via Dublin’s M50, to the Border with Northern Ireland. Motorways are almost complete between Dublin and the regional cities of Limerick, Cork and Waterford as well as between Limerick and Galway.



Mapped on OSM http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=52...layers=B000FTF


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## Chris_533976

Good to see this bit open, but that article is a little misleading - the road is actually a year late and the part through the bog (which is collapsing) isnt going to open for god knows how long.


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## sc4

Gotta love those Gaelic signboards....


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## csd

*M9 pictures*

Folks,

Here are some pics from the recently opened M9 Danesfort - Waterford section, taken on Sunday. Overall it appears to be a good-quality scheme, blighted by the stupid terminal junction and those unsafe parking areas.

The M9 stretches from the M7 near Newbridge to the N25 just outside Waterford and is toll-free throughout. 88 out of the route's 116 km are complete to motorway standard (with a 120 km/h speed limit), the remaining 28 km is due to open later in 2010.

Enjoy!

1. Here's the sliproad at the start of the motorway section, heading south at Danesfort.









2. Route confirmation sign soon after the start.









3. Bridge & cutting, with parking area ahead. Taken between Danesfort and Knocktopher.









4. Close-up of the parking area. The on- and off-slips aren't very long, and the plastic reflector strips offer no protection for those parked in these glorified laybys.









5. Approaching exit 10, heading south.









6. Approaching exit 10. 









7. Exit 10, for Knocktopher.









8. South of Knocktopher.









9. Approaching exit 11, Mullinavat.









10. Route confirmation and distance sign, south of exit 11.









11. Warning of another dangerous parking area ahead!









12. Nothing to stop a HGV careering into a parked car here...









13. Approaching the end of the motorway. Bizzarely, the M9 scheme doesn't connect directly to the N25 Waterford city bypass. Instead, traffic is dumped onto this roundabout, where it then must negotiate another roundabout at the N25 before being able to access Waterford city.









14. The terminal roundabout at the southern end of the M9, with the N25 Suir Bridge visible in the background. A short section of dual carriageway N9 remains to connect this roundabout to the N25 junction near the bridge.


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## transport21

The 22km of M18 under construction from Gort-Crusheen is going well lately. Some CBM has been laid on the southbound carriageway and only 4 more structures remain to be completed. It will tie-in with the Shannon-Ennis section of the M18 when completed and extend the length of the M18 to 44km. Shannon-Limerick is wide dual carriageway but not good enough for motorway restrictions.

Gort-Crusheen updates below:

I passed the scheme yesterday and given what a great morning it was took a few pics. Cragard hasnt change much since I passed over a month ago.










Lahardan overbridge is opened as previously mentioned. 









Looking south from Lahardan overbridge, the Crusheen LILO in the distance. 









Looking north from the Lahardan overbridge, some CBM layed on the southbound carriageway.










The Tubber-Crusheen overbridge which opened 2 months ago.









Looking south









Looking north, as you can see the CBM is varied and not layed all the way on the southbound carriageway









Looking south from Gortavoher Overbridge









Looking north









This is where were starting to see real progress on from Shanaglish overbridge towards the Gort interchange.

Here is a view of the mainline from the Shanaglish overbridge north









Looking south









Looking south from the Gort-Tubber overbridge and look whats in the distance on the RHS 









Looking north from the same overbridge









The mainline below the R460 looking north towards the Gort interchange









Looking south from the R460 overbridge










This is the end of the scheme. It's a local road just after the Gort interchange. It looks a though there will be no structure here instead there is a new local road being built off the second RAB on the gort junction to provide local access. 

The Gort interchange









And.......... look whats here a dead end pending on the next scheme to go to construction (Gort-Tuam PPP). Some of it will be used for northbound traffic to get onto the RAB via the LILO.


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## Highwaycrazy

transport21, Why do you call them 'overbridges'? The word is normally an 'Overpass'.


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## transport21

Highwaycrazy said:


> transport21, Why do you call them 'overbridges'? The word is normally an 'Overpass'.


In Ireland we usually refer to these structures as overbridges, it's on several road notices and local authority interactive brouchures. Other boards.ie users also refer to them as overbridges. Probably drilled into our heads at this stage not to name them anything else!! :lol:


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## ardmacha

It is a bridge and its goes over, the word overpass is American and is rarely used in Britain or Ireland, where the word flyover is more often used.


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## Highwaycrazy

ardmacha said:


> It is a bridge and its goes over, the word overpass is American and is rarely used in Britain or Ireland, where the word flyover is more often used.


Overbridge does not exist in the English dictionary, to my knowledge. Flyover is a little ambiguous. Flying over what? 

Overpass would be a little more understandable.


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## Suncoastsurplus

Taken from Wikipedia

An overpass (called a flyover in the UK Ireland and most British Commonwealth countries) is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway. An overpass structure is one that carries a higher capacity road above a lower capacity road, whereas a structure that permits a lower capacity road to travel above a larger capacity road is an underpass.Capacity is determined as either the number of lanes of travel provided or measured traffic count. In instances of actual or perceived equality between the traffic flows, the term structure can be used.

In North America, a flyover is a high-level overpass, built above main overpass lanes, or a bridge built over what had been an at-grade intersection. Traffic engineers usually refer to the latter as a grade separation. A flyover may also be an extra ramp added to an existing interchange, either replacing an existing cloverleaf loop (or being built in place of one) with a higher, faster ramp that bears left. Such a ramp may be built as a right or left exit.

A pedestrian overpass allows pedestrians safe crossing over busy roads without impacting traffic.

The world's first flyover was constructed in 1842 by the London and Croydon Railway at Norwood Junction railway station to carry its atmospheric railway vehicles over the Brighton Main Lin


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## csd

Folks,

Here are some shots of the open sections of the M7 Nenagh - Limerick scheme, starting north of Nenagh and finishing at the (temporary) terminus at Birdhill. The section between Nenagh and Birdhill is the latest section of Irish motorway to open. 

The section between Birdhill in Limerick has been held up because the newly-constructed motorway started collapsing into the bog in two location. There is currently no timeframe for when this will be fixed hno:

Enjoy!

/csd

1. We start off at the northern end of the scheme, where the junction is being remodelled in conjunction with the M7 Castletown to Nenagh scheme.









2. Approaching J25, which was newly constructed as part of the upgrade of the Nenagh Bypass from S2 to D2M.









3. J25. I have to say the road felt quite tight here passing the truck, with the centre barrier seemingly very close. You definitely notice the narrower (3.5m) lane width on these newer projects.









4. Nenagh bypass. You'd never know this was once S2. Note the Euroroute marker on the RCS.









5. Approaching J26 on the Nenagh bypass.









6. J26, Nenagh south. They must still be working on the centre barrier, as the motorway was down to one lane here.









7. On the Nenagh - Birdhill section, straight after J26, we're now on Ireland's newest (from an opening perspective) motorway.









8. The road passes just north of the Silvermine mountains, so the scenery is quite good.









9. Garda enforcement bay.









10. Cutting.









11. Overpass.









12. Approaching the Birdhill junction, we have another one of these dangerous parking bays. The signage here seems to imply that you're not allowed get out of your vehicle.









13. Approaching J27 (Birdhill).









14. End of the road, for now. Until the problem of the collapsing sections across the bog is solved, the motorway ends here. Note the advisory speed limits, which have black borders rather than the red used by compulsory limits.









15. A short section of S2 links the motorway back to the old N7 at Birdhill.


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## Nafianna

Hi all,

Here goes first post for me.


Great to see the progress at home. Photo's are great to see. What a pity it will all come to an end at the end of the year. 

M9 Waterford is amazing. I allways said it would be an amazing road with all the mountainous areas it traverses.

Does anyone have any photo's of the earthmoving works. would love to see what machines were used and who owned the machines. maybe you guys arent following this stuff so no worries. To get to road formation levels and to start constructing all those bridges on these projects, millions of m3 of earth has to be moved.

Also has crusheen opened yet. from last photo's it was very close.


thanks and keep up the photo's


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## Nafianna

What a pity about that bog area on the birdhill scheme. We have been lucky to date you might say with all the kms of motorway and dual carraigeway built to date without technical problems like this. It's funny that it was on the tender documents and the locals warned them about it and there advise maybe wasn't listened to.Now the road can't fully open. The nra are right. they aren't going to sign off until they know the foundation will work and will be able to carry the motorway over it.
contractors who i wont name mustn't have piled to a sufficient depth or else the slab was not sufficient for the loading. all piles should be driven until they hit a solid footing or else there can be problems. hopefully they can sort it out. you wouldn't wish that on anyone. similar piling and pile caps were used on newry to dundalk motorway and glen o the downs to carry the roadways over unstable ground, so it has been done before.

fingers crossed they sort it out.


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## Nafianna

Hows the M3 COMING ALONG NOW. SAW SOME PHOTO'S A FEW MONTHS AGO. WILL BE GREAT WHEN FINISHED. Imagine 60 odd kms through the meath countryside all the way to Cavan. CAN'T WAIT TO DRIVE IT.


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## dizee

Nafianna said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Here goes first post for me.


Hi and welcome to Skyscrapercity. :cheers:


Nafianna said:


> Great to see the progress at home. Photo's are great to see. What a pity it will all come to an end at the end of the year.


Yeah we have come such a long way in the past few years. It'll be great to have the inter-urbans to Dublin finished. Let's just hope the PPP process is recession-proof enough to see starts on the M20 and M17/18 (they are inter-urban too after all ).

Oh and if you don't already know about it boards.ie's infrastructure forum is another great place for Irish motorway updates.


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## transport21

Nafianna said:


> Also has crusheen opened yet. from last photo's it was very close.


Gort-Crusheen will open in late July or during the month of August most likely.


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## Chris_533976

Unofficial plan is for Galway Races 2010, end of July I believe.


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## odlum833

> *Originally Posted by Irish Times*
> 
> 
> *Final part of Cork M8 to open in June*
> 
> TIM O'BRIEN
> 
> The final section of the M8 motorway to Cork, and the M3 motorway past the Hill of Tara in Co Meath are to open in time for the June bank holiday weekend.
> 
> The two schemes will add to the Republic's fledgling motorway network make it possible to travel on motorways from the outskirts of Cork via Dublin's M50 and the M1, to the Border with Northern Ireland.
> 
> It will also be possible to travel on Motorways from Cork to the Meath / Cavan border north of Kells. Motorway is already open from east coast to the west coast via the M4/M6. Motorways from Dublin to Limerick and from Dublin to Waterford are set to be completed later this year.
> 
> The National Roads Authroity announced yesterday the final stretch of the M8, the wishbone shaped Portlaoise to Cullahill scheme, will open on May 28th. It will be followed by the controversial M3 motorway on June 4th.
> 
> There will be two tolls on each route and both will be open in time for the forthcoming June Bank Holiday.
> 
> The opening of the €405m Portlaoise to Cullahill scheme completes the State's investment of almost €2.6 billion on the entire 250km route from Dublin's M50 to Cork's Dunkettle interchange. The cost works out at about €10.4 million a kilometre
> 
> The 40km Y-shaped section will take Cork-bound traffic from the existing Portlaoise bypass to the existing M8 at Cullahill. It will also take Limerick-bound traffic from the Portlaoise bypass to Castletown, where remaining sections of the M7 Limerick motorway are under construction.
> 
> The route will bypass the towns of Abbeyleix, Durrow and Cullahill in Co Laois and is expected to cut the journey time from the M50 to Dunkettle by as much as 45 minutes.
> 
> At 250km, it should be possible to drive from the Red Cow and Dunkettle in about two hours and 30 minutes, allowing for lower speed limits along sections such as Newlands Cross in Dublin.
> 
> The 60km M3 motorway from Clonee on the Meath Dublin border to the Meath Cavan border provoked controversy, legal challenge and some direct action protests because of its route which passes through the Gabhra Valley between the hills of Tara and Skryne.
> 
> The route comes within one kilometre of the Hill at a point where a motorway interchange with the existing N3 occurs. Complaints about the process which permitted the destruction of a national monument were also made to the EU, some of which are on-going.
> 
> The route is expected to greatly ease peak time traffic between Kells and Dublin bypassing the towns of Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells.
> 
> The scheme includes a 4kilometre bypass of Kells on the N52 and 35 kilometres of Side roads. Also includes were two railway bridges, making provision for the reopening of the Dublin to Navan rail line.
> 
> The M3 was built as a single scheme, under a public private partnership and cost EUR1bn including land costs. It has taken some three years to construct. The contractor was M3 Motorway JV, a consortium involving Ferrovial, Siac and Budimex.
> 
> There will be two tolls on each route. The M8 will feature a new toll on the Portlaoise to Cullahill section, costing €1.80 for a passenger car. This is in addition to the existing toll of EUR1.90 on the route at Fermoy.
> 
> The M3 will feature two toll plazas, one at the Clonee end of the route, the other at Kells. The charge will be €1.30 for a passenger car at each toll.


...


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## Highwaycrazy

I believe the Motor/Road Tax Irish drivers pay is deplorable, considering the road maintenance on rural/regional/secondary roads. New motorways are tolled on top of this, gasoline is also taxed. How do Irish drivers feel about the value they get for their money?


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## transport21

Highwaycrazy said:


> How do Irish drivers feel about the value they get for their money?


Bad value for money really taking into account most regional, national secondary and local roads are covered in potholes. Realistically the car tax does not go directly towards road repair but to the regional councils to choose whatever they want to do with it. Allocation of funds towards road repairs this year is very low in comparison to the last few years. National primary roads have improved but there is still many poor ones remaining.

More photos now this time the N18 Limerick Tunnel bypass which is due to open in June, open day for the tunnel is june 19th.

Looking towards the offramp of junction 2









Zoomed in to get a view of the ADS. No enough entry to motorway signs ahead hno:









Full view of the N18 heading eastbound from junction 2


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## ChrisZwolle

The motorway construction scheme of, say, the last 10 - 12 years is impressive though. There was a lot of catching up to do, but for a country the size of Ireland, the current and near-future system of motorways is not bad at all.


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## transport21

ChrisZwolle said:


> The motorway construction scheme of, say, the last 10 - 12 years is impressive though. There was a lot of catching up to do, but for a country the size of Ireland, the current and near-future system of motorways is not bad at all.


Yeah there has been a dramatic change in the amount of motorways now covering the country, per head of population Ireland will have the 6th densest motorway network in Europe by end 2010. See graph below. As you can see some change from 1996 to 2010!!









*Km of motorway, per million inhabitants, 1996 and 2010*


With the PPP's hopefully going ahead and all built before 2015 I doubt Ireland will ever require any more new motorways builds, only just widened schemes near Dublin like the M1 to 3 lanes. 

Without the PPP's built we are still left with poor road on 30% of the Limerick-Galway N18 route and almost 90% of the Limerick-Cork route will be single carriageway. 

I should also point out though the M17/M18 will likely get built as the EIB are backing the project and have loaned out E170 million. This project is due to start construction early next year and will probably be the only motorway under construction as the MUI's should all be completed by end of this year. So that would have Limerick-Galway-Tuam linked by motorway/dc standard road.



> N17-N18 Gort to Tuam PPP Motorway
> 
> Date of entry
> 23/02/2010
> 
> Proposed EIB finance
> Up to EUR EUR 170 million.
> 
> Total cost
> EUR 530 million
> 
> Status
> Approved - 11/05/2010.


Other national routes will be built 2+2 or reduced dual carriageway (ie no hard shoulder and wire rope for the median). These are just as crucial as th motorway network, the likes of the N21, N17, N4, N5, N25, N22, N15, N16, N24 are in poor condition in most sections and need many bypasses. Many of these wont get built as there is no funds available even though there is a few in the CPO stage.


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## transport21

Jomcc posted up a few pictures of the M7/M8 scheme due to open on May 28th. It will complete the dual carriagrway/motorway standard link from Dublin-Cork. Part of the road is also the M7 to Limerick.



































Bridge over Dublin-Cork railway in background.










Also an article on the motorway network. 8 million per km not bad by european standard on the cheaper side.





> THE CONSTRUCTION of motorways linking Dublin with other cities has cost €8 billion, with €5.3 billion coming from the exchequer, according to research by the National Roads Authority.
> 
> With routes linking the capital with Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford due for completion by the end of the year, NRA chief executive Fred Barry called for a multi-year plan to upgrade the remaining two-thirds of the national road network, mostly single carriageway routes.
> 
> “An awful lot of the remaining roads are in very poor shape” and local communities are calling for resolutions to local traffic and road safety problems.
> 
> “Without a plan we will have a continuing free-for-all where everyone insists their problem is the worst in the country and should have priority and a section here or there gets approval.”
> 
> With uncertainty over the level of State funding available in the short term, Mr Barry said adding tolls to existing roads to raise money for route upgrades was a possibility, but stressed this was a decision for government.
> 
> There are currently six tolls on the five interurban motorways.
> 
> “Whether the Government prefers to raise the money through tolls or taxes – even money from Europe started as taxes – is up to them. But ultimately the user ends up paying.”
> 
> With the motorways almost complete the NRA has details on the final cost of the projects and has produced estimates of expected benefits.
> 
> Of the €8 billion overall cost, €1.46 billion , or 18.5 per cent of the total, was spent acquiring more than 7,800 hectares required for the 1,000km of motorway.
> 
> EU structural and cohesion funding provided €800 million while private sector investment, through tolls or public private partnerships, contributed €1.3 billion.
> 
> A further €120 million was spent on archaeological work, accounting for 1.5 per cent of the total.
> 
> Construction costs totalled €5.4 billion, or 69 per cent. Planning and design fees came to €240 million while VAT payments accounted for €620 million.
> 
> Mr Barry said between 2005 and 2007 land prices “got completely out of kilter” but despite this the average cost per kilometre for the motorways was €8 million, which he said was “at the low end” of road-building costs in western Europe.
> 
> The NRA estimates the direct economic benefits of the motorway network at €24 billion, based on net present value, which is an estimate of all benefits now and into the future minus the cost.
> 
> In this calculation the biggest impact was in time savings coupled with fewer fatal and serious injury collisions.
> 
> This year the NRA was allocated €44 million to maintain national routes, a figure Mr Barry believes is less than half that required


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## odlum833

Furet took loads of pictures today of the new M7/8 motorway - the final stretch between Dublin and Cork/Dublin and Limerick. The M7 section is due to open on the 27th of May:banana:




Furet said:


> M/way ahead sign J3:
> 
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> Planting at J3:
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> Very heavy planting at J3:
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> M8 concrete barrier reflector:
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> 
> M8 mainline on J3:
> 
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> 
> View of J3 roundabout from the mainline:
> 
> 
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> 
> J3 onslip (southbound):
> 
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> 
> Deep M8 attenuation pond (I think) west of Ballacolla:
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> M8 mainline west of Ballacolla:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As above:
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> More M8 mainline:
> 
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> 
> 
> Last view of M8 before interchange west of Ballacolla:




More...



Furet said:


> M7 Route Confirmation Signage:
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> M7 looking east from overbridge on L1612:
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> 
> As above, looking to Limerick:
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> Signage on R435:
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> Start of M7 at Borris0in-Ossory:
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> 
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> 
> Same view, enlarged:
> 
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> 
> That's it!





Furet said:


> M7 westbound west of Ballacolla:
> 
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> 
> M7 towards the interchange west of Ballacolla:
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> Interchange looking to Dublin:
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> As above:
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> View across all lanes from overbridge:
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> 
> Gantry:




Thanks Furet!:cheers:


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## Kulla

Great pics thanks for posting them here aswell odlum833:cheers:


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## Furet

Here are the rest:

Topsoil for landscaping just off the N8 700m north of Cullahill roundabout:









Planting at side of first overbridge north of Cullahill roundabout. Mostly hawthorn and birch:









View of M8 northwards from that first overbridge:









View south to Cullahill roundabout from same bridge:









M8 looking south from second overbridge west of Cullahill:









View north from same position:









Third M8 overbridge, looking south:









And north...









Same picture zoomed:









M8 looking north from near Cannonswood Cross:


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## Furet

View south from Cannonwood Cross:









M8 looking north 2km south of J3:









Same view:









Same view, but note very heavy planting:









ADS:



























Junction 3 cantilever:









M8 route confirmation signage southbound, J3:









ADS approaching J3 from south:


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## nordisk celt83

Great pictures Furet. Thanks for sharing them. I know coastal dwellers often give the midlands/interior of the country a hard time, but the undulating slopes of Laois and the south midlands are looking well in these pictures. (I don't think I could ever bring myself to say the same about the M4/6 to Galway; utterly depressing)
Good to see some landscaping as well. I wonder if any credit for this can be given to Laois County Council?? Along with Louth, they seem to be one of the few counties that places any significant emphasis on maintaining the roads adequately. (in the mid-east anyway)


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## Highwaycrazy

odlum833 said:


> Planting at side of first *overbridge* north of Cullahill roundabout.


Odlum, no such word exists in the English dictionary... 

Good pictures.


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## transport21

Highwaycrazy said:


> Odlum, no such word exists in the English dictionary...
> 
> Good pictures.


See *Here*


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## odlum833

> *New era as motorway opens*
> 
> Published Date: 26 May 2010
> By Staff Reporter
> 
> THE long era of traffic torment for a host of Laois towns and local people will come to an end this week when the M7/M8 motorways open for business.
> 
> An Taoiseach Brian Cowen will be on hand this Friday to cut the ribbon on the final section of the M8 motorway to Cork and the Laois section of the M7 Dublin to Limerick road. The new roads will connect to the existing Portlaoise by-pass and remove a number of notorious traffic bottlenecks in Laois.
> 
> While there have been worries over the business impact, the opening will have an immediate effect for many towns. Abbeyleix, Durrow and Cullahill will be bypassed on the Cork Road while there will also be relief for Mountrath and Borris-in-Ossory. Apart from Portlaoise, Rathdowney will now be the closest Laois town to a motorway exit.
> 
> The opening of the €405m Portlaoise to Cullahill scheme completes the State's investment of almost €2.6 billion on the entire 250km route from Dublin to Cork's. The cost works out at about €10.4 million a kilometre.
> 
> The M8 will feature a new toll on the Portlaoise to Cullahill section, costing €1.80 for a passenger car. This is in addition to the existing toll of €1.90 on the route at Fermoy.
> 
> According to Ian McCormack, SEO Economic Development & County Promotion with Laois County Council, "The opening of the motorway will improve the transport link between Dublin and Cork, reduce traffic intensity in our towns and villages and will improve safety, traffic organisation, and travelling conditions for all road users".
> 
> "It will also make Laois more accessible. It will be an element from an economic and tourism perspective in maximising the potential of the county in terms of its geographical location," he said.
> 
> "It will also help to create conditions to promote sustainable economic development in the county and broaden the county’s economic base and help to present the county as a place capable of attracting inward investment," he concluded.
> 
> The M7 all the way to Limerick is due to be finished later this year.


http://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/New-era-as-motorway-opens.6319098.jp





From tomorrow Dublin - Cork will be full motorway.


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## ardmacha

> Odlum, no such word exists in the English dictionary...


Of course it exists, not only in Wikipedia but in the definitive  English dictionary.

This is second time that this nonsense about overbridge has been posted.




> From tomorrow Dublin - Cork will be full motorway.


Not quite true, but the N7 section near Dublin is very close to motorway standard.


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## Furet

The M8 has a new Facebook Fanpage here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/M7-mo...es/M8-motorway-Ireland/131113886902670?ref=ts

"Like" it to keep updated and get lots of pictures.

Same for the M7 here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/M7-mo...es/M7-motorway-Ireland/130120943666961?ref=ts


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## Furet

Also some good footage of the new M7/M8 motorway here: http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0528/transport_av.html?2762293,null,230


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## etchy

spacetweek said:


> Actually on Irish roads we usually use American terms -
> "Median" instead of Central reserve
> "On/offramps" instead of slip roads
> "Interchange" or "Exit" instead of junction


Sorry to drag this up again but I don't really think we do in all cases.

You may be right about median but I'm not too sure. 
Onramp and offramp, definitely not. I've never heard anyone refer to them as anything but slip roads.
And interchange, nope. Exit is common but the overall structure is generally referred to as a junction, particularly in conjunction with junction numbers.


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## csd

*Pics from the new M7/M8*

Boys and girls,

Here are some photos of a trip southbound along the Cork leg, taken today.

Enjoy,

/csd

PS
"Overbridge" certainly is a word in the English language, and has been used in railway engineering circles in the UK and Ireland for decades. 

1. Approaching the old N8 exit for Cork, they've updated the signage to reflect the opening of the new motorway.









2. Approaching the old end of the motorway, with Cork now signed straight ahead.









3. RCS after the Mountrath junction at the start of the new section.









4. Warning of the toll plaza.









5. Toll plaza. I'm in the express lane, which is compatible with all tags. €1.80 for cars.









6. Plenty of advance warning for the Cork exit; the signs start at 4km out.









7. Here's the gantry at 1km. The VMS in the background says "Welcome to Ireland's newest motorway/Drive carefully".









8. The slip for the M8 exit runs for about 500 metres. Should be long enough if you've been paying attention to any of the previous signs.









9. Diverge point.









10. We're now on the M8. Shortly after the M7 split, there is signage in English and Irish warning that there are no online services, but offline services are available in 20km, 60km, and 100km. A motorway service area for the M8 is part of Tranche 2 of the MSAs, so hopefully online services will be built next year when some money should become available as the major programme of building the inter-urban motorways will be finished.









11. Approaching junction 3, for Abbeyleix. Junction 2 was never built.









12. RCS after J3. The M8 is also designated the E201.









13. This layby is not designated for parking; the sign reads "Garda only" and there's a gate available to close off access.









14. Cutting section of the M8.









15. End of the new section. The tie-in with the Cullahill - Cashel section is just around this bend. The temporary access to the old N8 has been removed.


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## Highwaycrazy

csd said:


> PS
> "Overbridge" certainly is a word in the English language, and has been used in railway engineering circles in the UK and Ireland for decades.


No its not. I have yet to find it in an English paperback Dictionary. Wikipedia or the equivalent is not an English dictionary because anyone can edit or add words of their own.

Some people invent words of their own but that doesn't mean they form part of a language.


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## Comfortably Numb

Awesome roads.


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## Catmalojin

Courtesy of YouTube (not mine!) -

Dublin to Cork (M7/M8):






Galway to Dublin (M6/M4, also includes a bit of the M50 Dublin ringroad):






Both are available in HD.


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## odlum833

> *M50's €1bn upgrade to be completed by next month*
> 
> 
> 
> Thursday August 12 2010
> 
> THE four-year €1bn upgrade of Dublin's M50 will be finished next month, road bosses promised yesterday.
> 
> Once the country's most notorious traffic jam, with 16km tailbacks not uncommon, the National Roads Authority (NRA) will announce the completion of the massive upgrading project in the coming weeks.
> 
> Gone are the hated toll booths and the Mad Cow Roundabout, both replaced with barrier-free tolling and free-flow interchanges.
> 
> Junctions
> 
> Four lanes of motorway now run on each carriageway along the 31km route, and 10 junctions have been replaced.
> 
> The massive upgrading project is now in its final stages, the NRA said yesterday, with most of the mainline carriageway now fully complete.
> 
> This year has seen upgrading of five interchanges -- at Ballymun, Ashbourne/Finglas, M3 Blanchardstown, N81 Tallaght and Scholarstown/Firhouse -- with the final piece of the jigsaw, the M3, to be finished at the end of the month.
> 
> NRA spokesman Sean O'Neill has previously referred to the upgrading works as being like "doing open heart surgery on someone going to work". This was because the motorway was rebuilt underneath the wheels of 100,000 cars using the motorway every day, while all the time keeping traffic moving.
> 
> "The M50 was the Achilles' heel of the network; if there was a problem people felt it everywhere," he said.
> 
> "The final section of the M50 will be finished at the end of the month. We are approaching the finish line, believe it or not. Hopefully we will have a definitive date at the end of the month."
> 
> The M50 Dublin bypass was first proposed in the 1970s but not until 1990 -- when the private sector built the bridge over the Liffey Valley and introduced a tolling system -- was it complete. A plan to make all interchanges freeflow was rejected because of the high cost, put at €63m.
> 
> However, just 15 years later, the road was in trouble. There wasn't enough capacity and the junctions were overloaded, meaning motorists had to queue to get on to the road and the toll plaza was forcing motorists to wait up to an hour for the privilege of paying the toll.
> 
> The upgrading project was approved by An Bord Pleanala in 2005, and it included the introduction of a barrier-free tolling system, which generates €80m a year in fees.
> 
> The AA welcomed the news yesterday.
> 
> "It is a magnificent piece of infrastructure and the city badly needed it," spokesman Conor Faughnan said.
> 
> Revitalised
> 
> "Just a few years ago traffic congestion was strangling the city, particularly on the south side. With the recession traffic volumes have dropped a bit, but the revitalised M50 has made a big difference.
> 
> "The only blot is the AA's ongoing complaint that the tolling devalues the M50. We were of the view at the time that rather than install a barrier-free system, they should have allowed it to become a toll-free system.
> 
> "It raises €80m but costs €20m to run. The presence of the toll does deter traffic from using it. That's particularly the case for people commuting on it. It could be €10 a week in tolls, and they're still turning up in places like Blanchardstown and the Phoenix Park to avoid it," Mr Faughnan added.
> 
> - Paul Melia
> 
> Irish Independent


Independent.ie


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## CairnsTony

That's great news. I'm hoping to get back to Ireland next year to visit family; it will be interesting to take a look at this and a few of the other schemes that have been opened in the last few years. I bet I won't recognise the place!


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## odlum833

These pics taken by JBK on boards of new M9 section.



JBK said:


> M9 heading north just before Junction 8 - Kilkenny
> 
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> 
> M9 heading south just after Junction 8 - Kilkenny
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> M9 Heading south at Nore river bridge
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> M9 Nore river bridge
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> 
> N10 Kilkenny to M9 link road taken from farmer over bridge. M9 runs from left (Dublin) to right (Waterford) in foreground


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## csd

*Approaching Dublin from the west (M4 & M6)*










Folks,

Here's a series of photos of the M6 and M4, from near Rochfortbridge in Co Offaly to just outside the city centre.

1. Between Rochfortbridge and Kinnegad, the M6 through a peat bog. This peat is cultivated and used in power stations and for domestic heating.









2. Newer motorways have these low-specification parking areas along the mainline. They seem quite dangerous to me, but since the National Roads Authority has been slow to provide proper service areas, I guess they're better than nothing.









3. Nice weather today.









4. Motorway junctions are signed 2km, 1km, and 500m in advance, as well as at the exit itself. We're approaching Kinnegad and the M4 here.









5. Located between the 1km and 500m advance signs, this one shows info on the towns bypassed by the approaching tolled M4.









6. Junctions are signed like this or using overhead signs.









7. This is at the M4/M6 split: the M4 is carried over the M6 on this bridge.









8. The M6 has priority through the junction eastbound; here we see the M4 merging on the left.









9. Won't be long till we're in Dublin city!









10. SOS phone.









11. Three motorway service areas are currently under construction on behalf of the NRA, two on the M1 and this one near Enfield on the M4, which is due to open in October.









12. Fuel prices will be displayed using this sign.









13. The exit sliproad to the service area is still under construction.









14. Taken from a nearby overbridge, here's a view of the service area, currently under construction.









15. Shortly after the MSA, the junction for Enfield approaches.









16. Enfield junction. Notice the toll booths on the exit ramp. Since we haven't gone through the mainline toll plaza at this point, the exit here has its own toll collection facilities.









17. Route confirmation and distance sign at Enfield.









18. Approaching the mainline toll plaza.









19. At €2.90 for a car, the Kilcock - Kinnegad section of the M4 is the most expensive section of tolled motorway in the country (apart from the M50 Dublin port tunnel).









20. Express lane for tag holders on the right.









21. East of the toll plaza, approaching the end of the tolled section which runs from Enfield to Kilcock.









22. 500m advance sign for the Kilcock exit.









23. We're now on the Maynooth bypass, the earliest section of the M4 to open.









24. The verge planting is well established on this section, which is 16 years old.









25. Maynooth exit.









26. Traffic gets heavier as we approach Dublin city.









27. Leixlip is host to a huge Intel factory, which paid for this exit off the M4.









28. Only 20km from the city centre now.









29. End of motorway in 2km. The road continues as the N4 after this.









30. Leixlip east was the only exit for this town until Intel paid for junction 6 to be built.









31. End of motorway is right here under the bridge for J5, but where have the End of Motorway signs gone? Speed limit drops to 80 km/h here too, and the road continues as the N4.









32. We gain two lanes here, a bus lane and a general traffic lane. The direction signage changes from blue to green to signify we're now on a national route that does not have motorway restrictions.









33. Overhead gantries.


















34. No hard shoulder here -- we get a bus lane instead.









35. This section was upgraded last year from 2x2 to 2x3 lanes.









36. Eastern Lucan exit.









37. Approaching Liffey Valley, a huge shopping mall.


















38. Exit 1 is for the M50, Dublin's bypass and the busiest road in the country.









39. The interchange with the M50 was upgraded to be fully free-flowing as part of the recent upgrade works. Previously there was a signal controlled roundabout on the N4, which led to heavy congestion.









40. Not a good place for a bus stop!









41. We're heading for the city centre, so middle lanes for us!









42. Just before we pass over the M50, the M50 northbound to N4 eastbound ramp merges on the right.









43. This bridge was part of the original roundabout junction, and was incorporated into the new interchange design.









44. We're east of the M50 now, and the M50 southbound to N4 eastbound slip road merges in from the left.









45. This section of about 1 km has traffic lights and a 60 km/h limit.


















46. Approaching Chapelizod now.









47. Chapelizod bypass, where the limit increases to 80 km/h. This section has a bus lane (hence the solid white line on the left), and because it's the main approach to the city from the west, can see 2 km long tailbacks in morning rush hour or when events are being staged in the city.


















48. End of the Chapelizod bypass, at Ballyfermot. Back down to 60 km/h and more traffic lights.









49. Speed limit is 50 km/h now, and lots more traffic lights await us. The main Dublin - Cork railway line is behind the wall on the right.









50. End of our trip, at the junction with the south circular road.


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## Catmalojin

Brilliant photographs, csd. Thanks!


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## geogregor

Great photos. Would be nice if we could get such detailed photo-trips for other Irish motorways.


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## CairnsTony

Wonderful stuff. I was right when I said before I wouldn't recognise the place!


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## 896334

Superb, especially the original section of M4 which is looking nice now with the trees and hedges alongside. It will be nice when most of the network is looking in the same sort of way, making journeys more pleasant than they often are now, with some of the newer schemes simply leaving huge banks of earth either side of the motorway with little consideration for landscaping.

Also good to see how the improvements have affected the N4 on the approach to the M50, the network around Dublin now must be pretty much sorted, I keep meaning to go over to that area myself and check it out, the only time I'm over in Ireland is down in the south west around Limerick and Cork...


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## nordisk celt83

Great photos csd, thanks for sharing them!!!


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## nordisk celt83

^^
Mapguy

From what I can gather the motorway ringroad around Dublin including the motorways (M1/M2/M3/M4/M/N7 and M11 *they don't all seem to be mapped above*) flowing into it are functioning rather well. (with the exception of the M7, which increases to a 6-8 lane non-motoroway status N7 on approach to Dublin with traffic lights at its end near the m50)

You're right about landscaping too. It's one of the reasons why I dislike the above motorway above all others.
Although, landscaping in general is disgraceful on some of the newer sections of Irish motorways, with little evidence that they are trying to resolve this problem. Many say it's a waste of money, but fail to see that it gives off a negative impression of the country to be both tourists and prospective investors alike. So, in trying to save a few cents now, in the long-term it could have negative repercussions for Irish tourism and the economy as a whole. 

Also, the south-west of the country is a good choice!!! Not the cities mind you, but some great spots down there nonetheless...


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## nordisk celt83

And oh, besides poor landscaping is grim for the driver!!!


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## 896334

nordisk celt83 said:


> You're right about landscaping too. It's one of the reasons why I dislike the above motorway above all others.
> Although, landscaping in general is disgraceful on some of the newer sections of Irish motorways, with little evidence that they are trying to resolve this problem. Many say it's a waste of money, but fail to see that it gives off a negative impression of the country to be both tourists and prospective investors alike. So, in trying to save a few cents now, in the long-term it could have negative repercussions for Irish tourism and the economy as a whole.


I agree, there's nothing worse than driving for hours on plain, uninspiring motorways, surrounded by banks of mud. Whilst many of the motorways in Ireland pass through some stunning scenery (see the M8 through the Galtee Mts) there are others like the M6 further north that pass through the comparitively flat Midlands and with no landscaping it gives the impression the project has been a bit of a half-finished job which is a shame. Over time though even without the landscaping work things will improve. I imagine most of the banks/cuttings will have grass on them next year at least, just need to let nature get on with its work!



nordisk celt83 said:


> Also, the south-west of the country is a good choice!!! Not the cities mind you, but some great spots down there nonetheless...


Yeah got some relatives down there, though I haven't been down since this time last year which is annoying, especially with all the new stretches of motorway opening this year. Beautiful scenery, and it also gave me a chance to have a look at the N22 and N25 around the south and east of Cork. I remember there being talk of the N22 being reclassified as a motorway past Ballincollig, it's definately up to standard, though the following stretch of N25 could probably do with some work, and the junction with the M8/N8 after the Jack Lynch tunnel needs sorting in a similar way to the junctions on the M50 before any upgrade is considered. I suppose if they end up doing the northern and western section once the M20 is (eventually) done then an upgrade to motorway must surely be the right way to go.


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## odlum833

nordisk celt83 said:


> ^^
> Mapguy
> 
> From what I can gather the motorway ringroad around Dublin including the motorways (M1/M2/M3/M4/M/N7 and M11



Here is a more up to date map

http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.19&lon=-7.053&zoom=9&layers=M


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## 896334

Thanks Odlum, that looks superb, I guess the map publishers are having a hard time keeping up with all the new sections opening all the time!

One question I do have, and that is about the M20. What's the latest news on that one? Looking at the map, it's the last real link left to be done and having seen some of the sections of the N20, it's definately needed as soon as possible.


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## odlum833

Yes Mapguy - I have not been able to buy an up to date map of Ireland for 10 years!hno:


Big news today for the Dublin Ring Motorway




> *TRANSFORMATION OF THE M50 MOTORWAY COMPLETED WITHIN BUDGET AND FOUR MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE - FINAL SECTION OPENS TODAY, WEDNESDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER*
> 
> 
> 
> The Minister for Transport, Mr. Noel Dempsey, T.D., will today open the completed 32km M50 Upgrade Scheme that has transformed the M50 from a two-lane heavily congested road with toll barriers and signaled interchanges into a modern free-flowing motorway that has reduced journey times by up to 50%. The upgraded M50 has resulted in shorter, more reliable and safer journeys that improve commuters' quality of life, increase efficiency for businesses and help Dublin to be more competitive in order to attract more foreign inward investment. The one billion euro project was carried out over four and a half years, in the midst of 100,000 moving vehicles per day and was completed four months ahead of schedule. The final section of the upgraded M50 Motorway, the new and improved Junction 6 (N3 Blanchardstown Interchange), will open to traffic at 5.30pm this evening, Wednesday 1st September.
> 
> "This upgrade scheme will future proof the M50 by helping to reduce traffic congestion and providing very significant time savings for hard pressed motorists," said Mr. Noel Dempsey, T.D., Minister for Transport. "I particularly thank the regular M50 motorists for their patience during the construction phase of this project. It was not easy for anyone as this huge engineering project got underway and I think you will agree that the upgrade has made a real difference and was worth the wait. This investment and the billions more that we are spending on the provision of world class transport infrastructure is helping to boost our national competitiveness. This Government will continue to invest in transport because we are committed to having the proper infrastructure in place to make the most of our economic recovery."
> 
> "The transformation of the M50 has dramatically improved the daily commuting experience for every road user in and around Greater Dublin. The M50 Upgrade has proven its value to the entire national network by fulfilling its role as the key motorway hub linking Greater Dublin with the major Interurban Network, benefitting all strategic traffic from wherever they are travelling. It truly is the backbone of our national roads network," said Mr. Peter Malone, Chairman, National Roads Authority. "I congratulate all those who contributed to the planning, design and construction of the M50 Upgrade; it was a highly challenging project that is in an engineering and construction triumph. The entire M50 project could not have been accomplished if it were not for the patience and support of the general public and the dedication of all national and local governmental organisations, including South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council, Dublin City Council, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, the National Roads Authority, the Department of Transport and the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, TD."
> 
> "The M50 Motorway is now amongst the highest quality modern road infrastructure in Europe and we in M50 Concession Ltd are very proud to have helped deliver such an important venture that enhances Ireland's economic and social development and improves the quality of life for road users," said Mr. Javier Galera, General Manager, M50 Concession Ltd.
> 
> The M50 Upgrade Scheme comprises:-
> 
> Widening of 32km of motorway from two to three-lane standard in each direction between Junction 3 (M1) and Junction 14 (Sandyford)
> 
> An additional fourth auxiliary lane in each direction between Junction 3 (M1) and Junction 12 (Scholarstown)
> 
> Full free-flow interchange at four junctions Jct 3 (M1), Jct 5 (N2 Ashbourne/Finglas), Jct 7 (N4 Palmerstown), Jct 9 (N7 Red Cow)
> 
> Partial free-flow interchange at six other junctions Jct 4 (Ballymun), Jct 6 (N3 Blanchardstown), Jct 10 (Ballymount), Jct 11 (N81 Tallaght), Jct 12 (Scholarstown), Jct 14 (Sandyford)
> 
> Removal of the West-Link toll plaza to provide barrier free tolling
> 
> Establishing a segregated corridor for Luas at Jct 9 (N7 Red Cow), thus removing the need for traffic and trams to cross each other.
> 
> The removal of the West-Link Toll Plaza and its replacement with a fully electronic barrier-free tolling system was a crucial element of the strategy for easing congestion on Ireland's busiest roadway allowing drivers to travel unencumbered at the legal speed limit along the M50. As we reach the second anniversary of the commencement of barrier-free tolling, traffic volumes on the toll section are approaching an average of 100,000 vehicles per day, equating to2.9 million transactions being processed per month.
> 
> Since the commencementof e-flow over 3 million individual vehicles have used the system. Almost 75% of trips on the toll section of the M50 are by motorists who have opened a toll account with 60% of customers having an electronic tag account and 15% availing of the video account option. The account option allowsmotorists to avail of lower toll rates than available for motorists who choose not to have an account. The revenue raised through e-flow tolling is being used to fund the M50 motorway upgrade costs along with the future operation and maintenance costs of the road.
> 
> The M50 Upgrade Scheme was funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan and Transport 21 and was delivered through the National Roads Authority's PPP mechanism.
> 
> The NRA appointed M50 Construction Ltd as the PPP partner to deliver Contract 2, to upgrade 24km of motorway between Jct 3 and Jct 6 and between Jct 10 and Jct 14, and operating and maintaining the full M50 Motorway from Jct 3 to Jct 17 for 35 years, until 2042. M50 Concession Ltd is a Joint Venture that comprises of Spanish Infrastructure Developers Global Via Infraestructuras S.A. (GVI) and Sacyr Concessions Ltd. and Irish firm PJ Hegarty & Sons Ltd.
> 
> Contract 1, the upgrading of the 8km section between Jct 7 (N4 Palmerstown) and Jct 10 (Ballymount) was carried out by SIAC Ferrovial M50 Joint Venture, comprising Irish firm SIAC and Spanish firm Ferrovial Agroman S.A. This section of the M50 Upgrade Scheme included the transformation of Junction 9, the infamous Red Cow Interchange, to a free flowing interchange with a segregated corridor for LUAS. Contract 3, the removal of the West-Link Toll Plaza and widening of the motorway between Jct 6 and Jct 7, was delivered by Jons Civil Engineering Ltd.



I wil see if I can get some new images of the junctions.....somewhere!


The M20 is still in the planning process. A decision won't be made till early next year at the earliest.


----------



## sotonsi

The 4th edition of the AA map decided to aim to the future and is up-to-date for the next few months. IIRC, OSI and Collins have done something similar too.


----------



## CairnsTony

odlum833 said:


> The M20 is still in the planning process. A decision won't be made till early next year at the earliest.


Is that the planned motorway between Limerick and Cork?


----------



## odlum833

CairnsTony said:


> Is that the planned motorway between Limerick and Cork?


Yes it is. There is a map here


http://www.corkrdo.ie/files/M20BacksmlFINAL.pdf


----------



## transport21

odlum833 said:


> A motorway service area will also be built as part of the scheme apparently - to be attached to the 3 level stack!


Nope that was scrapped months ago now. The project is massive and delighted it's going ahead to construction early next year.


----------



## csd

*M9 final section to open*

Folks,

Here are some photos of the final section of the M9 to open, which is between junctions 6 and 9. This section bypasses Kilkenny city to the east, and is mapped on OpenStreetmap.

To continue the journey south to Waterford, see my earlier post here.

These were taken yesterday between heavy showers!

1. Start of the new section, south of Carlow.









2. Just after J6.









3. Overbridge.









4. 2km ADS for J7.









5. Fuel, dinner, and a round of golf. What more could you want?









6. Gantry for J7.









7. RCS after J7. Hard to believe that Waterford is less than half an hour from here now.









8. Another bridge.









9. 2km ADS for the new Kilkenny link road (N10).









10. 500m ADS. Northbound, the exit is also signed for Durrow.









11. Small sign, extra-long gantry arm. The N10 interchange is via a trumpet which goes below the M9 mainline.









12. 25 mins to Waterford from Kilkenny.









13. High bridge over a cutting south of Kilkenny.









14. Approaching the end of the newly-opened section. Apologies for the blur, but it was raining heavily and the light was poor.









15. J9 marks the end of the section opened two weeks ago.









Continued here.


----------



## csd

*N25 Waterford bypass*

This set of shots is taken yesterday is a continuation of these, from the end of the M9 to the N25 near Kilmeaden, west of Waterford. It shows the new N25 Waterford bypass and Suir bridge, and the sequence goes from A to B as shown below.

Note the M9 is incorrectly shown as the N9 in Google Maps!










1. There is a short dual carriageway (600m) section of N9 between the end of the M9 (at the N24 roundabout) and the N25. It seems a rather strange way to join two motorway-standard roads, but anyway, we're going to go right and the roundabout and down onto the N25, which has priority through the junction.









2. Heading down the on-ramp from the roundabout on the N9, the bridge over the river Suir is right in front of us.









3. Nice big bridge, but you have to pay! €1.90 for a car. There are no tolls at all on the M9 to Dublin, but to bypass Waterford you must pay this toll.









4. Over the other side of the Suir (western bank), this forest of signs greets you as you approach the toll plaza.









5. Toll plaza. As usual, the express lane for electronic tag holders is on the right.









6. First junction west of the Suir bridge.

















7. The N25 is part of Euroroute 30. I wonder if anyone has traveled the full length from Cork to Omsk...









8. Although fully grade-separated, and having no private accesses, this section of dual carriageway is very twisty...









9. ...and has some very steep gradients (for a road of this standard in Ireland, anyway).

















10. Having bypassed Waterford and the village of Kilmeaden, the dual carriageway section ends at a roundabout.









11. For most of the rest of the route to Midleton in County Cork, the road is like this. The final section between Midleton and around the south ring of Cork city is dual carriageway standard.


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## 896334

Great pics csd, I travelled the full length of the N25 from Rosslare to Cork a year ago, just before the Waterford bypass was open, I bet that has transformed journey times along the south coast. The New Ross bypass is also needed badly though, we had to mess around in the town centre through mini roundabouts that were being negotiated by artic. trucks at the same time! Hopefully that scheme is started sooner rather than later.


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## nordisk celt83

Thanks for sharing these great pics csd. Drove this road recently, and it's great quality pretty much all the way, but yet again landscaping is really poor. Sorry to harp on about it, but the least the county councils could do is cut the grass and weeds along the verges.


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## odlum833

...



> *Opening of Nenagh-Limerick motorway link*
> 
> Tuesday, 28 September 2010 11:40
> 
> 
> 
> A section of the M7 Dublin to Limerick motorway that was delayed due to subsidence during construction will be officially opened this afternoon.
> 
> The section between Nenagh and Limerick was originally due to open last year, but the project was delayed because of subsidence on a stretch of road through Annaholty bog.
> 
> Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said the opening of the new section at Birdhill will remove high volumes of traffic from serious accident locations like Daly's cross and Yellow Bridge and improve road safety for all motorists.
> 
> It is expected that journey times between Nenagh and Limerick will be reduced by 10 minutes initially, and journey times to Dublin will be reduced further when the final section of the M7 from Castetown in Co Laois to Nenagh, which will bypass Roscrea, Moneygall and Toomevara, will be completed by the end of the year.
> 
> Work started on the 12.5km section in 2006. It was originally scheduled to open in May 2009.
> 
> The problem was caused by the failure of supports driven into the bog on which the road was constructed.
> 
> As a result, a 100m section had to be excavated and rebuilt from scratch.
> 
> Extensive load testing has been carried out in recent months to ensure the road is fit for purpose.
> 
> The final section of the motorway between Castletown and Nenagh will be finished by the end of the year.
> 
> Story from RTÉ News:
> http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0928/m7.html


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## ChrisZwolle

Wow, that's a coincidence, I wast just looking into this, and wanted to post it here


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## odlum833

I just had to get in there first


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## transport21

*M18 Gort-Crusheen September updates*

The scheme is now certainly entering it's final stages with wearing course covering nearly the entrie scheme on the northbound lane and the southbound carriageway is not far behind. Junctions are advanced with lamp posts erected and also fencing for noise is starting to go up. No signs up yet. 



Crusheen Interchange














Half Gantry erected beside the Lahardan overbridge














Tubber-Crusheen Overbridge looking south














Tubber-Crusheen looking north














Gortavoher looking north














Gortavoher looking south(why was the road dug up?)














Shanaglish looking south














Shanaglish looking north


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## transport21

Also it's worth mentioning that roads in the republic can now be viewed in google streetview. 

Plus there is a designated forum now for roads on boards.ie *here*


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## spacetweek

spacetweek said:


> Limerick-Waterford: No plan to ever have a dual between these. It isn't clear what's happening here actually. Some bypasses will take place but they may be single carriageway and it will be 2020 at least before they're all done as again, the road is not a priority right now.





CairnsTony said:


> Thanks for that! That certainly makes things clearer.


No worries, but I want to correct myself. I've got some updated info on the N24 Limerick-Waterford road.
In 2007 it was announced that this *would* be dual carriageway all the way eventually. Most progress is being made on the section Limerick-M8 motorway. This is likely to be completed by 2020 or earlier. However there has been very little progress made on M8-Waterford so I anticipate 2025 for that.


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## CairnsTony

spacetweek said:


> No worries, but I want to correct myself. I've got some updated info on the N24 Limerick-Waterford road.
> In 2007 it was announced that this *would* be dual carriageway all the way eventually. Most progress is being made on the section Limerick-M8 motorway. This is likely to be completed by 2020 or earlier. However there has been very little progress made on M8-Waterford so I anticipate 2025 for that.


It looks like the Irish government will have to bail out the banks again at the cost of many billions. I've head one figure quoting a _quadrupling_ of the national debt!

I think I can confidently say that a lot of these projects won't see the light of day any time soon...


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## Highwaycrazy

CairnsTony said:


> It looks like the Irish government will have to bail out the banks again at the cost of many billions. I've head one figure quoting a _quadrupling_ of the national debt!
> 
> I think I can confidently say that a lot of these projects won't see the light of day any time soon...


As their finance minister said: we will paddle our own canoe. 

You won't see the Irish come begging to the IMF or EUR zone for money, like Greece. The Irish also had to contribute the second biggest for the Greek bailout after Germany (EUR 280 per person), I believe. How were they thanked for this? They got their rating cut to add insult to injury.


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## odlum833

Furet said:


> I walked for about 3km west of J22 today.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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> 
> 
> New style of signage pole:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looking west:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looking west:
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> Looking east towards J22:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> ADS approaching J22:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looking west to Limerick:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice vista looking east about 2km from J22:
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
> 
> 
> Gap in barrier:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looking to Limerick:


M7 pics taken by Furet.

Opening in November maybe by the 15th.

Map

http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=52.9128170013428&lon=-7.80166625976562&zoom=13


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## 896334

Is J22 on the M7 built as a LILO as the ADS doesn't depict a fork, but a 90 degree turn off? 

Looking good though, thats nearly it all done now! Pretty impressive to say the least for Ireland.


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## ChrisZwolle

Not really known with the local usage of Irish - but is it really necessary to have all these signs in Irish as well, or is it language promotion? Because signage is not meant for that reason in my opinion. For example this sign would've been much better in one language.


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## Maxx☢Power

Well, it's an official language and as such has to be on official signage I guess. I find the English translations a little weird, most of them seem to be just something that sounds like the Irish name but doesn't really mean anything in English..


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## Highwaycrazy

Map Guy said:


> Is J22 on the M7 built as a LILO as the ADS doesn't depict a fork, but a 90 degree turn off?
> 
> Looking good though, thats nearly it all done now! Pretty impressive to say the least for Ireland.



I thought the exact same....! Maybe it was a local company making the signs who made the mistake. In any case, bad workmanship in the manufacturing. I would actually insist on that sign being replaced free of charge. 

I wouldn't want to make a 90 degree turn-off at 120 km/h!


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## DanielFigFoz

It's political, no government that put monolingual English signs up would ever be re-elected. It's also cultural.



Maxx☢Power;65947263 said:


> Well, it's an official language and as such has to be on official signage I guess. I find the English translations a little weird, most of them seem to be just something that sounds like the Irish name but doesn't really mean anything in English..


That's exactly what they are, it's how the English officials heard them a few hundred years ago.:lol:


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## dizee

Exit 22 is a LILO however I assume (/hope!) that the slip roads and curves would be at the correct motorway standards. It's a good idea to give a visual indication of this on the sign anyway.

Irish is officially / constitutionally the first language. However it is basically for promotion. You have to give people the chance to use the language. I like having bilingual signs but maybe there's a clearer way of doing it, maybe different colours would be better than italics. Though it's not a problem as an Irish person reading them, we're used to them. There is more space between the destinations as well as a result. 

And yeah the English names are almost always just some meaningless phonetic rendering of the Irish version. The Irish name tells you the meaning. (If you can understand it.) It's pretty inconsistent though it depends on who wrote the map at the time, sometimes they'd know a few words and not the rest, for example _Cill Droichid_ -> Celbridge, they got the "bridge" part but not the "church" part.


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## sotonsi

Maxx☢Power;66061877 said:


> Metric signs are perfectly legal in the US.


but the one and only major road with kilometres on signs (and kilometre-based exit numbers) is being converted to miles (it opened with kilometres on signs). Part of it is because there's a ton of stimulus cash rolling about, but still, they are changing it back.


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## Gareth

Hmm...


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## Maxx☢Power

sotonsi said:


> but the one and only major road with kilometres on signs (and kilometre-based exit numbers) is being converted to miles (it opened with kilometres on signs). Part of it is because there's a ton of stimulus cash rolling about, but still, they are changing it back.


I didn't say they're popular 

Actually, I read there are protests against changing I-whateveritis in Arizona back to caveman measurements for the same reason people protest the opposite in the UK: That it's unnecessary and a waste of money, and businesses along the road think they'll lose customers because the exit numbers will have to change.


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## csd

*Here we go again...*

While I love a good old-fashioned metric vs Imperial units debate, this has been done to death! Do we really have to go around that block again? Ireland is metric because the derogation from the EU expired and we didn't want to extend it yet again. The benefit is we have the same measurement system for fuel, distances, weights, and speeds, and it's the same system used by most of the rest of the world.

And as for that other old saw, Ireland-chose-yellow-diamonds-to-be-different-from-the-UK, as Gareth said, Ireland chose these BEFORE the UK adopted red triangles.

/csd


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## Highwaycrazy

Gareth said:


> Nope. _Northern Ireland_ has a devolved government, not 'the north of Ireland'. If you don't know the difference between the two things, then you're probably not in any position to be going on about whether the UK government 'wants' Northern Ireland or whether Northern Irish people would be happy to change over to metric road signs.
> 
> Furthermore, every US state has 'devolved government' too, but any independent effort by a state to introduce metric signs would be stamped on. In fact, I have a feeling it's happened before already.
> 
> And where the hell UK spending cuts come into any of this, I really do not know.


Albeit, the people of those 6 counties are subjected rather than 'want' to change over to metric signs and speed limits. Unless they're offered the opportunity to hold a referendum on switching... 

The north of Ireland has always (and will be) known here in the US as a disputed territory. US support for Ireland by the Irish American lobby actually increased awareness of this plight. 

Metric signs are propping up across the US. There will always be resistance to change. Old habits die hard. But I am completely in favor of going Metric. It's good for the US.


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## Maxx☢Power

csd said:


> While I love a good old-fashioned metric vs Imperial units debate, this has been done to death! Do we really have to go around that block again? Ireland is metric because the derogation from the EU expired and we didn't want to extend it yet again. The benefit is we have the same measurement system for fuel, distances, weights, and speeds, and it's the same system used by most of the rest of the world.
> 
> And as for that other old saw, Ireland-chose-yellow-diamonds-to-be-different-from-the-UK, as Gareth said, Ireland chose these BEFORE the UK adopted red triangles.
> 
> /csd


Maybe add Northern Ireland to that list of dead horses too?


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## 896334

Highwaycrazy said:


> Albeit, the people of those 6 counties are subjected rather than 'want' to change over to metric signs and speed limits. Unless they're offered the opportunity to hold a referendum on switching...
> 
> The north of Ireland has always (and will be) known here in the US as a disputed territory. US support for Ireland by the Irish American lobby actually increased awareness of this plight.
> 
> Metric signs are propping up across the US. There will always be resistance to change. Old habits die hard. But I am completely in favor of going Metric. It's good for the US.


Because the people of Northern Ireland have at the top of their agenda, the unit of measurement for their speed limits don't they?! Get a grip buddy, the official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland so instead of stirring the pot once again, leave it to the people actually living there and putting up with the Troubles to argue about it. There's a hell of a lot more important things to discuss in Northern Ireland than it's speed limits. When the country is all well and good ready, it's own people will decide whether to remain in the Union or join with the Republic. If there's one thing that grates me, it's not the arguements that will inevitably spring up between the two countries, it's the Yanks wading in thinking they're the big hard guys, saying what they want when they have no bloody right to do so. 

Stick to your dead straight roads, turning circles and crappy signage, and if you've got something to comment on relating to either the Republic or the UK, leave it to roads cos then at least you'll have some clue of what you're talking about.


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## Highwaycrazy

Map Guy said:


> Because the people of Northern Ireland have at the top of their agenda, the unit of measurement for their speed limits don't they?! Get a grip buddy, the official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland so instead of stirring the pot once again, leave it to the people actually living there and putting up with the Troubles to argue about it. There's a hell of a lot more important things to discuss in Northern Ireland than it's speed limits. When the country is all well and good ready, it's own people will decide whether to remain in the Union or join with the Republic. If there's one thing that grates me, it's not the arguements that will inevitably spring up between the two countries, it's the Yanks wading in thinking they're the big hard guys, saying what they want when they have no bloody right to do so.
> 
> Stick to your dead straight roads, turning circles and crappy signage, and if you've got something to comment on relating to either the Republic or the UK, leave it to roads cos then at least you'll have some clue of what you're talking about.


Why is your etiquette so poor? no really, i am curious. what is the name of the little village you come from in Coventry? where did you cultivate this incredibly inspiring local view?! if you﻿ can tell us, we can all move there and learn how to get BSE and sit on our asses hoping for more budget cuts to our roads... I just want to know the name of the ass pimple that is your tiny meaningless village?


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## niterider

Highwaycrazy said:


> Albeit, the people of those 6 counties are subjected rather than 'want' to change over to metric signs and speed limits. Unless they're offered the opportunity to hold a referendum on switching...


By that logic the England Scotland and Wales are also 'subjected' to mph... 
NI is in the UK and the majority wish to remain so at the present time. The UK uses imperial...rightly or wrongly. Deal with it. 



Highwaycrazy said:


> The north of Ireland has always (and will be) known here in the US as a disputed territory.


 Who gives a fu*k? Its not your busuiness so instead of sprouting bullshit about subjugation perhaps instead let the people who live there make that decision....


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## Highwaycrazy

niterider said:


> By that logic the England Scotland and Wales are also 'subjected' to mph...
> NI is in the UK and the majority wish to remain so at the present time. The UK uses imperial...rightly or wrongly. Deal with it.
> 
> Who gives a fu*k? Its not your busuiness so instead of sprouting bullshit about subjugation perhaps instead let the people who live there make that decision....


You should be more objective before speaking. Yes, put it to a referendum!!

....do I need to remind you that your﻿ highways (and economy) in Israel is supported by the US?


----------



## niterider

Highwaycrazy said:


> You should be more objective before speaking. Yes, put it to a referendum!!
> 
> ....do I need to remind you that your﻿ highways (and economy) in Israel is supported by the US?


You're avoiding the point.

My highways? Please tell me, where did I discuss 'my' Israeli highways? Esepcially as I'm not Israeli or even live there! Nice beaches there though...and don't get me started on the nightlife...

Perhaps it is up to the people living there whether they wish for a referendum rather than someone dictating their political situation to them.


----------



## Gareth

Highwaycrazy said:


> Albeit, the people of those 6 counties are subjected rather than 'want' to change over to metric signs and speed limits. Unless they're offered the opportunity to hold a referendum on switching...


Right, I'm not going to go into your completely ignorant political views about something you clearly know nothing about, but here's a quick geography lesson...

The Republic of Ireland (Green) & Northern Ireland/UK (Orange).











The provinces of Ireland. The 'north of Ireland' is the province of Ulster and arguably northern parts of Leinster and Connacht. Three of Ulster's counties are not a part of Northern Ireland, which is a political, not geographic region, nor are any neighbouring parts of Leinster or Connacht.











I did namedrop Donegal to give you a clue but you probably think a donegal is a memory stick you put into your computer to store data.

Moral of the story, if you're going to be a smart arse, at least try and cover some bases, so it's not so obvious that you haven't a clue what you're talking about.


----------



## 896334

Highwaycrazy said:


> Why is your etiquette so poor? no really, i am curious. what is the name of the little village you come from in Coventry? where did you cultivate this incredibly inspiring local view?! if you﻿ can tell us, we can all move there and learn how to get BSE and sit on our asses hoping for more budget cuts to our roads... I just want to know the name of the ass pimple that is your tiny meaningless village?


Haha oh my friend how old are you?! Get a grip on the fact that you're clearly out of your depth and concentrate on what you do know, like I said before. You want a civil debate on BSE right? PM me sometime, I'd be happy to hear your views and I'll gladly return the favour. And if you'd like enlightening on the history and current situation with regard to Northern Ireland and the Troubles, I'm sure any one of our resident Irish contributors will happily fill you in, albeit in a mature adult-like manner.

Oh and by the way, Coventry has a population of 300,000 and quite a nice inner ring road too


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## Highwaycrazy

^^
whatever.

I suggest you don't bet your ass on it, unless you're into that kind of thing. 

*More people identify themselves as Irish than British in Northern Ireland* according to a recent poll in the Belfast Telegraph.

Over 1000 people were interviewed for the survey:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8567619.stm


The north of Ireland (the more diplomatic term) works just fine for me, Gareth.... 

Afterall, it's a disputed territory and you shouldn't forget that, no matter what your patriotic agenda you so delicately ended your comment on.


----------



## Gareth

It's not a more diplomatic term at all. Just one you incorrectly use to mean Northern Ireland, no matter what your ignorant, naïve American view. It's no more correct than calling the Republic of Ireland 'the south of Ireland'. Feel free to visit the UK & Ireland section to have your hyperbole corrected on many levels, unless you've actually got something to say about Irish roads here.


----------



## Comfortably Numb

Highwaycrazy said:


> ^^
> whatever.
> 
> I suggest you don't bet your ass on it, unless you're into that kind of thing.
> 
> *More people identify themselves as Irish than British in Northern Ireland* according to a recent poll in the Belfast Telegraph.
> 
> Over 1000 people were interviewed for the survey:
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8567619.stm
> 
> 
> The north of Ireland (the more diplomatic term) works just fine for me, Gareth....
> 
> Afterall, it's a disputed territory and you shouldn't forget that, no matter what your patriotic agenda you so delicately ended your comment on.


How do 1,000 people interviewed in a poll account for the 1.7 million people living in *Northern Ireland*? BTW, it is called "Northern Ireland", so deal with it. Nobody with more than 1/4 of a brain refers to it "the north of Ireland". The north of Ireland would translate to being the northern part of the Republic Of Ireland.


----------



## Gareth

^^ Or as likely, the island of Ireland, a I mentioned above.


----------



## sotonsi

Highwaycrazy said:


> More people identify themselves as Irish than British in Northern Ireland according to a recent poll in the Belfast Telegraph.


And they are Irish, as in purporting to the island of Ireland! The question not "do you want to be part of the UK?", but asking something else that may or may not be that question to the answerer.


Highwaycrazy said:


> ....do I need to remind you that your﻿ highways (and economy) in Israel is supported by the US?


If talking about Ireland - then no, they aren't. This is surprisingly on-topic for you, but once again, unsurprisingly ignorant for you!

First it was EU funding, then it became because of the growth in economy (to richer, per head, than the UK, and also to a net benefactor to the EU) that paid for the roads in Ireland.

About the only economic thing the USA has done for Ireland in recent years is it's government making it's banks give out loans backed by the Feds, to people who very likely couldn't pay them. This, of course, completely crippled their state's finances, which was based on debt (like in the UK, there was a case of building up debt when times were good, rather than following Keynes and building up a surplus to allow you to spend a lot more when times go sour).


----------



## Maxx☢Power

Highwaycrazy said:


> You should be more objective before speaking. Yes, put it to a referendum!!
> 
> ....do I need to remind you that your﻿ highways (and economy) in Israel is supported by the US?


May I suggest that you remove the "Highway" part of your name to better reflect your distorted perception of reality?


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Comfortably Numb said:


> How do 1,000 people interviewed in a poll account for the 1.7 million people living in *Northern Ireland*? BTW, it is called "Northern Ireland", so deal with it. Nobody with more than 1/4 of a brain refers to it "the north of Ireland". The north of Ireland would translate to being the northern part of the Republic Of Ireland.


No it wouldn't, especially if you're Irish.



Oh and by the way, Northern Ireland is not officially a disputed territory since the Good Friday Agreement, and the respective amendment to the Irish Constitution.

Anyway, this isn't the place for a discussion on Irish political affairs.

--------------------------------------










R668 between Lismore and Clogheen, this was taken on the Clogheen (TS) side. 

This is the Vee


----------



## niterider

DanielFigFoz said:


> No it wouldn't, especially if you're Irish.


I am Irish. Yes it is. It's Northern Ireland - it's currently a different country. Whether or not one wishes that to remain is another matter but that's the current situation.
The term 'Ireland' in an nationalistic sense actually refers to the ROI.





DanielFigFoz said:


> Oh and by the way, Northern Ireland is not officially a disputed territory since the Good Friday Agreement, and the respective amendment to the Irish Constitution.


Exactly. The ROI gave up its claim on NI as part of it's territory.



DanielFigFoz said:


> Anyway, this isn't the place for a discussion on Irish political affairs.


Agreed. But until a certain poster stops sprouting bullshit!


----------



## transport21

Guys, I know most of you look at google maps to check out Irish roads. Well they have *updated* the motorway network but loads of mistakes.

The following should be motorway but are down as N roads on the map.
*M7*: Limerick-Nenagh and Limerick SRR as far as Rossbrien
*M9*: Carlow-Waterford
*M8*: Watergrasshill-Dunkettle,Cork

Still missing the following motorways post redesignation phase:
*M2*, *M11*, *M18* and *M20*.





----------------------------------------------------------


----------



## transport21

> *Motorway opening trims half an hour off Galway to Shannon journey*
> November 11, 2010 - 7:00am
> by Denise McNamara
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Motorway opening trims half an hour off Galway to Shannon journey
> November 11, 2010 - 7:00am
> by Denise McNamara
> 
> The Crusheen to Gort motorway will be open to the public from around 3pm tomorrow (Friday), shaving up to a half hour off the journey between the city and Shannon Airport and taking up to 10,000 vehicles per day out of the Gort.
> 
> And the good news for road users in the north of the county is that construction work on the €500m motorway between Gort and Tuam is now due to begin in the Spring with contracts to be signed by the end of the year.
> 
> In the meantime, the ribbon will be cut on the €200m Crusheen to Gort stretch by Transport Minister Noel Dempsey at the official opening at noon tomorrow at Gortavoher, eight months ahead of schedule.
> 
> Michael Timmins, senior engineer in the National Roads Design Office (NRDO) in Galway, said the motorway would cut the journey time between Ballybrit on the eastern edge of the city to Shannon Airport by 20 minutes in off-peak times and up to 30 minutes at peak times.
> 
> It would take up to 80% of the traffic out of Gort, with between 8,000 and 10,000 vehicles per day now diverted onto the new road.


http://www.galwaynews.ie/15989-motorway-opening-trims-half-hour-galway-shannon-journey


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## spacetweek

Hey everyone.

I maintain an Irish Motorway network site here

I've recently updated the "Futures" section where I propose motorways and other major roads that Ireland need for the next few decades. Here it is

Please take a look!


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## DanielFigFoz

^^ Interesting maps!


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## ChrisZwolle

transport21 said:


> http://www.galwaynews.ie/15989-motorway-opening-trims-half-hour-galway-shannon-journey


That is M18. The number was not mentioned in the news report.


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## csd

*M50 junction 6*

*M50 junction 6*

It was cold and mostly clear tonight, so I thought I'd take a few snaps in and around J6 of the M50. This area has seen perhaps some of the most dramatic changes due to the upgrade works, so I hope these shots are of interest.

First, a key map. The numbers on the map below correspond roughly to where the shots were taken.

Key image by csd75, on Flickr

Location 1 first. This is a panorama of four shots stitched together looking west and north from the vantage point. The loop visible is the M50 southbound to N3 outbound freeflow slip, with the Royal Canal visible to the extreme left. Vantage point 2 is visible here, directly across the sliproad below, where the bridge ends in the middle of the frame. Vantage point 4 is under the bridges to the left.

loop_Panorama1 by csd75, on Flickr

Moving to vantage point 2, we're looking northwest at the N3 to M50 South, N3 to City, and M50 northbound to N3 outbound slips passing under original M50 SB offramp to the roundabout. Immediately beyond this overpass, the carriageways cross the M50 mainline.

IMG_6829 by csd75, on Flickr

Turning the camera around to face the opposite way, L to R we see the N3 inbound to City, N3 inbound to M50 southbound, and M50 northbound to N3 outbound carriageways.
IMG_6830 by csd75, on Flickr

Now we move to vantage point 3, the canal aqueduct across the M50 mainline. The first shot looks northeast at the M50 mainline. The high bridge in the foreground is the northern half of the original grade-separated roundabout junction, while visible in the distance is the new bridge seen from the first of the viewpoint 2 photos.







[/url]
M50 night by csd75, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here's a shot of the Royal Canal as it crosses the M50 mainline on the aqueduct. It's hard to believe that the motorway is immediately below the water here. The bridge in the distance is part of the western section of the original grade-separated roundabout.

IMG_6843 by csd75, on Flickr

Looking back to the east, we see one of the original canal bridges, which has somehow survived the both the original junction six and its subsequent upgrading.

IMG_6840 by csd75, on Flickr

We now move to vantage point 4, under the three flyovers than span the canal and the railway. Looking south from the north bank of the canal, we're right under the N3 inbound M50 southbound (L) and M50 northbound to N3 outbound (R) bridges. The Dublin to Sligo railway line is immediately behind the metal fence at the bottom of the shot.

IMG_6805 by csd75, on Flickr

Looking west from under the bridge, the M50 southbound to N3 outbound loop is seen merging with the M50 northbound to N3 outbound flyover.

IMG_6833 by csd75, on Flickr

Turning the camera back the other way, we see the same loop as it dives under the three bridges.

IMG_6810 by csd75, on Flickr

My final shot is a driver's eye view (almost!) of the M50 southbound to N3 outbound loop, just as it passes under the three bridges marked at (4) on the key map.

IMG_6821 by csd75, on Flickr

If the weather holds (and anyone's interested!) I'll try and get more shots of this and J7 during the week.

/csd


----------



## ChrisZwolle

I can't see your pictures unfortunately. Are you sure your Picasa album is set to "public"?


----------



## csd

Chris,

It was set to "anyone with link", but I've changed it to "Public" now and it seems to work for me when I try with a browser that's not logged into Picasa.

I would have thought it should work with it set to "anyone with link" though -- is there some sort of daily transfer limit with Picasa?

Thanks,

/csd


----------



## Maxx☢Power

They didn't show for me at first, but when I reloaded the page they loaded fine.


----------



## CairnsTony

Maxx☢Power;67149937 said:


> They didn't show for me at first, but when I reloaded the page they loaded fine.


They still don't work for me here in Aus.


----------



## csd

Ok these are uploaded to flickr now and I've updated the original post.

Can you let me know if they're visible now?

Thanks,

/csd


----------



## ChrisZwolle

They do work now, great pictures! Nice aqueduct, we have over a dozen of them in the Netherlands.


----------



## CairnsTony

Working now for me too. Nice pics!


----------



## spacetweek

Really amazing pictures!


----------



## csd

I've shared more pics from this interchange here!


----------



## transport21

Nice work csd :cheers:


----------



## transport21

A few photos from the M18 opening(Gort-Crusheen)

Started off here at the rathwilladoon overbridge, parking bay southbound



























M18 southbound signage











Passed the Gortavoher overbridge and at last saw the crowd




























Pictures from the opening ceremony


----------



## 896334

Great stuff, good to see the M18 well on the way to being finished, so we're expecting them to start work on Gort to Tuam in the Spring? Fingers crossed that goes ahead.

Also those pictures of M50 J6 are superb csd, I'd love to see more like that!


----------



## niterider

I can't help but pity the poor people who's country house now fronts a roundabout!


----------



## Chris_533976

Throwing some grit onto all that snow wont make a blind bit of difference. They need to get one or two snowploughs out.

Part of the problem here is that local authorities are refusing, or arent able, to pay the overtime required to man the grit trucks at night.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

Chris_533976 said:


> Throwing some grit onto all that snow wont make a blind bit of difference. They need to get one or two snowploughs out.
> 
> Part of the problem here is that local authorities are refusing, or arent able, to pay the overtime required to man the grit trucks at night.


Looking at the video on the bottom of page 41, it appears there is little or no maintenance carried out on clearing the snow from that highway. In any case, local municipalities should contract the maintenance to private companies that can do the work at a lower price. Tire Chains would be helpful in depths like that.


----------



## csd

Highwaycrazy said:


> Looking at the video on the bottom of page 41, it appears there is little or no maintenance carried out on clearing the snow from that highway. In any case, local municipalities should contract the maintenance to private companies that can do the work at a lower price. Tire Chains would be helpful in depths like that.


Maintenance of this section *is* contracted out to a private company!

http://www.m50.ie/

Chains would be useful, but you'd only get to use them one winter in every 10 in Ireland (normally).

/csd


----------



## Highwaycrazy

csd said:


> Maintenance of this section *is* contracted out to a private company!
> 
> http://www.m50.ie/
> 
> Chains would be useful, but you'd only get to use them one winter in every 10 in Ireland (normally).
> 
> /csd


Don't be offended. They appear not to be doing enough runs at regular intervals. Such a response requires frequent snow ploughing at least every 2 hours.


----------



## MasterVille

*Final section of M7 opens*

The final section of the M7 opened to motorists today.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for today was cancelled because of the continuing cold snap, but the road is now fully operational.

The section will see journey times from Dublin to Limerick reduced by up to 10 minutes.

Courtesy: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/final-section-of-m7-motorway-opens-486668.html


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Highwaycrazy said:


> Don't be offended. They appear not to be doing enough runs at regular intervals. Such a response requires frequent snow ploughing at least every 2 hours.


Snowploughs aren't exactly common in Europe


----------



## ChrisZwolle

That is great news! Are there accurate estimates of the Irish motorway network length? It should be around 1.000 kilometers now.


----------



## Uppsala

How is the standard now from Dublin to Shannon Airport now? Is it at least dual carriageway all the way now from Dublin to Shannon Airport?


----------



## dizee

ChrisZwolle said:


> That is great news! Are there accurate estimates of the Irish motorway network length? It should be around 1.000 kilometers now.


Google maps is giving me about 885 km right now. Wikipedia seems to have a higher figure but that might just be that other non-motorway parts of the construction were included in that road's figure. Either that or I'm missing something.

Anyway it's a pretty impressive figure and with the M17/M18 to start next year it'll keep getting better. The obvious missing link is the Cork-Limerick M20 now, hopefully the next government will prioritise it.


Uppsala said:


> How is the standard now from Dublin to Shannon Airport now? Is it at least dual carriageway all the way now from Dublin to Shannon Airport?


Even better, you can drive on DC from somewhere west of Belfast in Northern Ireland to (beyond) Shannon.  Although there is _1_ set of traffic lights on the N7 which is set to be removed. :lol:


----------



## treichard

The figure that I get is 896.5 km (+- 2%) of length for all the M routes combined:
http://cmap.m-plex.com/stat/travsystem.php?sys=irlm&sort=pd&du=km#t

Among European countries, this puts Ireland M routes just below the Croatian A routes and just above the Polish A routes.
http://cmap.m-plex.com/stat/allsystems.php?du=km&sort=td#t


----------



## csd

Uppsala said:


> How is the standard now from Dublin to Shannon Airport now? Is it at least dual carriageway all the way now from Dublin to Shannon Airport?


Yes, the almost the entire journey is motorway or motorway standard, with just a small section of normal dual carriageway between Limerick and Ennis on the N18. Either way, the only time you'll need to stop are for toll booths on the Shannon Tunnel and south of Portlaoise. Everything else is free-flow until you get to Newlands Cross just outside the M50 in Dublin.

/csd


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## csd

*More snow pics!*

Folks,

Well you've seen junctions 6 and 8, so here are some shots from M50 junction 9. They're taken on the western side of the N7/M50 junction, the famous Red Cow interchange. Lots of snow tonight -- I wanted to get more shots from the footbridge on the eastern (R110) side of the junction, but the snow was just too heavy. 

The first four photos were taken just before 19.00 this evening, where there would normally be a tailback on the outbound (westbound) carriageways all the way back beyond the "hump" visible on the right-hand side of photo 2. Traffic was much lighter today as everyone had left earlier to avoid Dublin's biggest dumping of snow in a generation! Heading inbound later on (at 22.00), the tarmac was no longer visible: all carriageways were white with snow (see photo 5).

1. This is taken from the Luas (tram) car park, looking west.

IMG_7592 by csd75, on Flickr

2. Moving up onto the bridge visible in the last shot, which carries the L1019 local road across the N7 mainline, here's the view looking east towards the M50 and R110.

IMG_7601 by csd75, on Flickr

2a. Here's the view (with a slightly longer lens) taken exactly four years ago from the pedestrian bridge that used to stand on this spot. The M50 upgrade works had just started their preparatory phase when this shot was taken, and you can see the southern end of the grade-separated roundabout that used be the feature of so many traffic reports warning of congestion!

DSC01177.JPG by csd75, on Flickr

3. Here's a view across the junction from a position further south. The snow was really quite heavy at this point!

IMG_7606 by csd75, on Flickr

4. Crossing to the other side of the bridge, here's the view looking west. Just out of sight is Newlands Cross, an at-grade traffic signal-controlled junction that is due to be grade separated. Construction work is supposed to start in 2011, but we shall see if anyone can raise the finance to fund this PPP project. Newlands Cross is the last set of traffic lights on the N7 that a driver will meet until they reach Limerick (or Cork, or Waterford).

IMG_7604 by csd75, on Flickr

4a. Here's the December 2006 view of the scene above.

DSC01182.JPG by csd75, on Flickr

5. This was the view approaching the gantry seen in the distance in photo 4 a few hours later.

N7 snow by csd75, on Flickr


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## dizee

treichard said:


> The figure that I get is 896.5 km (+- 2%) of length for all the M routes combined:
> http://cmap.m-plex.com/stat/travsystem.php?sys=irlm&sort=pd&du=km#t
> 
> Among European countries, this puts Ireland M routes just below the Croatian A routes and just above the Polish A routes.
> http://cmap.m-plex.com/stat/allsystems.php?du=km&sort=td#t


I've done some digging on the NRA site and it's giving me a total of 909.6 km of motorway right now. Fixed a few things on the Google map and it comes to 904 km so close enough (of course I'm relying on the actual original google map route being correct - just not the right colour - so it might be a little off  ).

The 909.6 km comes from the NRA reporting 662.6 km of motorway in Ireland by end 2009 (here) and adding up the motorway schemes completed in 2010 comes to 247 km (including the M18 which was finished early).

I think that there is well over 1000 km of motorway standard road, even if it's not officially motorway and the difference on Wikipedia is probably from press releases counting HQDC as motorway. For example the Naas bypass would add an extra 20km to the M7 etc. Whatever it is it's a big improvement and at least one lasting legacy from the boom.


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## csd

*Summary of 2010*

Folks,

Here's a summary of motorway and dual carriageway completions in 2010 in Ireland.

Status at 01.01.2010: 662 km motorway, 260 km dual carriageway
Completions in 2010: 223 km motorway, 13 km dual carriageway
Status at 01.01.2011: 885 km motorway, 273 km dual carriageway

Completed schemes that added new lengths in 2010 (excludes widenings):

22.03	M9	24km	Waterford - Knocktopher
28.05	M7/8	41km	Portlaoise - Cullahil/Castletown
03.06	M3	60km	Clonee - Kells
17.06	N18	10km	Limerick Tunnel
09.09	M9	40km	Carlow - Knocktopher
21.10	N21	3 km Castleisland
12.11	M18	22km	Gort - Crusheen
22.12	M7	36km	Castletown - Nenagh

Of the 5,443 km national route network (as opposed to local or regional routes), 16% is now motorway. However, for this first time in probably over a decade, there are now currently no motorways under construction in the State. This will be the case until either the M11 or M17/M18 PPP projects kick off later this year some time.

/csd


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## Highwaycrazy

MasterVille said:


> The final section of the M7 opened to motorists today.
> 
> A ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for today was cancelled because of the continuing cold snap, but the road is now fully operational.
> 
> The section will see journey times from Dublin to Limerick reduced by up to 10 minutes.
> 
> Courtesy: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/final-section-of-m7-motorway-opens-486668.html


Any photos of the A5 in Derry? I believe there is an upgrade in progress.


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## DanielFigFoz

^^ That would go in the UK thread I think, that's why they changed the name of the thread from my ambiguous "Irish Roads" to "Republic of Ireland"


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## sotonsi

The upgrade isn't really photo-worthy either - they've just got a prelimary route - no construction for a while.

A lot of the money is coming from the Republic.


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## ardmacha

> Snowploughs aren't exactly common in Europe


Snow ploughs are used in Ireland, like below at the start of December. But they could pass by more often!












> Any photos of the A5 in Derry? I believe there is an upgrade in progress.


There is an upgrade planned. This is unlikely to proceed in the immediate future in the current financial environment



> that's why they changed the name of the thread from my ambiguous "Irish Roads" to "Republic of Ireland"


Instead of having a simple thread for roads on an island, the moderators wanted to impose their political persepective, without reference to the opinion of the most of the people on the thread. Isn't power wonderful.


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## DanielFigFoz

The thing is, is that I had the Republic in mind, but I didn't want to offend anyone, and that Northern Irish roads could be discussed either here or in the UK thread with no political implications.


Anyhow, how did the Irish road network cope with the snow?


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## csd

*M7 J19 to J24*

M7 junctions 19 to 24

This is the first of a two-part trip down the M7. All photos were taken today, and it includes coverage of Ireland's last motorway to open, the M7 Castletown to Nenagh scheme. This will hold the accolade of 'newest motorway' for some years to come now, since there for the first time in a long time (a decade?), there are currently no new motorways under construction in the Republic.

First the key map. Google incorrectly shows the M7 as N7 from Nenagh onwards, but the route is classified as motorway from Naas all the way to Limerick.


Key map by csd75, on Flickr

1. Approaching J19, which is where the M8 to Cork diverges, there are a number of overhead gantries and a VMS. There isn't really any excuse for missing the turnoff for Cork!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

2. The diverge itself. This is a limited access junction, only routes to/from Dublin are catered for. You can't go from the M8 northbound to M7 westbound, or M7 eastbound to M8 southbound.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

3. The M8 diverge, as seen from the M7. The M8 northbound carriageway passes under the M7 mainline before merging.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

4. 95 km to Limerick city.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

5. This section of the motorway is tolled (€1.80 for cars), and is the only tolled section on the entire N7/M7 route between Dublin and Limerick.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

6. Approaching the end of the tolled section. There is no exit 20.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

7. End of the M7 Portlaoise - Castletown scheme. Up until December 22nd, the motorway ended here before restarting again at Nenagh. The M7 Castletown - Nenagh scheme opened then.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

8. The newest section of motorway in Ireland starts here.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

9. It's not such a long way to Tipperary anymore 

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

10. Removable section of centre barrier, presumably to allow for contraflows during bridge works.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

11. Oh deer!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

12. Rolling north Tipperary countryside.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

13. 'Authorised vehicles only' - I guess these can be used for inspections etc.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

14. Approaching J22, we see these usual advance direction signs for a motorway in Ireland. The reason for the arm being at 90 degrees will become apparent!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

15. Yep, that's an awfully tight turn for a motorway exit!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

16. Getting closer to Limerick.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

17. This part of the country got some snow on Friday.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

18. Crossing another county border.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

19. Quite steep and twisty here.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

20. Exit 23, another compact LILO (Left-in, Left-out) grade-separted junction. There have been a few crashes at these already as people aren't expecting such a sharp angle at the exit. Moneygall was home to some of Barack Obama's ancestors.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

21. Onwards to Limerick.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

22. Approaching J24, the final exit on the Castletown - Nenagh scheme.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

23. This bridge formerly spanned a single carriagway two-lane road, the Nenagh bypass, which was upgraded to motorway standard using the existing land reservation. This is the end of the Castletown - Nenagh scheme.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

to be continued...


----------



## DanielFigFoz

It's interesting that the signs for County Tipperary don't say North or South, other than the websites, but I guess it's a cultural thing. My Y-chromosome is from South Tipperary :lol:.


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## g.spinoza

I thought English and Irish were equal on Ireland road signs... apparently they aren't.


----------



## Comfortably Numb

g.spinoza said:


> I thought English and Irish were equal on Ireland road signs... apparently they aren't.


Similar in many ways, but also very different. The ROI uses E-numbering, for starters. Also, the ROI seems to use "new world" signage in many instances (the same signage that you'd find in the US, Canada and Australia).

The new motorways are beautiful though. The ROI now has a world class road infrastructure, more than fitting for it's relatively low population.


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## dubhthach

DanielFigFoz said:


> It's interesting that the signs for County Tipperary don't say North or South, other than the websites, but I guess it's a cultural thing. My Y-chromosome is from South Tipperary :lol:.


Well technically people think of counties in the GAA sense and not the local authority one. For example People regard Dublin as one county even though it's divided into 4 local authorities: Dublin City (County Borough), Fingal (County Council), Dublin South (County) and Dún Laoghaire + Rathdown (County Council). 

As a result there are 29 county councils and 4 County Boroughs in the republic however there are only 26 counties. As to why Tipp North/South still exists is beyond me. Galway use to also have a "West/East" Riding in the late 19th century. However given that a merger of the two Tipp's would require councillors to vote for it I can't see it happening (Turkeys voting for Xmas?)


----------



## g.spinoza

Comfortably Numb said:


> Similar in many ways, but also very different. The ROI uses E-numbering, for starters. Also, the ROI seems to use "new world" signage in many instances (the same signage that you'd find in the US, Canada and Australia).


I was referring mostly to the languages used. I thought that Gaelic and English were written with the same font and had the same importance...


----------



## csd

g.spinoza said:


> I was referring mostly to the languages used. I thought that Gaelic and English were written with the same font and had the same importance...


The issue then becomes how do you tell them apart? I don't like the Welsh way of doing this (ie both are identical) because it's often hard to work out which is a Welsh translation of an English name and which is a completely new place. 

I also dislike the Scottish approach of putting the Gaelic in a different colour (yellow). That de-emphasises it more than the Irish approach. The Irish name is first, but in mixed case italic so it's distinguishable from the English, which comes second but is in capitals. I think it's much easier to apply a quick mental filter with this approach, and screen out the Irish (or English) when quickly skimming a sign at 120 km/h.

Irish appears first, but English is in capitals. Seems 50/50 if you ask me!

/csd


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## dizee

Yeah there's no way to do it without making some compromises. (Well, unless we go back to the old Irish script or something...)

Of course the regular signage has to be equal but road signage is different, it must be read at speed.

In theory the Scottish style is better but in practice yellow on green is more difficult to see and there's not the same differentiation on first glance.

Indeed the current way arguably is fair because _both_ English and Irish are made less legible(!), one with all-caps and the other with italics. 

As an Irish person I've no problem picking out the destinations anyway. Even in the non-bilingual parts of the UK it can be harder for me than the republic of Ireland because they leave less space between destinations. No doubt foreigners would have to get used to the all-caps here first though.


----------



## g.spinoza

dizee said:


> Indeed the current way arguably is fair because _both_ English and Irish are made less legible(!), one with all-caps and the other with italics.


Why do you write that all-caps is less legible? I think it's quite the opposite. It's bigger, so it can be read from distance.


----------



## dizee

Well apparently studies have shown it's harder to read than mixed case because it's used less often and you can't pick up the familar "shape" of the word.

The all-caps English does seem pretty clear to me on the Irish roadsigns, however I am used to them.


----------



## csd

g.spinoza said:


> Why do you write that all-caps is less legible? I think it's quite the opposite. It's bigger, so it can be read from distance.


Apparently all-caps are read 50% slower than upper & lower case, and serif fonts are read 20% quicker than sans-serif. As dizee says, the shapes of lower-case characters are quicker to recognise.

/csd


----------



## DanielFigFoz

dubhthach said:


> Well technically people think of counties in the GAA sense and not the local authority one. For example People regard Dublin as one county even though it's divided into 4 local authorities: Dublin City (County Borough), Fingal (County Council), Dublin South (County) and Dún Laoghaire + Rathdown (County Council).
> 
> As a result there are 29 county councils and 4 County Boroughs in the republic however there are only 26 counties. As to why Tipp North/South still exists is beyond me. Galway use to also have a "West/East" Riding in the late 19th century. However given that a merger of the two Tipp's would require councillors to vote for it I can't see it happening (Turkeys voting for Xmas?)


I know about the first this, but I didn't know about the former split of Galway.


----------



## sotonsi

g.spinoza said:


> It's bigger, so it can be read from distance.


Others have chipped in, but upper-case is only bigger for aceimnorsuvwxz (letters without ascenders or descenders). But the problem is, is it makes all letters the same size - the ascenders and descenders make names recognisable before you can even discern the letters.

Upper case is perhaps easier to read for words with no ascenders or descenders (other than the initial capital letter being higher) as the letters are bigger, but studies have shown that it's not easier to read in general.

The original road sign font for the UK was ALL-CAPS, but Transport is Mixed-Case as they did experiments and found that Mixed-Case was easier to read.


----------



## g.spinoza

csd said:


> Apparently all-caps are read 50% slower than upper & lower case, and serif fonts are read 20% quicker than sans-serif.
> /csd


I must be the exception confirming the rule. I read all caps and lower case more or less at the same pace (but I can read all caps from farther), and I read sans-serif fonts waaaaay quicker then serif, in fact I changed all fonts in my pc to be all sans-serif.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

But aren't signs like that electronic one and temp signs sometimes only in English?


----------



## bmanx06

> There have been a few crashes at these already as people aren't expecting such a sharp angle at the exit.


It seems odd that these are used/allowed for a motorway standard.


----------



## dizee

DanielFigFoz said:


> But aren't signs like that electronic one and temp signs sometimes only in English?


Yeah that's true I've never seen a VMS with Irish on it. Might be questionable legally. Similar example is the warning labels on cigarette boxes, they used to be English-only for years and it was actually an Irish citizen that took the state to court over it, so now they're all bilingual. 


bmanx06 said:


> It seems odd that these are used/allowed for a motorway standard.


It must have been designed as a HQDC (high quality dual carriageway) and redesignated when it was under construction because I'm pretty sure those exits wouldn't be allowed if it was motorway from the start. Our road construction guide is almost exactly the same as the UK one. (Well it used to be anyway.)

There's nothing inherently wrong with LILO exits (plenty of them on the German autobahns) although they're not ideal but they really should have a more generous turn than 90°. :lol: At very least they could do with a big chevron sign and crash barriers on that traffic island. Drivers will have to get used to them quickly.


----------



## bmanx06

dizee said:


> There's nothing inherently wrong with LILO exits (plenty of them on the German autobahns) although they're not ideal but they really should have a more generous turn than 90°. :lol: At very least they could do with a big chevron sign and crash barriers on that traffic island. Drivers will have to get used to them quickly.


Lol, well it does give a whole new meaning to a RIGHT angle!


----------



## Highwaycrazy

Right angle off-Ramp :wtf: That is an accident waiting to happen.

On a new Highway, the people who designed this either never made the grade or they had it too easy. In any case, it defeats the whole purpose of a Motorway/Highway - in which case, turn-offs are always tapered. Obviously a re-invention of a Motorway meaning.


----------



## csd

*M7 Nenagh to Limerick*

M7 Junctions 25 to 28


...continues on from last set.

1. This is the Nenagh bypass, which opened as a single-carriageway road with grade-separated interchanges at each end. We are approaching exit 25 which was completed as part of the upgrade to motorway standard.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

2. Between junctions 25 and 26 is this long straight section, originally single carriageway with one lane and a hard shoulder in each direction.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

3. Was very true on Sunday! There were multiple accidents on the M7 - we really need more VMSs warning motorists to slow down in these conditions.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

4. Junction 26 and its approaches.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

5. This was the end of the Nenagh bypass. The new build section of the Nenagh - Limerick scheme started here.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

6. Nenagh - Birdhill section (junctions 26 - 27)

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

7. Approaching exit 27.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

8. Parking area. Not very well protected from mainline motorway traffic...

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

9. ...one hour's parking allowed, no pedestrians.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

10. Approaching exit 27.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

11. The section between junctions 27 and 28 opened late because of difficulties with subsidence across two bogs along the route. Some pilings were over 30 metres long and still they couldn't stablise the ground without further remedial work.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

12. It's difficult to see, but this is the first of the bog sections.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

13. Cutting and bridge.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

14. Approaching junction 28.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

...after this, the M7 continues as a southern bypass of Limerick before terminating at exit 30, the interchange with the M20 and N18. But that's for another day!

/csd


----------



## nordisk celt83

Thanks for sharing csd. You say the Limerick southern bypass M7 route comes to an end at the M20/N18 exit 30... Does this route then connect directly with the Shannon tunnel from this point on???


----------



## Furet

nordisk celt83 said:


> Thanks for sharing csd. You say the Limerick southern bypass M7 route comes to an end at the M20/N18 exit 30... Does this route then connect directly with the Shannon tunnel from this point on???


Yes, it does, and then onwards as the N18/M18 to north of Gort.


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## nordisk celt83

^^ 
Good to hear; thanks for info!


----------



## spacetweek

The austerity measures in Ireland have meant that many people thought there would be no new roads being built for a while, but that's not the case.
Here are all the roads projects starting nationwide in 2011:

Motorways
M17/18 Gort to Tuam (57 km) (really big project!)
M11 Arklow to Rathnew (16 km) (including a services area)

Dual carriageway
N70/N69 Tralee bypass

Single carriageway
N3 Belturbet Bypass
N5 Longford Bypass
N87 Ballyconnell Relief Road

Interchanges
N4 Downs Grade separation
N7 Newlands Cross
N25 Cork Southern Ring Road Interchanges

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0125/1224288249098.html


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## dizee

Well to be honest it makes sense to proceed if we can.

You can't get out of an economic slump by cutting spending and not investing. If anything we should be putting more money into it. Labour seem to be making the right noises in this regard at least. 

Anyway the big ones are PPPs so as long as finance is available they should be ok. The big bonus is the construction prices will be much cheaper.

I am really looking forward to the M17/M18 but it's disappointing how the M20 has disappeared off the radar. Hopefully the next government will give more consideration to it, it's the last real gap in the motorway network with Limerick to Galway already dual carriageway for maybe ~3/4 of the route. Both schemes should proceed. 

There must be huge "bang for the buck" in the N7 Newland's cross and N25 interchange upgrades. Not the biggest scale but hugely important.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

dizee said:


> Well to be honest it makes sense to proceed if we can.
> 
> You can't get out of an economic slump by cutting spending and not investing. If anything we should be putting more money into it. Labour seem to be making the right noises in this regard at least.
> 
> Anyway the big ones are PPPs so as long as finance is available they should be ok. The big bonus is the construction prices will be much cheaper.
> 
> I am really looking forward to the M17/M18 but it's disappointing how the M20 has disappeared off the radar. Hopefully the next government will give more consideration to it, it's the last real gap in the motorway network with Limerick to Galway already dual carriageway for maybe ~3/4 of the route. Both schemes should proceed.
> 
> There must be huge "bang for the buck" in the N7 Newland's cross and N25 interchange upgrades. Not the biggest scale but hugely important.


The Galway beltway?


----------



## dizee

Now that you mention it, Galway badly needs its outer bypass too. The traffic congestion there is terrible, way beyond what it should be considering the population.


----------



## Chris_533976

The M17/18 project is looking shaky as the winning consortium to build the PPP project is having trouble getting finance from the banks.

Edit: And the Galway bypass should be 2nd priority, after the N7/M11 scheme. For the size of the city the traffic is just ridiculous. Unfortunately a bunch of eco-warriors are fighting it tooth and nail and its currently mired in the European court.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

dizee said:


> Now that you mention it, Galway badly needs its outer bypass too. The traffic congestion there is terrible, way beyond what it should be considering the population.


Looking at your maps, Galway already has a small beltway albeit broken up by Roundabouts. Why not retrofit the existing one by removing these roundabouts and building overpasses along with interchange improvements? Of course there would be an extra few Km's remaining beltway towards the N59 needed to be built, but it would be cheaper than building another beltway from scratch. The designers of the original scheme were seemingly very short-sighted and poorly planned this. Now it may cost millions more of your tax payers money.


----------



## Chris_533976

Contrary to popular belief it would be possible to grade seperate them but it would be too expensive as there are houses etc built right up to the side of them all.

What Galway needs as well is a fifth bridge. For a town the size of Galway with its car dependency, having only four bridges is just not enough. Also, if you look carefully at the maps, to get from west to east you have to use one of three possible roads at one point. Unsustainable. That bypass has to be built somehow.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

Chris_533976 said:


> Contrary to popular belief it would be possible to grade seperate them but it would be too expensive as there are houses etc built right up to the side of them all.


^^

Very bad planning.... Most municipality councils never give permits to build right beside a Highway. If true, that would definitely be considered a screw-up by our standards, in which case, the person/s who made that decision would get fired. [/QUOTE]




Chris_533976 said:


> What Galway needs as well is a fifth bridge. For a town the size of Galway with its car dependency, having only four bridges is just not enough. Also, if you look carefully at the maps, to get from west to east you have to use one of three possible roads at one point. Unsustainable. That bypass has to be built somehow.


Agreed. A beltway only addresses some of the problems. They still need to upgrade inner-city routes. For example, the N6 which crosses the Corrib River would need to be under/over passed (with on/off-ramps) under/above those Roundabouts so that traffic is free-flowing.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

New beltways outside the existing urban area are only useful when there is significant through traffic or a fast development of industrial / urban areas. There isn't much west of Galway, so it seems most traffic would have a destination in Galway. Upgrading the existing infrastructure may be a better solution than building new infrastructure for relatively few traffic.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

It's hard to upgrade infrastructure in the middle of a city and I'm sure you know that.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

The current N6 for example is mostly dual carriageway with large roundabouts. They could make some dive-unders. You don't need a 100 meter wide ROW to get a high-standard road. It's cheaper to relocate a few businesses than to build a completely new alignment that is only a solution for 5 - 10% of the traffic.

By the way Galway seems to have seen significant development in the past decade.


----------



## Chris_533976

The big problem with Galway is that everyone lives in the west and works in the east. The bus service is unspeakably bad and there is no commuter rail worth mentioning.

The bypass would be a distributor road, but having a grade seperated bypass is extremely important. It would only be the first step in fixing the city, but it would help a lot especially on Friday evenings.

The old mantra is that if two people left home at the same time, person A at the start of the M6 motorway to Dublin, and Person B left Knocknacarra (west side of Galway) in rush hour traffic, an hour later person B would be just at the M6, while person A would be HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.


----------



## transport21

Road infrastructure in Galway is the poorest of all cities in the Republic. Limerick, Waterford and Dublin have 1st class bypasses now and Galway is falling back in investment. The M6 was the only improvement Galway ciy has seen in a long time. The M17/M18 PPP needs to ahead and also the GCOB to bring the crazy traffic situation that is seen there daily under control. Also a bypass of Claregalway on the current N17 is needed. Cork also needs investment with the M20 and ring road. The schemes I have mentioned above are the priorities over the next 5 years as well as the N7 Newlands Cross junction upgrade and the M/N11 to Rosslare from Dublin.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

I researched the History on the N6 - it's 26 years since the construction of this inner city beltway (1985). This highway is undivided in parts, as well as the aforementioned Roundabouts. It crosses the River Corrib too.


----------



## geogregor

transport21 said:


> The schemes I have mentioned above are the priorities over the next 5 years as well as the N7 Newlands Cross junction upgrade and the M/N11 to Rosslare from Dublin.


You know that probably most of mentioned schemes won't be build in the next 5 years. In current economic situation of Ireland only really small projects will go ahead. Maybe Newland Cross from mentioned.


----------



## transport21

geogregor said:


> You know that probably most of mentioned schemes won't be build in the next 5 years. In current economic situation of Ireland only really small projects will go ahead. Maybe Newland Cross from mentioned.


Yeah there is no capital funding at all. We got to hope the PPP process will work for us over the next 5 years or else all we will see is small 2km bypasses and minor junction upgrades.


----------



## geogregor

transport21 said:


> Yeah there is no capital funding at all. We got to hope the PPP process will work for us over the next 5 years or else all we will see is small 2km bypasses and minor junction upgrades.


But PPP success depends on credit worthiness of Irish state and it is at the moment close to zero. I wish you good luck but I'm highly skeptical if any PPP will go ahead any time soon. Banks won't be willing to take the risks.


----------



## Dimenzion

geogregor said:


> But PPP success depends on credit worthiness of Irish state and it is at the moment close to zero. I wish you good luck but I'm highly skeptical if any PPP will go ahead any time soon. Banks won't be willing to take the risks.



The markets suddenly turned against Ireland. Heavier indebted countries like the U.S and U.K can still get low market borrowing rates and retain low bond yields, ironically... The Euro is also under attack - since the beginning of 2010. That's not to say Ireland didn't make mistakes either. The biggest mistake was guaranteeing Bank bondholders. That was an overnight decision made by a folly finance minister back in 2008.


----------



## spacetweek

Chris_533976 said:


> The Athlone bypass wont be a motorway anytime soon as the curvature isnt up to it and there isnt a sensible alternate route for local traffic. The only other bridge in Athlone just isnt up to the extra local traffic and is the only bridge north-south for 20 km.
> 
> Also the PPPs (M17/18 and N7/11) are effectively dead due to the bank and the soverign debt situation.


The Strategic Investment Bank is the only hope for further motorway building, but the N7 Newlands Cross and M11 Wicklow-Arklow schemes will go ahead as standalones. They're cheap enough to be directly funded (M11 already has the land purchased, N7 is small). I reckon they'll split them up and get them done over the next few years. The M17/18/20, though, are a different story.


----------



## spacetweek

sotonsi said:


> Motorway designation is the most obvious one...
> ...
> So in addition to not having all recent HQDC schemes becoming motorway, you also have the anomaly of the M20 getting re-designated, when all the similar roads (Naas Road, N3 and N4 near Dublin, Athlone bypass, Limerick-Shannon Road) weren't.


N6 Athlone was entirely due to curves, close junction spacing, and poor forward visibility. The speed limit is 100 km/h and would have to stay at this level even with redesignation - a main argument against redesignation. N25 Waterford and N18 Shannon Tunnel were because of the lack of a viable non-tolled route, but I don't find this very convincing personally. I think these will eventually be changed.

Why do you think the M20 is weird? It was always a motorway standard road and the only weird thing is how it ever existed as a dual carriageway. It is not at all similar to the Naas Road/N3/N4 which are lower spec.


Highwaycrazy said:


> It's called bad planning and poor decision making - People that made similar decisions in the States were normally first in line of dismissal. I thought the same when I looked into the plans to construct a new Galway beltway given that the existing one (wide median and easily retrofitable) could be upgraded instead of wasting several million EUR building another one from scratch.


Dismissal would be pretty rough since those roads were all built long before it was decided to convert their routes to motorway. No one could have known. And no, you definitely could not retrofit the existing Galway Bypass. The turns are far too tight.


----------



## Catmalojin

This website might interest some members here: http://www.nratraffic.ie/

It's a real-time information site from the National Roads Authority showing camera images, VMS displays and weather conditions on the main roads around the country. It also has current travel times on roads around the Greater Dublin area.


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## Catmalojin

Some news on the M17/M18 Tuam to Gort motorway:



> *Spanish firm offers to build motorway from Gort to Tuam*
> 
> *May 12, 2011 - 7:30am*
> 
> Company that completed Galway-Ballinasloe M6 makes approach on 'doomed' project
> 
> By Declan Tierney
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The much delayed Gort to Tuam motorway has been thrown a lifeline – a Spanish based consortium has approached the National Roads Authority expressing an interest in constructing the 57 kilometre stretch and work could commence by the end of the year.
> 
> It has been learned by The Connacht Tribune that it is the same building company that built the M6 motorway from Galway to Ballinasloe which was opened in early 2010.
> 
> FCC Construction, which has its base in Madrid, have written to the National Roads Authority expressing an interest in constructing the M17/M18 motorway along with the Tuam bypass.
> 
> Last autumn the NRA announced that the consortium of BAM Beatty Balfour were the preferred consortium to construct the motorway from Gort to Tuam but it emerged that finance became a major issue and the signing of contracts was delayed on no fewer than six occasions.
> 
> It is understood that the financial backers were ‘jittery’ about investing in a country with a sovereign debt problem and were worried about being paid back for the project over a 20 year period.
> 
> The National Roads Authority then spoke to two other consortia who had tendered for the project, which will cost in the region of €500 million. But both of these are understood to have difficulty raising the finance for the project.
> 
> Much to the relief of the NRA, they received correspondence from FCC Construction offering to build the motorway – this company has made €1 billion in profits over the past year from lucrative capital projects across Europe.
> 
> But before any contracts can be signed with FCC, the NRA must put the M17/M18 motorway project out to tender again and seek expressions of interest from construction companies. In the current economic climate, the Spanish company are likely to be the only respondents.
> 
> Already, the Government has spent in the region of €120 million on the motorway project, with the vast majority of this going on the compulsory acquisition of lands along the route.
> 
> The Connacht Tribune


----------



## Catmalojin

Not a motorway, but work has commenced on the N5 Longford bypass.

Government press release
Longford County Council press release (with a map of the route)
National Roads Authority press release

The project is 2.6km long and will cost €26 million; it should be completed in around 18 months.


----------



## Catmalojin

The NRA has completed their study on the National Secondary Roads:



> *National Secondary Roads Needs Study*
> 
> The NRA is now proposing to focus its attention on addressing deficiencies in the NSR network. To that end, it commissioned the National Secondary Road Needs Study (NSRNS) to identify an optimal future NSR network, which offers value for money.
> 
> The reporting of the network options for the National Secondary Roads Needs Study is divided into five regions namely North, East, South East, South West and West as follows:
> 
> *North:*
> Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Sligo and Westmeath
> 
> *East:*
> Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Offaly, South Dublin and Wicklow
> 
> *South East:*
> Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary North, Tipperary South, Waterford and Wexford
> 
> *South West:*
> Cork, Kerry and Limerick
> 
> *West:*
> Clare, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon
> 
> A separate report has been provided for each region, with Chapters 1, 3, 4 and 6 being common in all reports. In addition Sections 2.1 to 2.4, Sections 5.1 to 5.3, Sections 7.1 to 7.2, Sections 8.1 to 8.3 and Sections 9.1 to 9.5 inclusive are common in all reports. Appendix B is also common in all reports and is provided separately.
> 
> The reports are available for download below:
> 
> National Secondary Roads - Network Options Report North Region (35Mb)
> 
> National Secondary Roads - Network Options Report East Region (35Mb)
> 
> National Secondary Roads - Network Options Report South East Region (36Mb)
> 
> National Secondary Roads - Network Options Report South West Region (37mb)
> 
> National Secondary Roads - Network Options Report West Region (41Mb)
> 
> National Secondary Roads - Network Options Report All Regions Appendix B (15Mb)


----------



## Catmalojin

> Irish roads sixth safest in the EU
> Updated: 15:00, Tuesday, 21 June 2011
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Irish roads have been named the sixth safest in the European Union, according to a new report.
> 
> Between 2001 and 2010 the number of people killed on the roads here fell by 48%.
> 
> This was just short of the EU target of 50%, which only eight member states achieved, according to the report by the European Transport Council.
> 
> Ireland's reduction was above the EU average.
> 
> Ireland is now sixth behind Sweden, the UK, Malta, The Netherlands and Germany in terms of road safety.
> 
> Ireland was among the best performers when it came to saving lives on rural roads and of pedestrians and motorbike users.
> 
> However, it was below average when it came to reducing deaths of cyclists.
> 
> The report estimated that there has been more than 100,000 fewer deaths on EU roads since 2001 and that the savings to society are worth around €176 billion.
> 
> The Road Safety Authority has described the reduction as remarkable.
> RSA Chief Executive Noel Brett says that Irish road users have become an example to the rest of Europe but he warned against complacency.
> 
> He says there is still a big gap between Ireland and the safest countries in Europe and that efforts to make the roads safer need to continue.
> 
> The European Transport Council has set a new target of a further 50% reduction in road deaths by 2020.
> 
> *Story from RTÉ News:
> http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0621/roads.html*


Brilliant news, but still a lot more to be done.


----------



## CairnsTony

^^

That does surprise me considering the state of some of the secondary roads. Great news though.


----------



## Comfortably Numb

Catmalojin said:


> Brilliant news, but still a lot more to be done.


Fantastic news for Ireland indeed. I also wonder how much of that could be attributed to the new motorway network, taking longer distance traffic off smaller, inadequate roads, where accidents are far more likely to occur than on a motorway?


----------



## Dan

Any new motorway openings (or new projects starting) anytime soon?


----------



## odlum833

Might be two this year (M17 and M11) but negotiations are ongoing and not helped by the economic situation. Some widening schemes should go ahead this year though (M1 for example).


----------



## csd

*North Dublin to the Port via M1/M50*

*North Dublin to the Port via M1/M50*

Folks,

Here's a series of photos of a 10.5 km stretch of the route into Dublin Port from the north. It includes the recently-widened section of the M1 and the Dublin Port Tunnel. Enjoy!

/csd

1. First, the route map.

Screen shot 2011-06-24 at 19.10.36 by csd75, on Flickr

2. Approaching the ramps of junction 3, where the 2x3 section begins. J3 has only south-facing ramps.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

3. Closer view of the sign gantry visible in the previous shot.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

4. On the recently-widened D3M section of the M1, north of Dublin Airport

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

5. Approaching the airport interchange from the north.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

6. Under the interchange, start of 80 km/h speed limit.

IMG_6719 by csd75, on Flickr

7. Immediately south of the airport interchange. 80 km/h here due to weaving by traffic merging from the airport and diverging to join the M50 southbound.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

8. M1 south approaching the M50. Left for the M50 southbound (towards the M11), keep right for the M50 into Dublin Port Tunnel.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

9. Dublin Port Tunnel is €3 all weekend!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

10. Approaching the M50, almost at the end of the M1.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

11. End of the M1. Straight-ahead is also the M50, but isn't signed as such southbound. This is probably to avoid confusion, as the M1 designation used to continue from here to the old terminus of the motorway a few km further south. When the Dublin Port Tunnel was opened, this section of the M1 south of the M50 was renumbered M50 as well. This junction was upgraded last year to allow free-flowing movements between the M1 and M50.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

12. Immediately south of the M1/M50 junction. We're approaching the merge with the M50 northbound carriageway, but we're heading directly due south! Another reason the normal M50 northbound/southbound signage isn't used on this section.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

13. Approaching the Coolock/Santry interchange. This used to be on the M1, but is now an un-numbered junction on the M50.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

14. The Dublin Port Tunnel was built to take trucks off the streets of Dublin, so is toll free for heavy goods vehicles and coaches. Cars and other users pay a toll, which is €3 off-peak and €10 at peak times to discourage commuting through the tunnel.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

14. The supposed reason for the high toll at peak times is to avoid congestion in the tunnel, where the ventalation systems would be overloaded.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

15. The N1 re-appears here, at another un-numbered junction on the M50. The old M1 continued straight on here, ending approximately 1.5 km further south. When the Dublin Port Tunnel opened, this section was converted back to a 2+1 single carriageway road.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

16. Last chance to escape the tolled tunnel!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

17. At 4.5 km, the tunnel is Ireland's (and the island's) longest tunnel. There are repeaters for FM radio stations in the tunnel.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

18. Inside the tunnel.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

19. There's an 80 km/h limit in the tunnel, and no overtaking for vehicles with > 3 axles.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

20. The VMSs say "Cars keep 2 chevrons apart" and "HGVs keep 3 chevrons apart"

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

21. Access to the northbound bore is possible at a number of crossovers like this, normally closed of course.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

22. We could almost be in the Alps here 

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

23. After 4.5 km and 3.5 minutes underground, we're back in the sunshine at the toll station. No express lane for tag users here, but tags are accepted in the centre lanes.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

24. Immediately after the toll station is the exit for the port.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

25. The iconic red-and-white striped chimneys of Poolbeg power station are visible in the background of this shot. The power station closed in 2010, but there is a campaign to save the 207 metre tall chimneys, which have dominated the skyline of the eastern approaches to Dublin since the early 1970s.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

26. End of the M50 motorway.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

That's it, hope you enjoyed the trip!


----------



## Catmalojin

Brilliant pics as always, csd.

Some road construction news from today:



> Contracts for €60m Tralee bypass to be signed today
> 
> *ANNE LUCEY*
> 
> Fri, Jun 24, 2011
> 
> CONTRACTS ARE being signed today in Co Kerry for the finalisation of the Tralee bypass, a €60 million project connecting the N21, N22, N69 and N70 in Tralee.
> 
> The 13.5km construction work will see about 200 people employed over the next 20 months in the town.
> 
> The completion of the Tralee bypass was one of two demands of the former TD Jackie Healy-Rae – along with the completion of the Kenmare community hospital in his own constituency of Kerry South – in return for his support for the the beleaguered Fianna Fáil and Green government in November 2010.
> 
> The former TD’s son, councillor Danny Healy-Rae, yesterday paid tribute to the work of the county manager Tom Curran over the past 12 months for sticking with the project and said the Fine Gael Ministers could only be thanked “for not stopping” it.
> 
> Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan said he was delighted his Government colleague Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar had sanctioned the signing of the contract for the bypass.
> 
> Kerry Mayor Pat Leahy will sign the contract with Bam Civil Engineering an Irish company which recently completed the Castleisland bypass.
> 
> The new road comprises an 8.0km dual carriageway eastern bypass of Tralee town and a 5.5km single carriageway link road from the proposed bypass to the N22 Killarney Road at Bealagrellagh.
> 
> It is estimated the bypass will reduce traffic in Tralee town centre by 25 per cent.
> 
> © 2011 The Irish Times


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Beautiful photos. 

I still think the tunnel tolls are outright bizarre. It's not okay for trucks to clog the city center, but cars idling there is no problem?


----------



## csd

ChrisZwolle said:


> Beautiful photos.
> 
> I still think the tunnel tolls are outright bizarre. It's not okay for trucks to clog the city center, but cars idling there is no problem?


No, cars aren't really welcome in the city centre either! However the trucks were using the quays along the river Liffey to get to the port, clogging up the roads and killing cyclists. It's much better now that there's a 5-axle ban from 07.00 to 19.00 and the trucks are using the tunnel.

/csd


----------



## Highwaycrazy

I like how Ireland uses the same road signs as the US (yellow diamond shaped signs).


----------



## Road_UK

I remember when they first opened the M1 the tunnel was free. I haven't been there for a while now, do they accept cards?

They want to keep traffic out of the city centre, but the only plausible route going westbound when you get off the ferry in the mornings is THROUGH the centre. The M50 is always clogged.....


----------



## Uppsala

Highwaycrazy said:


> I like how Ireland uses the same road signs as the US (yellow diamond shaped signs).


We talked about it before here. And I still think thats very strange. They have warning signs in American style, but with European symbols. And the other road signs are European. They are the only country in Europe with diamond shaped warning signs in American style.

Ireland is a member of the EU so I think they should change the warning signs to European triangles.


----------



## Road_UK

Uppsala said:


> We talked about it before here. And I still think thats very strange. They have warning signs in American style, but with European symbols. And the other road signs are European. They are the only country in Europe with diamond shaped warning signs in American style.
> 
> Ireland is a member of the EU so I think they should change the warning signs to European triangles.


I fully agree. They copied most of their signs from Britain, which are European so why not go that extra mile...

(although they did change in to km not long ago, so why not go that extra 1.6 km :banana


----------



## Highwaycrazy

Uppsala said:


> We talked about it before here. And I still think thats very strange. They have warning signs in American style, but with European symbols. And the other road signs are European. They are the only country in Europe with diamond shaped warning signs in American style.
> 
> Ireland is a member of the EU so I think they should change the warning signs to European triangles.


I'm guessing then they would have to change the yellow shoulder lane markings to white? I don't think that will happen anytime soon. For the most part U.S signs are broadly similar except for several deviations made to accommodate the european symbols you mention. But those could easily be amended anytime.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Uppsala said:


> We talked about it before here. And I still think thats very strange. They have warning signs in American style, but with European symbols. And the other road signs are European. They are the only country in Europe with diamond shaped warning signs in American style.
> 
> Ireland is a member of the EU so I think they should change the warning signs to European triangles.


Why should they? They are just as understandable and changing would be a huge waste of money and Ireland is not exactly in a great situation at the moment. Should Scandinavian warning signs become white?


----------



## odlum833

I don't see any reason for changing the signs tbh. We are very use to them. Have always had them. They are clear to read and it's a bit of a novelty in the EU. I don't see any harm in it. And it would be pointless expense. Also I quite like the yellow shoulders. They are sharper deliniation of the hard shoulder. Just because it is not wider EU practice does not mean there is no merit in a yellow hard shoulder or diamond signage. EU signage is fine. Ireland is an island so it really does not make any difference IMO.


----------



## Uppsala

DanielFigFoz said:


> Why should they? They are just as understandable and changing would be a huge waste of money and Ireland is not exactly in a great situation at the moment. Should Scandinavian warning signs become white?


There is no Scandinavian style. Warning signs in Denmark and Norway are white triangles similar to Germany and the UK. Sweden have yellow triangles like they have in Poland and Greece. But the triangles are similar in other countries, some have yellow and others have white. But the different part is Ireland with diamond shaped warning signs in American style. Thev are the only one in Europe. Maybe charming, but is it practical?


----------



## Highwaycrazy

Uppsala said:


> There is no Scandinavian style. Warning signs in Denmark and Norway are white triangles similar to Germany and the UK. Sweden have yellow triangles like they have in Poland and Greece. But the triangles are similar in other countries, some have yellow and others have white. But the different part is Ireland with diamond shaped warning signs in American style. Thev are the only one in Europe. Maybe charming, but is it practical?


At the end of the day, it's up to the people of Ireland to decide what signs they want. I personally like them. Sorry if I offended anybody.


----------



## geogregor

Uppsala said:


> Thev are the only one in Europe. Maybe charming, but is it practical?


Can you give at least one reason why is it not practical???

What the hell is wrong with some people from the continent who would like to change and unify everything. British signage is wrong, Irish warning sign are wrong. What next? Changing to the right hand side driving???
Come on guys, don't you have anything else to fix? Maybe hunger in Africa? That would be way better use of money.

hno:hno:


----------



## odlum833

They are nice signs. Maybe the the rest of the EU could adopt them? And a yellow hard shoulder too.


----------



## CairnsTony

geogregor said:


> Can you give at least one reason why is it not practical???
> 
> What the hell is wrong with some people from the continent who would like to change and unify everything. British signage is wrong, Irish warning sign are wrong. What next? Changing to the right hand side driving???
> Come on guys, don't you have anything else to fix? Maybe hunger in Africa? That would be way better use of money.
> 
> hno:hno:


I like your style.:cheers:


----------



## Fuzzy Llama

Uppsala said:


> But the different part is Ireland with diamond shaped warning signs in American style. Thev are the only one in Europe. Maybe charming, but is it practical?


They are. And you know what? I think that they are better than our triangle ones. The usable area for the symbol is much bigger, the symbols themselves can be larger and thus better serving their purpose.
Maybe it's the rest of Europe that should abolish that weird, french-styled triangles and switch to the nice yellow diamonds?


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Diversity is what makes Europe so interesting.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

geogregor said:


> Can you give at least one reason why is it not practical???
> 
> What the hell is wrong with some people from the continent who would like to change and unify everything. British signage is wrong, Irish warning sign are wrong. What next? Changing to the right hand side driving???
> Come on guys, don't you have anything else to fix? Maybe hunger in Africa? That would be way better use of money.
> 
> hno:hno:


Agreed :banana:. I see no reason to change the Irish signs, if people don't understand them they shouldn't be driving or walking there, and in terms of saftey (unlike below) it isn't gonna make any difference, perhaps even the yellow diamonds are better, 


I am in favour of yellow centrelines like the Norwegians though, especially in the UK and Germnay where sometimes you have 2 lanes in each direction divided by a broken line in urban areas. For example theres a road near here (part of Staines High Street) where all the lines are exactly the same :lol:

P.S

Maxx Power, (I was gonna guess that your name was Max, but itn't that sopmething from the Simpsons), the Irish use orange signage for roadworks, so I don't see the problem with the colour


----------



## odlum833

Id say the signs are a manifestation of just being different from our nearest neighbour more then anything else. You see this in little things like that. Post boxes painted green etc... Id say that is why they were used in the first place. You do find little niche differences like this particularly in countries with colonial baggage. 


There are illustrations of all the diamond signs here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_signs_in_Ireland

However they came about it's only a harmless novelty in the EU as Chriswolle says.


----------



## geogregor

Maxx☢Power;80329186 said:


> Or everyone could adopt the American yellow _divider_ line  Quite honestly, I don't think there's much benefit to having yellow lines on the shoulder, it doesn't improve anything.


Having yellow center line makes more sense. It can be usefull on one way streets or roads where two carriageway are far apart. Having yellow line on you left (right in Ireland and UK) confirm you are on the correct side.
With yellow shoulder I can't see advantege but nor can I see a handicap in such solution.


> And while we're at it, those yellow triangle signs in Sweden, Poland, etc. should in fact be turned white, and yellow reserved for temporary signs.


In Poland there is no distinction between temporary and permanent warning signs. Warning sign is warning sign. That's it. We have temporary road markings but signs are the same. It makes sense as warning is always warning. Why complicate that?


----------



## DanielFigFoz

The UK has temporary road signs (yellow) but the markings are always white


----------



## geogregor

DanielFigFoz said:


> The UK has temporary road signs (yellow) but the markings are always white


In my opinion different color of temporary marking makes a lot of sense. Sometimes it is in place just for few weeks or even days so they can keep the original one and just stick the temporary one on top. Very useful in short projects. With road signs, old ones are just covered.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

Certain signs are different. 

For example, a speed enforcement sign in Ireland:









Whereas in the U.S:


----------



## the_sage

Nice bit of infrastructure in the previous pages, how many vehicles use the port tunnel? I took the bus from the airport in 2007 and it used it on the way into town but didn't on the way out.


----------



## Road_UK

DanielFigFoz said:


> The UK has temporary road signs (yellow) but the markings are always white


Not always. They use green strips at times...


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Really? I didn't know that :lol:. For what?


----------



## geogregor

DanielFigFoz said:


> Really? I didn't know that :lol:. For what?


More like green reflective bolts fitted into tarmac, I've only seen it in motorways especially when there is start of contraflow.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Oh green catseyes, those are for junctions


----------



## geogregor

DanielFigFoz said:


> Oh green catseyes, those are for junctions


No, not the one for junctions but temporary ones in the colour of green high visibility jackets. They are used to mark temporary lanes and lane changes. Sometimes after removal you can still see small holes they used to fix them to the surface.

EDIT
Like these


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Fair enough. I've never seen/noticed that though


----------



## Road_UK




----------



## DanielFigFoz

^^ I have definitely not seen that, without white lines


----------



## spacetweek

Road_UK said:


> I remember when they first opened the M1 the tunnel was free. I haven't been there for a while now, do they accept cards?
> 
> They want to keep traffic out of the city centre, but the only plausible route going westbound when you get off the ferry in the mornings is THROUGH the centre. The M50 is always clogged.....


Are you sure the Port Tunnel was ever free? I don't remember that.
Going westbound from the port, car traffic can use the quays, but trucks must use the tunnel and the M50. The M50 rarely suffers from any congestion since the rebuild of 2006-2010.


----------



## Road_UK

spacetweek said:


> Are you sure the Port Tunnel was ever free? I don't remember that.
> Going westbound from the port, car traffic can use the quays, but trucks must use the tunnel and the M50. The M50 rarely suffers from any congestion since the rebuild of 2006-2010.


Yes it was free. This is going back roughly two years now, but I remember getting off the ferry, heading towards Belfast - the tunnel only just opened and it was free. Coming out straight into the M1 roadworks, and I remember tolls further up the M1 going over a bridge...


----------



## etchy

Road_UK said:


> Yes it was free. This is going back roughly two years now, but I remember getting off the ferry, heading towards Belfast - the tunnel only just opened and it was free. Coming out straight into the M1 roadworks, and I remember tolls further up the M1 going over a bridge...


Perhaps it was free for a day or two to mark its opening but the tunnel was built specifically for HGVs and has been tolled for cars from the beginning. Indeed it used to be more expensive than it is now. The simplified €3 off-peak/€10 peak toll was brought in about a year and a half ago. Before that there was a tiered €3/€6/€12 toll, depending on the time of day.

EDIT: Have just seen that you say it was roughly two years ago. Either you're remembering wrong or there was some kind of exceptional event. As I said, the tunnel has always been tolled for cars. If the NRA had decided to slap a toll on a previously free road there would've been uproar.


----------



## Road_UK

etchy said:


> Perhaps it was free for a day or two to mark its opening but the tunnel was built specifically for HGVs and has been tolled for cars from the beginning. Indeed it used to be more expensive than it is now. The simplified €3 off-peak/€10 peak toll was brought in about a year and a half ago. Before that there was a tiered €3/€6/€12 toll, depending on the time of day.
> 
> EDIT: Have just seen that you say it was roughly two years ago. Either you're remembering wrong or there was some kind of exceptional event. As I said, the tunnel has always been tolled for cars. If the NRA had decided to slap a toll on a previously free road there would've been uproar.


Might have been some kind of exceptional event, then. I only remember the tolls further up north for a bridge. I sometimes don't pay tolls in Italy. They're either on strike, or the automatic credit cards machine doesn't work, in which case they print me a charge with my registration on it, which I don't pay in a million years, or they just leave the barrier open...


----------



## IRELAND

Hay Bales on M50! hno:








> Motorists are experiencing serious delays on the M50 Northbound following an incident in which a lorry carrying hay bails accidentally knocked off half of its load.
> 
> Gardaí are currently at the scene.
> 
> Drivers are being asked to slow down and approach with care.
> 
> Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/breakingnews...es-half-of-hay-load-513038.html#ixzz1SHH3OdVC


Irish Examiner


----------



## Uppsala

^^
I know this can be dangerous. But I think hay bails on a motorway looks quite funny.


----------



## Bothar.G

^^

I think the truck driver failed to properly ensure his trailer load was secure. Unfortunately, there is little enforcement of vehicle safety checks by our Traffic Cops in Ireland. They really don't show much initiative and there is a lack of commitment to enforce many truck inspections here. One thing I notice is many street/city signs damaged because trucks hit them.


----------



## Road_UK

Funnier are overturned lorries with bottles of beer on board. Saw it with my own eyes: happy hour on the M1 near Northampton...

Two years ago a Dutch lorry overturned in Austria near the Hungarian border with live chickens on board. They were all over the road. It gives the joke why did the chicken cross the road a whole new meaning!


----------



## Chris_533976

Kitten on the M50

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0720/freeway.html


----------



## Bothar.G

*Wide Medians*

^^

In U.K airports, they use ''Way Out'' whereas we use ''Exit'' for all categories of transport (road, rail, etc.) 

Exit on this sign:



















Notice the shorter median width for the newer schemes (above)

In contrast, the old schemes were built with wide medians. Bushes were planted along the median as an anti-dazzle measure. Initially, wider medians were built because there were no guardrails present on the medians of our highways/motorways and drivers were expected to re-gain control by themselves.

However, crashes like this soon changed that in 2004 when the NRA initiated a €15m program to erect guardrails on all divided highways in Ireland:










Some now use rope guardrails:


----------



## Catmalojin

Also, in road construction news:



> Final link in Cork ring road expected to cut travel times
> 
> *MICHELLE McDONAGH*
> 
> Sat, Jul 30, 2011
> 
> MINISTER FOR Transport Leo Varadkar has turned the sod on works on the N25 Cork southern ring road, which it is anticipated will bring a major reduction in journey times.
> 
> The proposed scheme is the final link to a free-flowing route from the western end of the N22 Ballincollig bypass to the northern end of the Jack Lynch Tunnel.
> 
> The N25 South Ring Interchanges Scheme comprises the upgrading of 3km of the route and involves the demolition of footbridges at the Bandon and Sarsfield Road roundabouts and the construction of parallel link roads.
> 
> “This project will improve road safety, inter-regional connectivity and improve the quality of life for people living and working in Co Cork,” Mr Varadkar said.
> 
> “With an investment of €98 million on the construction of the N25 Cork Southern Ring Road, it is tangible evidence of this Government’s commitment to road safety and economic growth.”
> 
> National Roads Authority chief executive Fred Barry said: “The N25 Cork Southern Ring Road project will deliver more consistent journey times to and through the Cork region by providing a high quality link between the N22 and N71 in the southwest with the N8, N25 and N28.”
> 
> *Gerard Goodwin, senior engineer with Cork City Council, said the new stretch of road would be of motorway standard, although it had not yet been decided whether the route would be upgraded to a motorway.*
> 
> “At the moment, there is severe congestion for most of the year at those two roundabouts,” Mr Goodwin said. “The new works will eliminate all of these and create a free flow of traffic. We estimate that journey times will be reduced by 75 per cent at peak times.”
> 
> During the Minister’s visit, Cork Chamber president John Mullins called on Mr Varadkar to publish an integrated transport policy for an exporting economy that established the sustainable funding basis for infrastructure.He called on all Cork Ministers, TDs and elected officials to show their support in opposing the introduction of an opportunistic toll on the Jack Lynch Tunnel. “Tolling will have significant adverse affect on users, operators and the general public.”
> 
> © 2011 The Irish Times


Surely the 'final link' in the Cork ring road will be the Northern Ring Road project? 

*Project information from the National Roads Authority.*


----------



## Bothar.G

Going back to Highways, this is the A2 in Derry which opened to traffic in February of this year. It connects the Airport with the city and is 6.8km in length. 










No shoulder lane, funnily enough.









Pedestrian bridge.


----------



## niterider

Does anyone know the reason for yellow shoulders? Personally, I like think white shoulders blend into the countryside better but then again I also think a yellow central diving line is a great way to indicate opposing traffic on roads, as used in North America and elsewhere


----------



## Comfortably Numb

niterider said:


> Does anyone know the reason for yellow shoulders? Personally, I like think white shoulders blend into the countryside better but then again I also think a yellow central diving line is a great way to indicate opposing traffic on roads, as used in North America and elsewhere


I prefer yellow shoulders. I see the logic of them in countries that experience a lot of snow - easier to see. Also, they are more aesthetically pleasing than the white shoulders. Just my opinion.


----------



## odlum833

niterider said:


> Does anyone know the reason for yellow shoulders?



You want to know the answer? It's not British looking................no really - that's the only reason everyone seems to come up with. Isreal uses it too AFAIK but no other EU country does. I don't think there is any safety argument for or against it. Seems to me to be different just for the sake of being different.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

That is the reason I think, and the reason for the yellow diamonds too :lol:.

I'm surprised that Portugal hasn't done the same thing to be different from Spain


----------



## spacetweek

Back on topic. According to boards.ie, work is apparently due to begin in September 2011 on a new 16 km stretch of motorway to fill a gap between Wicklow and Arklow, between these two points.

Since this one came as a bit of a surprise, I'll believe it when I see work on the ground, not before.

Work on the mammoth 57 km M17/M18 motorway project east of Galway (from here to here) is stalled due to funding issues. Due to our bad credit rating, the project cannot proceed as a Public Private Partnership as the necessary money cannot be borrowed at a reasonable interest rate. The project has officially been pushed out to 2012, but realistically it's unlikely before 2014.



odlum833 said:


> You want to know the answer? It's not British looking................no really - that's the only reason everyone seems to come up with.


Unlikely, considering how petty that would be. The choice of yellow for the road edge markings is far more likely to just be a random preference of some engineer a few decades ago. Until recently, we just made up road signage and markings in Ireland as we went along, and it's entirely possible that the choice was down to a single person.


----------



## csd

*New No Entry signs now appearing*

Folks,

A new Traffic Signs Manual was issued last year, and it authorises the use of standard Vienna Convention no entry signs instead of the Irish standard of a crossed-out straight-ahead arrow.

Dublin City Council appear to be replacing all the old no entry signs with the new standard ones. Here's an example in Dublin 8:


No Entry! by csd75, on Flickr


----------



## csd

niterider said:


> Does anyone know the reason for yellow shoulders? Personally, I like think white shoulders blend into the countryside better but then again I also think a yellow central diving line is a great way to indicate opposing traffic on roads, as used in North America and elsewhere


I've seen yellow shoulders in Switzerland (non-motorway roads) and Liechtenstein, so Ireland is not alone in Europe in doing this.

/csd


----------



## ChrisZwolle

csd said:


> I've seen yellow shoulders in Switzerland (non-motorway roads) and Liechtenstein, so Ireland is not alone in Europe in doing this.
> 
> /csd


Those are bicycle paths.


----------



## Catmalojin

Something of a rarity; a new road construction project began today!



> Work begins on €97m Tralee bypass
> Updated: 17:31, Thursday, 4 August 2011
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Construction began this morning on the 13.5km bypass of Tralee in Co Kerry.
> The Tralee bypass is one of only six national projects going ahead this year.
> 
> The €97m project includes an 8km dual carriageway around Tralee town and a 5.5km single carriageway link to the Killarney Road.
> 
> It will take 21 months to build and up to 150 people will be employed during construction.
> 
> Business and tourist interest groups have welcomed the development, which is seen as essential for the region's economic growth.
> 
> As well as cutting traffic levels in Tralee town by 25%, the new bypass will improve access to Kerry Airport as well as travel to and from Killarney.
> 
> It is expected that almost 19,000 vehicles per day will travel the route by 2026.
> 
> Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar turned the sod today to mark the official start of the project.
> 
> Mr Varadkar said: 'This project will dramatically improve safety benefits to motorists and vulnerable road users alike resulting in a predicted 14% reduction in accidents.
> 
> 'Additionally, the Tralee bypass will upgrade access to County Kerry and allow Tralee to benefit from the removal of unnecessary through traffic whilst improving the travel experience for tourists and businesses alike.'
> 
> Other national projects going ahead this year include the €98m N5 road project in Cork, the N3 Belturbet Bypass, the N5 Longford Bypass, the N4 Downs Grade Separation project, and the N52 Carrickbridge to Dalystown project.
> 
> *Story from RTÉ News:
> http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0804/kerry.html*


----------



## ChrisZwolle

> As well as cutting traffic levels in Tralee town by 25%
> 
> (...)
> 
> It is expected that almost 19,000 vehicles per day will travel the route by 2026.


So that means currently 76,000 vehicles minus some 2011 - 2026 growth pass through Tralee?


----------



## sotonsi

No, because the scheme, as well as forming a distributor road around Tralee (that will get 25% of traffic out of the town), bypasses parts of the N21, N22 and N69, especially the N22 while still performing a radial function.

http://www.kerrycoco.ie/en/allservi...nicalsummaryreportfigures/thefile,1502,en.pdf


----------



## DanielFigFoz

I have to go to Kerry sometime, its the only county of Ireland that I haven't been to. Is it nice?


----------



## csd

DanielFigFoz said:


> I have to go to Kerry sometime, its the only county of Ireland that I haven't been to. Is it nice?


Yes, especially if you like mountains and the ocean!

/csd


----------



## nordisk celt83

DanielFigFoz said:


> I have to go to Kerry sometime, its the only county of Ireland that I haven't been to. Is it nice?


The nicest imo. Apart from the aforementioned town, and the north of the county!!!


----------



## DanielFigFoz

csd said:


> Yes, especially if you like mountains and the ocean!
> 
> /csd


I prefer mountains to be honest :lol:



nordisk celt83 said:


> The nicest imo. Apart from the aforementioned town, and the north of the county!!!


Not many roses?:lol:


----------



## IRELAND

csd said:


> Folks,
> 
> A new Traffic Signs Manual was issued last year, and it authorises the use of standard Vienna Convention no entry signs instead of the Irish standard of a crossed-out straight-ahead arrow.
> 
> Dublin City Council appear to be replacing all the old no entry signs with the new standard ones. Here's an example in Dublin 8:
> 
> 
> No Entry! by csd75, on Flickr


I've noticed more and more of them in the last few weeks around Fairview, North Dublin. I'm very happy their now using them, they look much better than our other no entry sign!


----------



## IRELAND

Maxx☢Power;82565566 said:


> What did the previous sign look like?












It's hideous!


----------



## Uppsala

IRELAND said:


> It's hideous!


And Ireland was the only country in Europe with this sign.


----------



## Uppsala

This one is another very special one for Ireland. They are the only country in Europe with this sign. 










In rest of Europe they look like this, compare.


----------



## geogregor

Maxx☢Power;82565881 said:


> Oh right. Yes, it is hideous. Reminds me of those signs in Brazil that look kind of standard but are used completely wrong (even if they did get them into the standard after the fact).


Maybe it's hideous but I find it logical. Apart from being different from other European countries what's wrong with it?


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Why is it hideous? It looks fine to me


----------



## Uppsala

IRELAND said:


> It's hideous!


I don't think this one is hideous. Ireland is the only country in Europe with this sign, but that's not means it's hideous. And I think most people from other European countries can understand it.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

Bothar.G said:


> Going back to Highways, this is the A2 in Derry which opened to traffic in February of this year. It connects the Airport with the city and is 6.8km in length.


Nice. It's obviously completed by now. I queried that scheme in a previous post and how far along it was.


----------



## flierfy

Uppsala said:


> I don't think this one is hideous. Ireland is the only country in Europe with this sign, but that's not means it's hideous. And I think most people from other European countries can understand it.


The arrow alone is extremely hideous.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

This would have been a better sign for Ireland to adopt:


----------



## Uppsala

I still don't understand what so hideous with the Irish sign. And most people from other European countries can understand they should not drive at a road with this sign. 

But maybe the Irish version is older than the version we have in rest of Europe?

When did Ireland start to use this one?










When dit the rest of Europe start to use this one?


----------



## MrAronymous

Highwaycrazy said:


> This would have been a better sign for Ireland to adopt:
> 
> [/QUOTE]
> 
> Speaking of hideous. :|


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Uppsala said:


> I still don't understand what so hideous with the Irish sign. And most people from other European countries can understand they should not drive at a road with this sign.
> 
> But maybe the Irish version is older than the version we have in rest of Europe?
> 
> When did Ireland start to use this one?
> 
> When dit the rest of Europe start to use this one?


At the invention of one-way roads I guess


----------



## Uppsala

Here is another special sign for Ireland. Compare: :happy:

Ireland:










Rest of Europe:










I do not know which one is the best.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Maxx☢Power;82650582 said:


> Apart from just being aesthetically unpleasing, if I were to encounter that sign (I didn't even know it existed until someone posted it here) it would take me a few headscratching seconds to figure out what it means, and even then it'd just be a guess.
> 
> And it _is_ important that people understand unambiguously what this sign means. Driving the wrong way down a one way street could cause a serious accident.
> 
> 
> 
> Same thing with this sign. I know what the latter means, the first I could only guess. I know now that they (probably) mean the same, but only because you posted them together.


I think that they are both pretty obvious


----------



## IRELAND

Both no overtaking signs are pretty obvious. I don't know how someone could understand the European one and not the Irish one, if anything the Irish one is easier to understand.

Even though I referred to the No Entry sign as 'hideous', it does work, I haven't heard of anyone driving the wrong way down a one way street because of the sign! :lol:


----------



## Road_UK

Uppsala said:


> Here is another special sign for Ireland. Compare: :happy:
> 
> Ireland:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rest of Europe:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do not know which one is the best.


On the rest of Europe picture these cars are obviously driving away from you. On that Ireland picture, they are either coming towards you, which means you should run, or they are both right-hand drives.


----------



## périphérique

Like the no overtaking sign, many existing road signs have not been officially adopted in Ireland. In consequence, the design of these signs is not uniformized.
For example, on some signs, (series of curves, falling rocks crosswinds) the form of the symbol can have differents designs and the angle of the red line on prohibition signs is sometimes aleatory


----------



## CNGL

Uppsala said:


> Here is another special sign for Ireland. Compare: :happy:
> 
> Ireland:
> 
> Rest of Europe:
> 
> I do not know which one is the best.


There's one mistake: On the rest of Europe we drive on the right, so red and black cars should be swapped.


----------



## sotonsi

CNGL said:


> There's one mistake: On the rest of Europe we drive on the right, so red and black cars should be swapped.


So the UK isn't Europe? Malta? Cyprus? (OK, Cyprus is Asian, but it's in the EU, so it's geographically Europe according to them).

And anyway, it makes sense to have the signs directly comparable by having both drive-on-left.

In the UK, when they were bringing in the new standard signs, there were discussions as to whether that No Overtaking sign was clear enough and whether it needed a line through it. The off-centre line didn't help as it looked wrong. For No Cycling and No Pedestrians, etc there are fairly vocal campaigns to add the red bar, as these signs have the least recognition as to what they mean and many people think it's saying the opposite of what it's saying.

The Irish 'No Parking' sign is better IMV than the crossed out blue, as it's intuitive as to what it is. As for the whole 'letter P' is English only, the parking sign in England is a white P in a blue rectangle.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

The parking sign in the rest of Europe is a P ina blue square like in the UK, I think, at least it is in Portugal.

Anyway, I don't have an issue with Irish signage, the old no entry sign even makes more sense, and the no overtaking sign probably does to


----------



## Uppsala

DanielFigFoz said:


> The parking sign in the rest of Europe is a P ina blue square like in the UK, I think, at least it is in Portugal.
> 
> Anyway, I don't have an issue with Irish signage, the old no entry sign even makes more sense, and the no overtaking sign probably does to


The parking sign looks like this in all European countries, and thats means for example Ireland, Portugal, Germany, the UK, France, Sweden and Spain for example. 










The different sign is the no parking sign.

In Ireland they look like this.










In rest of Europe they look like this, compare.










I think the Irish version is better. It is more logic with a P in the sign.

And another funny thing is the no stopping sign.

In Ireland they look like this.










In rest of Europe they look like this.










I think the no stopping sign in Ireland are quite similar to the signs in rest of Europe. But I dont know if someone from other countries can missunderstand it?


----------



## sotonsi

In Indonesia, they use S in a circle with a line through it for "no stopping". Their word for stopping doesn't start with S. It's less intuitive than the parking thing though as S isn't as linked with stopping as P is to parking.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

^^ Like in South Africa I think



Uppsala said:


> The parking sign looks like this in all European countries, and thats means for example Ireland, Portugal, Germany, the UK, France, Sweden and Spain for example.


In Ireland they have one like their no parking sign but without the line










---

When I was little, i.e not very long ago, (say I was 6 10-11 years ago :lol, I can remember seeing no entry signs in the UK with "no entry" written on the white stripe, which I haven't seen in a long time , like this:


----------



## Uppsala

^^
The text inside the old UK-sign is interesting. 

I think sometimes they are a little bit to obvious in the UK. They sometimes think they must have a text on it and people don't understand the symbol. So they made very European symbols but sometimes they put a text on it too, just so people *really* can understand. 

So look at this UK sign:










Most other countries in Europe don't have any text inside it, but in the UK they have the text GIVE WAY. 

But look at this sign from Spain:










Exactly the same symbol, in same colour and everything is the same, but no text on it.

If they take of the text in the UK sign I think there is no problem. The people in the UK know what this sign means, even without the text. 

But, back to Ireland again, this thread is about Ireland and not the UK or Spain. 

Look at this Irish version of this sign.










Still exactly the same symbol like the UK and Spain. And Ireland are little bit to obvious about it like they are in the UK because they have a text inside it. But now it's the text YIELD, like American English. And the text YIELD is like in the US. But the sign has European style, not American. It's quite interesting Ireland using the American word for this sign and not the British word. 

And at last, a sign in Irish language. Now it's called GÉILL SLÍ. :happy:


----------



## DanielFigFoz

The British used to use "Yield" and "Halt" but stopped in the 1960s when the new signs came in, the Irish didn't (well they did with "halt").

"Loss of priority" signs in the UK before the 60s were like white boxes that said things like "Halt at the main road", and they kept that, but put it in the triangle, but I guess it was copied from the Americans (the sign) but the road sign people probably didn't want it to be too American so they put "Give Way" instead. In Wales all the give way signs are bilingual and say:










Whereas in Ireland you only get the Géill Slí in the Gaeltacht, where official direction signs are only in Irish, but you still get warning signs in English, because most of the through drivers probably wouldn't understand Irish.

Signs such as the Caution Children blah blah blah which can come in a yellow rectangle comes in English and Irish in the Gaeltacht, rather than just English, although most unofficial signs, e,g put up by workers on private property to say that lorries will come out, are only in English.


----------



## sotonsi

Uppsala said:


> The people in the UK know what this sign means, even without the text.


Yes indeed, without the text it's a warning to a Give Way that is ahead, by a distance marked on a supplementary plate underneath. Oh, no plate... confusing!


----------



## grogi

niterider said:


> Does anyone know the reason for yellow shoulders? Personally, I like think white shoulders blend into the countryside better but then again I also think a yellow central diving line is a great way to indicate opposing traffic on roads, as used in North America and elsewhere


That's actually brilliant! I can't count how many times I was wondering what is the traffic direction on the next lane...


----------



## grogi

geogregor said:


> Maybe it's hideous but I find it logical. Apart from being different from other European countries what's wrong with it?


Very simple thing: the "no entry" and "one way street" look almost the same - same shape, colors and most of the picture. The same applies to "no parking"/"parking" or "no left turn"/"left turn only" signs - the only difference is the little red bar.

Driving can be stressful enough not to add additional difficulties as hard to differentiate signs.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Uppsala, the old, still common, but less and less common, old Irish give way sign;


----------



## Uppsala

DanielFigFoz said:


> Uppsala, the old, still common, but less and less common, old Irish give way sign;


Thats nice! And there is a typical Irish no entry sign on the picture too.


----------



## spacetweek

spacetweek said:


> Work is apparently due to begin in September 2011 on a new 16 km stretch of motorway


Updating myself here, this motorway won't start in September but is still expected to begin before the end of the year.


----------



## Uppsala

I think Ireland started with motorways very late. The first one was opened in 1983. It was M7 around Naas. But what date that year was it opened?


----------



## Catmalojin

> Dublin roads now safest in Europe, claims authority
> 
> *RONAN McGREEVY*
> 
> Fri, Sep 30, 2011
> 
> DUBLIN NOW has the safest roads of any capital city in Europe, the Road Safety Authority has claimed. The fatality rate has dropped thanks partly to the controversial 30km/h enforcement zone in the city centre, according to the Garda.
> 
> Seven people have been killed on Dublin’s roads so far this year and none since June. By this stage last year, 13 people had been killed.
> 
> At the unveiling of a Garda casualty reduction implementation plan, which will include a crackdown on jaywalking, the head of the Road Safety Authority Noel Brett said recent figures showed how successful Dublin had been in reducing the number of road crash victims.
> 
> According to the European Transport Safety Council report, Dublin has achieved a 12 per cent annual reduction in casualty numbers in the last 10 years.
> 
> Mr Brett said the reduction was for several reasons, including greater enforcement by the Garda traffic corps, the ban on HGV trucks in the city centre and a huge increase in the volume of cyclists, which tended to slow down motorists.
> 
> Chief Supt Aidan Reid, head of the Dublin metropolitan area traffic corps, said the 30km/h enforcement zone was a success.
> 
> He cited international research which showed that just 5 per cent of those hit at 30km/h were killed, rising to 45 per cent at 50km/h and 85 per cent for those hit by a vehicle at 60km/h.
> 
> However, he said it was being implemented as a traffic-calming measure rather than as an enforcement measure. “We’re looking for compliance strictly in that area,” he said. “I believe the 30 kilometre zone has been very helpful in focusing people’s minds as they move into the vulnerable area where pedestrian and pedal cyclists are meeting the car driver.”
> 
> It has also emerged that the number of road fatalities in the Republic as a whole is likely to dip below 200 this year for the first time since records began.
> 
> To date, 136 people have been killed on the roads in 2011. The equivalent figure this time last year was 151.
> 
> Other figures show that nearly 40 per cent of people who are convicted of dangerous driving have a criminal record. Approximately 22 per cent of those killed on the roads are pedestrians.
> 
> The Garda will introduce a casualty reduction implementation plan from tomorrow for eight weeks to coincide with October and November, when traditionally there is a spike in collisions in Dublin.
> 
> The campaign will be particularly focused on speeding, especially in 30km/h and 50km/h zones.
> 
> Gardaí on bicycles will aim to prevent jaywalking, particularly at busy junctions where pedestrians are likely to break the lights.
> 
> More than three-quarters of those who are killed or involved in a serious incident in Dublin are so-called “vulnerable road users” – pedestrians, pedal cyclists and motorcyclists.
> 
> The campaign will focus on the areas of greater Dublin where there has been the greatest number of fatal and serious injury crashes, at Finglas, Blanchardstown, Ronanstown and Tallaght.
> 
> Vulnerable road users will be targeted through education, including the use of safety messages on both Dublin City Council and National Roads Authority variable message signs, as well as more awareness campaigns, most notably an “It won’t happen to me” road safety programme at senior secondary school level.
> 
> *CAR 'ALCO-LOCKS' - DRIVERS MAY HAVE TO PAY *
> 
> Drink-driving motorists could be forced to pay for and install a device in their car which would lock the ignition if they were over the limit, according to proposals being considered by the Government.
> 
> Road Safety Authority chief executive Noel Brett said the addition of an extra sentencing option for drink drivers could act as a deterrent, particularly to those who had an underlying alcohol problem or who had driven while considerably over the limit.
> 
> On Wednesday, MEPs, sitting in Strasbourg, adopted a report which recommended that the so-called “alco-lock” be made mandatory in new cars.
> 
> The “alco-lock” would pertain to all new cars and there was no provision of retro-fitting such devices in all cars.
> 
> Mr Brett revealed that all the agencies involved in road safety and the Garda were working on the possibility of including the sanction of an “alco-lock” which would could add hundreds of euros to the potential cost for motorists who are over the limit.
> 
> He said it was important that the State not be burdened with the cost of fitting such a device.
> 
> © 2011 The Irish Times


Great news!


----------



## Bothar.G

Some updates regarding the N25 Highway upgrade.


----------



## csd

*M50 Junction 5 (Finglas exit)*

*M50 Junction 5*
(Finglas exit)

Here are some pics taken this evening of junction 5 on Dublin's M50. The shots are taken on and around the pedestrian footbridge that snakes its way across the northern side of the interchange. See map here:


http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.40428&lon=-6.31319&zoom=16&layers=M

The interchange itself was upgraded from a grade-separated roundabout to the partially free-flowing junction shown in these pics. Enjoy!

1. Taken from the northwest corner of the interchange, this shot shows a view of N2 heading north. 

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

2. Looking east from near the same position the previous shot was taken. The bridge in the middle carries the N2 north to M50 north slip road over the N2 southbound mainline.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

3. Looking south from the northwest corner of the interchange. Note the Garda car parked in the centre where the sliproad mentioned in the previous shot diverges from the N2 northbound mainline. On the extreme right, the M50 north to N2 north slip road is visible.
Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

4. Moving onto the bridge, this shot is looking north at the N2.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

5. Turning the camera east, here's a closer look at the N2 north -> M50 north sliproad as it passes over the N2 southbound mainline. The loop visible in the background is the M50 north to N2 southbound sliproad.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

6. Taken from further east along the bridge, this is the view south of the N2 southbound mainline as it passes under the M50 mainline.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

7. This is where the M50 northbound to N2 southbound loop starts. M50 mainline is in the background.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

8. Turning the camera 180 degrees to look west, the is the M50 mainline and the M50 northbound to N2 southbound slip passing over the N2 mainline. You can see the gantry assembly from shot 6.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

9. Looking northwest from the same spot above.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

10. A similar angle to the previous shot, but taken from the pedestrian bridge.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

11. The merge point of the M50 north to N2 south slip and the N2 south mainline.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

12. Looking south at the N2 mainline from the merge point noted in the previous shot.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

13. This is the N2 southbound mainline as it passes under the M50. Traffic heading southbound into the city is stopped by the traffic lights, which controls the junction with the M50 south to N2 south off-ramp. The N2 south to M50 north movement (to the right of this shot) is free-flowing.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

/csd


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## ChrisZwolle

exquisite photos! Thanks for sharing


----------



## thebig C

Thanks CSD...LOVELY SHOTS!


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## Bothar.G

Construction on the link road connecting Irvinestown road and Tempo road in Enniskillen begun in September. It is hoped this will help relieve congestion that plagues the County Fermanagh town.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

*Government to shelve €400m Monaghan to Derry road project*

http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/gove...-derry-road-project-527697.html#ixzz1dA0FCaqP

The Irish Government is to announce tomorrow that it is shelving plans to pay for the A5 road to Derry. Not surprising considering they would get no benefit from this project, at least no revenue anyway. How angry are Irish Taxpayers at the €19 million already spent on this project?


----------



## sotonsi

The county of Donegal gets a shed load of benefit from the A5 - better links with Dublin, better links with Derry. Not to mention how giving the NW of the island better links to Dublin, while the links to Belfast remain rather poor (especially given how the A6 improvements have been delayed as NI could only fund one Derry route, and the southern cash meant that the A5 won), is a good thing for the Republic.

Not to mention how most trade the Republic has is with the UK, so making the economy better of the places right near the border can't be a bad thing? After all it's what the British Government was thinking it was doing by chipping into the <s>Irish-people-enslavement-fund</s> bigger loan to bail you out of a large amount debt, not to mention all the other political wrangling to do with the Eurozone, etc.


----------



## Highwaycrazy

sotonsi said:


> The county of Donegal gets a shed load of benefit from the A5 - better links with Dublin, better links with Derry. Not to mention how giving the NW of the island better links to Dublin, while the links to Belfast remain rather poor (especially given how the A6 improvements have been delayed as NI could only fund one Derry route, and the southern cash meant that the A5 won), is a good thing for the Republic.
> 
> Not to mention how most trade the Republic has is with the UK, so making the economy better of the places right near the border can't be a bad thing? After all it's what the British Government was thinking it was doing by chipping into the <s>Irish-people-enslavement-fund</s> bigger loan to bail you out of a large amount debt, not to mention all the other political wrangling to do with the Eurozone, etc.


How do you ensure that when the Government needs more revenue, that you can fail the Irish Taxpayers into believing this will benefit their country? So even if it means paying the price of two happy meals every year, it creates a mentality that there is a free ride to be taken from the Irish Taxpayer to benefit people who have no interest in joining Dublin. 

If you are referring to the fact if Ireland fails, it will pull Great Britain down. I remember the 1976 bailout of Great Britain when it failed but what did you do since? You just gave bonuses to Banks and now the British have one of the biggest debt to GDP ratios in Europe. FYI, we in the U.S are the biggest contributors to the IMF.


----------



## sotonsi

I think you'll find the West of Northern Ireland is where the people were often so enthusiastic as to blow stuff up to try and join Dublin.

I was indeed saying that Ireland and the UK are somewhat symbiotic. The Irish taxpayer has already got the burden of the whole European banking industry - their Government bailed out banks, then couldn't repay the loans that it took out to do that, so they got bailed out (for mostly political reasons - the default and decouple policy was the IMF's only one until they 'had to' protect the Euro) by governments (the UK being one), who often can't really pay back the loans that they needed to take out to loan money to the Irish.

I wasn't applauding the borrow-and-bailout economics - it's a horrible thing (did you not see that I called it enslavement?), I was just using it as an example of the mutual dependency of the two countries - we trade a lot, we want each other to be richer so they can buy more of our stuff. The UK (foolishly, given it's own monetary problems), put in more than they had to into the Irish bailout fund, because Ireland is our biggest export market and we need it rich and vice versa. Sadly the Government thought that the best way to do that was to keep Ireland in the Euro - the UK has only not done an Ireland or a Greece (on a far bigger scale) as we dropped out of the ERM and opted out of the Euro.

Bailing out the banks (not giving them bonuses) was 'crony capitalism', a denial of free markets. Of course, the problem was started a while ago when Government interfered and let banks have a special market (not building societies, hence the demutalisation of many building societies in the late 90s) where they could lend out many times more money than they had to give out (savings and investments, etc) and pushed for home ownership, and thus sub-prime mortgages. At least our bailouts were a surprise, rather than an iron clad guarantee from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae at the outset.

The US has 5 times the population of the UK, 4 of Germany, etc - of course it's the biggest contributor to the IMF! And of course bad fiscal management of 'liberal' states like California is hidden, rather than visible as it is in Europe. And while the size of Government has grown in the UK, in percentage of GDP terms, it's grown at a far quicker rate in America, as has the debt. So you can't pretend to be America lecturing the UK on fiscal and financial responsibility!

But this is getting away from us - back to roads. I understand why the Republic has not co-fund the A5, but think it's wrong to reject it out of hand. Certainly there are higher priorities (getting back to the austerity in the public sector that was proposed before the EU kicked down the door and shouted "we're running the show now" would be a good start, as would the emphasis on infrastructure so that the economy outside the cities can grow) and likely more effective ways of spending money on roads - eg spending the money on the N11 or N25 to improve access to Rosslare, or the N3 or N4 to the North West. However it wasn't a stupid idea for the Republic to help fund the A5 scheme, so that the North built it.


----------



## Bothar.G

^^

That mutual dependency is diminishing rapidly because british exports are more expensive and un-competitive than ever, at least on our supermarket shelves anyway. People are changing their lifestyles here - switching to low-price merchandise has become a major issue for british exporters here. The irish market is a price-sensitive market and anyone who exports to this country must appreciate this. 1 pound is no longer equivalent to 1 euro and forty cents. We do not want to peg it back to the british pound. The Euro is there to stay and so are we. The previous government never had the mandate to make that decision on the A5. At present, the N4 and N15 serve Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim reasonably well. Curiously, I have yet to hear a single complaint about these routes not serving the vast majority of Buncranan's. Building a new route would do little, if anything, to stimulate further economic investment because it would cost Irish jobs.


----------



## sotonsi

Bothar.G said:


> That mutual dependency is diminishing rapidly because british exports are more expensive and un-competitive than ever, at least on our supermarket shelves anyway. People are changing their lifestyles here - switching to low-price merchandise has become a major issue for british exporters here. The irish market is a price-sensitive market and anyone who exports to this country must appreciate this. 1 pound is no longer equivalent to 1 euro and forty cents.


We're trying our hardest to make the pound so utterly worthless that our exports are cheap, but then shooting ourselves in the foot by not doing everything we can to allow the Euro to remain a viable currency - instead that's nosedived at a faster rate than the pound.

When the pound was €1.40, Brits got cheap imports from the Eurozone, and our exports were expensive in the Eurozone. When the pound and euro nearly reached parity, people were driving from Cork to Newry to do the shopping as it was so cheap, as were our exports. The problem with exports is when the pound is worth more Euros, so the problem with British exports is that the pound is not worth €1 anymore, not that it's not worth €1.40 (which would be a worse situation). Irish exports, on the other hand, want £1 to be €1.40.


> We do not want to peg it back to the british pound. The Euro is there to stay and so are we.


Around election/bailout time a majority of Irish people polled in favour of joining the pound. Even Sinn Fenn were for it. Times change, and our bank doesn't even have the 'one currency to rule them all' dogma that the ECB has to justify it's madcap actions.

If you want to follow the Euro to the bottom of the ocean, then fine. If you want to leave it, or even make an inkling in that direction then be prepared for regime change (see Greece and Italy). Like the Hotel California, or Royston Vasey, you'll never leave...


> The previous government never had the mandate to make that decision on the A5.


Really? How so?

And do the current government have a mandate for their policy of funding it, but at a much slower rate? I think 25 million in 2015, 25 million in 2016 and more money later is the current plan.


> At present, the N4 and N15 serve Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim reasonably well.


Except noone in their right mind would take the N4 to go from the Dublin area to Donegal - they'd use the N2/A5/N14 or N3/A509/A46/N3. It's not like there's a 20 foot high fence on the border, stopping all traffic and making it go via Sligo, despite that being a long way round.


> Curiously, I have yet to hear a single complaint about these routes not serving the vast majority of Buncranan's. Building a new route would do little, if anything, to stimulate further economic investment because it would cost Irish jobs.


Because no one takes those routes for the journeys that would be done by the A5, no one will complain about them being poor...

Will it cost Irish jobs? not really. There's a common market for jobs, and jobs in Derry, or Strabane (or even Omagh) wouldn't be that difficult to get to from Donegal or Sligo. Plus even if they go to British people, then they can afford stuff, which will inevitably involve those cheap Irish goods.

Is it the best use of money that the Republic can spend on roads? Probably not, but given that the money would go a lot further, what with the UK money also involved, it's not a bad idea to fund it. After all you link a large city (and the third largest town in the Republic not already on the DC network, via the N14 2+2, which would be pointless without at least some of the A5, likewise the N15 2+2) with the southern border of the North.

Given the Republic of Ireland is richer than the UK, there's also an element of playing it's part in the economic redevelopment of NI.


----------



## csd

*M50/M11 interchange*

Yet more night shots of the M50 - if anyone's finding these a bit tedious then let me know and I'll try think of a different topic!

*M50 J17 (M11 merge)*
For today's installment in the "M50 night shots" series, we travel to the southernmost point of the motorway, where it merges with the M11. The section between junctions 14 and 17 was the last to open, in June 2005. The interchange itself is limited access, with freeflowing movements provided for M50 S -> M11 S and M11 N to M50 N only. There are no southbound-to-northbound movements possible; motorists must use J16 for these.

The shots are taken from three overbridges, see the map here:

http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.22995&lon=-6.1305&zoom=15&layers=M

1. This shot is taken from the R116 overbridge, to the north of the map. The first view is of the M50 mainline looking north towards exit 16 (Cherrywood). This section of the M50 opened as 2x2 lanes, with a large central median available for future widening. The VMS in the middle distance is showing the travel times to junctions 6 and 7. Although you wouldn't know it from the picture, there's a deep valley between where the canteliver sign for J16 is and the bridge visible in the distance. This valley is crossed by the twin Bride's Glen viaducts.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

2. Looking south from the same bridge, the M11N to M11N sliproad crosses over the M50 mainline on a flyover. The M11 northbound is a TOTSO at this exit, so you must leave the M11 to stay on the M11 because the M50 mainline starts at this exit.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

3. Moving south the next series of shots was taken from the footbridge that crosses the M11 immediately south of the M50's terminus, visible in the middle of the map linked above. This shot shows the general view looking north, with the M11 northbound slip diverging left, the M50 mainline straight on, and the M11 southbound merging in on the right.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

4. Here's a tigher shot of the gantry over the M50 mainline, visible from the shot above. Before the construction of the M50, the M11 curved gently right on the level here, terminating at a roundabout approximately 800 metres further north.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

5. The view north, centered over the M11 exit lanes. The 80 km/h speed limit on the off-ramp seems a bit low, given the good geometry of the slip road. The limit on the mainline is 120 km/h.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

6. Turning 180 degrees, here's the view south of the M11 mainline. The section between here and the Bray North junction was widened to 2x3 lanes as part of the M50's construction.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

7. Moving south, the next series of shots was taken from the Crinken Lane overbridge. The first picture is of the view north, with the cantelever for the M11 exit visible. The gantry on the right is the one visible in the distance in photo 6 above.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

8. Swinging the camera south, here's the view of the M11 mainline just north of exit 5 (Bray North). There have been quite a few changes since I first took a photo of this location back in 2004 (see this pic from the international section of cbrd.co.uk). The M11 loses a lane at Bray North interchange, visible in the distance.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

That's all for this update! For next time, I'll try and get some shots of J13/14, which is interesting in that J14 is restricted-access and embedded in the middle of J13.

/csd


----------



## Highwaycrazy

Bothar.G said:


> Some updates regarding the N25 Highway upgrade.


^^

The railings could have been re-used elsewhere (assuming they are removeable).


----------



## csd

*A trip down the N7*

Folks,

Here's a series of pics leaving Dublin along the N7/M7. Starting at the interchange of the N7 and the M50 (the Red Cow interchange), we head southwest in the direction of Waterford. Apologies, but the quality isn't as good as usual: dirty windscreen and low winter light have conspired to reduce the sharpness.

The key map:

Key map by csd75, on Flickr

1. The R110 outbound, as it approaches the Red Cow interchange. This interchange was formerly a grade-separated roundabout, but was upgraded to partially free-flowing as part of the M50 upgrade scheme. 

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

2. We head straight through the traffic lights visible in the previous shot, and into one of the original bridges from the roundabout junction. The M50 is directly below us here.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

3. Traffic from the M50 northbound to N7 southbound slip merges in from the left as we approach the exit for the Luas (tram) P+R and Clondalkin. The N7 starts here, having been de-trunked inside the M50 ring in the 1990s.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

4. Three traffic lanes and a bus lane between the Red Cow and Newlands Cross.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

5. Newlands Cross, the last set of traffic lights remaining between Dublin and Cork/Limerick/Waterford. There is currently a PPP project to grade-separate this out to tender, but it is proving difficult attracting finance in the current economic climate. The plans are for the N7 mainline to be carried over this intersection on a flyover bridge.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

6. Once through the traffic lights at Newlands Cross, we can accelerate to 100 km/h. Note the recently-installed VMS.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

7. Next exit is for the grandly-titled Outer Ring Road (R136). Designed to take some traffic off the M50, the dual carriageway route runs between Lucan (N4) and Tallaght (N81), and is dotted with roundabouts and traffic lights. The northern end of the R136, near Lucan, runs behind existing housing, who objected to the prospect of having heavy trucks thundering past their gardens. To appease them, HGVs are diverted off the northern section and on to the R113, and the N4 isn't signposted from the N7!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

8. Exit 2, complete with sculpture, which was installed last week.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

9. Exit 3, for Citywest business park, comes upon us immediately afterwards.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

10 Exit 3a is only accessable southbound.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

11. Exit 4 for Saggart and Newcastle.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

12. The RCS after exit 4 is cunningly camoflaged by a tree.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

13. The LILO for Rathcoole South is un-numbered, and only accessable from the southbound carriageway.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

14. The first of three sets of services available on the N7 southbound between Rathcoole and Naas.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

15. Junctions 5 and 6 serve smaller villages. This part of the N7 was upgraded from 2x2 with traffic lights and median crossings to 2x3 lanes with grade separation in 2005. When originally opened in 1968, this was the first major section of rural dual carriageway in the Republic of Ireland.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

16. Kill north exit. This village isn't an exhortation to homocide, rather _Chill_ means church in the Irish language, so forms part of many placenames.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

17. A warning that there are no online services ahead on the M7, M8, or M9.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

18. Kill South.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

19. Approaching exit 9 for Naas, and the start of the motorway section.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

20. We lose a lane here, but the speed limit increases to the motorway default of 120 km/h.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

21. This portion of the M7, the Naas bypass, has the distinction of being the first section of motorway to open in the Republic of Ireland, in 1983. It was resurfaced last year, hence the good condition of the pavement.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

22. Junction 10 marks the end of the original M7 Naas bypass.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

23. The next section of M7 to open was in 1994, when the Y-shaped M7/M9 Newbridge/Kilcullen link was opened, extending the improved road southwards. 

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

24. This gantry is more recent though, having been installed in the last year or two.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

25. Approaching exit 11, where the M9 diverges. We're going to follow the M9 south towards Waterford.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

26. Start of the M9. No online services here either, though there are plans for an MSA south of Newbridge.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

To be continued...


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## DanielFigFoz

Great photos!


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## Stainless

geogregor said:


> I see that Irish summer is almost as good as British summer


In Ireland it is either about to rain or already raining. The British Isles have had some interesting rain patterns recently. Southern England has been flooded and miserable since about March, when we had a hosepipe ban. Scotland is now nearly in drought:nuts:


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## Road_UK

Kent often had a water problem, which goes to show that the British infrastructure sucks. How can Britain have a water shortage, its a north European island for crying out loud! I blame Health and Safety!


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## Bothar.G

The weather is the least on most Irish people's minds now given the recession. The average Irish person is getting screwed at the gas pump with more austerity to pay for the Bank bondholders  

A previous poster covered the Ennis bypass with photos. This is the Newmarket-on-Fergus bypass which opened in 2002: 











Starts here:





















































N19 interchange (Shannon Airport): 








N19 overpass:


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## Bothar.G

*Continuing southbound on N18*

The oldest section of the N18 opened in 1979:































































































































Everyone avoids the Limerick bypass to avoid paying the toll (including me) :lol:


















This was once part of the main N18:








Limerick city in sight:


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## xrtn2

i like irish diamond signs.


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## Bothar.G

The signs are more visible in dark rainy weather because the fluorescent yellow background shows a higher intensity. Sometimes, newer signs are often placed too high for eye level.


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## spacetweek

Bothar.G said:


> Everyone avoids the Limerick bypass to avoid paying the toll (including me) :lol:


I never understand this attitude! 
Why on earth would you want to avoid the toll when it could save you 30 or 40 minutes at rush hour? What is it, two euro? That's nothing.


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## Bothar.G

Some drivers circumvent the Tollway if they aren't in a hurry. Others may feel their annual road tax of €400 should eliminate the need for paying any tolls. Possibly in protest against the governments use of this tax to pay the Banks. I now carpool because I previously paid €500 a year on road tax, €50 on vehicle inspection and extra taxes on gasoline. So I pay 50% less now. The government wouldn't reinvest it into infrastructure except into the pockets of speculators.


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## Bothar.G

Chris_533976 said:


>



That of course being the Ennis bypass. On this newer bypass, the shoulder lane is narrower and in my opinion they didn't need curbing because it increases the cost of construction and also with maintenance. Surface water runoff would easily occur without curbing. Moreover, if they ever widen the width of the pavement markings, this shoulder lane will be very narrow.


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## Catmalojin

Some major roads projects which are to be funded announced by the government today as part of a €2.25 billion stimulus (€850 million on roads), they include:

M18/M17 Gort to Tuam (motorway including a 2+2 N17 Tuam bypass); 57km long
M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy (motorway including a bypass of Enniscorthy); 26km long
N25 New Ross bypass; 13.6km long
N/M6 Galway City Outer Bypass; 12km long (depending on legal issues which have yet to be resolved)
The M18/M17 will start in 2013, the M11 and N25 in 2014. 

Official government press release can be found here.


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## odlum833

A motorway order has just been issued for the upgrading of this underwhelming grade separated roundabout interchange between the M8 and N25 in Cork into what would be Cork's most complex interchange although it won't be entirely free flow on some movements. It will make for a seamless flow of traffic from the JL tunnel to the M8 and N25.


*All documentation*

http://n8n25dunkettle.jacobs.com/scheme_documentation.html

*Aerial photomontages of proposed changes*

http://n8n25dunkettle.jacobs.com/do...IS VOL 3 Figures - Fig 1.1.1 to Fig 2.4.1.PDF

I do see one or two problems with the design. The retention of a roundabout just to the west for example seems a bit strange. Nevertheless it's great to see progression on this as it removes one of the few remaining at grade interruptions from southwest of Cork all the way up to Belfast.












Existing











Proposed











Existing










Proposed











It's like a part cloverleaf hybrid


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## Highwaycrazy

Bothar.G said:


> Some drivers circumvent the Tollway if they aren't in a hurry. Others may feel their annual road tax of €400 should eliminate the need for paying any tolls. Possibly in protest against the governments use of this tax to pay the Banks. I now carpool because I previously paid €500 a year on road tax, €50 on vehicle inspection and extra taxes on gasoline. So I pay 50% less now. The government wouldn't reinvest it into infrastructure except into the pockets of speculators.


I read that drivers across the eurozone are increasingly shunning tollways with the ongoing fiasco. Toll road traffic volumes in France, which had shown more resilience since 2008, also contracted in the first three months of this year. About the Limerick beltway, the speed limit is quite low and the pay-by-cash system wasn't really appropriate. I would've chosen an electronic tollway - it would help traffic more freely. I drove on the old section of the N18 Highway (Ennis Road) before it was split up into roundabouts. At that time, they used median openings with turn lanes. These are a much better alternative than roundabouts which only hinder traffic flow and increase fuel consumption.


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## Bothar.G

^^

These are the crossings you're referring to. They are now removed despite a perfect free-flow of traffic beforehand. Since the roundabouts were built it's worse. 

On that old N18 (now R445) the width of the median crossing was also wide enough for safety. Irish planners and road engineers are getting worse by following the failed policy of roundabouts. The sudden slowing down and speeding up increases fuel consumption let alone the traffic flow being like a stop and go system. It also increases noise pollution in a relatively scenic area near the Ennis Road. History has shown that roundabouts on downgraded sections have had a negative impact. Galway City Council recently removed some roundabouts on the old N6.


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## csd

*N11 Camolin - Dublin*

N11 Camolin - Dublin

This is approx 90 km approaching Dublin on the N11/E1 from the south. Starting just north of the Co Wexford town of Camolin and finishing on the M50. This is the main route between Dublin, the medieval town of Wexford, and the ferryport of Rosslare, where ships to France and south Wales sail from.

Hope you enjoy.

/csd

1. First, the route map.

Screen Shot 2012-09-29 at 17.14.48 by csd75, on Flickr

2. This section of single carriageway N11 is due to be upgraded with a motorway, bypassing Camolin, Ferns, and Enniscorthy. It is one of only four motorway schemes due to start in the next 12 months.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

3. Approaching the southern terminus of the M11. The motorway will be extended south once the upgrade project starts some time in 2013.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr4

4. Start of the motorway.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

5. On the M11 Gorey bypass. This road was opened as a high-quality dual carriageway with green signs, but was reclassified as motorway in 2010.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

6. Quite an undulating surface here.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

7. Exit 23 (Gorey South).

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

8. Tara Hill dominates the skyline as we edge closer to Dublin.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

9. Approaching exit 22.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

10. There are no motorway service areas (MSAs) on the M11, so this parking area is the only place truck drivers can rest at the moment. However, as part of the Arklow - Rathnew upgrade project, an MSA is to be constructed near this location. This is supposedly to start construction on 10.10.2012, but has missed many previous deadlines so I'll believe it when I see it!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

11. Approaching exit 21 - Arklow south.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

12. Tourist destinations.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

13. County Wicklow is known as "The Garden of Ireland" -- you'll see why over the next series of photos.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

14. On the Arklow bypass now. This was opened in the '90s as a dual carriageway, and redesignated a motorway in 2010. Note the older style wide median construction.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

15. The M11/N11 skirts the eastern side of the Wicklow Mountains, so the terrain is quite hilly.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

16. Bridge over the Avoca river.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

17. Approaching exit 20, the terminus of this isolated southern section of the M11. Patching is used on signs at terminal junctions on motorways.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

18. White exit sign because it's a terminal junction. This will be changed to blue when the motorway is extended northwards.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

19. End of motorway restrictions. There's a short section of all-purpose dual carriageway north of exit 20.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

20. Ever closer to Dublin. This will be upgraded to motorway once the 18 km gap between Arklow and Rathnew is closed.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

...continued in next post.


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## csd

*N11 Camolin - Dublin part 2*

...continued from previous post.

21. Approaching the end of the dual carriageway. This access will be removed as part of the M11 Arklow - Rathnew motorway scheme.
﻿﻿
Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

22. End of the dual carriageway. The land for the extension of the motorway north has been purchased and fenced off. The scheme has been delayed and postponed many times due to financing difficulties after the 2008 economic crash, but is supposedly starting construction on 10.10.2012.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

23. Single carriageway, and no overtaking!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

24. Garda Traffic Corps observation ramp.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

25. Brittas Bay is a beach popular with Dubliners in the summer.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

26. This section can get very congested at sunny summer weekends.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

27. A series of fatalities on this section led to an overtaking ban and reduced speed limit being introduced.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

28. Junction for Redcross.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

29. The speed detector didn't work for me, for some reason!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

30. This is probably the worst quality section of the N11 between Dublin and Wexford.The motorway bypass is long overdue!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

31. Finally we're allowed overtake again!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

32. The other major at-grade intersection on this part of the route is for Wicklow town, the county seat.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

33. Thank goodness, we'll be back on motorway soon!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

34. But first, there's a short section of all-purpose dual carriageway before the motorway begins.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

35. Exit 17. Exits 18 & 19 will be on the Arklow - Rathnew scheme.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

36. The motorway starts just after the exit ramp.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

37. This is the Ashford bypass, another scheme opened as an all-purpose road and later reclassified as motorway.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

38. Exit for Ashford. This is one of my favourite sections.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

39. Near Ashford.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

40. The section north of exit 14 was not reclassified as motorway (we'll see why soon!).

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

...continued on next post.


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## ChrisZwolle

Nice photos! Thanks for the captions. As I understand the speed limit was reduced from 100 to 80 km/h at photo # 27? 100 km/h seems quite fast for what looks like a semi-built-up area.


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## csd

...continued from previous post.

41. This will remain the northern terminus of the southern section of the M11. Once the current round of upgrades are finished, the M11 will consist of a short northern section around Bray and a much longer section between here and a point south of Enniscorthy (the village of Oilgate). The two sections are joined by the dual carriageway shown in the next series of photos.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

42. End of motorway.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

43. We're on a National route, so green signs. The road is still very high quality, with no median openings.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

44. Here we see one of the main reasons this section isn't motorway: a bus stop on the mainline!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

45. Exit 13, near Cullenmore.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

46. As we approach the southern end of the Newtownmountkennedy bypass, the Sugarloaf Mountain pokes its head above the horizon.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

47. Newtownmountkennedy is the longest name for a town in Ireland, and got its bypass in 1990, one of the few pre-Celtic Tiger high quality dual carriageways to open.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

48. The dual carriageway section has recently been re-signed to the latest TSM standards.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

49. There's a dual carriageway from exit 11 to the seaside town of Greystones.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

50. Approaching Glen of the Downs, we're on a short section of early 70s-era dual carriagway. One of the few outside Dublin, it's had its median openings closed and a wire safety barrier installed in the last decade.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

51. One of the new signs. Exit 10 is a LILO (left-in, Left-out with tight corners.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

52. No trucks allowed through Delgany.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

53. Through the Glen of the Downs. There was much protest when this section was upgraded to dual carriageway. As a compromise, the road width is narrower here, so fewer trees had to be felled. This upgrade opened in 2003.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

54. Note the narrower hard shoulder.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

55. The Sugarloaf makes another appearance.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

56. Between Glen of the Downs and Kilmacanoge.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

57. Another tight LILO junction, and the speed limit drops to 80 km/h northbound.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

58. The reason for the low speed limit. 
Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

59. Lots of tight exits and weaving traffic here -- it's hard to see that they'll ever be able to upgrade this to motorway without doing a lot of demolition.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

60. The exits keep coming, thick and fast!

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

61. Another median opening was closed here in the late 90s when this interchange was built.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

62. Immediately north of exit 7 is exit 6A, for Enniskerry. Lots of weaving here.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

63. Yet another exit! This is the southern terminus of the Bray Bypass, which opened in 1991. Until the reclassifications of 2010, this was the only section of M11.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

64. New gantries on the Bray bypass. Not sure I've seen an L-road signed off a motorway anywhere else in Ireland.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

65. Bray bypass. The southern half hasn't changed since opening (apart from some new signs and a median barrier).

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

66. The northern half, however, was upgraded to 2x3 lanes when the M50 was built.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

67. We're still on the M11 Bray bypass, but the exit number is the M50's exit 17.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

68. Bray bypass.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr


Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

69. The M11 TOTSOs off here, the mainline is the M50.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

70. We're going to stay on the mainline, so we're taking the M50 northbound.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

71. The M11 northbound carriageway is on the flyover visible below. The motorway ends at a roundabout approx 500 metres after the flyover. The N11 then continues as a dual carriageway (with traffic lights and bus stops) for most of the way into the city centre.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

72. M50 South Eastern Motorway. If the eastern bypass of Dublin is ever built, it is likely that this section will be renumbered M11, and the N11 declassified as a regional route.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

73. Approaching Carrickmines, our last pic.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

Hope you enjoyed!

/csd


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## csd

ChrisZwolle said:


> Nice photos! Thanks for the captions. As I understand the speed limit was reduced from 100 to 80 km/h at photo # 27? 100 km/h seems quite fast for what looks like a semi-built-up area.


Chris,

100 km/h is the default for national roads, regardless of standard. The county council issued a speed limit order to reduce this section to 80 km/h because of the accidents. It's not actually that built-up, but it's a wide road with many side-turnings, so there were a lot of head-on collisions caused by unsafe overtaking.

/csd


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## Bothar.G

The Glen of the Downs nature reserve where they tried to bulldoze over local residents starting in 1997. They were met with resistance by demonstrators. Some big businesses wanted this Highway but it passes close by the flood plains.


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## Bothar.G

ChrisZwolle said:


> 100 km/h seems quite fast for what looks like a semi-built-up area.


Too slow in my opinion  In Ireland, we all violate traffic rules every minute. Civil disobedience is common here and the cops rarely enforce rules, except maybe the wacky races:


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## csd

*Into Connemara*

Part 3: Into Connemara

A few pics on the N59 and R336 northwest of Galway

1. This is the N59 near Galway city: not too bad.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

2. A recently re-aligned section of the N59 between Moycullen and Oughterard.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

3. West of Oughterard (that's pronounced ookter-ard), the N59 opens out and the scenery is simply stunning.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

4. Top Gear magazine rates this road as one of the best drives anywhere. The Twelve Bens are visible to the extreme left, the Maamturks are in front of us.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

5. We turn right at Maam Cross, heading for Leenaun.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

6. The R336 between Maam and Leenaun.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

7. Climbing one of the mountains near Leenaun yields this view of the sunset over the Twelve Bens and Killary fjord.

Killary fjord by csd75, on Flickr

Hope you enjoyed!

/csd


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## verreme

Stunning pictures. Love your posts man.


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## Zagor666

verreme said:


> Stunning pictures. Love your posts man.


absolutely,ireland at its whole beauty.i like the electric posts,reminds me of yugoslavia in the 70s :cheers:


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## DanielFigFoz

Great photos!


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## Chris_533976

Galway is a great town to live in, but the traffic alone would put me off living there. For a town of its size, the traffic is absolutely ridiculous.


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## Road_UK

I remember them building a new bypass in 2005 when I was there. Certainly it should have improved things a little?


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## csd

Road_UK said:


> I remember them building a new bypass in 2005 when I was there. Certainly it should have improved things a little?


Not sure what you saw in 2005, but the only bypass is the road shown in Part 2 of my photos, and it's been ruined by shopping malls and other development so it's no use as a bypass.

Chris is right -- Galway is a lovely city but it has the worst traffic (by average speed) of any urban area in Ireland.

/csd


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## Road_UK

A new one where they have also built a new hospital, that's all I remember.


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## Chris_533976

Its more of an inner relief road than a bypass... before the traffic light replacement plan there were 10 roundabouts on it and it dumps you in the middle of an estate.

Coupled with the fact that the town only has four river crossings and the town is a natural bottleneck due to Lough Corrib to the north. There is currently no grade seperated bypass, which is what is desperately needed. Oh, and no useful public transport either.


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## DanielFigFoz

I haven't been to Galway since they built the bypass.

So from what you're saying it's a bit like the Sligo 'bypass', but worse.


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## spacetweek

DanielFigFoz said:


> I haven't been to Galway since they built the bypass.
> So from what you're saying it's a bit like the Sligo 'bypass', but worse.


Yes but the population of Galway is 5 times larger than Sligo 

The Galway (inner) bypass was built in stages during the 90s.
The new Outer Galway bypass will probably start around 2016.


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## DanielFigFoz

Oh I have been there since they built the bypass then :lol:


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## Bothar.G

The inner Galway City beltway was built in 1985.


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## csd

*M50 J13/14 at Sandyford*

Folks,

Some pictures taken around M50 J13/J14 interchange in Sandyford.

See here for location map.

1. The first few shots are taken from the R117 Sandyford Road overbridge. Looking east, exit 14 diverges to the left on the M50 southbound.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

2. Swinging the camera around to the west, this is the view of the M50 northbound. The Green Route (R113) runs outside the M50 mainline here, and forms part of exit 13's slip roads.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

3. The next few shots are taken from the roundabout in the middle of the map. This is taken from the SE corner of the roundabout, looking down at the N31 -> M50 northbound sliproad (exit 14).

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

4. The view northeast from the same spot, looking over the M50 mainline and the J13 southbound sliproad.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

5. M50 mainline looking east (southbound).

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

6. M50 J13 southbound sliproad (upper), J14 southbound offramp (towards the N31) (lower), and M50 mainline (right).

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

7. M50 mainline looking west (northbound) from the NE corner of the roundabout.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

8. Looking west (northbound) from the SE corner of the roundabout.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

9. N31 -> M50 northbound slip merging with the M50 mainline. The view turned 180 degrees from photo 3.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

10. Now some shots taken from the western arm of the roundabout. M50 mainline looking east (southbound), exit 14 SB diverges to the left.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

11. Looking west, exit 14 NB slip merges to the left.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

12. The next two shots are taken from the R113 overbridge at the N31 end of the junction (the eastern side). Looking west at the diverge for J13 NB, with the bridge for J14's N31 -> M50 northbound flyover in the foreground.

Untitled by csd75, on Flickr

13. Looking east (southbound) from the same bridge, the M50 mainline has dropped to two lanes each way from J14 to J17 (the terminus).

IMG_5626 by csd75, on Flickr

14. A panorama of the roundabout at J13.

M50 J13 panorama by csd75, on Flickr

Hope you enjoy!

/csd


----------



## RV

The M50 is a extremely good example of how to build an excellent road. We should take note of this in Finland.


----------



## Angulo

RV said:


> The M50 is a extremely good example of how to build an excellent road. We should take note of this in Finland.


:lol: In Poland we have more more better motorways.


----------



## geogregor

Angulo said:


> :lol: In Poland we have more more better motorways.


Do you have anything interesting to say or do you just flame????


----------



## CairnsTony

geogregor said:


> Do you have anything interesting to say or do you just flame????


:applause:


----------



## RV

In Poland? Excuse me, but lol. The geometric solutions of the M50 are supreme and make it to handle very well its AADT. Show me a better motorway as this one in Poland. The only minus in M50 is left-side traffic


----------



## DanielFigFoz

It really does look good in those night pics


----------



## Angulo

> Show me a better motorway as this one in Poland.


With pleasure.
http://www.kocjan.pl/displayimage-82-0.html
A1 in Silesia with A1/A4 interchange.


----------



## geogregor

Angulo said:


> With pleasure.
> http://www.kocjan.pl/displayimage-82-0.html
> A1 in Silesia with A1/A4 interchange.


This is definitely a good motorway and junction, I know it well and use it regularly.
But the whole discussion started from your post post:



> :lol: In Poland we have more more better motorways.


What that suppose to mean? You posted it as a replay to someone who simply appreciated M50. No one mentioned Poland and then you come with your silly childish comment. Why? What for?
This is thread about Irish motorways no Irish vs Polish or any other.

Coming back to M50, it is a good motorway. It is not perfect but you have to consider that it was upgraded in limited land footprint so obviously it was impossible to build junctions covering hectares like on Polish A1/A4 junction.
And still, M50 handles very big ADDT rather well.


----------



## odlum833

Some snaps around some interchanges. Due to the fact it's an urban motorway space is at a premium at interchanges. If anything this is a very big design challenge.


----------



## csd

M11 Arklow - Rathnew now pushed back to February...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1129/1224327258708.html


----------



## geogregor

csd said:


> M11 Arklow - Rathnew now pushed back to February...
> 
> http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1129/1224327258708.html


I hope they will eventually start all the three PPP projects mentioned in the article. I guess it would help Irish construction sector as there is not much building going on at the moment.
The only meaningful active road project I can think about are the flyovers on the Cork south bypass.


----------



## spacetweek

geogregor said:


> I hope they will eventually start all the three PPP projects mentioned in the article. I guess it would help Irish construction sector as there is not much building going on at the moment.
> The only meaningful active road project I can think about are the flyovers on the Cork south bypass.


If all goes well, the PPP projects will start:
M11 Wicklow/N7 Newlands Cross: March 2013
M17/M18 Gort to Tuam: End 2013
M11 Enniscorthy/N25 New Ross: 2014

Fingers crossed


----------



## Comfortably Numb

Angulo said:


> With pleasure.
> http://www.kocjan.pl/displayimage-82-0.html
> A1 in Silesia with A1/A4 interchange.


That's a lovely interchange, but you're trolling. You do know that Ireland has only fairly recently expanded its motorway network?

As for the interchange, it would be a dime a dozen here in the US and nothing special. Same goes for the UK...the M8/M74 interchange in Glasgow would swallow your interchange with a hiccup and burp. No offense.


----------



## geogregor

Comfortably Numb said:


> That's a lovely interchange, but you're trolling. You do know that Ireland has only fairly recently expanded its motorway network?
> 
> As for the interchange, it would be a dime a dozen here in the US and nothing special. Same goes for the UK...the M8/M74 interchange in Glasgow would swallow your interchange with a hiccup and burp. No offense.


Let's not start silly discussions "country vs. country" style.
I already explained to my fellow countryman that his remarks were at least out of place if not rude.


----------



## geogregor

Wow, the Irish roads thread really got quiet 
Anyway, I have few questions.

There is quite a few road projects going on at the moment which completely escaped my attention. OK, they are not full blown motorways but quite a few bypasses are being build.
The one I was aware of is the Tralee bypass. There are pictures online and it seems to be getting along nicely.

But, until yesterday I was totally unaware about the Belturbet bypass along the N3 which should open mid 2013. Do you guys have any recent photos? Apparently they are building nice bridge along it but I can't find any recent shots.
Maybe someone local would take some pictures? 

Also, I wasn't aware about the start of Ballaghaderreen Bypass along the N5.
Any updates on that (preferable with pictures)? I know they started recently but there must be some movement.

Time to make this thread a bit more lively guys, come on, get your cameras out. 
Take example from Polish forums where people battle snow drifts to post some pictures on Skyscrapercity


----------



## odlum833

> *New Gort to Tuam motorway to begin before end of year*
> Updated: 18:39, Wednesday, 27 February 2013
> 
> 
> 
> Funds cleared for construction by Department of Public Expenditure
> 
> Work on the construction of new motorway between Gort and Tuam in Co Galway is to begin before the end of the year, after funding was approved for the project.
> 
> The Department of Public Expenditure has approved the allocation of money to cover the Exchequer element of the scheme.
> 
> The National Roads Authority says it will now re-engage with the preferred private contractor to complete the new N17/ N18 route.
> 
> The construction of a 57-km motorway - part of the so-called Atlantic Corridor on the west coast - will take thousands of vehicles out of Clarinbridge, Claregalway and Tuam each day.
> 
> It will be constructed as a Public Private Partnership project.
> There will be no tolls on the route. Instead the State will pay the private contractors an annuity over 25 years.
> 
> The NRA says hundreds of jobs will be created during the construction process.
> 
> It is expected the motorway will take up to three years to complete at a cost of €550 million.
> 
> An environmental assessment of the proposed route has already been done, along with an archaeological review.
> 
> In addition, compulsory purchase orders required to develop the road have been completed.
> 
> The project stalled in 2010 when the bidders first selected as the private contractor were unable to secure funding to carry out the work, due to the economic downturn.
> 
> The contract was subsequently awarded to Direct Route - a group made up of several contractors including Lagan, Roadbridge and Sisk.
> 
> That consortium has already been involved in the construction of the Limerick Tunnel.
> 
> A spokesperson for Direct Route said this afternoon they were ready to start work on the Gort to Tuam motorway, pending completion of the procurement process.


Good news for the area. This motorway will have 4 interchanges including one with the M6 motorway Dublin - Galway and will be 57km's long. Half will be "M17" and half "M18". It will join with the M18 already built from Gort to Limerick.


----------



## geogregor

^^
I won't believe it until I see photos showing actual construction. 
There were so many false hopes already.


----------



## csd

The M50 Westlink bridges near Dublin, at sunset this evening.


M50 pano by csd75, on Flickr


----------



## Nafianna

*M50*



RV said:


> In Poland? Excuse me, but lol. The geometric solutions of the M50 are supreme and make it to handle very well its AADT. Show me a better motorway as this one in Poland. The only minus in M50 is left-side traffic


Great to see the interest in the m50. It is indeed a great motorway that was a long time in the making.
I worked on a section of it and loved every bit of it. The south and east sections cut through millions of m3 of granite. Very hilly ground and a lot of traffic management at tie ins.

The new free flow interchanges were threaded through the eye of a needle and look amazing. Aadt aside, very complex jobs.
Polands motorways look amazing too. It's a pity the government there pulled the plug and put a lot of contractors in trouble to pay for the stadiums


----------



## Skyline_

So which motorway leads to Saoirse?:jk:


----------



## geogregor

I have just came back from Ireland and I have to say it was one of my favorite countries to drive around.
I did about 1800km in six days on anything from the M50 Dublin orbital motorway to some single lane tracks on Beara Peninsula.










First thing I noticed is the fact how quiet the roads are in comparison to the UK or even Poland. Amazing. I drove mid week at different hours between Dublin and Cork and between Galway and Dublin and motorways really felt deserted. There were moments when I couldn't see any car in front or behind me. It was kind of weird. The only exception was obviously M50.

I found local drivers pretty good. They drive quite fast but with purpose and confidence. Some occasional slow moving vehicles were clearly rentals driven by tourists. I guess that aspect gets worse as the tourist season progresses and more foreigners arrive to tour the island. I can imagine tour buses might be a pain, especially in county Kerry or in Connemara. 
Fortunately at this time of the year we encountered relatively few lost Americans or coaches full of old Germans  

Here are few shots from the drive between Galway and Dublin.

















































































Athlone bypass









M6 again


----------



## geogregor

M50









One shot of the flyover under construction on the N40 Cork ring road









Most of my pictures consist roads like this:









Or even this:









Let me know if you want to see more, I have plenty of shots.

I also spotted plenty of signs like this:








One can clearly see that Ireland has a lot of foreign tourists


----------



## TranslatorPS

#225


geogregor said:


> (...)
> Or even this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (...)


Did you stumble upon any 80km/h signs preceding those roads?:nuts:


----------



## geogregor

TranslatorPS said:


> #225
> 
> Did you stumble upon any 80km/h signs preceding those roads?:nuts:


Yes, but to be honest I love Irish approach of posting generous speed limits. That way you drive accordingly to your skills, car abilities, road geometry etc. rather than to arbitrary number. 
It is much less frustrating than ridiculously low limits in the US.
And to be honest I could easily drive about 80km/h (or a bit more but shhh..  ) on many of the local roads. 

Here are few shots:









Highway to hell??


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Great photos! The landscape is amazing. 

Is there any news regarding the construction of M11 between Wicklow and Arklow? A few months ago there was a media report about construction starting in April 2013.


----------



## Catmalojin

> *Over 1,000 jobs to be created in roads upgrade*
> Updated: 16:05, Tuesday, 30 April 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The contract is worth €282m
> 
> Over 1,000 construction jobs will be created in the next two years as part of a major upgrade of the N11 and N7 road networks.
> 
> BAM Contractors today signed a public-private partnership contract worth €282m with the National Roads Authority on behalf of the Department of Transport.
> 
> The project will see BAM design and build a new freeflow junction at Newlands Cross on the N7 and carry out several works on the N11.
> 
> There will not be any tolls on the new sections of road that they are constructing.
> 
> As part of the deal signed, they will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the road sections for 25 years.
> 
> The new junction at Newlands Cross will enable motorists to drive from the south to the north of the country without hitting any traffic lights.
> 
> The works on the N11 include the construction of a 16km dual carriageway linking the end of the Arklow bypass with the end of the Ashford bypass, as well as two new interchanges at the Beehive junction and at Jack White's crossroads.
> 
> A service area will also be built at Ballyellin on the Gorey bypass.
> 
> Construction on the projects is expected to begin in May.
> 
> The N11 works will be completed within 28 months and it is planned that the new section of the N7 will be completed within 21 months.
> 
> Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin said the European Investment Bank will provide around €120m for the projects.
> 
> AA Ireland's Director of Consumer Affairs Conor Faughnan has welcomed the announcement of the new projects.
> 
> Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr Faughnan said there should be no major disruption to traffic flow during the construction of the freeflow junction as a clause in the contract states that three flowing lanes must be maintained in both directions at all times.
> 
> "At long last we're starting to have a continuous, connected modern motorway network," he said.
> 
> Mr Faughnan said that while the infrastructure is expensive, we have never built a piece of infrastructure that we regretted.
> 
> *Story from RTÉ News:
> http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0430/388927-road-construction-jobs/*


:cheers:


----------



## csd

*M50/M1 pics*

Folks,

A series of photos showing the route between M50 junction 4 (Ballymun) heading north towards the M1, including the new D3M section between junctions 3 and 4.

1. M50 northbound approaching junction 4.

IMG_6042 by csd75, on Flickr

2. Approaching junction 3, the interchange with the M1. All M1/M50 movements are free-flowing, with access to the Malahide road requiring use of the roundabout.

IMG_6045 by csd75, on Flickr

3. Five lanes for this short section approaching the interchange.

IMG_6046 by csd75, on Flickr

4. Swinging left towards the M1. The right-hand two lanes are actually for the M50 Dublin Port tunnel, but they're not signed M50 for some reason.

IMG_6050 by csd75, on Flickr

5. Slip road from the M50 to the M1.

IMG_6053 by csd75, on Flickr

6. Onto the M1 mainline now.

IMG_6057 by csd75, on Flickr

7. Another (brief) five-lane section.

IMG_6059 by csd75, on Flickr

8. The M1 between junctions 2 and 3 was upgraded to D3M a couple of years ago.

IMG_6069 by csd75, on Flickr

9. The section between junctions 3 and 4 has just recently been upgraded to D3M. It was previously two lanes in each direction and heavily congested at the commuting peak hours.

IMG_6073 by csd75, on Flickr

10. Approaching the estuary at Broadmeadows.

IMG_6076 by csd75, on Flickr

11. Travel time display approaching the estuary.

IMG_6080 by csd75, on Flickr

12. This original 1 km ADS survives amidst the new gantries.

IMG_6082 by csd75, on Flickr

13. No room for a hard shoulder across the estuary now that it has been widened to 3 lanes each direction.

IMG_6085 by csd75, on Flickr

14. Lane drop at junction 4, Lissenhall.

IMG_6095 by csd75, on Flickr

15. Only two lanes each way from here to the border, but still plenty of room in the central reservation for widening.

IMG_6100 by csd75, on Flickr


----------



## csd

Does anyone know why Flickr break links just minutes after creating them for you?

Very annoying!

/csd


----------



## csd

*The M2: Ireland's shortest motorway*

Folks,

A few pics from a short spin from the M50 northbound to the N2/M2.

At just 13 km long, the M2 is Ireland's shortest motorway. It was built to bypass the commuter town of Ashbourne, and was completed in May 2006. 

1. The route map -- total distance 28 km

M2 route map by csd75, on Flickr

2. On the M50 northbound at junction 6, we're staying on the mainline.

IMG_1699 by csd75, on Flickr

3. These signs were blocked by the overpass in the previous picture, so the pull-through signs were added to the bridge in the last year or so.

IMG_1700 by csd75, on Flickr

4. On the M50 mainline under junction 6.

IMG_1701 by csd75, on Flickr

5. The on-slips from J6 merge with the M50 mainline.

IMG_1705 by csd75, on Flickr

6. The M50 and M1 motorways have an ITS that gives you the travel time to junctions up ahead.

IMG_1710 by csd75, on Flickr

7. We're going to leave at exit 5.

IMG_1714 by csd75, on Flickr

8. We'll keep left.

IMG_1716 by csd75, on Flickr


IMG_1720 by csd75, on Flickr

9. Now we're on the N2 mainline. The first 4 km are all-purpose (ie not a motorway), as to have made this section a motorway would have cut off access to the old N2 for prohibited traffic (cyclists, learner drivers, etc), so this section was left out of the motorway reclassifications of 2010.

IMG_1722 by csd75, on Flickr

10. This exit has is un-numbered.

IMG_1725 by csd75, on Flickr

11. Motorway ahead. The vegetation could do with being trimmed here!

IMG_1726 by csd75, on Flickr

12. The motorway section begins after exit 2.

IMG_1729 by csd75, on Flickr

13. The 120 km/h limit starts while we're still on the non-motorway section.

IMG_1730 by csd75, on Flickr

14. Another job for the hedge cutter.

IMG_1736 by csd75, on Flickr

15. That's better!

IMG_1740 by csd75, on Flickr

16. Non-motorway traffic must leave here.

IMG_1741 by csd75, on Flickr

17. Some 4 km from the M50, the motorway section starts. These km-posts are being installed every 500 metres across the major inter-urban routes as part of the NRA letting out the maintenance of the motorway network to private sector companies. See here for details.

IMG_1747 by csd75, on Flickr

18. Tiger-tail merge at M2 J2 northbound.

IMG_1748 by csd75, on Flickr

19. Although the N2 is the direct route to Derry, most traffic uses the M1 as far as exit 14. Apart from the 20 km nearest to Dublin, the N2 is S2 all the way to Ardee. The bridge at Slane is particularly dangerous.

IMG_1751 by csd75, on Flickr

20. Across the county border into Meath.

IMG_1755 by csd75, on Flickr

21. Approaching the M2's only intermediate junction.

IMG_1756 by csd75, on Flickr


IMG_1759 by csd75, on Flickr


IMG_1763 by csd75, on Flickr


IMG_1767 by csd75, on Flickr

22. Exit 3 for Ashbourne -- the reason this motorway was built.

IMG_1769 by csd75, on Flickr

23. North of exit 3. More work for the hedge cutter!

IMG_1773 by csd75, on Flickr

24. Southbound traffic gets a VMS, northbound traffic has to make do with a Garda speed check ramp!

IMG_1776 by csd75, on Flickr

25. The M2 may be small, but it's perfectly formed. SOS phones are installed along its short length.

IMG_1780 by csd75, on Flickr

26. Apporaching the northern terminus of the M2.

IMG_1781 by csd75, on Flickr

27. The speed limit drops first to 100 km/h, then 60.

IMG_1786 by csd75, on Flickr

28. Just 17 km from the M50 and 13 km from the start of the motorway, it's all over. The N2 continues as an S2 to Slane and Ardee. Some sections north of Ardee have been upgraded to 2+1.

IMG_1792 by csd75, on Flickr


----------



## Penn's Woods

csd said:


> Folks,
> 
> A few pics from a short spin from the M50 northbound to the N2/M2.
> 
> At just 13 km long, the M2 is Ireland's shortest motorway. It was built to bypass the commuter town of Ashbourne, and was completed in May 2006.
> 
> 21. Approaching the M2's only intermediate junction.
> 
> IMG_1756 by csd75, on Flickr


Nice.

Do the services symbols mean that if you take this exit you'll find that sort of thing on the local roads near it (like a "fuel-food-lodging" sign on an American Interstate) or is there a European-type motorway-services area that happens to be accessed from the same exit ramp? If it's the former - i.e., if it just means facilities in the area - that's very unusual in Europe, isn't it?

For that matter, why's the sign brown?


----------



## csd

Penn's Woods said:


> Nice.
> 
> Do the services symbols mean that if you take this exit you'll find that sort of thing on the local roads near it (like a "fuel-food-lodging" sign on an American Interstate) or is there a European-type motorway-services area that happens to be accessed from the same exit ramp? If it's the former - i.e., if it just means facilities in the area - that's very unusual in Europe, isn't it?
> 
> For that matter, why's the sign brown?


It means the former -- a US-style meaning of "fuel - food - lodging". Europen-style online motorway services are signed like this:


MSA sign by csd75, on Flickr

Offline services are always signed brown to distinguish them from online ones.

/csd


----------



## Road_UK

Offline/online services? What does that mean? That you have to log in, share and like before refueling and eating?


----------



## Penn's Woods

csd said:


> It means the former -- a US-style meaning of "fuel - food - lodging". Europen-style online motorway services are signed like this:
> 
> 
> MSA sign by csd75, on Flickr
> 
> Offline services are always signed brown to distinguish them from online ones.
> 
> /csd


Thanks. (But the whole exit sign's brown - thought that meant something to do with tourism....)



Road_UK said:


> Offline/online services? What does that mean? That you have to log in, share and like before refueling and eating?


Now you're just being silly.


----------



## Road_UK

I never heard of it... And I live on roadside services...


----------



## Penn's Woods

^^Well, I don't use those terms but it's clear, in context, what's meant:

Online - services like a British "motorway services" or a french aire de service that are only accessible from the motorway and only exit back on to it (except for maybe an employees-only connection to the local roads to accomodate locals who work at the services)

Offline - the typical American situation where you've got a couple of hotels and a few restaurants on local roads near a junction with a freeway. (Since, generally speaking, what we're calling here online services only exist, in the U.S., on toll roads).

I sincerely thought you were joking.


----------



## Road_UK

No, I genuinely never heard of it. This phrase is most certainly not used in Britain...


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Well that's probably because there are lots of service stations on British motorways, unlike on Irish ones.


----------



## csd

The terms online and offline services are used quite a lot in Ireland. As Penn's Woods says:


"online" services are for those only accessible directly from the motorway. There are only three sets of these in the country so far: two on the M1 (near Lusk and Castlebellingham) and one on the M4 (near Enfield).
"offline" services are reached by leaving the motorway, and are accessible by local traffic as well as motorway traffic. There are a few of these springing up now that the NRA-funded online MSAs haven't progressed as quickly as originally planned.
There are signs on the M6, N7 (see example below), M8, and M9 warning drivers that there aren't any online services.


No online services by csd75, on Flickr


----------



## Road_UK

Ah. So in the UK areas like South Mimms, Thurrock, Peterborough, Cambridge, Donnington Park etc would be offline...


----------



## sponge_bob

Think of it another way. There may be insufficient traffic along the A303 to justify 24 hour services along the road. On the other hand there may be sufficient demand for 24 hour services in nearby Yeovil...so the travellers on the A303 would be informed that they can get their petrol, pot noodle and poo if they detour a bit at that point. 

Long distance routes in SW England/NW England, Wales and Scotland would often fall into this category where traffic at night is low....but there is traffic nevertheless. Offline services should not be signed save where they are 24 hour, the signage is supplied by the state and is driving business into the stations for free. 

The ability to safely stop, particularly at night, is paramount.


----------



## marmurr1916

Road_UK said:


> Ah. So in the UK areas like South Mimms, Thurrock, Peterborough, Cambridge, Donnington Park etc would be offline...


If they're accessible from non-motorway roads, then they're offline.

An Irish example of an offline motorway services is at Junction 14 of the M7 (Mayfield):

https://maps.google.ie/maps?q=Mayfi...gMdcfOU_w&hnear=Mayfield,+County+Kildare&z=14

MSAs that are only accessible from a motorway are online services. 

There are only three of these in Ireland at present: Lusk, M1, Castlebellingham, M1, Enfield, M4.


----------



## Skyline_

So, 120 km/h is the highest speed limit in Ireland. That's 75 mph. I like the road sign. Below the number 120 there is "km/h" to clarify that this is NOT mph! In continental Europe that would be plain 120, no "km/h" below it. Then again, who would have thought that the speed limit in Ireland could have been 120 mph??


----------



## marmurr1916

Skyline_ said:


> So, 120 km/h is the highest speed limit in Ireland. That's 75 mph. I like the road sign. Below the number 120 there is "km/h" to clarify that this is NOT mph! In continental Europe that would be plain 120, no "km/h" below it. Then again, who would have thought that the speed limit in Ireland could have been 120 mph??


They have km/h on speed limit signs in Brazil too:










And in Mexico:


----------



## spacetweek

Road_UK said:


> No, I genuinely never heard of it. This phrase is most certainly not used in Britain...


Plenty of influence and terminology on roads in Ireland is actually American not British. E.G. Warning signage is USA-style not European, slips are onramps/offramps (example), LAR (Local Access Road) is called a frontage road, junctions are often called exits, and the traffic lane capacities manual is based on the American one (example, section 1.5).


----------



## spacetweek

Skyline_ said:


> So, 120 km/h is the highest speed limit in Ireland. That's 75 mph. I like the road sign. Below the number 120 there is "km/h" to clarify that this is NOT mph! In continental Europe that would be plain 120, no "km/h" below it. Then again, who would have thought that the speed limit in Ireland could have been 120 mph??


It varies by nation, e.g. Belgium does say "km/h". But most countries don't because there's no confusion.
Strangely, since the UK is now (since 2005) the only European country that uses mph, you'd think they would say it on the signs!


----------



## g.spinoza

spacetweek said:


> Strangely, since the UK is now (since 2005) the only European country that uses mph, you'd think they would say it on the signs!


Like UK gives a bleep about the rest of Europe...


----------



## ChrisZwolle

http://www.n7n11.ie/

A new website for two major projects, the N7 Newlands Cross interchange near Dublin (the last traffic lights between Dublin and the motorways to Limerick / Cork / Waterford.)

The other project is the M11 Arklow to Rathnew motorway project.


----------



## Catmalojin

The Minister for Transport has been Tweeting...



> @campaignforleo
> Considering a trial of a new road sign. Brighter agus gaeilge nios feiceali. Cad a ceapann sibh? pic.twitter.com/0OZ7CPMXJk


----------



## sponge_bob

> gaeilge nios feiceali. Cad a ceapann sibh?


Nár cheart dó "Gaeilge níos Feiceálaí ...Cad a cheapann sibh?" a rá, an pleidhce!

The Irish placenames are not unclear to the extent that all the signage needs replacement country wide. Yes they use a completely crap italic font. 

There are more pertinent issues to address such as manifestly INCORRECT Irish place names on some existing signs, and not just on Motorways either. Wonder when he will announce a spot of badly needed roadbuilding instead of a cosmetic signage replacement exercise. After all the IMF finally pissed off this morning.


----------



## TranslatorPS

#248


Catmalojin said:


> Cad a ceapann sibh?


Tá an idé níos fearr ná na comharthaí a bhíonn ar na bóithre an lá seo... Níos suimiúla freisin, agus uathúil.

But returning to the language that I can actually speak properly, I think that the new signs are doing something that, with the current government practices, is inevitable - putting the Republic's two languages together at the same level (font size and style) and yet highlighting Irish (yellow font) at the same time.
The font choice itself is not half-bad, but I would without a single question carry out distance-to-speed-to-reading-ratio tests on the motorways and other high-speed roads. The font seems fine for closer distances, but I reckon it could be illegible at further distances.

The Irish roads have a lot to look forward to if this comes through. I like it personally anyways. Finally a break-off from the British-styled signs.

EDIT: vv blame focal.ie. Idé is supposed to mean idea. Anyway, I said it, "...that I can actually speak properly".


----------



## sponge_bob

TranslatorPS said:


> #248
> 
> Tá an idé níos fearr ná na comharthaí a bhíonn ar na bóithre an lá seo... Níos suimiúla freisin, agus uathúil..


Eh??? "Idé" ???

The yellow colour is mad, utterly non standard as signage goes. The same font and font colour should be used but the Irish lettering should be a tad smaller in most of the country and a tad larger than the English lettering in the parts where Irish is spoken.

And above all else the Irish language placenames should be correct, many are plain wrong.

But resigning the entire country at considerable expense simply should not be a priority over removing bad bends, the singularly illiterate Minister has withdrawn funding from a number of safety schemes on national roads in the past year or so.


----------



## Catmalojin

Bit more on this:


> *New road signs with parity for Irish may be introduced*
> 
> _Éanna Ó Caollaí
> 
> Last Updated: Friday, November 8, 2013, 10:24_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The current M8 sign (left) shows how Irish is ‘squeezed’ and abbreviated to fit the limited space. The proposed design uses colour differentiation of languages and the Turas test typeface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The proposed design uses colour differentiation of languages and the Turas test typeface.
> 
> The Department of Transport has asked the NRA to trial run newly-designed road signs that would give the Irish language parity with English on the country’s roads for the first time in the history of the State.
> 
> The new design, which uses the test ‘Turas’ typeface and colour differentiation to highlight both languages, is based on recommendations outlined in a study commissioned by Irish language organisation Conradh na Gaeilge.
> 
> Conducted by Royal Society of Arts Fellow Garrett Reil, the study was aimed at discovering more efficient and safer means of delivering information to drivers as well as delivering the promise of equal status for Irish.
> 
> The existing system employs the British Transport typeface which was designed by graphic designers Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert to standardise the UK road network in the 1960s. Considered a design classic, the typeface was later adopted in Ireland. However, the adopted Irish version saw the introduction of italics for Irish place names, “directly” thwarting the design intent of the original Transport typeface, according to the report.
> 
> It found that not only does current Irish road sign design not follow best international practice but that Irish typographic characters are poorly drawn - rendering place names in Irish less visible than in English.
> 
> The report also identifies problems faced by older drivers through a phenomenon known as halation where light cast upon reflective lettering causes letter shapes to obscure thereby impairing the ability of the road user to read the sign.
> 
> Citing the iconic Transport typeface and how it has become synonymous not only with the British transport system but is also is part of “the look of Britain”, the report emphasises the cultural impact road sign design can have on society and how it can unintentionally become a visible expression of national identity.
> 
> News of the possible change to the country’s road sign design first emerged on social media yesterday afternoon when Mr Varadkar used Twitter to gauge public reaction to the proposition.
> 
> Tweeting an image of a prototype sign depicted alongside a sign currently located along the M8 motorway in Cork, Mr Varadkar said: “Considering a trial of a new road sign. Brighter agus gaeilge nios feiceali. Cad a ceapann sibh?”
> 
> Conradh na Gaeilge discussed the contents of the report with Mr Varadkar on Tuesday and Mr Varadkar subsequently asked the NRA to consider trialling it on a pilot basis.
> 
> “I like the new design and I do think there should be parity between Irish and English where it matters, like road signs that people see every day,” Mr Varadkar said yesterday.
> 
> “But it’s a bit like an election poster: it’s only when you put it on a road and drive past that you really know whether it works.
> 
> Conradh na Gaeilge general secretary Julian de Spáinn welcomed the minister’s response and described this week’s meeting at the Department of Transport as “very positive”.
> 
> The new signs, if adopted, will not incur additional cost to the State as they will only be introduced to replace decommissioned signs or when new signs need to be put up.
> 
> The introduction of a new design would also require legislative change as existing road sign legislation stipulates that road signs must give priority to English place names.
> 
> © 2013 irishtimes.com


----------



## spacetweek

I think we need to decide as a nation (not just by asking Conradh na Gaeilge) whether Irish should actually be in primary position on the signs, before commissioning expensive redesigns.
The situation on the ground would indicate that it should not.


----------



## sotonsi

sponge_bob said:


> The yellow colour is mad, utterly non standard as signage goes.


Scotland, Greece and Cyprus disagree, using yellow on signs to denote one language, and white to denote another (on dark backgrounds like blue or green anyway. I don't think Greece and Cyprus have white signs, but Scotland uses green for Gaelic on them).

It's only non-standard as far as signage goes if you don't look outside Ireland.

For numbers it is used on green signs throughout the UK and Ireland - why not blue as well?


> The same font and font colour should be used but the Irish lettering should be a tad smaller in most of the country and a tad larger than the English lettering in the parts where Irish is spoken.


Now there's something which is utterly non-standard as signage goes!


> But resigning the entire country at considerable expense simply should not be a priority over removing bad bends, the singularly illiterate Minister has withdrawn funding from a number of safety schemes on national roads in the past year or so.


That's not what is being proposed - merely a trial to see whether this sign design is better. I'd imagine a very gradual roll out if agreed to change standards (just like km distances) - all new signs, certainly, with perhaps a roll out on the motorway/primary network over the course of several years (please get rid of those ugly gantries!) if proved to be really popular.

---

I wholeheartedly support the concept of changing the representation of bilingualism from the awful allcaps and illegible italic to something else. Two colours is probably the best way to do it, too. However, there's something not right about the mock up - it's not that the blue is too dark (though it is), or that the yellow Irish text is far too strong (due to the blue being too dark, I reckon) - it just looks poorly designed!


----------



## TranslatorPS

#249


sotonsi said:


> Scotland, Greece and Cyprus disagree, using yellow on signs to denote one language, and white to denote another (on dark backgrounds like blue or green anyway. I don't think Greece and Cyprus have white signs, but Scotland uses green for Gaelic on them).
> 
> It's only non-standard as far as signage goes if you don't look outside Ireland.(...)


Proof of concept, by the way >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A87-bilingual.jpg >> in Scotland. Except on green background like this it looks more orange than yellow, to be honest.


----------



## sotonsi

^^ Thanks, I put some other examples of how other countries do it in this post, posted just before on the "Ireland's new motorway network" thread, and didn't want to duplicate. Didn't bother trying to find a Scotland example though


sotonsi said:


> Certainly some element of distinguishing the two languages is needed. Some countries use a slash, Ireland (and those that use non-Latin alphabets, eg Greece) use different alphabets, some use colour (eg Scotland, Greece, Cyprus). The Welsh, confusingly, don't have any distinction (and also swap order whether it's a Welsh-first area, or an English-first area).


The Greek sign shows what UK/Ireland proper sign yellow and blue, rather than that really dark blue, look like.


----------



## geogregor

As a non-Irish speaker I use English when navigating in Ireland and I have to say that the new signage seems broadly clear to me. I can still concentrate on the white information ignoring the yellow one.
For that reason I would keep R-road number and M-number in white and only keep the Irish names in yellow. 
One thing I don't get is changing the junction number. The new yellow design is harder to read. Why changing it? Just to make things more different from Britain? That sound childish to me.
Ironically many people in Poland would like to see signage resembling more of the German one even if our historic relationship is almost as bad as between Ireland and Britain. We just like good design. Don't mix politics with road and signage design.


----------



## Road_UK

Tell that to the Belgians. Their entire signposting is a political witch hunt.


----------



## sponge_bob

As long as they dont waste money re-signing the network I am not too worried about it. Priority is to crack on with the 'bad bends' program (accident prone locations) if they find themselves with a few spare millions.


----------



## spacetweek

geogregor said:


> Ironically many people in Poland would like to see signage resembling more of the German one even if our historic relationship is almost as bad as between Ireland and Britain. We just like good design. Don't mix politics with road and signage design.


The new km-speed limit signs and most of the elements of the new gantries were based on German road signage.


----------



## geogregor

spacetweek said:


> The new km-speed limit signs and most of the elements of the new gantries were based on German road signage.


I didn't know that.

What I meant is that change just for the sake of change doesn't make sense. I think that is the case with the junction number on the new design.
Can anyone explain why? Maybe I just don't get it.


----------



## DanielFigFoz

Irish signs are alright. Certainly understandable, I don't mind how they are. The new proposal looks fine as well, actually I think it does look better. I also don't see why they changed the junction number though.


----------



## sirfreelancealot

I think all that needs to be done is to keep to the same basic design using Transport font and simply go from capitals and italics to using lower case lettering in two simple colours. This would keep the broad format of the signage the same but allow a gradual roll-out.

The new sign is just far too different in colour, symbol as well as font and contrasts far too much with the current types of signs. It will end up with a messy mix of signs for many years,


----------



## DECEiFER

Hi folks,

I'm new to this forum but I've been reading the various threads from different countries. I've always had an interest in road building and especially here in Ireland it has been good to see that we finally have a half-decent motorway network in place even though we were very late to the game. It's great seeing the posts here not just by people in and from Ireland but of those of you interested from elsewhere. I've read a good half of the topic so far, including the last 5 pages or so.

After coming across this thread, I dug up some footage I shot while driving in 2010 and 2011 and put it on YouTube so that I could share it here to bring something to the table. The footage is alright, I shot it using €220 camcorder that I bought in 2009 so it's not even close to perfect. Pity the camcorder is broken since 2011 so this is all I have to-date worth sharing as all I have now is a Nexus 4 and its camera isn't very good either. You should definitely kick it up to 1080p if you're going to watch it. Check out the descriptions for more info and links to the route taken on Google Maps.

I love this route as it cuts down my travel time quite significantly and even though it's tolled, there's money being saved by using less fuel in taking it over the next quickest route through the outskirts of the city center. I know it's old news but better late than never!

*Drive: N18 / M20 / N21 (Nighttime) - Through the Limerick Tunnel south from Shannon, Co. Clare:*






Full link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8_RT5rCouA&hd=1


----------



## Catmalojin

> *Speed Limits Review body publishes report & recommends new appeals system*
> 
> Thursday 21st November 2013
> 
> 
> 80kmh signs on narrow country roads will be removed
> New ‘rural speed limit’ signs will be introduced to replace them
> New appeals mechanism for inappropriate speed limits
> Every speed limit will be audited every five years
> ‘Silly signs’ which may encourage inappropriate speeds will be removed
> Road work speed restrictions will be limited to construction period
> Variable speed limits, average speed detection, and in-car satnav speed warnings will be piloted
> The Speed Limits Working Group has published its recommendations to reform the speed limit system and ensure that every speed limit in Ireland is both safe and sensible.
> It recommends a new appeals mechanism for inconsistent speed limits, the removal of misleading 80kmh speed limits on narrow country roads, and the end of ‘silly signs’ in inappropriate locations. Every speed limit in the country will be audited every five years by the National Roads Authority or the local authority, and speed limit guidelines will become binding. The goal is to ensure that the speed limit on any given road is a fair reflection of the road conditions.
> 
> The Working Group was set up by Minister Varadkar and asked to address inconsistencies in Ireland’s speed limits, which can vary significantly between roads and counties, and even on the same stretch of road. It was also asked to find the most appropriate speed limit for country lanes, which currently have a default limit of 80kmh, regardless of road condition.
> 
> “I set up this Working Group to ensure that speed restrictions everywhere are both safe and sensible. Everyone has come across speed limits which are either too high or too low, and which don’t seem to make sense,” Minister Varadkar said.
> 
> “This detailed report sets out a new approach, and the Department will now work with the NRA, local authorities, the Gardaí, and the AA to implement its recommendations. I also want to thank the Working Group for producing such a comprehensive study. If people are going to respect speed limits, then we need to ensure that speed limits respect the motorist. But we must also ensure that every limit is safe and sensible.”
> 
> Conor Faughnan of the AA said: “Irish Motorists have been hugely supportive of road safety policy in recent years. AA members are continually telling us that they support speed enforcement but that many speed limits across the country are set incorrectly. The updated policy announced today is a huge step forward in addressing those anomalies. It will allow for a consistent and rational approach across the entire network which is very necessary and very welcome.”
> 
> *Summary of report’s recommendations​*
> 
> A new Appeals System will be put in place to address inconsistent speed limits. This will allow interested parties or members of the public to appeal a given speed limit to the local authority. The authority must consider the issue within a given timeframe. If dissatisfied with the local authority response, the appeal can be escalated to a review body. This will comprise an independent board of experts and would meet regularly to assess individual cases. That body will assess the speed limit against the requirements of the Guidelines for the Application of Speed Limits, and will be empowered to instruct a local authority to change a speed limit if it is found to be inappropriate.
> 80 kmh signs on narrow rural roads will be replaced with a generic sign that does not display a numeral. The limit will remain at 80kmh but the new sign will be the ‘black circle with diagonal’ which is in use internationally under the Vienna signage convention and which was used in Ireland prior to 2004. That sign means that the driver must use their own judgement but must never exceed 80kmh in any event.
> The Road Safety Authority will run an awareness campaign on the new rural speed limit signs, and other measures, and will update the Rules of the Road.
> The National Roads Authority and local authorities will review and update speed limits on a five year cycle to ensure appropriate fit and compliance with the Guidelines. The Department of Transport is currently mapping every speed limit in the country on to a computer database.
> So-called ‘silly signs’ - such as a 100kmh speed limit on a dangerous corner where a lower speed would be more appropriate – will be removed. Inappropriate ‘repeater’ signs are already being removed.
> The Guidelines for the Application of Speed Limits will be improved and made binding.
> A voluntary pilot of in-car speed warnings, where drivers can choose to be warned by their satnav system if they exceed the speed limit, will be offered to motorists.
> Trials will be run of variable speed limits which can be adjusted according to weather conditions, the volume of traffic, the time of day, or the day of the week.
> Average speed limits will be introduced on motorways or other long-distance fixed roads to determine whether a vehicle has driven faster than the maximum speed limit over a given length of road.
> The rules for the setting of temporary speed limits to allow for road works will be updated. This will allow City and County Managers to apply speed limits at road works more responsively, and flexibly - for example to apply lower limits only while works are underway.
> The Department of Transport will appoint an existing official to oversee the implementation of the report’s recommendations.
> 
> Link to full report of Speed Limits Review:
> http://www.dttas.ie/roads/publications/english/speed-limit-review-2013
> 
> *Ends
> 
> Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport:* 01 604 1090 / 01 604 1087


...


----------



## Catmalojin

> *Dual carriageway to replace perilous stretch of Sligo road*
> 
> _Marese McDonagh
> 
> Last Updated: Friday, December 20, 2013, 08:30_
> 
> A Co Sligo stretch of the main Dublin-Sligo road which is often described as the most dangerous section of roadway in the country on account of 30 deaths on it in recent years is set to be replaced by almost 15kms of dual carriageway.
> 
> Campaigners who have erected 30 white crosses on the verges of the existing 12km stretch of road, each one marking the scene of a fatality, have welcomed the “major breakthrough”.
> 
> Sligo County Council yesterday confirmed that it had submitted the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin proposed road development to An Bord Pleanála for planning approval.
> 
> *Local pressure group*
> 
> This follows a marathon campaign by the N4 Action Group which has drawn national attention to the stretch of road, dubbed “the most dangerous in the country” by Sligo coroner Dr Desmond Moran.
> 
> Bernard Mulhern, a spokesman for the group, predicted that the new dual carriageway would become a reality within five or six years.
> 
> Anthony Skeffington, senior engineer with the council, said the development was “one of the biggest and most complex infrastructural projects ever proposed for the county”.
> 
> Earlier this month the National Roads Authority gave the local authority approval to publish the compulsory purchase order and environmental impact statement documentation and to submit the project to An Bord Pleanála for planning approval.
> 
> It has been estimated the project could cost €60 million.
> 
> © 2013 irishtimes.com


From Sligo County Council:


> *N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin Proposed Road Development*
> 
> In early December 2013 correspondence was received from the NRA conveying approval to publish the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO), Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) documentation and to submit the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin _Proposed Road Development_ to An Bord Pleanála for planning approval. The publication of Statutory Notices in Local and National press on the 19th and 21st December 2013 commences this process and represents a significant Milestone for this project.
> 
> *Background To The Project:*
> The N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin Project has progressed from Phase 1 Feasibility through to Phase 3 Preliminary Design. As part of this process, various route options were considered for the alignment of the scheme, following the standard public consultations process a Preferred Route was identified and adopted in 2002.
> 
> The preferred route was identified based on the findings of a Constraints Study (2000) and a Route Selection Study (2001) both of which were undertaken by Sligo County Council. Public consultation was undertaken in 2001 and again in 2002. The route selection report was completed in May 2002 and adopted by members of Sligo County Council in July 2002 and subsequently approved by the NRA. Throughout these stages appropriate statutory and non-statutory bodies, as well as local interest groups and the public were consulted.
> 
> *Project Location:*
> The N4 National Primary Route is part of the East/West road corridor linking Ireland’s largest transportation node (Dublin) with the largest transportation node in the North-West (Sligo). It measures c. 34.8km in County Sligo of which c. 11.6km between Sligo Town and Collooney is Type 1 Dual Carriageway with c. 8.8km south of Castlebaldwin having already been realigned to Standard Single Carriageway standard.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Proposed Road Development (As indicated in image above) is the remaining portion of the N4 in Co. Sligo requiring improvement and measures approximately 14.71km in length passing through the townlands of _Collooney, Toberbride, Mullaghnabreena, Ardcurley, Cloonamahan, Doorly, Knocknagroagh, Drumfin, Cloonlurg, Carrowkeel, Carrownagark, Kingsbrook, Aghalenane, Ardloy, Springfield, Tawnagh, Cloonymeenaghan, Sheerevagh, Cloongad, Drumderry, Castlebaldwin, Cloghoge Upper and Cloghoge Lower_. The road type will be Type 2 Dual Carriageway tied into the existing network to the south via a section of Standard Single Carriageway.
> 
> *Project Description:*
> The Proposed Road Developmentcomprises _inter-alia_:
> 
> 
> 14.71km of Type 2 Dual Carriageway;
> New side roads (including in some cases parallel links) and upgrading of existing roads;
> One at-grade roundabout junction on the mainline;
> One Compact Grade Separated Junction on the mainline;
> Three at-grade roundabout junctions on side-roads;
> Four road overbridges;
> Six road underbridges;
> Two river bridges;
> Culverts and associated diversions of existing minor watercourses and drainage ditches;
> All the necessary drainage works associated with the proposed road development;
> The diversion of services and utilities;
> Earthworks operations including the management of spoil generated by the proposed road development;
> Environmental mitigation works;
> 
> In order to provide access/egress from the local roads/dwellings along the online upgrade section a single carriageway parallel access road is proposed to the east of the existing N4 between Toberbride and Doorly. The access road connects to the eastern arm of the Toberbride Roundabout and the existing N4 at Doorly. The access road connects to the eastern arm of the Toberbride Roundabout and the existing N4 at Doorly. Dwellings on the western side of the N4 can access the parallel road via a proposed overbridge at Toberbride and a proposed underbridge at Doorly (via a further western parallel road).
> 
> *Need for the Proposed Road Development:*
> The original basis for the current proposal was highlighted in a report produced by the NRA, entitled _The National Road Needs Study_ (NRNS) in 1998. This study assessed the adequacy and performance of the national road network on the basis of the ability of existing roads to deliver a quality level of service consistent with the efficient movement of traffic.
> 
> The development of this road development has been identified in the following documents:
> 
> 
> National Spatial Strategy for Ireland 2002-2020: People, Places and Potential;
> National Development Plan 2007 -2013;
> Infrastructure Investment Priorities, 2010-2016;
> Regional Planning Guidelines for the Border Region, 2010-2022;
> Border, Regional and Western Regional Operational Programme 2007-2013;
> Smarter Travel. A sustainable Transport Future (2009-2020);
> Forfás Regional Competiveness Agenda, (2010);
> Sligo County Development Plan, 2011-2017;
> 
> There are significant traffic flows along the route, sections of very poor carriageway alignment, frequent junctions with local road access and numerous properties with road frontage and these have resulted in large numbers of recorded collisions and a very poor road safety record.
> 
> The need for the _Proposed Road Development_ is set out in detail in the EIS.
> 
> *Objectives of the Proposed Road Development:*
> The provision of the realignment provides the following key benefits:
> 
> 
> To improve the N4 route to modern day standards including the provision of safe overtaking and appropriate road width;
> To provide a high quality road for strategic routes with reserve capacity for future demand;
> To assist in improving the competitiveness and efficiency of the economy both locally and nationally;
> To reduce travel times and improve access to the north-west region;
> To provide a corridor of transport infrastructure that will encourage and support existing investment and employment in Sligo and the Northwest.
> Improve transport infrastructure for local traffic;
> To improve safety along the existing roads and at junctions/accesses;
> To reduce environmental and social impacts on the local residents and communities along the existing N4.
> To support government plans and policies in relation to transport and spatial development in the West of Ireland.
> 
> *Description of Statutory Procedures:*
> The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Road Development is prepared as part of the application for development consent. The EIS contains information on the likely significant environmental effects (both positive and negative) of the Proposed Road Development and the measures proposed to mitigate those effects so as to allow a fully informed decision to be made by An Bord Pleanála.
> 
> The EU Habitats Directive requires an ‘Appropriate Assessment’ (AA) to be carried out where a plan or project is likely to have a significant impact on a Natura 2000 site. Natura 2000 sites include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). Appropriate Assessment is referred to in Articles 6(3) and 6(4) of the EU Habitats Directive. As part of this process a previous direction issued by An Bord Pleanála requested that a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) be prepared for the Proposed Road Development.
> 
> A Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) has also been developed for the _Proposed Road Development_. As part of the CPO, 181.5 hectares of land are proposed to be acquired. 22 Public Rights of Way and 8 Private Rights of way are proposed to be extinguished.
> 
> The CPO, EIS and NIS will be on Public display until *Friday 28th February* and submissions or observations may be made in writing to the An Bord Pleanála. Further details on this matter are outlined in the Public Notices.
> 
> Following the period for submissions/observations, it is likely that An Bord Pleanála will hold an Oral Hearing which is usually held approximately 8-10 weeks after the submissions closure date (28th February 2014). Following this the Board, having considered any possible objections made and the report of the Inspector who conducted the Oral Hearing, may confirm/approve the Proposed Road Development with or without modifications or may annul/refuse to approve it.
> 
> If the _Proposed Road Development_ is confirmed by An Bord Pleanala, compensation procedures with landowners, which can take a number of years, can commence. While this is being carried out, Tender Documents necessary to procure a Contactor will be carried out. However this is all subject to approval and funding from the National Roads Authority.
> 
> This _Proposed Road Development_ is one of the biggest and most complex infrastructural projects ever proposed to be developed in County Sligo. Nationally, it is also one of only two major road schemes that have got approval to proceed to planning in 2013.
> 
> View *Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO)* for the _Proposed Road Development_
> 
> View *Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)* for the _Proposed Road Development_
> 
> View *Natura Impact Statement (NIS)* for the _Proposed Road Development_


----------



## ChrisZwolle

*traffic fatalities & motorways*

A correlation has been suggested between the traffic fatality rate and motorway coverage. Countries that built a lot of motorways in a short period of time also saw a higher than average reduction in traffic fatalities. Spain is a primary example, but I think Ireland shows a similar development.

Figure 1: motorway development









Figure 2: traffic fatalities









Figure 3: traffic fatalities per 1 million inhabitants









Because Ireland saw substantial population growth from the late 1990s, it is interesting to see the fatality rate as a proportion of the population, as shown in figure 3. The reduction is then even more pronounced.

The year 2005 was a turning point, in that many new motorways opened to traffic outside the Dublin area (M1/M50), replacing many two-lane roads with much safer motorways. You can clearly see the accelerated reduction in traffic fatalities coinciding with new motorway mileage in Ireland.


----------



## sponge_bob

More detailed stats (per route) bear that out Chris. The Motorways were largely built along single digit N road corridors, eg N1 became M1 etc up to N9 - M9 ( the other main one is the N11/M11) . 

These 'per road' stats are here

http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Collision-Statistics/

Note that the 2011 Report linked below attributes a cost of €2.6m to each fatal collision and €0.35m to each serious injury, even in a less afluent country than Ireland a fatality would cost the state that educated and trained that person €1m so each road that incurs 10 'excess' fatalities a year owing to road type and alignment costs €10m a year if nothing is done about it, over a 10 year period that adds up fast. 

Comparing 2005 ( pre Motorway ) and 2011 ( post Motorway) the analysis of Fatal Crashes on the_* N1 - N9 inclusive*_ is: 

2005 55 Fatal Collisions and 374 Deaths Nationally
2011 14 Fatal Collisions and 186 Deaths Nationally ( page 61)

Traffic deaths rose in 2013 for the first time in many years. The increased incidence of _single vehicle late night accidents with only the driver in the car,_, since 2011, and in rural areas with high unemployment, tends to point to an increase in 'Suicide By Car' incidents overall. Over half of all fatal car accidents were single vehicle collisions and those occuring between 2 and 4 am went up 33%. 

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road Safety/Crash Stats/Provisional Review of Road Crash 2013.pdf


----------



## marmurr1916

Skyline_ said:


> Crossing the borders [Irish Republic - Northern Ireland (UK)].


The bus driver is wrong. The road he's driving on is the A1 in Northern Ireland until 2.37 when the hard shoulder markings change from solid white line (NI) to broken yellow lines (ROI) and the road becomes the N1.


----------



## spacetweek

marmurr1916 said:


> The bus driver is wrong. The road he's driving on is the A1 in Northern Ireland until 2.37 when the hard shoulder markings change from solid white line (NI) to broken yellow lines (ROI) and the road becomes the N1.


But that's exactly what he says.


----------



## Catmalojin

Looks like the M17/M18 Gort to Tuam motorway contracts will be signed in the next few weeks.

Connacht Tribune

Galway Bay FM


----------



## marmurr1916

spacetweek said:


> But that's exactly what he says.


Maybe my post wasn't clear. Earlier in the video he says the the road (the A1) is in Northern Ireland but the surrounding countryside is in the republic, with the road being a corridor of NI through the republic. That's not true.


----------



## Skyline_

Maybe the bus driver was not local.....?


----------



## marmurr1916

Skyline_ said:


> Maybe the bus driver was not local.....?


He sounds like he's from Dublin.


----------



## csd

*Way out West*

Folks,

I had hoped this to be a trip down the entire length of the M18, but heavy rainfall and poor light meant I had to give up at Ennis. Maybe next time.



The pictures start just south of Gort and head south towards Ennis. Construction on the northern extension of the M18 is due to start this year, completing a motorway-standard route between Limerick and Galway.

1. Southbound, just south of Gort, this shot shows one of the new route markers which have recently been installed every 500 metres on motorways and major dual carriageways.


2. Approaching junction 15.


3. The light was pretty poor, so I had to crank up the ISO to 1250, which means the photos aren't the sharpest.


4. The junctions on this part of the route are compact grade-separated designs, and this is reflected in the signage on the mainline.


5. The low-standard junctions have come in for some criticism locally.




6. Gently rolling hills between junctions 15 and 14.


7. Approaching junction 14.




8. Junction 14, Barefield. Just beyond the junction is the most westerly point of the Irish motorway network. New warning signs have been erected here to show the sharp curve at the exit.


Unfortunately, the heavens opened right after the junction so I wasn't able to get any more shots.

/csd


----------



## csd

*The N4 near Sligo*

Folks,

Driving south into a low Irish winter sun is never going to yield the best photographic results, so I hope you'll forgive the low quality of some of these shots! This time we're in the northwest of Ireland, on the short dual carriageway section south of Sligo town. 

1. Shortly after leaving the urban section in the town itself, the N4 opens out into this dual carriageway. The high quality dual carriageway sections near Waterford and Sligo have been given special exit numbers, prefixed W and S, respectively.

IMG_4001 by csd75, on Flickr

2. 203 km to Dublin. Heading south the road is mostly S2 until Mullingar, where it's dual carriageway or motorway for the final 80 km into Dublin.


3. Not long till the next exit, one of two GSJs on this section of the N4 near Sligo.


4. Approaching junction S1.



5. Standard cantilever exit sign for the N59 and the surfing town of Strandhill. The recent weather has led to some pretty big waves up near this area!


6. RCS after the N59 exit.


7. Some nice scenery up this way.


8. Roundabouts on the Collooney bypass.


9. South of Collooney the road is a narrow and twisty S2 that has claimed many lives. Preparation to upgrade this 15 km section to dual carriageway has recently started.


That's it!

/csd


----------



## csd

*Boyne Bridge*

Folks,

The Mary McAleese Boyne Bridge is located on the M1 Drogheda Bypass, in the northeast of the Republic of Ireland. Opened in 2003, it was renamed in 2012 to honour the former president of Ireland's contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland.

The bridge is 352 metres in total length, with a longest span of 170 metres.

1. Here's a shot of the bridge taken from the northwestern side, near the N51.


2. Immediately north of the bridge, but south of junction 10, this underpass accommodates a minor local road, but only if your vehicle is less than 2.5 metres in height. The Google Earth car wasn't able to make it under here!


3. A view of the bridge and the M1 taken from the northeastern side of the motorway, near junction 10.


4. Taken from the Boyne River, looking east at the bridge from the site of the Battle of the Boyne, 1690.


5. A wider shot from the same location, with Drogheda visible below the bridge span.


6. Closer to the bridge, a cycle/walkway is under construction beside the local road that runs along the northern bank.






Hope you enjoy the pics!

/csd


----------



## ChrisZwolle

*2014 road funding*

The NRA has published an overview with national road funding per county for 2014.

http://nra.ie/press-releases/national-roads-allocation/2014Nat_SummaryofAllocations.pdf

€ 156 million will be spent on national roads in 2014, € 135 million is labeled as "improvement" and € 21 million for maintenance. The highest spending is in Galway, the lowest in Dublin City.


----------



## Catmalojin

> *2,500km Kinsale to Inishowen route to boost tourism*
> 
> _Tim O'Brien
> 
> Last Updated: Thursday, February 27, 2014, 13:23_
> 
> What was described as the world’s longest way-marked-trail, a 2,500km Irish coastal route called the Wild Atlantic Way, was officially launched by Minister for Tourism Michael Ring this morning.
> 
> The route from Kinsale, Co Cork to Inishowen in Co Donegal, is Ireland’s first long-distance touring route.
> 
> Fáilte Ireland is to invest €10 million this year in the route to highlight up to 500 visitor attractions, offering more than 1,500 activities, 580 festivals and events throughout the year as well as some 17 trails and 50 looped walks.
> 
> In addition the route will pass 53 blue flag beaches, and 120 golf courses including some of the best ‘links’ golf in the world.
> 
> Activities along the Wild Atlantic Way are to be grouped into customised offerings to encourage additional tourists to Ireland.
> 
> These include:
> 
> * ‘Exploring on the Edge’ - showcasing unique landscapes and micro-climates of the west coast, its flora, fauna, caves and mines, incorporating activities such as whale and dolphin watching, exploring unique seascapes by boat as well as local food experiences.
> 
> * ‘Culture at the Edge’ - opening up Ireland’s unique language, music and dance cultures, its unique Gaelic sports, traditional crafts, great festivals, island life (‘island hopping’), legends and Folklore.
> 
> * ‘Active on the edge’ - promoting the west coast’s great surfing locations, world class links courses, coastal walks, great sea and game angling and horse riding.
> 
> A number of ‘brand ambassadors’ have also been appointed to promote activities and events along the way. Anne Ferguson of OceanAddicts in Kinsale, Co Cork, is a brand ambassador for scuba diving holidays.
> 
> She hopes the marketing of the Wild Atlantic Way will make a big difference to her business and other companies along the route.
> 
> Fiona Monaghan, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of the Wild Atlantic Way said: “the enthusiasm out there for this project is impressive, not only amongst tourism businesses but also in the wider community. The key to success for this initiative will be its authenticity - not just the places but also the people of the Wild Atlantic Way”.
> 
> © 2014 irishtimes.com


http://www.failteireland.ie/wildatlanticway



> *Wild Atlantic Way to be signposted by April 2014*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *27 February 2014 *
> 
> The complete 2,500km Wild Atlantic Way route from Malin Head in Donegal to the Old Head of Kinsale in Cork will be completely signed with the distinctive Wild Atlantic way ‘zig-zag’/chevron branding by the end of next month.
> 
> The new tourism initiative is dependent on attractive and consistent branding and Fáilte Ireland is working in partnership with the National Roads Authority and the 10 Local Authorities along the route to ensure all that the necessary signage is in place for the start of this year’s tourism season next month.
> 
> By next month, a total of 3,850 signs will have been erected along the 2,500km route.
> 
> Despite the recent adverse weather conditions this element of the project is still on target so be sure to keep an eye out for signs of the Wild Atlantic Way in your area.
> 
> See more at: http://www.failteireland.ie/News-Fe...osted-by-April-2014.aspx#sthash.m67cZyrL.dpuf


----------



## Catmalojin

> SUNDAY, 23 MARCH 2014 10:11
> 
> *Contract for Gort to Tuam motorway to be signed this week*
> 
> Galway Bay FM newsroom - The Department of Transport says the new M17-M18 motorway between Gort and Tuam will open to traffic in 2017.
> 
> Minister of State and Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon has confirmed that the contract for the project will be signed this week, with work expected to commence shortly.
> 
> Direct Route, the contracting consortium for the new motorway, includes three Irish companies- Roadbridge, John Sisk, and Lagan Construction.
> 
> The entire project will cost in the region of 500 million euro, and Minister Cannon says over 1,000 jobs will be created over the construction period.
> 
> Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has confirmed that there will be no tolls on the route, which will take up to three years to complete and should open to traffic in 2017.
> 
> Minister Cannon says the Public Private Partnership project will make the West an even more attractive location for investment and job creation.
> 
> Galway Bay FM


...


----------



## Catmalojin

:bash:


> WEDNESDAY, 26 MARCH 2014 12:13
> 
> *Contract signing for Gort to Tuam motorway deferred again*
> 
> Galway Bay fm newsroom - A slight issue has arisen which has delayed the signing of contracts for the long awaited Gort to Tuam motorway project.
> 
> Galway East Fine Gael TD Paul Connaughton says he spoke to Minister Leo Vradkar regarding the matter and has been informed that the signing has been deferred until next week at the earliest.
> 
> It had been hoped this the signing would take place tomorrow until an issue was identified with the contracts for the multi-million euro project which is estimated to open to traffic in 2017.
> 
> Direct Route, the contracting consortium for the new motorway, includes three Irish companies- Roadbridge, John Sisk, and Lagan Construction.
> 
> The entire project will cost in the region of 500 million euro.
> 
> Deputy Connaughton told Galway Talks it's worrying to see the signing delayed yet again.
> 
> Galway Bay FM


----------



## Catmalojin

> *Peak-time pricing and new tolls best way to manage M50 congestion, says report*
> 
> _David Labanyi
> 
> Last Updated: Friday, April 11, 2014, 22:51_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The M50. Traffic volumes on some parts of the route have increased by 25 per cent since 2010
> 
> Multiple-point tolling and new variable peak-time pricing would be the best way to manage congestion on the M50, the four local authorities in the Dublin region have been told. At least four new tolling points in addition to the West Link bridge are proposed.
> 
> However, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar last night rejected the recommendations, despite a finding from consultant engineers that congestion on the orbital route will be “commonplace” within 10 years without it.
> 
> “I would have a serious problem with the M50 toll being increased at peak times. I do not favour it and I do not think it’s a solution. I also do not think multi-point tolling on the M50 is a good idea,” the Minister told The Irish Times last night.
> 
> Under the multi-point, peak-pricing plan, the cost to motorists of using the M50 would rise from €2.10 to €2.60 at present, to €6 or €7 at peak times; €4.50 or €5.50 at inter-peak periods; and €2 to €3 at off-peak times.
> 
> *Future solution*
> 
> Mr Varadkar said extra or peak-time tolls would push M50 traffic on to other roads and through local communities. “At present, congestion is not the problem that it was during the boom, but it will re-emerge as an issue as the economy recovers further. At that point we will need a joined-up solution to deal with congestion across the city, and not just on the M50.”
> 
> According to Mr Varadkar “any solution must include further improvements in public transport and new cycling facilities, including those set out in the National Transport Authority’s five-year transport plan for greater Dublin which I launched recently”.
> 
> According to the report, a multi-point system would be more equal – at present only 39 per cent of users pay a toll – and would address congestion on the full length of the route.
> 
> *Consultant engineers*
> 
> The recommendations are contained in the final version of a report into demand management options carried out by consultant engineers Roughan O’Donovan and the AECOM Alliance on behalf of the National Roads Authority.
> 
> Carrying out the report was a planning condition of a €1 billion M50 upgrade and its final version strongly favours tolls to help avoid renewed congestion.
> 
> A steering group including Dublin city, Fingal, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county councils, An Bord Pleanála and NRA discussed the report yesterday.
> 
> While a draft called for extra tolling points, the final version, based on consultations with the local authorities, added a request for staggered tolls depending on the time of day.
> 
> It notes traffic volumes on some parts of the route have increased by 25 per cent since 2010 and that congestion has already started. It says by 2023 more than 40 per cent of the route will have congestion at peak times. Along with longer journey times, this increased congestion is already leading to more collisions.
> 
> © 2014 irishtimes.com


...


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Ah, the "price the poor off the road" approach. 

Better public transport and cycling is nice, but won't help much as M50 is a circumferential road. Public transport's main point is getting people to and from the CBD. It performs poorly at servicing circumferential trips in a competitive manner.


----------



## sponge_bob

ChrisZwolle said:


> A correlation has been suggested between the traffic fatality rate and motorway coverage.
> 
> Figure 1: motorway development



Contracts have just been signed on another 56km of motorway. The Gort-Tuam PPP (PDF Map) on the west coast.

This will open in 2017, well after another 15km of PPP M11 motorway section on the east coast south of Dublin, and will bring the Irish Motorway Network to just shy of 1000km by 2017 ( not counting Northern Ireland)

2 further PPP projects in the early tender process will bring that to around 1000km by 2019 or so. Both are in the south east. It takes well over a year from initial publication of a tender to final contract and construction commencement in Ireland, 2 years is not unusual. 

Thereafter at most 150-200km of Motorway ( or motorway grade road) remains to be constructed in Ireland as traffic volumes do not justify that grade of road on remaining unimproved sections of National Road, of which there are _*a lot*_. 

Notable among the 150-200km is an 80km Cork - Limerick Motorway and most of the rest is approach/ring roads around the likes of Cork and Galway with perhaps some short sections near Limerick Waterford and Sligo as well although some will be designated as dual carriageway despite being built to a motorway profile.

The remainder of the network will be improved, partially as 2+2 Expressway (100kph no hard shoulder) or most commonly as 1+1 of various types, some with and some without hard shoulders.


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> Contracts have just been signed on another 56km of motorway. The Gort-Tuam PPP (PDF Map) on the west coast.


Wow, finally. I started doubting it will ever get build


----------



## sponge_bob

I know, the southern half of the scheme was 'supposed' to go to tender around April 2008 with construction starting early 2009. There were 20 parties in the PPP negotiations, including the consortium members and the EIB, and they all had to be dragged along together. 

Next up is the New Ross Bypass  but I do not expect that to finally get over the line before H2 2015 and if it is delayed to election time 2016 then the N11 Enniscorthy scheme around H1 2017...which is why I said there would be 1000km of motorway by around 2019 ( not before)


----------



## verreme

So I had a wonderful Irish week . I drove a lot, though the most scenic drives (especially R756 from Glendalough to Hollywood -what a blast!) were ruined by rain. I managed, though, to get a lot of footage of the pristine Irish motorways and N-roads. Here's the first video:






I'll be uploading two a week. Road infrastructure-wise, Ireland is probably the best country I've been on -motorways reach everywhere, there are no capacity issues and roads are usually in very good condition. Plus, there are few tolls and they were science-fiction cheap for me -I'm used to paying €10 for 100 kilometers of congested motorways. Irish drivers are very calm and prudent, quite a departure from the aggressive driving I'm used to here in mainland Europe.

I hope to have a second Irish experience some day -I left _so_ much to see.


----------



## csd

verreme said:


> I'll be uploading two a week. Road infrastructure-wise, Ireland is probably the best country I've been on -motorways reach everywhere, there are no capacity issues and roads are usually in very good condition. Plus, there are few tolls and they were science-fiction cheap for me -I'm used to paying €10 for 100 kilometers of congested motorways. Irish drivers are very calm and prudent, quite a departure from the aggressive driving I'm used to here in mainland Europe.
> 
> I hope to have a second Irish experience some day -I left _so_ much to see.


Glad you enjoyed your trip! I agree about the driving style -- motoring in Ireland is generally low-stress when compared to many other countries. Having relatively low traffic levels helps. When the network was being built, a decision was made that none of the major inter-urban routes would have more than two tolled sections, and these are typically only €1.90 each for private cars. 

The motorways have mostly been built in the last 12 - 15 years, so are generally in very good condition. So far the maintenance appears to be in place to keep them in this shape, so hopefully this can be maintained even in the current financial environment.

It's not true, however, to say that motorways reach everywhere! Sure, if you're trying to get from Dublin to Belfast, Galway, Limerick, Cork, or Waterford, then there's a high-quality network in place. The only missing piece is the regular provision of proper motorway service areas, though this is being addressed at the moment. However, if you're trying to get to Westport, Sligo, or anywhere in the northwest beyond Mullingar or Kells, you're back down to single-carriageway roads, some of them of a pretty poor standard.

Similarly, for journeys not starting or ending in Dublin, the experience can often be patchy. Cork to Limerick, for example, has some poor sections and almost no dual carriageway/motorway (except for short sections near the terminal cities). Limerick to Galway, however, is either motorway or motorway under construction. It's all quite variable.

Looking forward to seeing the rest of your videos!

/csd


----------



## verreme

csd said:


> Glad you enjoyed your trip! I agree about the driving style -- motoring in Ireland is generally low-stress when compared to many other countries. Having relatively low traffic levels helps. When the network was being built, a decision was made that none of the major inter-urban routes would have more than two tolled sections, and these are typically only €1.90 each for private cars.
> 
> The motorways have mostly been built in the last 12 - 15 years, so are generally in very good condition. So far the maintenance appears to be in place to keep them in this shape, so hopefully this can be maintained even in the current financial environment.
> 
> It's not true, however, to say that motorways reach everywhere! Sure, if you're trying to get from Dublin to Belfast, Galway, Limerick, Cork, or Waterford, then there's a high-quality network in place. The only missing piece is the regular provision of proper motorway service areas, though this is being addressed at the moment. However, if you're trying to get to Westport, Sligo, or anywhere in the northwest beyond Mullingar or Kells, you're back down to single-carriageway roads, some of them of a pretty poor standard.
> 
> Similarly, for journeys not starting or ending in Dublin, the experience can often be patchy. Cork to Limerick, for example, has some poor sections and almost no dual carriageway/motorway (except for short sections near the terminal cities). Limerick to Galway, however, is either motorway or motorway under construction. It's all quite variable.
> 
> Looking forward to seeing the rest of your videos!
> 
> /csd


You're right -there are a few missing links, but the country seems to be working to close them. And it's a situation you'll encounter everywhere else in Europe. One of the worst drives I did was N11 in Co. Wicklow. But there was M11 being built right next to it, so I guess it will be way smoother in the near future. The Cork-Limerick route is also substandard, but the country has plans to fix this. All in all, Ireland just needs 2 or 3 more motorways and all important routes will be expressway-standard.

My next 2 videos. First one is Limerick Southern Ring Road, featuring Limerick Tunnel:






And the next one is M4 from Kinnegad (M6 interchange) to Dublin, featuring N4 Lucan bypass, which is one of the finest urban expressways I've driven on.


----------



## odlum833

It's only in the last 10 years we have a pretty good road network by European standards. Hopefully it's maintained. They have given maintainence of most if not all motorways to private contractors, most of it toll free so i'd be confident they should remain in good nick.

Great videos! 

P.S we have a motorway thread in the Ireland forum. I'd happily post your posts there if you don't mind? Or you could yourself. 

Thanks again!


----------



## verreme

^^ You can post my videos anywhere you want as long as you say they're mine


----------



## verreme

Two more videos:











M50 was amazing. I honestly didn't expect such a well-engineered road.


----------



## Darren J. Prior

I am delighted to see how highly and increasingly evolved our motorway network is. What is next to be built after the Tuam-Gort motorway does anyone know? Surely the motorway to Letterkenny?


----------



## Road_UK

Welcome. Your first post gets your first "like". Took me ages to get from Dublin to Letterkenny and then onto Belfast when I last drove it....


----------



## csd

*M11 pics*

Folks,

A couple of shots of the M11 taken from this bridge near Wicklow.

1. Looking north, the Irish Sea is visible in the distance.
IMG_2242 by csd75, on Flickr

2. Looking south. Just out of shot after the junction slip road, the motorway section ends. The project to plug the gap between the two southern M11 sections is well underway, and should be completed in 2015.
IMG_2245 by csd75, on Flickr

/csd


----------



## verreme

Here's my last video:






I hope to come back there some day. There's so much stuff I didn't see . Time to save for next summer


----------



## csd

*N7 Newlands Cross upgrade*

Folks,

The project to grade-separate the junction of the N7 with the R113 at Newlands Cross is proceeding well. There are reports that the overpass will open for cars by the end of this month. This will replace the only set of traffic lights between the M50 and Cork, Limerick, and Galway.

Once this project completes (and assuming you have a toll tag), it will be possible to drive from Hillsborough (outside Belfast on the A1) all the way to Dunkettle (outside Cork) on dual carriageway or motorway standard roads.

The shot below was taken last night from the L1019 overbridge, some 850 metres east of where the new overpass starts. You can see where traffic has been moved to the side to allow construction of the overpass in the middle.

IMG_9381 by csd75, on Flickr

I'll return with an "after" pic when the overpass has opened and is fully lit.

/csd


----------



## sponge_bob

Post recession traffic on the M50 Dublin Orbital ( just east of Newlands Cross shown in photo above) has now exceeded 2006 boom time levels with 120k AADT recorded in parts. 

http://www.independent.ie/irish-new...-120000-motorists-a-day-use-m50-30640715.html

The M50 was largely upgraded from 2 lanes to 4 lanes in 2009 or so. 120k AADT is within the design parameters.....but only just. The M50 cannot be widened any more.


----------



## spacetweek

sponge_bob said:


> Post recession traffic on the M50 Dublin Orbital ( just east of Newlands Cross shown in photo above) has now exceeded 2006 boom time levels with 120k AADT recorded in parts.


This was inevitable, but I don't know what they're gonna do about it. I hope they don't start fiddling around with variable tolls.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

sponge_bob said:


> 120k AADT is within the design parameters.....but only just. The M50 cannot be widened any more.


Weren't there plans for a second bypass of Dublin? 



spacetweek said:


> I hope they don't start fiddling around with variable tolls.


The 'pricing off lower value trips' concept. I don't like it either, infrastructure should be accessible also for less wealthy people. Toll lanes with dynamic pricing are usually very expensive at rush hour. 

A bit more acceptable approach is to construct new capacity express lanes with dynamic tolling. This would give motorists more options. They plan to introduce this in Florida.
The downside is that they only work if there is congestion, so it won't help much in reducing overall congestion, it only gives one a chance to buy your way through congestion.


----------



## spacetweek

ChrisZwolle said:


> Weren't there plans for a second bypass of Dublin?


There are still plans for this, but it will be much further out (about 30 km) and won't capture any of the local traffic that uses the road which is most of it.


----------



## sponge_bob

There was a vague plan at the same time to move Dublin Port operations up to a point around 30km north of Dublin in 'Bremore' and the motorway would have started at the new port/M1 to Belfast or so.

Both the new port and the Outer Orbital have run into a severe lack of government support  and the bankruptcy of the property developer who was part of the consortium. Absent the port it is difficult to justify the plan for the orbital. 

It is likely that a lesser grade 2+2 road will be built 20-30km further out, starting well after 2020, and following the N52/N80 road in general and that the small scale outer ring following the N2-N3 road and the R136 will be completed perhaps sooner than 2025


----------



## verreme

Aren't there any plans to close M50? I recall reading about it on Wikipedia.


----------



## sponge_bob

God No, the country would collapse within a week.  

The only plan for the M50 is to widen the remaining SE portion from 2 to perhaps 3 lanes some time in future. 

The problem with the M50 is what to do when 4 lanes can no longer carry the traffic. It was largely upgraded from 2 to 4 lanes around 5 years ago and is now carrying more traffic than it ever did in parts, and that at a reduced level of economic activity compared to say 2002-2008. It is already over capacity for a 3+3 at 120k AADT in parts. 

With the Irish economy now growing again, at a recent annual rate of 7.7%, the problem could become severe before anything useful is done to relieve the M50. As the late 2000s upgrade was a PPP paid for by shadow tolling any scheme to deliberately drive traffic OFF the road through tolling could end up in a very messy court case with Ferrovial ( who, IIRC, did the job) instead. 

The Outer Orbital proposal is the Irish equivalent of the Grand Contournement de Paris, IE slightly too far out to be _really_ useful in my opinion.


----------



## csd

*M1/M50 pics*

Folks,

Some night time shots of the M1 and M50 in Dublin.

1. Broadmeadows Estuary bridge, between junctions 3 and 4 on the M1.
IMG_9455 by csd75, on Flickr

2. Broadmeadows Estuary bridge.
IMG_9460 by csd75, on Flickr

3. Looking north towards junction 3, Drynham interchange, from Clonshaugh Road overbridge.
IMG_9474 by csd75, on Flickr

4. Looking south towards junction 2, Dublin Airport, from Clonshaugh Road overbridge.
IMG_9475 by csd75, on Flickr

5. Dublin Port Tunnel, northern portals. M50 junction 2.
IMG_9479 by csd75, on Flickr

6. Northern portals of Dublin Port tunnel. Note the DPT operations car, ready for emergencies!
IMG_9484 by csd75, on Flickr

7. Underexposed shot of the northern portals.
IMG_9488 by csd75, on Flickr

8. Another shot of M50 junction 2.
IMG_9489 by csd75, on Flickr

9. Looking towards M50 J3/M1 J1 from M50 J2, just north of the port tunnel.
IMG_9497 by csd75, on Flickr

10. Zoomed version of the previous shot.
IMG_9499 by csd75, on Flickr

/csd


----------



## sponge_bob

That car you photographed is probably an armed response unit not a traffic police vehicle. Bit like your Flying Squad in London.



csd said:


> Folks,
> 
> Some night time shots of the M1 and M50 in Dublin.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> /csd


----------



## csd

Eh what now? You're joking, right? It's a tunnel operations car! And I'm not from London.


----------



## sponge_bob

Looks like an ARU vehicle


----------



## spacetweek

verreme said:


> Aren't there any plans to close M50? I recall reading about it on Wikipedia.





sponge_bob said:


> God No, the country would collapse within a week.


Sponge, I think he meant "close the loop" i.e. build the Dublin Port - Sandyford stretch.


----------



## csd

sponge_bob said:


> Looks like an ARU vehicle


Nah, that's a Focus. The ARU boys have Volvo XC70s!

/csd


----------



## sponge_bob

spacetweek said:


> Sponge, I think he meant "close the loop" i.e. build the Dublin Port - Sandyford stretch.


That will never happen. 



csd said:


> Nah, that's a Focus. The ARU boys have Volvo XC70s!


Thought it was a V50 myself but yes you are right. It would be a good spot for a permanent ARU encampment given that Darndale and Coolock and Ballymun are within a quick rev up.


----------



## Eulanthe

sponge_bob said:


> That will never happen.


Is a tunnel really that inconceivable? The M50 will be at breaking point once the M11 is completed to the south, and the only other sensible alternative would be to build a route from around Naas to somewhere north of Swords. 

I know the wealthy southsiders won't be so keen on a tunnel, but I don't see much of an alternative. Having said this, the Port Tunnel always seemed like it stopped short of being useful - why wasn't a spur built to the other side of the Liffey?


----------



## sponge_bob

Half the legal profession in the country is along that route, the whinging and the nimbyism will simply be too much to bear. Remember how long it took to finish the dual carriageway in Foxrock to an acceptable standard???? 40 years was it??? They have been on about the eastern bypass since the early 1980s or so.

And then, for luck, half the bloody greens in Ireland live in that part of the world too.

Remember the €300m odd already spent on an incinerator that does not even exist yet in that self same part of the city ..thanks to all the nonsense these people came up with. Interminable reports commissioned from their various consultant mates, green and legal both. 

It will never happen, in any form, in my lifetime. Nobody has the stomach to spend the inevitable €1.5bn+ that the motorway would cost.


----------



## verreme

spacetweek said:


> Sponge, I think he meant "close the loop" i.e. build the Dublin Port - Sandyford stretch.


Yup that's what I meant -I don't think closing the road to all traffic would be a good idea .



sponge_bob said:


> Half the legal profession in the country is along that route, the whinging and the nimbyism will simply be too much to bear. Remember how long it took to finish the dual carriageway in Foxrock to an acceptable standard???? 40 years was it??? They have been on about the eastern bypass since the early 1980s or so.
> 
> And then, for luck, half the bloody greens in Ireland live in that part of the world too.
> 
> Remember the €300m odd already spent on an incinerator that does not even exist yet in that self same part of the city ..thanks to all the nonsense these people came up with. Interminable reports commissioned from their various consultant mates, green and legal both.
> 
> It will never happen, in any form, in my lifetime. Nobody has the stomach to spend the inevitable €1.5bn+ that the motorway would cost.


Wow. I'm sorry for you guys. The M50 looks built to cope with heavy traffic anyway. There are auxiliary lanes between most junctions, so it's more like 4+4 instead of 3+3. And interchanges are neatly designed. In my city we have the same traffic (150,000+ vehicles per day) in a 3+3 urban expressway with non-existant acceleration lanes nor shoulders -and there are no plans to do anything about it.


----------



## csd

*M50 - possible future developments*

Folks,

There are a number of possible traffic and demand management measures that could be put in place to alleviate congestion on the M50. A report was published outlining these, and is available from the NRA's website here.

There is no appetite for further lane additions, so other measures are instead considered. These include:
￼￼￼￼￼￼￼￼￼￼￼￼
Additional tolling points
Better information to users via VMS, web, and SMS
Variable speed limits
See the report for full details. The decision as to which ones will be implemented will be political, as any extra tolls won't be popular!

On the question of the Eastern Bypass, a 2007 feasibility study concluded:



Feasibility Study said:


> Substantial work has been completed in examining and assessing possible solutions for, and implications of, the development of an Eastern Bypass. Arising from the studies undertaken, it can be concluded that the provision of an Eastern Bypass would be:
> 
> Technically feasible, with three viable route options identified;
> Economically viable, with benefits which are more than twice the costs, and
> Strategically beneficial to both the City and the Region.


However, given the state of the country's finances, it was recommended that scheme would not go ahead in the short term, but the alignment be protected. Two reports here outline the current status of the protected corridors.

The feasibility study appears to have been removed from the NRA website, but I have a copy; if anyone wants it PM me your email address and I'll send it.

/csd


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## ChrisZwolle

Is there any ramp metering on M50?


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## csd

*Dublin Eastern bypass route*

The southern section of the proposed Eastern bypass looks like this (purple is overground, yellow is tunnel):

Eastern bypass southern section by csd75, on Flickr

The reservation is quite obvious while driving. For example, looking south towards the M50 from the existing road at the "I" of Stillorgan Industrial Park looks like this. Further south, closer to the existing M50 and immediately west of Sandyford Industrial Estate looks like this. Here in particular there is plenty of room to the right (west) of the existing dual carriageway, which would be needed for junction slips.

It gets pretty tight near UCD (University College Dublin), but it all looks doable from an engineering perspective. However, as Sponge Bob alluded to, the section between Goatstown and the R138 (former N11) is likely to generate significant objections from local, well-connected residents.

/csd


----------



## csd

ChrisZwolle said:


> Is there any ramp metering on M50?


There are signals installed here and here near the northern portals of the Dublin Port Tunnel. These are designed to allow unimpeded exit from the tunnel in the event of an emergency, by controlling the flow of traffic onto the M50 mainline from adjacent local access roads.

I've only ever heard of them being used once. It certainly doesn't seem to be a regular traffic management feature as far as I know.

Apart from these, there are no other ramp metering signals on the M50, or indeed any other Irish motorway I'm aware of. There were proposals to install them on the M11 southbound access at junction 5, but these were never followed through.

/csd


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## sotonsi

csd said:


> Apart from these, there are no other ramp metering signals on the M50, or indeed any other Irish motorway I'm aware of.


They aren't very popular in Britain or Ireland.

Certainly a trial scheme on the M3/M27 in England failed to do much other than make the congestion on the local road network in Eastleigh worse, so was discontinued. A couple of other locations have tried it without success too, IIRC.


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## ChrisZwolle

I wouldn't expect much congestion relief of ITS measures. Variable speed limits are nice, but do not materially reduce congestion. Additional tolling is just a way to cash in on the shortcomings of infrastructure.


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## sponge_bob

Currently a low volume 'outer ring' is being built around 3km outside the M50 and in small stages. 

It is a roundabout ridden mess with half the road given over to buslanes though and is probably 10 years away from completion. I think an M49 will have to be built around 12km outside the M50 from Kill to south of Balbriggan via Celbridge and Dunboyne ....in the end.

The 2010 era Outer Orbital is too far out ( another 20km at least) to provide redundancy for the M50 or to facilitate rerouting. As for a real outer orbital they should complete the upgrade of the N52 and N80 to a proper standard ( mainly as 1+1) ....they are pretty dismal goat tracks in spots nowadays with only the central bit done to modern standards overall. 

As a southern section of an M49 from say 7 o clock to 5 o clock an outer ring is not feasible as there are mountains/protected areas along there. 

The tunnel shown by CSD in yellow would come up on a beach by the way and the missing link would be built N from there on the beach to howls and screams by the Nutjobrati.


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## spacetweek

Amongst many other issues, the Eastern Bypass segment from Goatstown to the M50 could not be an online upgrade - the existing road would still be needed for non-motorway traffic. And it would be impossible to make a freeflow junction with the new road and the existing M50 at Sandyford as the Sandyford junction is already highly complex.

It's also unclear if the part through UCD would be at-grade, severing a strip off the southern part of the university campus, or elevated. Unlikely to be elevated due to bad experience abroad with these.

Generally , I'd say it's a pipe dream and runs counter to moves to make the city more public transport-oriented.

The "M49" proposal sounds far more useful and realistic. As for the "Outer Ring Road", this is merely a distributor and can't be seen as any kind of rival to the M50.


----------



## csd

spacetweek said:


> Amongst many other issues, the Eastern Bypass segment from Goatstown to the M50 could not be an online upgrade - the existing road would still be needed for non-motorway traffic. And it would be impossible to make a freeflow junction with the new road and the existing M50 at Sandyford as the Sandyford junction is already highly complex.
> 
> It's also unclear if the part through UCD would be at-grade, severing a strip off the southern part of the university campus, or elevated. Unlikely to be elevated due to bad experience abroad with these.


The feasibility study has the proposed alignment in a cutting between the M50 and Booterstown, with a 1 km cut and cover tunnel under the Luas line near Kilmacud, and another tunnel between St Helen's and the coast.

The alignment in UCD is supposedly protected for the cutting and tunnel portals.



> Generally , I'd say it's a pipe dream and runs counter to moves to make the city more public transport-oriented.


Probably true!

/csd


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## geogregor

Hi guys.
I have question about the signage of the offline motorway service areas.

Particularly the newly opened Birdhill Service Area just off the junction 27 on the M7 and the service area in Mayfield just off the junction 14, also on the M7.

Are they clearly signed on the motorway? Or, as they are not official NRA areas, do you have to simply know about their existence?

Oh and the same question about the one on M11 near Wicklow.

Is there any official policy for such developments?


----------



## sponge_bob

They are signed periodically (and well in advance) and at at their junctions. The signage is less prominent than for official rest areas with their own off and on ramps. 

On the M7 from Limerick to Portlaoise there are two offline services recently built and one through planning near Birdhill so I would question the business logic somewhat but on the Long run from Enfield to Galway the offline services signed are preexisting ones along the old N6 mainly and the last time I was at this one it was heaving with customers late on a sunday evening. 

It is only 500m off the motorway. I have come across Online services hidden in a forest at a greater distance from 'their' motorways in Europe. 

There is a great website ( and apps) for finding them, pumps.ie > http://www.pumps.ie/


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> They are signed periodically (and well in advance) and at at their junctions. The signage is less prominent than for official rest areas with their own off and on ramps.


Any chance of photos of that signage?

I'm just curious how is it solved in Ireland.

Oh, and question about recently upgraded grade separated junctions on Cork's Southern Ring Road.
Are all the works finished? I'll be driving there in a few weeks. Any delays or problems in that location?


----------



## csd

Kanadzie said:


> It's reasonable, numerical limits on such roads (well I would argue, on any road) are silly
> 
> but I think the use of the "end all restrictions" when a numerical limit is still legally in force is a bad / confusing idea, you just give drivers confusion.


Ah, but in Ireland the sign doesn't mean "end all restrictions", it means "rural speed limit applies"!

/csd


----------



## Uppsala

How is it now with the Athlone bypass? Is it still called N6 or have they renamed it to M6 now? And why not have motorwy sign on Athlone bypass? It is motorway standard there.


----------



## spacetweek

Uppsala said:


> How is it now with the Athlone bypass? Is it still called N6 or have they renamed it to M6 now? And why not have motorwy sign on Athlone bypass? It is motorway standard there.


It is not motorway standard because the curves are too tight on the mainline. So it is still N6. 
However all other features of the road are motorway standard.


----------



## Uppsala

spacetweek said:


> It is not motorway standard because the curves are too tight on the mainline. So it is still N6.
> However all other features of the road are motorway standard.


I know the Athlone bypass is older than the rest om the M6. But when did they built the Athlone bypass?

And I think Athlone bypass looks like it was meant to be a part of a longer motorway/dual carriageway from the begin. But it took some years before the really built the rest om M6.


----------



## sponge_bob

Uppsala said:


> I know the Athlone bypass is older than the rest om the M6. But when did they built the Athlone bypass?.


1990, and it was not planned as other than a 2+2 standalone. They were still improving the N6 east and west of Athlone as 1+1 up to the late 1990s ( early 1990s near Moate and late 1990s west of Aughrim) .

In 2000 the plan to replace the 1+1 with 2+2 from Galway to Dublin by 2006 was announced. After this the remaining grossly substandard sections of N6 ( c.25km of it, mainly west of Kinnegad ) were then left as they are today.

This 2+2 Galway - Dublin was finally delivered in early 2010 and a mid life rebuild of the Athlone Bypass was undertaken in 2011 and 2012 to make the road a tad more suitable for 100kph running, especially at the corner east of the bridge. It cannot be upgraded to 120kph motorway unless they fully rebuild some junctions and close at least one. 

But it was never originally designed as a part of a greater 2+2 plan....there was no bloody plan in Ireland in the 1980s as we were bankrupt at the time. 

HTH.


----------



## Uppsala

sponge_bob said:


> 1990, and it was not planned as other than a 2+2 standalone. They were still improving the N6 east and west of Athlone as 1+1 up to the late 1990s ( early 1990s near Moate and late 1990s west of Aughrim) .
> 
> In 2000 the plan to replace the 1+1 with 2+2 from Galway to Dublin by 2006 was announced. After this the remaining grossly substandard sections of N6 ( c.25km of it, mainly west of Kinnegad ) were then left as they are today.
> 
> This 2+2 Galway - Dublin was finally delivered in early 2010 and a mid life rebuild of the Athlone Bypass was undertaken in 2011 and 2012 to make the road a tad more suitable for 100kph running, especially at the corner east of the bridge. It cannot be upgraded to 120kph motorway unless they fully rebuild some junctions and close at least one.
> 
> But it was never originally designed as a part of a greater 2+2 plan....there was no bloody plan in Ireland in the 1980s as we were bankrupt at the time.
> 
> HTH.


That was interesting! Athlone Bypass looks to me older than from 1990. It looks more like a road from the 1970s or possibly the 1980s. I think Athlone Bypass looks like an old bypass in Sweden built around 1975.

In Sweden they built roads like Athlone bypass in the 1970s around several cities. But the difference was that these short sections actually was signed as motorways, even though they were identical to the Athlone bypass. Many years later they built the new long motorways that was built up with these old short sections in exactly the same way as the Athlone bypass became part M6. But because these old episodes had motorway signs long since, today it is quite difficult to see which part of the motorways in Sweden that that looked like Athlone bypass


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## spacetweek

This video is quite interesting. When they were extending the Athlone Bypass to the west with the M6, they had to demolish the old dual carriageway bridge over the railway line at Monksland. This bridge actually consisted of 3 bridges - an old 19th Century stone arch bridge, a newer part from the 1960s when they modernised the road but it was still single carriageway, and the part from 1991 when they widened the road to a dual carriageway. All this is gone now as the road follows a different alignment.

To fix Athlone Bypass to make it a motorway you could not remove the curves (but could leave a 100 km/h speed limit) but you could add the missing frontage roads and close the junctions with minor roads.


----------



## Uppsala

spacetweek said:


> This video is quite interesting. When they were extending the Athlone Bypass to the west with the M6, they had to demolish the old dual carriageway bridge over the railway line at Monksland. This bridge actually consisted of 3 bridges - an old 19th Century stone arch bridge, a newer part from the 1960s when they modernised the road but it was still single carriageway, and the part from 1991 when they widened the road to a dual carriageway. All this is gone now as the road follows a different alignment.
> 
> To fix Athlone Bypass to make it a motorway you could not remove the curves (but could leave a 100 km/h speed limit) but you could add the missing frontage roads and close the junctions with minor roads.



Yes thats very interesting! They made a lot of work to made Athlone Bypass to be a part om M6 

But I think its possible to sign the Athlone Bypass with motorway signs to. Just to have it a little bit slower speed on it. But in other countries there are many roads similar to Athlone Bypass with motorway signs. For example in Sweden it is like that


----------



## sponge_bob

It ain't feasible in Athlone  The non motorway ( restricted) traffic would be routed through the single bridge and main street which is already congested with local traffic. 

No new east-west capacity was added in the town since the bypass was built and the town itself has grown quite a bit since the bypass was built. 'M' designating the bypass would result in slurry tankers trundling along the main street and other unfortunate side effects. 

Athlone was a horror before the bypass, one continual 10km long traffic jam. It is still a bit tight even with the bypass. Lets not look for a blue line on the map as we regulars don't mind slowing down for a few km. The rebuild in 2011/12 finally cambered the existing road for safe 100kph travel .....which was not a feature of the original bypass geometry not that Ireland knew anything about geometry in the 1980s or could afford to find out about it. 

We finally learnt how to build proper 2+2 roads in the late 1990's....eg not that awful thing on the N4 east of Mullingar, designed in the mid/late 1990s and finally fixed in 2013. 

Most future 2+2 roads in Ireland will be specifically built to the more 'modern' Swedish 2+2 100kph Expressway standard and with some Motorway thrown in there too. The rebuilt Athlone bypass is finally close to Swedish 2+2 but with a legacy hard shoulder.


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## Uppsala

sponge_bob said:


> It ain't feasible in Athlone  The non motorway ( restricted) traffic would be routed through the single bridge and main street which is already congested with local traffic.
> 
> No new east-west capacity was added in the town since the bypass was built and the town itself has grown quite a bit since the bypass was built. 'M' designating the bypass would result in slurry tankers trundling along the main street and other unfortunate side effects.
> 
> Athlone was a horror before the bypass, one continual 10km long traffic jam. It is still a bit tight even with the bypass. Lets not look for a blue line on the map as we regulars don't mind slowing down for a few km. The rebuild in 2011/12 finally cambered the existing road for safe 100kph travel .....which was not a feature of the original bypass geometry not that Ireland knew anything about geometry in the 1980s or could afford to find out about it.
> 
> We finally learnt how to build proper 2+2 roads in the late 1990's....eg not that awful thing on the N4 east of Mullingar, designed in the mid/late 1990s and finally fixed in 2013.
> 
> Most future 2+2 roads in Ireland will be specifically built to the more 'modern' Swedish 2+2 100kph Expressway standard and with some Motorway thrown in there too. The rebuilt Athlone bypass is finally close to Swedish 2+2 but with a legacy hard shoulder.


Thank You! Now I understand. Its for the slow traffic they need to keep the Athlone bypass without motorway signs 

We have a similar situation with a bridge at the eastern side outside of Stockholm in Sweden. There is a motorway called 222 or Värmdöleden. But there is a bridge at one place there, and the bridge is not signed like motorway. And its only the bridgem the rest of the road is signed like a motorway. And there is same reason at this bridge like the Athlone bypass. Look here: :laugh:

https://www.google.se/maps/@59.3141...m4!1e1!3m2!1stv0OWJ6UGRmwFaiyTBkc8w!2e0?hl=sv


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## ChrisZwolle

Does Limerick to Cork need a motorway? yes 94%


----------



## sponge_bob

ChrisZwolle said:


> Does Limerick to Cork need a motorway? yes 94%


The Cork Limerick motorway was cancelled or long fingered by the minister of Transport in order to free up funds for the 'essential' N5 Ballaghaderreen to Longford scheme which will serve the constituency of the junior Minister for Transport. 

That scheme was given €1.5m for planning this year on top of a million last year.


----------



## spacetweek

sponge_bob said:


> The Cork Limerick motorway was cancelled or long fingered by the minister of Transport in order to free up funds for the 'essential' N5 Ballaghaderreen to Longford scheme which will serve the constituency of the junior Minister for Transport.
> 
> That scheme was given €1.5m for planning this year on top of a million last year.


Not only is that scheme unimportant, I cannot believe they are routing it that way. It could have been shortened greatly by running Bdereen-Carrick instead.


----------



## sponge_bob

spacetweek said:


> Not only is that scheme unimportant, I cannot believe they are routing it that way. It could have been shortened greatly by running Bdereen-Carrick instead.


I am entirely agreed, and with a 2+2 eastwards from Carrick to Mullingar pencilled in for a future date. 

However it is important to Messrs Ring and Kenny ....far more so than a motorway from Cork to Limerick. 

2 schemes have been commenced and completed on the N5 in the past 4 years alone, the remaining 2 schemes ( Longford - Ballaghaderreen and Turlough - Castlebar) are both in planning and are lined up for the shovel in late 2016 or 2017. Completion of those two schemes will bring the entire N5 to a very high standard.


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## geogregor

Honestly, I struggle to understand why improvements no the N5 are given so much priority over the N20/M20
Clearly the second road is much more important linking three largest urban areas in the Republic outside Dublin (Cork, Limerick and Galway)
This must be be priority in terms of motorways/dual carriageways construction in Ireland.


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## sponge_bob

The Prime Minister is thrown around on the leather seats in the back of the Merc S500 on the N5 every week....is why. The junior minister for Transport sometimes gets a lift with the boss and hears the complaints in real time. 

The local politicians in Cork are busier groping each other in public (IN Parliament)  than doing any work on the M20, sadly.


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> The Prime Minister is thrown around on the leather seats in the back of the Merc S500 on the N5 every week....is why. The junior minister for Transport sometimes gets a lift with the boss and hears the complaints in real time.
> 
> The local politicians in Cork are busier groping each other in public (IN Parliament)  than doing any work on the M20, sadly.


To some degree that happens in most countries, powerful politicians push for some pork barrel for their districts. So I can understand some small bypasses here and there along the N5 (if, as you say, PM is from there) or a new school gym etc. 
But omission of M20 in any planning process in near future is really striking. Especially if major improvements to the N5 can be founded. Planning process for the M20 can't cost that much money.


----------



## sponge_bob

geogregor said:


> . Planning process for the M20 can't cost that much money.


The M20 was fully planned and went to the public hearing which is the end of the planning process. It was pulled after the hearing but before the inspectors decision. .

That was 5 years ago. Now they have to start all over again at route selection

Had the inspector decided and published recommendations, and the road was clear through planning in 2011, the planning would probably have expired by now anyway. 

http://www.independent.ie/regionals...y-could-be-a-livesaver-for-cork-27078515.html
http://croomnews.blogspot.ie/2010/07/summary-presentation-m20-cork-limerick_29.html


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## spacetweek

sponge_bob said:


> The M20 was fully planned and went to the public hearing which is the end of the planning process. It was pulled after the hearing but before the inspectors decision. .
> 
> That was 5 years ago. Now they have to start all over again at route selection
> 
> Had the inspector decided and published recommendations, and the road was clear through planning in 2011, the planning would probably have expired by now anyway.
> 
> http://www.independent.ie/regionals...y-could-be-a-livesaver-for-cork-27078515.html
> http://croomnews.blogspot.ie/2010/07/summary-presentation-m20-cork-limerick_29.html


Yes but for strategic infrastructure I think you can simply renew it anyway.
Not for non-strategic.


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## sponge_bob

The application was withdrawn in late 2011, after Varadkar cancelled it earlier this year. I'm afraid it needs to be started from scratch, hopefully I am wrong. Maybe they can reboot from the selected route corridor and update the policy framework and traffic changes in recent years. 

http://www.pleanala.ie/casenum/MA0010.htm
http://www.pleanala.ie/casenum/HA0027.htm

Had the inspector given a go ahead in 2011 the CPO order activates then and does have a finite shelf life and would have to be actioned in a few years or else it would expire, max 5 years comes to mind. But it never got to that.


----------



## Uppsala

Ireland is probably one of the countries in Europe which in recent years has been rapidly building new motorways. Actually, Ireland has been quite impressive in quickly building highly highways since 2000.

But sees Ireland as a more or less finished now? Or is there more big projects are waiting?


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## ChrisZwolle

Ireland hasn't opened any new motorways in the last 5 years.


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## sotonsi

There's the Gort-Tuam and Arklow-Rathnew (M11 gap) motorway under construction.

After that it's just the M11 Enniscorthy bypass and M20 Limerick-Cork that are planned as motorway.


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## sponge_bob

That is correct Sotonsi. 

In the longer term out to 2030, widening of some motorways near Dublin ( M7 around Naas, M50 south near M11 , M11 around Bray and M1 to Balbriggan and M4 to Maynooth will also be considered. Thereafter an outer Dublin Orbital motorway of some sort will be built to Motorway standard. The N22 around Macroom in west Cork is to be built to an M standard but not signed as such, it is in the top 10 projects to be actioned over the next few years. 

The current M20 will be extended west past Adare too ( new section signed as M21) and that is in planning as an option right now and is more likely to be the final route than a more northerly one. That would be 10km long at most. This is around the top 10 projects to be actioned but lower down the pecking order. There are as many 2+2 roads as HQDC roads in the top 10 now.

It is also probable that a few feeder roads into Cork will be improved to an M standard but perhaps signed as unrestricted N roads, N25, N40 Cork North Ring and N28 to the giant Viagra factory along with the N71 to Inishshannon and generally over the same timescale. The lack of alternative routes in the hilly terrain around Cork makes it hard to bring in M restrictions and anyway Cork already has a 120kph N road or 2 so a few more will do no harm. 

Other than those, and perhaps some short N24 segments built to motorway standard at both ends and N4 to Longford from its current terminus near Mullingar no futher motorway construction is anticipated in Ireland. 

Nordic 2+2 will be the main high capacity roadtype under consideration by length. That will be restricted to 100kph but as Ireland is a small country that won't delay anyone overly.

That would be it for the foreseeable future.


----------



## spacetweek

Upcoming motorway openings:
M11 Wicklow-Arklow : August 2015
M17/M18 Gort-Tuam : February 2018
M11 Enniscorthy Bypass : 2019

M20 Cork-Limerick : 2020s?
Leinster Outer Orbital : 2020s?

No others are confirmed and probably would all be small anyway.


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## MichiH

*M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy Project*



spacetweek said:


> M11 Enniscorthy Bypass : 2019


Project info
Scheme Description: The M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy Motorway will run from the Southern end of the Gorey Bypass at Clogh to Scurlocksbush at Oilgate and will incorporate the Enniscorthy Bypass. This section of the scheme will be 27km and the scheme will also include a 4km dual carriageway connecting the new motorway to the existing N11 at Scarawalsh and a further 8km single carriageway link from Scarawalsh to the N30 at Clohass.
M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy Scheme Route Map (PDF Document, 8,028 kbs)

​News article from February 2015: The contract for the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy bypass is expected to be signed by the summer, with the new road likely to be opened by early in *2019*.The M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy PPP Scheme is 41km in length with a *new 27km motorway* and tie-in to the east of Enniscorthy, an *8km single carriageway* bypass to the west of Enniscorthy, a *4Km dual carriageway* section linking the N30 and N80 that crosses the Slaney.​


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## geogregor

Driving N40 from Jack Lynch Tunnel to Kinsale Junction
BTW, time and date is wrong, it is from a few days ago


----------



## geogregor

M8 from Fermoy to Dunkettle.
Filmed on Tuesday around 6pm. Very light traffic, joy to drive.
When I drove this route on Sunday morning it was so empty that there were moments that I haven't seen a single car in front of me or in a rear view mirror.
I really like driving in Ireland, way more relaxed than in the UK or Poland. I guess it is partially due to lover population density.











I was also trying to record N25 from Dungarvan to Waterford (including the bypass) but something went wrong with my camera so there is no movie from that route 
Again, even if it is not dual carriageway it was still quite a pleasant drive. It looked to me as sufficient road for the traffic levels on it. Once they bypass the bottlenecks of New Ross and Enniscorthy it will be a grand route from the ferry terminal to my lady's place


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## ChrisZwolle

M11 Arklow - Rathnew will open 'in the next few weeks'. http://www.thejournal.ie/m11-roadworks-end-2172283-Jun2015/


----------



## geogregor

M17/M18 construction is gathering speed


----------



## sponge_bob

Word is that the government will announce a 5 year Investment programme in Roads shortly, between now and the end of August. Lots of jockeying to get schemes onto the list. Government to increase capital spending on new road builds by some €100 of Millions a year starting 2017 or _perhaps_ as early as 2016. 

Only 6 new schemes I can confirm will be included are: 

Galway Bypass N6
Naas Bypass M7 Widening to 3 lanes as far as the M9 junction.
Longford - Ballaghaderreen N5
Dunkettle Junction N8/N25
Patrickswell-Foynes M22/N69 *rerouted N69 starting from Rathkeale not Limerick *
M11 Widening Shankill ( or maybe M25 Sandyford) to Fassaroe near Bray.

The 2 PPP projects already tendered but not at construction will be included too. Both in the South East in Wexford.


----------



## sotonsi

sponge_bob said:


> Patrickswell-Foynes M22/N69 *rerouted N69 starting from Rathkeale not Limerick


You mean M21, not M22.



> M11 Widening Shankill ( or maybe M25 Sandyford) to Fassaroe near Bray.


Almost certainly from the M50 at Shankill, rather than from a non-existent (in Ireland) road, from a place the M11 doesn't reach :lol:

It would be nice if they looked to plug that gap in M11, from exit 6 to exit 14.


> The 2 PPP projects already tendered but not at construction will be included too. Both in the South East in Wexford.


M11/N30 Enniskillen bypass and N25/N30 New Ross bypass.


----------



## geogregor

sotonsi said:


> M11/N30 Enniskillen bypass and N25/N30 New Ross bypass


Enniskorthy not Enniskillen 

Any indication when are they going to sign the contracts and start the actual construction??

On Boards.ie someone posted cool video of blasting on the M17/M18 construction:


----------



## sponge_bob

sotonsi said:


> You mean M21, not M22.
> It would be nice if they looked to plug that gap in M11, from exit 6 to exit 14.
> M11/N30 Enniskillen bypass and N25/N30 New Ross bypass.


Yes I meant M22. It will still be a short stub of a motorway. 

The Gap is too much eco hassle. It will remain a DC for some time yet. 

And you mean Enniscorthy????


----------



## sotonsi

sponge_bob said:


> And you mean Enniscorthy????


Yes, damn Skitts law.

You succumbed to it too:


> Yes I meant M22. It will still be a short stub of a motorway.


You made the same mistake as your OP - it should be 21, not 22. Patrickswell is the N20/N21 junction, rather than on the Tralee-Cork road.


Technically the M21 already exists - that is a genuinely short stub of motorway, not a few miles (longer than the existing M20) that will exist after this scheme. It is literally the westbound underpass at Patrickswell and a very short section of eastbound road between sliproads. Legislation describing the N21 route uses capitals for PATRICKSWELL, and capitals mean motorway section.

The N10 has a similar crazy-short motorway section.


----------



## sponge_bob

Opening date for the 16km M11 Arklow - Rathnew section is next monday the 13th of July.

This will be the first NEW motorway opened in Ireland since the 12km 'Bog of Doom' section of the M7 was finally opened in September 2010 and the M18 Gort - Crusheen motorway in November 2010.

Been a long time. We won't see a near 5 year gap like that between openings in future thank God, even if the schemes themselves are nothing like the scale of the 2000s where near 500km of motorway was _under simultaneous construction_ at peak in around 2007/8


----------



## sponge_bob

sotonsi said:


> Technically the M21 already exists - that is a genuinely short stub of motorway, not a few miles (longer than the existing M20) that will exist after this scheme.


Dammit M21. Yes it already 'exists' , yes it is tiny and no it will never go much beyond Adare to the west and yes _nobody knows quite where it starts yet_ until the M20 is built off towards Cork from an as yet to be decided junction around Patrickswell somewhere.  

But they will hardly continue the old M20 around Adare neither. It will be an M21 Adare Bypass.


----------



## sponge_bob

Update on the longest motorway project under construction. Gort - Tuam M18 and M17 and N17 

http://galwaybayfm.ie/hopes-gort-tuam-motorway-may-open-earlier-expected/

The northern section near Tuam is flying along ( see Geogregors vid a few posts back) and the Tuam Bypass section ( 2+2) at the northern end will likely open by July 2017 latest and possibly even by May 2017. 

Roadbridge are the contractors building that northern end. 

The more southerly sections are being built by 2 different contractors. The middle section around the existing M6 by Sisk and the southern section tying in to M18 Gort by Lagan/Wills as I understand it. It does not look likely right now that these contractors will finish their ends by July 2017 and an October 2017 opening date would be more like the target from what I can see of the works. Lets say that nothing worth photographing has presented itself south of the M6....only a few rather desultory earthworks. They largely missed the hedge clearing season which ended in March and cannot resume clearing until September. 

Once earthworks are fully underway I hear the 'Openstreetmap Ireland Drone' is due to be deployed to get some accurate GPS tracks of the project ( and vids). Not before next summer for sure.


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> The more southerly sections are being built by 2 different contractors. The middle section around the existing M6 by Sisk and the southern section tying in to M18 Gort by Lagan/Wills as I understand it. It does not look likely right now that these contractors will finish their ends by July 2017 and an October 2017 opening date would be more like the target from what I can see of the works. Lets say that nothing worth photographing has presented itself south of the M6....only a few rather desultory earthworks. They largely missed the hedge clearing season which ended in March and cannot resume clearing until September.


Why delay on the southern half? Did they appoint subcontractors too late? It seems like due to the clearance delays they lost one summer season.

Anyway, question for the locals. Which half is more important? Northern or southern? Looking on map and from a national perspective it looks like the bit from M6 to M18 in Gort would be more crucial. It will close gap in connection between Galway and Shannon and Limerick.



> Once earthworks are fully underway I hear the 'Openstreetmap Ireland Drone' is due to be deployed to get some accurate GPS tracks of the project ( and vids). Not before next summer for sure.


Send the drone now!!!


----------



## sponge_bob

Irish contractors have lost a lot of their capability in recent years and it takes some longer to get up to speed than others. Too many lean years and much caution.!


----------



## geogregor

New motorway opening today in Ireland, M11 from Rathnew to Arklow.

Info and photos from Boards.ie



> https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=575997309142272


----------



## haddockman

Bye, Bye Jack Whites and The Tap. You will not be missed.


----------



## PeteC

sponge_bob said:


> Word is that the government will announce a 5 year Investment programme in Roads shortly, between now and the end of August. Lots of jockeying to get schemes onto the list. Government to increase capital spending on new road builds by some €100 of Millions a year starting 2017 or _perhaps_ as early as 2016.
> 
> Only 6 new schemes I can confirm will be included are:
> 
> Galway Bypass N6
> Naas Bypass M7 Widening to 3 lanes as far as the M9 junction.
> Longford - Ballaghaderreen N5
> Dunkettle Junction N8/N25
> Patrickswell-Foynes M22/N69 *rerouted N69 starting from Rathkeale not Limerick *
> M11 Widening Shankill ( or maybe M25 Sandyford) to Fassaroe near Bray.
> 
> The 2 PPP projects already tendered but not at construction will be included too. Both in the South East in Wexford.


Surely the N28 will be included in the next programme? It is part of the overall plan to relocate the Port of Cork and seems to be progressing as planned. The suggestion is that it will be coupled with the Dunkettle upgrade, sort of like the N11/Newlands Cross PPP. The government also has to do something to buy off the people of Cork if they hope to pick up seats there in the next GE.

Has any preliminary works started on Longford - Ballaghaderreen? I had the impression that it is being looked at as a series of individual projects rather than one big one. Is it more a case that it will get funding to bring it through planning and design stages and ready for construction at some as yet undefined time (implied to be once design is completed but really it will be up to a future government to put up the big bucks for construction)? 

As as above for the M11 widening, has design work started?

The Galway Bypass seems to be advancing but it still has a lot of hurdles to cross before all approvals are achieved. I can see most of the cost of this project over the next five years to be mainly legal and consultant fees.

Certainly the next 2/3 years are looking quite lean as we may only see the PPPs in Wexford and hopefully N28/Dunkettle and N69 in addition to the already approved projects.


----------



## sponge_bob

PeteC said:


> Surely the N28 will be included in the next programme?


I asked my contact about the N28 and the answer was that it may be bundled with Dunkettle (or a 'Phase 1 N28' as far as the Carrigaline Roundabout at any rate) so it was perhaps not listed on its own because of that. 

After the Carrigaline Roundabout the attitude is that the port can pay some of the cost of widening to 2+2 if that is ever required ....and the suspicion is the stretch from Carrigaline Roundabout to the Port is just fine the way it is, the bottleneck is north of the Carrigaline Roundabout.

Both Dunkettle and the N28 qualify for 'dibs' on EU Transport/Cohesion funding at around 20-30% of the overall ESTIMATED project cost...but most likely no more than 25% of the total estimated cost. If they later drop Carrigaline - Ringaskiddy 'Phase 2' they get the same amount of EU money anyway it seems.

Seemingly EU Transport/Cohesion funding will not be disbursed for Ireland before 2018 earliest _simply because the government made no request for earlier funding_. Most EU Transport/Cohesion funding requested out to 2020 is for Dart Underground and only the Dunkettle/N28 and Adare/Foynes projects will qualify for roads funding this side of 2021 when the proposed Medium Term Capital Plan ends.

After 2020 who knows what will happen. It won't be EU funded any more bar a few cycle lanes dotted about. 

Some numpties think the EU will pay for the lot...they will in their holes. The days of 70-90% funding for a road project are long gone and only one project was ever 100% funded ...or so I was told.


----------



## annfield1978

Spongebob, any word on the N5 Turlough to Westport & N4 Colonney to Castelbaldwin, 
Has any design work even commenced on the M11 Widening?

Also the M7 Naas to Newbridge By-Pass Upgrade Scheme is shovel ready, is this likely to go as a D&B

N5 Ballaghadeereen isnt anywhere near getting planning permission never mind getting built, smae can be said for Galway COB, i the funding purely for consultant fee and purchasing land?


----------



## sponge_bob

annfield1978 said:


> Spongebob, any word on the N5 Turlough to Westport & N4 Colonney to Castelbaldwin,


Funny enough no. As these are PPP projects ( along with Macroom) they are not _technically _capital expenditure as such but current expenditure. That may explain why they were not listed on the list I got as much of the procurement is actually done by the PPP section in the Department of Finance who deal with EIB financing etc. 

I'd say they will be added back in time for press release day. 



> Has any design work even commenced on the M11 Widening?


It is quite trivial once one has a wide grass median to dig up, honest. 



> Also the M7 Naas to Newbridge By-Pass Upgrade Scheme is shovel ready, is this likely to go as a D&B


M7 and Sallins Western Bypass Rxxx together. I'd say a DB yes. This is a written commitment to Kerry Group. The M18 Athenry - Gort scheme, likewise, is a written ministerial commitment to the American Chamber of Commerce from 10 years back and they still have the letter from Martin Cullen. 



> N5 Ballaghadeereen isnt anywhere near getting planning permission never mind getting built, smae can be said for Galway COB, i the funding purely for consultant fee and purchasing land?


Nope, the Capital Plan is out to 2020 so plenty of time to finish those two ( even with the Galway Bypass being a _major national ecomentalist magnet_  ) and I doubt both will progress as PPP either. 

The N5 Ballaghadeereen-Longford scheme is pure political strokery by the Taoiseach and the junior minister for Transport as we all know. It should really go N5 Ballaghadeereen - Carrick on Shannon with the N4 then upgraded to 2+2 or HQDC from Carrick on Shannon to Mullingar over time thereafter. Much better solution for the North West in general. 

The N59 Moycullen Bypass is most unlikely to make the 2016-2020 plan...you heard it here first. Far too many priorities elsewhere. N56 Mountcharles-Inver is another one not likely to make it. The land is already bought for those two and is cleared and fenced too may I add. 

Also expect the dregs of the NRA 'bad bends' schemes to be relisted AGAIN. I think c.40 out of c.60 are done or the lads are onsite but at least 20 have not started yet and sure why not list them again to make the list look fatter. Most are on National Secondaries. 

HTH


----------



## jdwex

sponge_bob said:


> Seemingly EU Transport/Cohesion funding will not be disbursed for Ireland before 2018 earliest _simply because the government made no request for earlier funding_. Most EU Transport/Cohesion funding requested out to 2020 is for Dart Underground ...


So DU is still on on the table? There was some concern that it may be ditched, with just a tram to the airport in Dublin! :bash:hno:


----------



## sponge_bob

jdwex said:


> So DU is still on on the table? There was some concern that it may be ditched, with just a tram to the airport in Dublin! :bash:hno:


Yes, DU is kept for a 2018 launch or so. It qualifies EU funding because the only EU core corridor in Ireland runs from Larne to Ringaskiddy (that was officially Larne - Cork until the new Cork port got planning permission in May 2015 so _the N28 only qualified for EU funds since May 2015_....got it???? ) . 

DU bridges that core enabling Cork to Larne freight <cough> I _know_ CIE don't do freight yes </cough> 

Opening the tunnel under the park next year is to help 'prove' that an alternative is badly needed. The business case for DU is a tad weak at present and needs fattening up. 

There is no real overweening need for an airport link anyway although it would be nice to have one some time and great in Swords. 

Palma Airport in Mallorca is the same size as Dublin overall but MUCH busier during its 2 busiest months than Dublin is and it has a MASSIVE bus network emanating in every direction from it. Naturally it has no rail link. 

Add another storey to the bus station in Dublin Airport, in time, and we will be tickety boo there.


----------



## marmurr1916

Report on the opening of the Arklow - Rathnew section of the M11 from the Irish Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/educ...cklow-bypasses-road-death-blackspot-1.2283675

If the M11 Enniscorthy bypass goes to construction this year, followed eventually by the N11/N25 Rosslare Harbour schemes, the N/M11, which forms part of the E-01 route in Ireland, will be either motorway or expressway for its entire length. 

Since the completion of the A8 improvement scheme in Northern Ireland, all of the E-01 route within NI is now either motorway or expressway. 

Eventually the entire route between Rosslare Harbour in the south-east of Ireland and Larne Harbour (in the north-east of Northern Ireland) will be motorway/expressway.


----------



## geogregor

Drive through new section of M11:


----------



## annfield1978

ec.europa.eu/inea/sites/inea/files/cef_brochure_final_web.pdf

Scheme given European Funding

Port of Cork Ringaskiddy Project €12M
Dublin City Centre Resignalling €18M
Dublin Port Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Project €23M
Connecting Port of Shannon Foynes to the Irish Rail Network	€0.8M

No sign of DART Underground here, any reason for this?


----------



## sponge_bob

annfield1978 said:


> No sign of DART Underground here, any reason for this?


I think the funding application is in under the €300Bn Juncker Plan (THIS) not under the ~€150Bn CEF , the Juncker plan is properly known as the EFSI . 

http://ec.europa.eu/priorities/jobs-growth-investment/plan/efsi/index_en.htm

and see page 2 of this ...sure that might be the Capital Plan 

http://nwra.ie/dubh/wp-content/uplo...ulletin-115-Irish-Regions-Brussels-Office.pdf


----------



## annfield1978

and see page 2 of this ...sure that might be the Capital Plan 

nwra.ie/dubh/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/NOV-DEC-2014-EU-News-Bulletin-115-Irish-Regions-Brussels-Office.pdf

which bit? there is a very long wish list there, when will it be confirmed which projects are approved for funding.

I understand that the various studies to do with North Fingal/ Dart Underground Business Case and Radial Bus Route Studies are being finalised by the NTA and Irish Rail. Would governement announcements not be premature until the results of these studies are concluded and recommendations made by the Minister by the NTA. This would lead to a delay in Infrastructure announcements until say September?


----------



## annfield1978

Moycullen is mentioned in the Brussel News pdf but you mentioned previously although being shovel ready, it won't make the cut, is that a dept of transport decision?


----------



## sponge_bob

Quite a lot of projects are shovel ready or near the end of planning. The Capital Budget won't cover all of them. This is an election plan as much as a capital plan and the N56 Mountcharles - Inver scheme along with the N59 Moycullen Bypass won't win the government any votes ...or decide a government seat.

So even with those two schemes nearer the proverbial shovel than any other ...and their being small and not that dear....they will not be in the plan I hear. 

Anyway we will know soon. Won't we.


----------



## annfield1978

Thanks Spongebob, I understand that the various studies to do with North Fingal/ Dart Underground Business Case and Radial Bus Route Studies are being finalised by the NTA and Irish Rail. Would government announcements not be premature until the results of these studies are concluded and recommendations made by the Minister by the NTA. This would lead to a delay in Infrastructure announcements until say September? Any truth to this?


----------



## geogregor

Few shots from M8, heading south from Fermoy to Cork


P7290533 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290537 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290538 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290539 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290540 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290541 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290542 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290543 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


----------



## geogregor

P7290544 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290545 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290546 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290547 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290548 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290549 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290550 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290551 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290552 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


----------



## geogregor

Few shots from N40 eastbound heading towards the airport exit

P7290553 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290554 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290555 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290556 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


P7290557 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


----------



## OAQP

Great pictures - Geogregor. Looking forward to drive around in Ireland this summer!


----------



## geogregor

I was digging into the Rathimorissy services idea and found this thing:

Rathmorissy services 3 proposed sites by Geogregor*, on Flickr

It seems that building services at the junction is still an option. Is that true?

Let's say yes. How they can make it accessible from the roundabout while they have designated left turning slips:

Rathmorissy Junnction services proposal by Geogregor*, on Flickr
I guess the only option would be underpass or overpass over the slip road.

The images are in the PDF rom Galway County Council website:
http://www.galway.ie/en/services/roads/roadsprojects/m6servicearea/

Slightly different question:
User M17 on boards.ie linked traffic movement projections for the Rathimorissy Junction.








Clearly it was done a while ago but does anyone know when? Before or after the economic crash?


----------



## sponge_bob

Around 2008/2009 Data projection I reckon for traffic movement AADT on that junction.


----------



## geogregor

It is northern part of the scheme. It would be nice to see flyover video for the rest of it.


----------



## sponge_bob

Not much to see south of Rathmorrisey. Honest.


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> Not much to see south of Rathmorrisey. Honest.


There must be something....I hope

At least they could show Rathmorrisey junction itself. One of the most spectacular bits of the whole scheme.


----------



## geogregor

Tiny rendering of the future Barrow Bridge on N25 New Ross bypass








Found it on the EIB website
http://www.eib.org/infocentre/press/releases/all/2016/2016-019-eib-green-light-for-n25-new-ross-bypass.htm


----------



## ChrisZwolle

It looks like an extradosed bridge type.


----------



## geogregor

ChrisZwolle said:


> It looks like an extradosed bridge type.


It will be. 2x2 profile, 900m long, 36m above water. It will be the longest bridge in Ireland. 
It will be one of the most spectacular construction sites in Ireland for a while so I'm really looking forward to start of it.

EDIT:

I just discovered that website for the M11 Enniscorthy Bypass was launched:
http://www.m11gtoe.ie/

Not much stuff on it yet. I would like them to publish some more detailed maps, maybe even some site specific drawings.

They also published first newsletter:
http://www.m11gtoe.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/01-m11-Enniscorthy-newsletter-Print.pdf


----------



## geogregor

Roadbridge uploaded some new pictures on their M17/M18 website:
http://directroutegorttotuam.ie/gallery.aspx

Just two of the best:


----------



## sponge_bob

You can clearly see how progress on the northern section differs from the southern section. I'd say M17 completion 06 or 07/17 with the M18 a year behind.....if not more.


----------



## geogregor

New photos on the M17/M18 project website:


----------



## geogregor

Apparently there is some movement on the N25 bypass.

According to forumers on boards.ie there was sighting of a barge passing which will do site investigation for the new Barrow Bridge:


----------



## geogregor

Two more shots from the N25.
According to folks from boards.ie the rig is now in place of the future extradosed bridge over the Barrow Estuary


----------



## geogregor

New shot of the rig at work:










Photo from boards.ie

By the way, a while ago there was tender for production of video of the construction:
http://www.mytenders.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR434311

Anyone from Skyscrapercity interested?


----------



## geogregor

N40 Cork bypass.

Westbound from Kinsale Roundabout (airport exit) to N71 (Bandon Roundabout):






Eastbound from Bandon Roundabout (N71) to Dunkettle (wezel z N25 i M8 ktory ma byc w najblizszych latach przebudowany):





I have to say I'm lucky because every time I drive through the infamous Dunkettle traffic is flowing smoothly.


----------



## 896334

I know it's been a while but it still feels weird seeing the Cork bypass as N40!


----------



## geogregor

N25 between Dunkettle and exit to Cobh:


----------



## geogregor

Construction of M17 in the west.


----------



## geogregor

It seems that the website of the N25 New Ross Bypass was launched:
http://www.n25newross.ie/

There is a decent map:









And they claim that once the bridge construction starts (apparently piers will start later this year) there will be webcams.
:banana:


----------



## geogregor

Some updates on the M11 Enniscorthy Bypass website:
http://www.m11gtoe.ie/project-updates/


----------



## cairnstony2

Does anyone know if there are any plans in the foreseeable future for major upgrades to the N20 Limerick-Cork route? 

I know the initial planned motorway upgrade had been shelved due to the financial crisis, but I'd heard that this project had been revisited once more.


----------



## spacetweek

cairnstony2 said:


> Does anyone know if there are any plans in the foreseeable future for major upgrades to the N20 Limerick-Cork route?
> 
> I know the initial planned motorway upgrade had been shelved due to the financial crisis, but I'd heard that this project had been revisited once more.


It's back on, as confirmed recently by the Taoiseach. Details to be announced along with the October budget. Earliest start would be about 2021.


----------



## sponge_bob

ChrisZwolle said:


> Full report by the Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ire...o-be-widened-to-three-lanes-at-naas-1.3229645
> 
> M7 does appear to have a provision for the expansion to six lanes, the central reservation is fairly wide.


This section was also the first motorway in the Republic and it opened in 1983. 

Most of Irelands motorway network (by length ) is not wide median. Only near Dublin really. Mind you none of the narrow median sections are at or even near capacity. Some other parts of the wide median network already require widening to 3+3 too, notably the southern section of the M50 Orbital and the M11 south of that.


----------



## spacetweek

sponge_bob said:


> This section was also the first motorway in the Republic and it opened in 1983.
> 
> Most of Irelands motorway network (by length ) is not wide median. Only near Dublin really. Mind you none of the narrow median sections are at or even near capacity. Some other parts of the wide median network already require widening to 3+3 too, notably the southern section of the M50 Orbital and the M11 south of that.


Thankfully some foresight was shown close to the cities as space was also left on the M8 from Cork to Watergrasshill and Galway east to Athenry. Not on the M7 at Limerick, though I see the bypass segment has some space.


----------



## sponge_bob

spacetweek said:


> . Not on the M7 at Limerick, though I see the bypass segment has some space.


Yes. The M7 East of Limerick has no wide median and is built on piles up to 45m deep across a bog. It is a rare exception near a city, the other is the Glen of the Downs south of Dublin. The M1 is wide median alnost to the NI border of which some is already upgraded to 3+3 near Dublin Airport.


----------



## geogregor

So the M17/M18 scheme was opened 2 days ago:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/farewell-n17-hello-m17-as-motorway-opens-between-gort-and-tuam-1.3235844

https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0927/907774-galway-motorway/










Some aerial shots just before opening:

Shouldn't this video be titled N17 Tuam bypass? It is not motorway on this stretch. 











There is also a new video from the New Ross bypass construction:


----------



## LAYiddo

geogregor said:


> So the M17/M18 scheme was opened 2 days ago:
> 
> ^^


That really is cracking news. Looking forward to doing the drive from Newmarket on Fergus (where my family is from) to Galway City. Last time I did it was before Ennis was bypassed and remember it taking ages! When I think of Ireland in the 80s and now (transport wise), what a change. 

:cheers:


----------



## geogregor

Found some videos on YT

M17:











Tuam bypass.


----------



## geogregor

New Ross bypass progress:




















Scheme from September


----------



## ChrisZwolle

M20 Cork - Limerick is also adopted in the 10-year capital programme. The € 850 million motorway could start construction in 2021.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ire...-in-capital-plan-taoiseach-confirms-1.3255641


----------



## sponge_bob

ChrisZwolle said:


> M20 Cork - Limerick is also adopted in the 10-year capital programme. The € 850 million motorway could start construction in 2021.


Sadly there is no chance of that in Ireland. It looks like it might start in 2026 or so. 

A project starting from scratch like the M20 is will not see construction commence for over 5 years, that is how painful the planning process is in Ireland.  

The only possibility of it speeding up is that the route selection ends up the same as the last time it was designed in 2008/9 and that the old design can therefore be rebooted but that applies to the southern half of the M20 only. 

Even then you might get to advanced works only in 2021 (archaeology onsite) and the mainline could not go to construction before 2023. 

County Cork is where most of the 'missing' motorways in Ireland will eventually be built...some time between now and 2040 the way things look right now. 

The only consolation is that the motorway network in the Republic of Ireland finally passed 1000km when the M18/M17 project opened a few weeks back and that only around 300km of new motorway is required to finish the Motorway network in Ireland. Projects required (some now and some soon as) are: 

M11 extension south to Enniscorthy, under construction. 
M20 (planning is to start next year some time)
M/N21 (a ~15km section west of the existing M20 in Limerick is almost through planning)
M/N22 (2 sections, one section in West Cork is to commence in 2019, the other, God knows)
M/N25 (around 30 km required east of Cork City)
M4 from Mullingar to Longford. 
M/N71 south west of Cork for perhaps 20-25km
M??? Dublin Outer Orbital. 
M??? Cork North Ring Road
Couple of short sections here and there not listed. 

The total required is around 300km of which the M20 will account for around 85km as there are 2 stubs built since the 1990s at each end.

In addition around 1000km of Expressway (2+2) is needed all over the shop.


----------



## geogregor

Some new photos on the M11 Enniscorthy Bypass website:


----------



## marno21

The Cork-Limerick motorway is now beginning a full redesign & planning starting Q1 2018 or so: https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/p...ERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

The N25 New Ross bypass with its long bridge is on target to open in January 2019.. www.n25newross.ie

The M11 Gorey-Enniscorthy will also open in mid 2019.. www.m11gtoe.ie

Planning permission will be sought in early 2018 for a new motorway connecting the southern end of the existing M20 and Rathkeale, bypassing the village of Adare. A high quality single carriageway spur will link this new motorway to the Port of Shannon-Foynes.. www.foyneslimerick.ie

The M28 Cork-Ringaskiddy motorway is currently at an oral hearing due to vocal objections by people living near a section of single carriageway N28 which is to be widened and dualled claiming that the new motorway will poison them with noxious gases, devalue their properties due to the improved access in the area, keep them awake and give them heart attacks due to the noise caused and could make the area liable to a chemical accident.. http://n28cork-ringaskiddy.com

The N6 Galway Ring Road will be shovel ready for 2021 if granted planning permission.. expect another drawn out legal battle here.. www.n6galwaycity.ie


----------



## geogregor

marno21 said:


> The Cork-Limerick motorway is now beginning a full redesign & planning starting Q1 2018 or so: https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/p...ERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders
> 
> The N25 New Ross bypass with its long bridge is on target to open in January 2019.. www.n25newross.ie
> 
> The M11 Gorey-Enniscorthy will also open in mid 2019.. www.m11gtoe.ie
> 
> Planning permission will be sought in early 2018 for a new motorway connecting the southern end of the existing M20 and Rathkeale, bypassing the village of Adare. A high quality single carriageway spur will link this new motorway to the Port of Shannon-Foynes.. www.foyneslimerick.ie
> 
> The M28 Cork-Ringaskiddy motorway is currently at an oral hearing due to vocal objections by people living near a section of single carriageway N28 which is to be widened and dualled claiming that the new motorway will poison them with noxious gases, devalue their properties due to the improved access in the area, keep them awake and give them heart attacks due to the noise caused and could make the area liable to a chemical accident.. http://n28cork-ringaskiddy.com
> 
> The N6 Galway Ring Road will be shovel ready for 2021 if granted planning permission.. expect another drawn out legal battle here.. www.n6galwaycity.ie


You didn't mention widening of the M7 motorway, from two lanes in each direction to three, plus a new junction for Sallins. The works have just started and the widened stretch will be between the end of the three lane N7 and junction 11 (where the M9 starts).


----------



## spacetweek

geogregor said:


> You didn't mention widening of the M7 motorway, from two lanes in each direction to three, plus a new junction for Sallins. The works have just started and the widened stretch will be between the end of the three lane N7 and junction 11 (where the M9 starts).


Included is a bypass of Sallins and M7 Jct 10 will be demolished and completely reconstructed at a different location.


----------



## geogregor

Some aerial shots of the M11 construction around Enniscorthy. From the project website:


B75I5407 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


B75I5414 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


B75I5518 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


B75I5552 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


B75I5566 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


B75I5635 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


B75I5636 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


B75I5696 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


----------



## geogregor

Short video from New Ross bypass:






There are reports that works on widening of the M7 and Sallins bypass have started. At the moment only offline, along the route of the new bypass.

Here is map of the scheme:









Vary detailed map of the whole scheme:
http://www.theaa.ie/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/M7-Scheme-Layout-Layout2-1.jpg

Sallins bypass:


----------



## sponge_bob

By the way this stretch of M7 that they are widening is also the very first stretch of motorway ever built in the South of Ireland and it opened in 1983.

NI got its first bit of motorway some 20 years before that.

Video of the opening here.

http://www.rte.ie/archives/2013/1001/477647-irelands-first-motorway-1983/



geogregor said:


> There are reports that works on widening of the M7 and Sallins bypass have started. At the moment only offline, along the route of the new bypass.
> 
> Here is map of the scheme:


----------



## geogregor




----------



## geogregor

Barrow Bridge progress:
http://www.n25newross.ie/project-updates/barrow-bridge/


----------



## geogregor

Photos from the N25 New Ross bypass project website. From December but they are quite slow with updating their website.


----------



## geogregor

Good new-ish photos of the Barrow Bridge on the project website:


----------



## geogregor

The N25 New Ros bypass will begin with at-grade roundabout in Glenmore, west of New Ross 









Construction of a bridge above the disused railway:









Accommodation underpass:


















One of the overbridges:









Quite a bit of earthworks in the mainline:


















Grade separated junction with the R733:



























Map of the scheme









Only R733 junction will be grade separated, the other three are roundabouts


----------



## geogregor

Construction of the prefabricated railway bridge. It will carry Dublin - Cork mainliane over the newly build Sallins Bypass. All done during the Easter Blockade:

Map of the scheme:








It is bundled together as a part of the M7 widening scheme:
http://www.m7upgrade.com/

From Iarnród Éireann Twitter:
https://twitter.com/IrishRail


----------



## geogregor

Almost done:




































Railway line reopened about 15 min ago.


----------



## sponge_bob

geogregor said:


> Almost done: Railway line reopened about 15 min ago.


Well done all, that is the busiest Interurban railway line in Ireland. 

The road underneath that bridge will be a 2+2 western bypass of Sallins leading to a modern high capacity junction with the M7 that replaces an inadequate 35 year old junction located a tad further east. 

The M7, to which it leads, is itself is the oldest motorway section in Ireland, opened around 35 years back, and in desperate need of this retrofit to 3+3 to handle current traffic levels.


----------



## marno21

Timelapse video of the above mentioned installation of UBC43A for the R407 Sallins bypass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA_stbW589Y


----------



## geogregor

Two interesting aerial videos:

The first one is slow and detailed (almost an hour long :nuts overview of the M11 mainland around Enniscorthy: 





The other one is equally slow flight over N80 and N30 link roads.





The videos were shot in February, so well over 2 months ago, but they are very detailed so offer great view at every single inch of the project. I hope they will post more in the future.


----------



## geogregor

Latest shots from the new Barrow Bridge construction:


----------



## IanCleverly

Westmeath Independent said:


> Up to 45 jobs are due to come on stream with the opening of a new motorway service station close to Moate in June of 2019.
> 
> A spokesperson for Circle K, formerly Topaz, confirmed the move to the Westmeath Independent this week hot on the heels of a recent rebranding of the fuel and convenience retail giant, and a €35 million investment in four sites, including the new service stop along the M6 at Fassagh next year.
> 
> The development of the new 24-hour service station close to Moate will boast the full Circle K offering with full deli, fuel and convenience store, the company spokesperson said, adding that it will be fully owned and operated by the company rather than a franchisee. Some €35 million of that figure is earmarked for four sites in the next 18/24 months, including new stations between Athlone and Moate, and Gorey in Co Wexford.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> Progress on the controversial 24-hour motorway service stop along the M6 had been held up for over two years due to a legal challenge centred on the contract process by the former NRA for design, build, operation and finance of the service station and shop businesses in Moate and Kilcullen, as well as the fit-out and operation of the third facility along the M11 near Gorey.


Fuller text available Here


----------



## geogregor




----------



## Blackraven

geogregor said:


> Railway line reopened about 15 min ago.


Wow that's fast.

That said:
I hope the speed of construction did not compromise quality or safety........but I assume that Ireland and EU regulations on this regard are strict on this so I guess this is still fine (?)

I'm no expert though.....


----------



## geogregor

New Ross Bypass:
https://twitter.com/N25Bypass/status/1004752889284321280


----------



## geogregor

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders/ViewNotice/204708



> M50 Traffic Flow Optimisation (MTFO) ITS Equipment Deployment
> MTFO is a programme of works to deploy Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to optimise the flow of traffic on the M50 and radials through lane control and the variability of speeds in response to conditions. *The M50 is approximately 45km in length and includes approximately 75 nr. existing gantries, as well as approximately 34 nr. new gantries proposed to be constructed under separate MTFO works.*
> 
> Advance Motorway Indicators (AMIs) and supporting Variable Message Signs (VMS) will be deployed on existing and new gantries to display lane control signals and/or variable speed limits. Operation of the AMIs will be informed through the deployment of roadside technologies to monitor the traffic conditions. Data collected on the current traffic speed, traffic volume, weather information, and road surface condition will be used to determine appropriate speeds at which drivers should be travelling, given current roadway and traffic conditions.
> 
> The MTFO ITS Deployment Contract will consist of the supply, installation and maintenance of, but may not be limited, to the following equipment:
> •	Advance Motorway Indicators (AMIs);
> •	Variable Message Signs;
> •	Controllers for Variable Message Signs and AMIs;
> •	Slip Road Signals (AMIs);
> •	Accident Incident Detection System;
> •	Enforcement System;
> •	Gantry mounted and roadside enclosures for digital enforcement;
> •	CCTV, PTZ units and termination/interface unit;
> •	Traffic monitoring devices;
> •	New emerging technologies and equipment.





> Estimated value
> Value excluding VAT: 30000000.00 EUR
> 
> Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
> Date: 25/07/2018
> 
> Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
> Date: 01/10/2018


----------



## geogregor

Good news from around Cork.

M28 motorway, linking Cork bypass with growing port facilities in Ringaskiddy, just got approved. There might still be some legal challenges but the project should go ahead.
https://www.rte.ie/news/munster/2018/0704/976291-cork-motorway/
https://www.eveningecho.ie/corknews/Ringaskiddy-motorway-granted-permission-e24af8e0-6469-4806-a376-ff4384f806c4-ds


> The €180m scheme consists of an upgrade of roughly 12.5km of the current route to include 10.9km of motorway, 1.6km of single carriageway and four junctions at Bloomfield/ Rochestown Road, Carr’s Hill, Shannon park and Shanbally.












Another news, Sisk was appointed as a main contractor for Dunkettle junction upgrade (grade separated roundabout to free flow).
https://twitter.com/CISireland/status/1014494819673169922











> Contractor Appointed for an €80m Road Interchange Improvement Scheme in Co. Cork.


https://www.irishtimes.com/business/construction/builder-sisk-reports-profit-jump-of-73-to-24-7m-for-2017-1.3544316


> Sisk recently won the Dunkettle interchange road project in Cork from State agency Transport for Ireland


Prep works (site clearance etc) were already ongoing for a while.


----------



## sponge_bob

This is the first of 5 (mainly short) radial motorways and one north ring motorway that are required to get the road network in Cork up to a reasonably functional level.


----------



## marno21

sponge_bob said:


> This is the first of 5 (mainly short) radial motorways and one north ring motorway that are required to get the road network in Cork up to a reasonably functional level.


We've talked on this issue in the past but how far out would you go personally with the 5 radial motorways?


----------



## sotonsi

I'm guessing the 5 are: M20 (to Limerick), M25 (Youghal?), M28 (as planned), M27/71 (Clonakilty via Kinsale?) and M22 (Macroom?), with the M8 not counting.


----------



## sponge_bob

Most Motorways in Ireland (as a % of the total network length) are narrow median motorways. 

Therefore they use slipform concrete jersey barriers, often a continual structure that is many kms long, as a central barrier. The barrier is poured on top of the lower road courses and the wearing course (porous asphalt) is installed on the road after the barrier is installed. 

http://www.slipformkerbing.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/aerial_view_fermoybypass.jpg


----------



## sponge_bob

marno21 said:


> We've talked on this issue in the past but how far out would you go personally with the 5 radial motorways?


From Cork I would go out c.40km max (except for the Cork - Limerick Motorway and the M28 that is through planning). 

Ireland has a rather good 2+2 'non motorway' expressway standard and Motorways can taper to 2+2 thereafter if an S2 road cannot handle the traffic in peak hours. But the 2+2 non motorway standard is limited to 100kph.


----------



## bogdymol

^^ Speaking of service areas, there are no on-motorway service areas on M8 towards Cork. Why is that? That's about 150 km with no service area, quite a lot if you ask me...


----------



## marno21

The route is served by offline motorway service areas at J3, J8 and J14. These are considered sufficient by TII (only since 2018).


----------



## sponge_bob

bogdymol said:


> ^^ Speaking of service areas, there are no on-motorway service areas on M8 towards Cork. Why is that? That's about 150 km with no service area, quite a lot if you ask me...


The country ran out of money the day the motorway finally opened is the simple answer. 

Quite a number of private service areas were built just off the motorway in the early part of the decade, like this one here and then a long court case on the planned online services in maybe 2013 account for the more recent lack of _online_ services. 

In recent years the Roads Authority in Ireland has advance signposted some of these offline services along the mainline, at least until they build some themselves which will not be any day soon and of course ...offline services are cheaper than online ones. 

There is 'a' 'plan' but it is so old that it even shows a proposed road west of Limerick which was not actually route selected back in 2015.


----------



## geogregor

As long as there are decent services by the junctions, and if they are clearly signposted, it is all fine.

I don't understand the fuss about need of the online services. They scarcely exist in the US for example, all the services are located off the freeway exits. I never had any problems because of that when driving in the US. Approaching exits there were always clear signs what services I can expect at that exit. 

It's simple, it works, it doesn't cost road authority a penny to build (nor does it bring any income).


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Offline services may even be more profitable as land lease may be cheaper and they can be accessed by local traffic as well, potentially increasing the number of services offered. 

Spain also has very few online services along the untolled motorways. In some areas almost every second exit has a fuel station.


----------



## sponge_bob

ChrisZwolle said:


> Offline services may even be more profitable as land lease may be cheaper and they can be accessed by local traffic as well, potentially increasing the number of services offered.


The M6 has at least 5 good offline services very near the motorway, this is enough for me even though they are building one online right now east of Athlone and have another in planning very near the M6/17/18 junction. 

I do think that offline services _should not be signposted online_ unless they are 24 hour stations (for fuel toilets and coffee/tea anyway whatever about sit down food).

I would consider the M8 a higher priority than the M6 anyway, seeing as it is Core Ten-T corridor. 

Oh! Look what was built just offline the M7 some years back.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Having shops open 24/7 for very little traffic seems to be demanding a bit too much.

In the Netherlands there are many - if not most - online motorway service areas that close at night and you can get fuel only at a payment terminal. Labor costs are too high to keep them open at night.


----------



## sponge_bob

ChrisZwolle said:


> . Labor costs are too high to keep them open at night.


Because a lot of service stations are in isolated areas it is cheaper to insure them (for Ireland) if one staff member mans the place all night. 

So you basically have _a caretaker_ who will sell you fuel (prepay) or coffee or tea or snacks through the hatch, and outside toilets are available. That is it from around 1am to 6am online. There are no online services at all on the busiest motorway, the M50, and none are planned. 

I just don't know of any online service in Ireland where you can enter the building 24/7, maybe the new Applegreen near Lisburn up north but none in the south, over to Marno who might have an idea.

20 years ago I could count the 24 hour stations outside Dublin with my fingers, this is an improvement Chris.


----------



## marno21

The only walk in "service area" I've seen on the M7 at night is the Topaz/Circle K on the J7 Kill offramp. The Citywest Topaz, Applegreen at Rathcoole, J14, J23 and J27 are all hatch based at night.

This could have changed recently but I still use the J7 one to save the bother of checking in vain


----------



## sponge_bob

marno21 said:


> The only walk in "service area" I've seen on the M7 at night is the Topaz/Circle K on the J7 Kill offramp.


Which is also located on the busiest stretch of interurban motorway in Ireland. Even though the AADT is around 90k a day around there have a look at a typical whole day profile in hourly segments, the nighttime traffic is very low. 

https://www.nratrafficdata.ie/c2/tfdayreport.asp?sgid=ZvyVmXU8jBt9PJE$c7UXt6&spid=NRA_000000200723&reportdate=2019-03-29&enddate=2019-03-29



> Average Daily Flow
> 00:00	940
> 01:00	*400*
> 02:00	*290*
> 03:00	*361*
> 04:00	*671*
> 05:00	1682
> 06:00	5416
> 07:00	6867
> 08:00	6551
> 09:00	4359
> 10:00	5525
> 11:00	5375
> 12:00	5619
> 13:00	6639
> 14:00	7193
> 15:00	7454
> 16:00	7102
> 17:00	6694
> 18:00	5768
> 19:00	5038
> 20:00	3542
> 21:00	2266
> 22:00	1819
> 23:00	1582


----------



## verreme

sponge_bob said:


> Oh! Look what was built just offline the M7 some years back.


Could this be my favourite rest area in the world? I stumbled upon it while driving and I just couldn't handle the kitsch. Please, Ireland, build a bunch more of these and let's make a US-style roadtrip of quirky, ugly, wonderful roadside stuff.


----------



## geogregor

ChrisZwolle said:


> Having shops open 24/7 for very little traffic seems to be demanding a bit too much.
> 
> In the Netherlands there are many - if not most - online motorway service areas that close at night and you can get fuel only at a payment terminal. Labor costs are too high to keep them open at night.


Strange, most of gas stations in Poland operate 24/7, on motorways, in cities, towns or even villages.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Likely due to the lower labor cost. Fuel station density is sometimes way too high for actual demand as well, this is a business model that relies on market share instead of profit per station.

Only very high-profile service areas are open 24/7 in the Netherlands and most of the time the restaurant is still closed at night.


----------



## geogregor

ChrisZwolle said:


> Only very high-profile service areas are open 24/7 in the Netherlands and most of the time the restaurant is still closed at night.


Which is strange as food and retail offer much higher profit margin than fuel. This is what often makes the business of service station viable. 

They would be better of closing filing station and keep restaurant open 

What might sustain polish filing stations viable are shops, especially the alcohol sales.


----------



## General Maximus

ChrisZwolle said:


> Likely due to the lower labor cost. Fuel station density is sometimes way too high for actual demand as well, this is a business model that relies on market share instead of profit per station.
> 
> Only very high-profile service areas are open 24/7 in the Netherlands and most of the time the restaurant is still closed at night.


The ones that are closed at night, you can still get fuel through machines. With most of them anyway...


----------



## General Maximus

geogregor said:


> Which is strange as food and retail offer much higher profit margin than fuel. This is what often makes the business of service station viable.
> 
> They would be better of closing filing station and keep restaurant open
> 
> What might sustain polish filing stations viable are shops, especially the alcohol sales.


The Netherlands is a small country, and the Dutch have this "bring your own food" culture. There are very few roadside restaurants in Holland, and the ones that are there are usually very quiet. I can't even see them making profit in the daytime...

Except for the one on the A4 near Schiphol Airport though. That one is always very busy, and also has a Burger King and KFC.


----------



## marcobruls

There are restaurants and "restaurants" along dutch highways everywhere, this isnt 1954 you know.


----------



## General Maximus

No there are not. Not compared to other European countries, where almost every rest area has a semi-buffet restaurant.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

The Netherlands lacks the distances and through traffic to make dining beyond fast food feasible in most areas. If people are hungry at lunch time, they'll just get a sandwich or plan to be home around that time. The same goes for dinner. This is different than in Germany or France where there are more people driving long-distance and can't avoid planning a trip outside lunch or dinner times.

I wonder how this works in Ireland. Distances are relatively short there too. Cork - Dublin is only a 2.5 hour drive. Of course it's different if you travel the entire island north to south along the west coast, but the amount of traffic doing that will be very low.


----------



## General Maximus

The only services I know are two on the M1 between Dublin and Northern Ireland. I've parked up for the night once at the one near Swords. Very quiet on the parking, and very quiet inside, where there is a Burger King and a more traditional restaurant. Brand new, and the Irish breakfast is lovely, but how they make their money, I do not know. At least the parking is free, unlike the UK where you have to pay after two hours.


----------



## geogregor

Some videos from driving in Ireland:

First Limerick bypass with tunnel under the Shannon and then the toll booths:






Then example of national secondary road, here N59 between Ballina and Sligo:


----------



## geogregor

Driving to and from Sligo:


----------



## sponge_bob

I can see that you were in poetic mode but I personally hate that congested N15 from Sligo to north of Cliffony. It is not on any list to be done this side of 2030 either. 



geogregor said:


> Driving to and from Sligo:


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> I can see that you were in poetic mode but I personally hate that congested N15 from Sligo to north of Cliffony. It is not on any list to be done this side of 2030 either.


My Irish girlfriend is more poetic than me, I was more interested in Benbulben.  

Anyway, it was as far north as we reached. We then turned south, back via Sligo and N17 to Knock airport the following day.

N17 was pain in the morning. First we were stuck in a long queue behind a lorry. When he kindly pulled over to let a few cars pass we got stack after a massive mobile crane 3 min later. :bash:

I have read somewhere that they are starting some design and planning on this stretch.


----------



## sponge_bob

Yes, that dismal N17 between Sligo and Knock is to be done in the next 10 years and initial design is under way. It is, however, in a very large pile of projects at the same planning level. Around 120km of Motorway plus 300km of Type 2 DC plus some SC too.


----------



## Elhorseboxo

The N17 from Collooney to the Mayo border must be up there with the worst stretches of primary road in the country, full of frustratingly slow drivers as well


----------



## odlum833




----------



## geogregor




----------



## sponge_bob

Summary of major road schemes late 2019.

Ireland currently has no motorway under construction. 

There are 5 live projectss, 1 in Galway, Cork/Limerick and Westmeath/Longford and a further one in Limerick and Cork (each)

2 are in early planning and 3 (near Cork Limerick and Galway) are in advanced planning but no construction is expected before 2023 in any case. 

Ireland is shifting its focus to medium importance national roads where Motorway is not justified. Many of these will be built to 2+2 standards, a 100kph expressway rather than a motorway and with no hard shoulders. (pictured below)

There are many 2+2 projects in early planning. Only one is now near completion (the New Ross Bypass in the south east pictured in the post above) 










3 more are under construction, 2 of which, in Mayo and Cork, are in site setup and a third near Sligo on the N4 is well underway since it got started in spring. That is it really. 

There are a large number of these 2+2 projects in early planning, around 400km of them at least, but again no new 2+2 project is expected to go to construction before 2023 if not 2024. The major road project pipeline is still suffering from the severe recession that started 10 years back and the projects now underway are just the ones that avoided cancellation in 2010-2011.

The only major road project likely to go to construction before 2023 is a long SC road in Roscommon, the N5. Elsewhere there are a lot of 1-5km improvements ready to go but these are small scale .....albeit _locally_ very valuable projects given how truly awful most of the Irish Road network is. 

But for the next 3 years we will have relatively little to report in here and that will most likely be on the 3 2+2 projects in Sligo Mayo and Cork.


----------



## spacetweek

The scale of new starts in the period 2003-2008, when we had 6 or 7 majors (most of which were motorways) starting each year, was a once off that won’t be seen again. For the 2020s a good level to aim at would be 2-3 majors and a handful of minors a year. Sadly funding problems in the 2010s have left us with little to work with.


----------



## sponge_bob

spacetweek said:


> . For the 2020s a good level to aim at would be 2-3 majors and a handful of minors a year. Sadly funding problems in the 2010s have left us with little to work with.


"Minors", generally SC schemes in the 1-5km range that I referred to earlier and located on the National Road network, are supposed to progress at a rate of around 20 a year. These are frequently online widening of some sort, some are offline.

As minors are concentrated in zones with known historic bad accident records there is no excuse for not maintaining a run rate of 20 such schemes a year. Yet the current rate, averaged around 2018-2019, is nearer 10 schemes a year. 

"A handful" is a pitiable target, Ireland should be building up to a level more like 30 such SC schemes a year on the National Road network of 5700km alone, and don't get me started on the Regional Road network which is almost 3 times as long again as the National Road network, carries as much traffic as motorways do in some parts...and is utterly vile in most parts. Very little is being planned there, and less is being delivered. 

EVEN if Ireland had a proper plan to improve the combined 20,000km of National and Regional roads (resources are instead being concentrated on the National Primary road subset of 2600km during the next decade) that still leaves an 80,000km pile of epic shite   called the Local Road network....which will never reach a 'good' standard of surfacing, much less alignment, the way things look.


----------



## marno21

By my reckoning there's 28 projects either entering or at route selection stage at the minute. 2 with An Bord Pleanala, 1 in the courts and 1 with planning.

The only hope here is some of the smaller schemes at route selection get some headway. The main contenders I see are the three Donegal schemes, the M11/N11 scheme, the N2 schemes in Monaghan and the few minors in early route selection (N25 in Cork, N25 in Kilkenny, N52 Tullamore to M6 and the upgrade of the N3 near Dublin).


----------



## sponge_bob

New Youtube Video delivered in a 'Megastructures'  style on the New Ross N25 Bridge construction. The voiceover is seriously overcooked and _the guy you cannot understand_ is Scottish BTW. 

But if you are interested in *Extrados* Bridges rather than Cable Stay or Suspension Bridges then it is worth a look if not a listen too. 





But it is not a megastructure, really lads, is it????  Opens 20 Dec. they say, ....sorry Geogregor.


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> New Youtube Video delivered in a 'Megastructures'  style on the New Ross N25 Bridge construction. The voiceover is seriously overcooked and _the guy you cannot understand_ is Scottish BTW.


Yeah, the over-dramatic American style commentary is annoying.



> Opens 20 Dec. they say, ....sorry Geogregor.


Didn't you say it's going to be 2021? 

M7 widening:


----------



## sponge_bob

geogregor said:


> Didn't you say it's going to be 2021?


Yes, and so did you.


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> Yes, and so did you.


No, I didn't! I'm pretty sure initially I was claiming they will finish in 2019 and then agreed that it might be as late as Q2 2020. 

Your negative views clearly persuaded me


----------



## sponge_bob

You settled on Q1 2020 and I settled on Q2 2020 and while we may both be wrong you have a much better chance of being right than I do.


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> You settled on Q1 2020 and I settled on Q2 2020 and while we may both be wrong you have a much better chance of being right than I do.


Anyway, at least it's coming close to opening. 

I won't be back in Ireland at least until late spring, by then it should be open. I'm definitely planning a drive along :cheers:


----------



## sponge_bob

Late spring is a great time to drive in Ireland, May is probably the single best month of all because you get all of good weather, long days, and lower traffic coming together (the colleges close in May) . But you already know that Geogregor. 

November combines short days, crap weather and heavy commuter traffic. Then the farmers suddenly hit Dublin with their tractors yesterday and the place is a mess right now.


----------



## marno21

N25 New Ross bypass is to open to traffic on Friday, January 30th next.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

*Nueva Ross*

New Ross bypass:


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1222917308085088256


----------



## sponge_bob

ChrisZwolle said:


> New Ross bypass:


There is a 10km DC 'Gap' just west of this scheme. It is between the 2000s era HQDC Waterford Bypass and the 2+2 New Ross bypass along the N25. The current road is a good quality 1990s era SC with an AADT of 12k so it is approaching capacity. The old pre 1990s road was an epic pile of crap. 

Consultants are now appointed  to progress the DC Gap but I cannot see this DC Gap being filled anytime before 2030, such is the backlog of more important schemes nationwide.


----------



## verreme

^^ Which schemes are currently under construction in Ireland, including DC and SC roads?


----------



## sponge_bob

verreme said:


> ^^ Which schemes are currently under construction in Ireland, including DC and SC roads?


Only 3. The N22 DC and the N5 DC and the N4 DC sections, around 60km of 2+2 between them. None of these are even half way yet. 

The only major scheme that starts in 2020 is supposed to be a 30km of SC section on the N5 in Roscommon. 

2021, nothing. There is no major scheme through planning and advance works other than minor schemes in the 1-5km class (pretty much nationwide those are) . We will have 2 years of these minor schemes before anything major is shovel ready, perhaps 3 years. 

HTH


----------



## marno21

sponge_bob said:


> There is a 10km DC 'Gap' just west of this scheme. *It is between the 2000s era HQDC Waterford Bypass and the 2+2 New Ross bypass along the N25. T*he current road is a good quality 1990s era SC with an AADT of 12k so it is approaching capacity. The old pre 1990s road was an epic pile of crap.
> 
> Consultants are now appointed  to progress the DC Gap but I cannot see this DC Gap being filled anytime before 2030, such is the backlog of more important schemes nationwide.


New Ross bypass is HQDC for the first 4km. It has shoulders and a concrete median which transitions to no shoulders and steel barrier median just after the R733 interchange. There is no shoulders on the bridge part though.

Of the 10km gap, the last 3-4km is massively wide S2 with climbing lane and ghost island in the middle. It's probably wider than 2+2 in parts.


----------



## sponge_bob

I had not noticed that the NRB was partially HQDC, thanks. 

My main point was that this 'DC Gap' is by no means the most deserving scheme currently in planning in Ireland and I would not prioritise it over (off hand) 3-400km of more important schemes in planning elsewhere, or even over our dear old friend the N83 Claregalway Bypass.


----------



## marno21

sponge_bob said:


> *I had not noticed that the NRB was partially HQDC, thanks. *


They did a good job of the transition, afaik it's the first Type 1-Type 2 direct transition in Ireland. No steel wire median on either the New Ross or (N30) Enniscorthy bypasses which is a welcome change.



sponge_bob said:


> My main point was that this 'DC Gap' is by no means the most deserving scheme currently in planning in Ireland and I would not prioritise it over (off hand) 3-400km of more important schemes in planning elsewhere, or even over our dear old friend the N83 Claregalway Bypass.


Absolutely agreed, plenty of bigger "DC gaps" in Cork. Even on the N25 there are far bigger priorities, all that's in the NDP is Carrigtwohill-Midleton, New Ross-Waterford and Wexford-Rosslare. Midleton-Youghal and bypassing Dungarvan are far more important imo.

But then again a change of Government will likely change this up.


----------



## sponge_bob

marno21 said:


> But then again a change of Government will likely change this up.


Not if the green pestilence makes a political comeback.  Those clowns want *10% of the entire transport budget* to be dedicated to *"Walking" *and after they rob more for cycling that will leave 27% for roads including maintenance. Less than 3 times the "Walking" budget.  What we need to do here is to _surge the roads backlog _with an extra billion a year instead of robbing the proposed transport capital budget without increasing it at all. At least surge funding can be cut back rapid if the economy disimproves. Most of the proposed schemes will come in at €4-6m a km for construction costs.


----------



## LAYiddo

Nice drone footage here of the New Ross Bypass Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge:


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> Not if the green pestilence makes a political comeback.  Those clowns want *10% of the entire transport budget* to be dedicated to *"Walking" *and after they *rob more for cycling* that will leave 27% for roads including maintenance. Less than 3 times the "Walking" budget.  What we need to do here is to _surge the roads backlog _with an extra billion a year instead of robbing the proposed transport capital budget without increasing it at all. At least surge funding can be cut back rapid if the economy disimproves. Most of the proposed schemes will come in at €4-6m a km for construction costs.


I'm all for increasing investment in roads. But I hope you are not dismissing need for investment in walking and cycling?
In urban environments safe walking provision should be much better than at present. That way you can reduce number of people driving ridiculously short distances (to buy the proverbial milk) and free space for those who have to be on the roads.

Cycling also need proper rethink and serious investment in properly segregated cycling lanes. It would benefit everyone. Using terms like "robbing for cycling" is just silly.

Sure, argue for increased spending on roads, but in sensible way rather than trying to imply that investment in cycling might be the problem...


----------



## sponge_bob

marno21 said:


> They did a good job of the transition, afaik it's the first Type 1-Type 2 direct transition in Ireland. No steel wire median on either the New Ross or (N30) Enniscorthy bypasses which is a welcome change.


Most transitions occur on a roundabout where both road types terminate. EG Tuam and Kells. 

Is the jersey barrier now part of the 2+2 spec because it was not used on the Tuam Bypass...still a wire barrier there when it opened in 2017. It is somewhat safer overall and only takes up a few 100mm more space. I posted this snap of Tuam in November.


----------



## Penn's Woods

LAYiddo said:


> Nice drone footage here of the New Ross Bypass Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge:




Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy was U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s mother, by the way.


----------



## Stuu

sponge_bob;166119850[B said:


> 10% of the entire transport budget to be dedicated to "Walking"


I bet more than 10% of total journeys are on foot. Why, philosophically, is a journey on foot less important than one by car?


----------



## sponge_bob

Stuu said:


> I bet more than 10% of total journeys are on foot. Why, philosophically, is a journey on foot less important than one by car?


How would you feel if £600m a year simply disappeared from the Highways England budget then. ??? For "walking" .


----------



## Stuu

sponge_bob said:


> How would you feel if £600m a year simply disappeared from the Highways England budget then. ???


That's not what I asked. Am I magically more important once I'm in my car? Why is a journey by car more deserving of investment than any other journey?

And yes, I think it's a great idea, we need to stop people making ludicrous short journeys by car


----------



## sponge_bob

Stuu said:


> Am I magically more important once I'm in my car? Why is a journey by car more deserving of investment than any other journey?


No, but I dont want a bunch of green halfwits cannibalising what is allready too small an overall transport budget either. Let them add their walking and cycling budgets onto it instead.


----------



## spacetweek

sponge_bob said:


> How would you feel if £600m a year simply disappeared from the Highways England budget then. ??? For "walking" .


Yes but it wouldn't disappear, it would be spent on footpaths and other facilities for pedestrians.

And the idea that we should "surge fund roads" in this day and age is ridiculous, considering their environmental impact.


----------



## sponge_bob

That is my solution, surge the funding to make up for a chronic deficit over the past 10 years, and _in this day and age _too.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Stuu said:


> I bet more than 10% of total journeys are on foot. Why, philosophically, is a journey on foot less important than one by car?


The vast majority of walking takes places along roads that would be maintained by local governments, not the national highway authority. So it shouldn't eat out of their budget either, it's mostly a matter for local governments.

A 3 minute walk on a sidewalk in a residential street has far less importance than a 50 kilometer car or train journey. In particular in relation to infrastructure of national importance. That's why they use traveler kilometers as a comparison instead of the number of journeys, which puts walking your dog or walking to the pub equal to a 30 or 50 kilometer commute to work or a cross-country freight delivery.


----------



## geogregor

ChrisZwolle said:


> *A 3 minute walk on a sidewalk in a residential street has far less importance than a 50 kilometer car or train journey.*


That is not entirely correct. 

3 min might be short but some people do drive distances which could be covered in 5-10 min on foot. In some cases because walking environment is completely unfriendly. 

By improving walking and cycling provision you will get some people out of their cars, particularly in urban environment where congestion is the biggest problem.

And in smaller towns or villages in Ireland there might not even be sidewalk so you do force people to drive. Village where my girlfriend comes from is perfect example. She lives in a hamlet detached from the main village. You could walk there in probably around 15 min. But you can't. There is no footpath, there is no sidewalk, just typical Irish road with hedges which touch passing cars. You really can't walk there. Unless you want to die.

Which is a real pain. How can I get to the pub there?

You might be looking at it from the Dutch perspective, you already have great cycling infrastructure as well as decent walking option. Ireland could really do with improved walking and cycling provision.


----------



## Stuu

sponge_bob said:


> If I turned around and said to you Stuu that mid Wales does not need an adequate road network with predictable journey times and that
> THIS is ACTUALLY acceptable as the current standard for the main north south A Road in Wales today.....then you might have an idea of what Irish Greens are like to deal with.


But that's not what I said. I said I was in favour of spending on infrastructure but don't agree that a car journey is *automatically* more important than a journey on foot.

The A470 is not great, but then it's not very busy either - east-west journeys are far more important in Wales than north-south, and that is where the money has been spent. (I was born in Aberystwyth so I know the area)


----------



## sponge_bob

Proterra said:


> I just got back from a long weekend in West Cork, and one thing I noticed was the utter lack of pedestrian/cycling infrastructure, even in the towns it was utter shite.
> 
> And especially in touristy regions like West Cork, this is economically as important as improving existing roadways.


Seeing as ALL the roads in West Cork are shite....where would YOU start.???? 

I would _start _with a mainly offline main road from Cork to Skibb (c.80km) and _reroute cyclists and pedestrians onto the old road_....the one you just drove on, twice. It would bypass Bandon and Clonakilty, removing large amounts of heavy traffic from those two towns, Skibb is mainly bypassed. After Skibb I would add a proper cycle lane and footpath alongside the main road...while removing some bends. IE Online improvements.


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> I would _start _with a mainly offline main road from Cork to Skibb (c.80km) and _reroute cyclists and pedestrians onto the old road_....the one you just drove on, twice. It would bypass Bandon and Clonakilty, removing large amounts of heavy traffic from those two towns, Skibb is mainly bypassed. After Skibb I would add a proper cycle lane and footpath alongside the main road...while removing some bends. IE Online improvements.


With all the respect but you are dreaming or high on petrol fumes if you think it will happen any time soon.  
No chance of that happening in my lifetime 

I drove that road many times, my other half have connection with Castletownshend. Far from perfect route, might need 2x2 as far as Bandon. But after that bypass of Clonakilty and local online improvements will do. And separation of cyclists and pedestrians on longer stretches than just immediately within the villages on the way.


----------



## sponge_bob

geogregor said:


> With all the respect but you are dreaming or high on petrol fumes if you think it will happen any time soon.
> No chance of that happening in my lifetime


I did not say when, only that it is what_ I would do_...and then you mentioned Castletownshend. 

All the roads into Castletownshend are boreens, that other 90000km I am not hopeful about ever improving. These cost around 20k a km a km to maintain (surface every 10-20 years) and adding a footpath to than class of road would cost around 100k a km. Quite a difference. 

Given the overall maintenance deficit on the 80-90k of boreens state wide it will be a while before the money is there to do more than simply maintain them. They could be done within 3-5 years though with some extra funding. 

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/its-as-if-they-expect-us-to-accept-this-38883562.html



> "The local secondary and tertiary roads are just falling asunder and we're seeing it everywhere now on the canvass in the district, from Asdee and Beale to Ballylongford, Gloura, Ballyconroy, Kilteen, to Inch outside Listowel, Kilmore, Coole, Ballyduff you name it.
> 
> "Only last week while canvassing _we got stuck in a road in Asdee and even in a four-wheel drive we weren't certain we would get out of it_. It has gone beyond a joke and something has to be done about it."


I don't expect footpaths.....seeing as they cost 5x more than basic maintenance per km and if there were some i would put them within 1km of schools.... of which there are around 2000 in rural Ireland.....first of all. 

But first priority is to sort out a usable reliable road in and out of West Cork and then overlay reliable public transport onto that road once journeys are predictable, unlike now.


----------



## geogregor

N4 realignment south of Sligo:

https://www.n4realignment.ie/gallery-current-progress


----------



## geogregor

Wow, this thread really has slipped down without any updates.

OK, first construction of Macroom Bypass, 22 km of offline dual carriageway in county Cork:

Tionscadal / Project – N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom Road Development















Then some recent(-ish) video update from N4 dual carriageway construction south of Sligo:


----------



## Wilderbeast

geogregor said:


> Wow, this thread really has slipped down without any updates.


The fact that there is no *motorway* construction or upgrading going on might have something to do with it!


----------



## geogregor

Wilderbeast said:


> The fact that there is no *motorway* construction or upgrading going on might have something to do with it!


Well, the thread is about road infrastructure in general. Admittedly not much is happening in Ireland but still, there are some bits here and there being build. Less than in most of Polish regions but it shouldn't be excuse for road nerds not to update the thread at all


----------



## sponge_bob

geogregor said:


> Admittedly not much is happening in Ireland but still, there are some bits here and there being build.


You are perfectly well aware of the Irish Road network @geogregor. It is mostly shite but with low populations that is not a huge issue in itself.

The network is tiered into:

National Primary ~2700km
National Secondary ~2600km
Regional ~13000km
Local ~82000km

Total ~100,000km.

At present there are only a few schemes in _partial construction_ of any note, 3 of them I reckon. All 3 are on the National Primary network. One will go to construction next year, 30km of SC in Roscommon on the N5. None are projected for 2022 and perhaps one (if we are lucky) in 2023 on the N21. The planned pipeline is pretty empty as I explained around a year ago in this thread. Look back to that post because nothing has changes since. 

Elsewhere t_he focus is on small SC schemes_, mainly on the National Secondary Network (a few are on the NP network too) and with a median length of around 3km each. These were identified in 2016* based on safety history* and are being progressed nationwide. _I have no intention of boring the entire planet with tales of 3km of SC here and there_ because the key benefits are local and only national in the sense that collision stats are improved over time. 

Once the 2016 'safety' bundle is completed perhaps by 2024 or 2025 if we are lucky around 7-8% (at most) of the National Secondary Network could have been improved, largely as proper SC, and some longer schemes may finally start construction from 2023 onwards. Some, most even, of these longer schemes will be expressways. There is a vague idea somewhere that the entire NP network, Roads numbered N1 to N30 (or M), might be brought up to standard by 2040 but that vague notion is very vague with green ministers in government nowadays and promising railway lines in stupid places.


----------



## VITORIA MAN

DELETED


----------



## verreme

VITORIA MAN said:


> Ireland by Peter Miller, en Flickr


What value is this adding to the thread?


----------



## ChrisZwolle

He posts a lot of random photos. 🔀


----------



## VITORIA MAN

deleted


----------



## verreme

VITORIA MAN said:


> its the only way to it appears on my "new", following doesnt work


Do you understand that you cannot solve an individual issue by flooding everyone's feed with random pictures?

I don't like clicking on a thread where updates are seldom and valuable just to find a random picture you can find on Google by typing "Ireland road".


----------



## sponge_bob

This is the public road network, there are some private roads which are accessible to the public in addition to this.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Apparently the M28 from Cork to the ferry port can be constructed:









Residents denied appeal against planned M28 motorway in Cork


Regional reports from the Irish Examiner team




www.irishexaminer.com


----------



## sponge_bob

A North Ring Motorway around Cork has just started planning (again). The same road was in planning for most all of the 2000s and was canned after the bank/property crash. Green line on the map. No chance of it opening in full before 2030 IMO. 

The orange blob shown is a roundabout junction being converted to freeflow at a cost of around €130m at present and the M28 is barely visible at bottom right (dashed)

Even if the M28 is built, by the mid decade, it will still terminate on a seriously underpowered junction with the existing (non Motorway) South Ring Road of Cork.









Tender documents issued for initial phases of Cork's North Ring Road


Contractors will have to present options for possible road tolls and consider future technologies such as autonomous vehicles




www.irishexaminer.com


----------



## sponge_bob

The Macroom Bypass 2+2 scheme in Cork. (OSM)

This is one of 3 major schemes that started in the last year and a bit, all in the west. While the scheme is 22km long this _entertainly suicidal_ drone piloting  only covers the easternmost 7 or 8km or around the town of Macroom itself.

The middle section of 6 or 7 km has not been started and the westmost section of 6 or 7km is not shown although it is underway too. All of this scheme is in upland areas.


----------



## sponge_bob

Here is that kamikaze drone pilot in Cork again, the same section as in the last post but East to West this time.


----------



## csd

A few aerial shots of the M50 just south of junction 9 (Red Cow).

Taken from the SW corner, looking NE:
M50 J9 Red Cow 

M50, Norman castle, and Luas tram, taken just south of J9 (J10 visible in the distance):
M50 and Luas tram

M50 J9, viewed from the south:
M50 south of J9

/csd


----------



## sponge_bob

If you compare the upland N22 scheme with the lowland N4 scheme that latter scheme is almost done now just 2 years after contract signing. 

Same road type but the N22 is through rough country.


----------



## sponge_bob

My absolute favourite drone pilot in the world flew_ the entire N22 _Macroom Bypass for the first time (west to east) and there are some close shaves in here as you would expect from him. 

West section 0:00 to 2:37
Mid section 2:39 to 3:50 (still rather quiet there)
East section, the rest of it. He finishes at Coolcower Bridge which has some of the longest precast concrete beams you will find anywhere. They are 50m long.






separately here are the beams themselves enroute through towns and villages.


----------



## ChrisZwolle

*Installation of Ireland’s 1st Mainline Motorway Average Speed Safety Camera system*
_
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the Roads Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána are delighted to announce the installation of motorway average speed safety cameras.

TII has analysed speed data on the M7 corridor since 2017 and identified speeding as a significant issue with approx. 40 % of drivers exceeding the 120 km/h speed limit on certain sections. Further, the data identified that speeds are not being appropriately moderated in response to adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain or low road temperatures.

The pilot average speed safety camera system will be deployed between Junction 26-Nenagh (West) and Junction 27-Birdhill, covering both directions and will be Ireland’s first mainline motorway based system. An identical system has been operational within the Dublin Tunnel since mid - 2017 and it has been hugely successful in improving driver behaviour as regards speeding with the number of drivers exceeding the speed limit of 80 km/h dropping from about 55% to just over 10%. _

More: Installation of Ireland’s 1st Mainline Motorway Average Speed Safety Camera system -


----------



## geogregor




----------



## sponge_bob

.


----------



## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> That was 6 months ago @geogregor ...look at the trees  much closer to finishing now.


True. I was misled by the date of the upload onto YT channel.


----------



## sponge_bob

geogregor said:


> True. I was misled by the date of the upload onto YT channel.


I checked it and it looks like Roadbridge only just opened it, wonder what they are bidding for now. ???


----------



## spacetweek

Video is gone altogether now.


----------



## sponge_bob

Roadbridge found a fairly up to date N4 video from christmas. North to south.


----------



## sponge_bob

One other major scheme is under construction in Ireland, over 20km of N5 2+2 from Castlebar to Westport in Mayo and a bit of SC at the west end, maybe 5km. It is well developed from the N84 to N5 (South to NE of Castlebar) and early stage elsewhere.






The vid shows the east end of the project, not the Drumlin fields further west.


----------



## geogregor

Dunkettle Interchange upgrade:











Macroom Bypass:

https://twitter.com/WonkyAnkle


----------



## sponge_bob

TII, the Irish Trunk Roads Agency, is now producing a major project update report every 6 months. Here is the latest one from March 2021.



https://www.tii.ie/roads-tolling/projects-and-improvements/Major-Active-Projects-March_FinalC.pdf


----------



## geogregor

Works at Dunkettle really are shaping up:


----------



## geogregor




----------



## spacetweek

Compared to Dublin, that Cork plan is generous. Still 50 km/h allowed in most residential/densely built up areas.


----------



## geogregor

Dunkettle again:


----------



## geogregor

https://twitter.com/dunkettleint


----------



## geogregor

Beams on their way to Dunkettle:
https://twitter.com/dunkettleint


----------



## geogregor

And going up:
https://twitter.com/dunkettleint


----------



## geogregor

Electronic signs on N40 are on:

https://twitter.com/dunkettleint


----------



## ChrisZwolle

Slagathor said:


> when there doesn't seem to be an obvious demand for them?


This part is tricky.

If you have a two-lane road going through villages and towns, 15,000 is already pretty high and 20,000 means poor traffic flow.

However if you put 15-20,000 vehicles on a motorway, it would look like there isn't much traffic.

Most motorways in countries like Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, etc. were also built when traffic volumes in the 10,000 - 20,000 range were the norm. It wasn't until decades later that 60,000 or 80,000 vehicles per day became 'normal' for a four lane motorway. This has distorted the view of what should be a minimum traffic volume to justify a motorway. And it may be lower than you expect, for example in both Spain and Norway that threshold is 12,000 vehicles per day. Not at opening, but at the planning horizon (i.e. 10-20 years after opening).


----------



## geogregor

ChrisZwolle said:


> And it may be lower than you expect, for example in both Spain and Norway that threshold is 12,000 vehicles per day. Not at opening, but at the planning horizon (i.e. 10-20 years after opening).


That's probably because they replace very substandard legacy roads which can't be improved or expanded, often due to difficult topography etc. So if you have to build new road you can as well future-proof it and go for full motorway. I expect their profile is often quite tight regarding curves and gradients, more than motorways in Germany, France or Poland

I guess something similar happened in Ireland. A lot of the old national roads were really substandard and difficult to expand as often passing through numerous villages and towns. So they went for bypassing them altogether with motorways, even if less generously designed than in countries I mentioned above. 

I did drive quite a lot of national roads in Ireland and some of them really could do with bypassing by modern roads. As Sponge_bob says, nowadays it might as well be 2+2 expressway rather than motorway. The biggest difference is lack of hard shoulders and more compact junctions. With low traffic levels it works fine and still offers huge safety benefit. N71 out of Cork could do with such upgrade.


----------



## sponge_bob

A tad over half the c.1000km of motorway in Ireland is 'narrow' median, especially in the middle. The wide median motorways are a higher standard and located near the big cities ...which are all on the coast in Ireland. Only the M1 is all wide median really.



geogregor said:


> . I expect their profile is often quite tight regarding curves and gradients, more than motorways in Germany, France or Poland


Exactly, a 120kph standard can have much sharper curves than a 130kph standard which is what you find in Europe. As Ireland is both small and peripheral in Europe we did not need the extra 10kph and the greater design constraints and costs that would come with it. 

As all the heavy trafficked motorways are already built only the narrow median standard remains in Ireland and no wide median motorway can be built, ever again. You can fit the whole motorway into 22m ...excluding soft verges...whereas wide median was 30m when it was allowed, and was still built up to the late 2000s.


----------



## TranslatorPS

#380

To illustrate the point - most of the M4-M6 corridor (built to wide-median specification at the turn of 2010) could easily be safely (subjectively, as in as far as keeping in lane goes - although there's enough visibility for braking distances as well) done at 140-150 km/h. However, go on the narrow-median M18 built in the last 5-6 years (?) and anything above 125 km/h is asking for prayers at your funeral next week.


----------



## sponge_bob

My main problem with the M18 is the crappy junctions that require you slow from 120kph to 60-70kph _on the main carriageway_ before you enter a _short exit lane_ that requires you to slow further to 50kph as you finally leave the motorway to the left.

They need to extend these exit lanes by 100s of metres up the road and apply variable speed limits of 100-120-120 across the carriageway, with a gantry, as you enter them with a view to leaving the road soon after. They need to rework the entrance lanes too.


----------



## Stuu

sponge_bob said:


> My main problem with the M18 is the crappy junctions that require you slow from 120kph to 60-70kph _on the main carriageway_ before you enter a _short exit lane_ that requires you to slow further to 50kph as you finally leave the motorway to the left.
> 
> They need to extend these exit lanes by 100s of metres up the road and apply variable speed limits of 100-120-120 across the carriageway, with a gantry, as you enter them with a view to leaving the road soon after. They need to rework the entrance lanes too.


I had a look at this on streetview, which I know is not the same as actually driving it, but the shortest exit lane I could find was junction 15 which is about 100m long. Not perfect, but for the traffic volumes does it genuinely cause any real problem?


----------



## sponge_bob

Stuu said:


> Not perfect, but for the traffic volumes does it genuinely cause any real problem?


Most of these crap junctions are on the M18, Jn 17 to 13 inclusive but they are a fashionable item in Irish road design now. J13 is a good case in point when you travel southbound on the M18.

If you lift off at the 2km advance junction warning, then travelling at 120kph, you cannot get down to 50kph by the exit 2 km later after lifting off and dropping gears all the way down to third. You have to brake to get to there. These money saving low volume 'compact' GSJs are a danger to the unwary and a better method is needed to warn drivers of how sharp the offturn is. This is the offending item here. 

They use the same junctions and topology on the new 2+2 roads but you are travelling at 100kph on those and getting down to 50kph within 2km is less onerous. On a motorway a warning gantry at 1km would help with the exit lane extended to the 1km mark and a 100kph limit set there, so the gantry would read EG 100<-120^-120^ in default mode.

This is a recent Irish practice, the UK has more sense than to build junctions like these on fast roads. Only the M18 and M7 actually have these abominations, especially the M18. The entrance element is almost as bad but can largely be resolved with paint.


----------



## Stuu

sponge_bob said:


> Most of these crap junctions are on the M18, Jn 17 to 13 inclusive but they are a fashionable item in Irish road design now. J13 is a good case in point when you travel southbound on the M18.
> 
> If you lift off at the 2km advance junction warning, then travelling at 120kph, you cannot get down to 50kph by the exit 2 km later after lifting off and dropping gears all the way down to third. You have to brake to get to there. These money saving low volume 'compact' GSJs are a danger to the unwary and a better method is needed to warn drivers of how sharp the offturn is. This is the offending item here.
> 
> They use the same junctions and topology on the new 2+2 roads but you are travelling at 100kph on those and getting down to 50kph within 2km is less onerous. On a motorway a warning gantry at 1km would help with the exit lane extended to the 1km mark and a 100kph limit set there, so the gantry would read EG 100<-120^-120^ in default mode.
> 
> This is a recent Irish practice, the UK has more sense than to build junctions like these on fast roads. Only the M18 and M7 actually have these abominations, especially the M18. The entrance element is almost as bad but can largely be resolved with paint.


No, you have lost me. That is still about 100m long, if you can't get from 120 down to 40 in that distance you shouldn't be driving, let alone from the 2km sign. Not being able to slow from that speed in 2000m is against the laws of thermodynamics, unless the good folk of Co Clare have discovered perpetual motion.

The UK has similar (10 years old)


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## sponge_bob

You can get down to it with heavy braking but you should be able to get down to it mainly with deceleration IMO. I believe _a better_ 1km warning is the solution.


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## sponge_bob

N22 Macroom Bypass eastern half of scheme.


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## geogregor

Dunkettle:


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## geogregor

And the latest video, just published by DroneHawk. He is doing good job updating progress of this project:


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## sponge_bob

This is Geogregors junction on OSM. It is a conversion of a terminal roundabout to freeflow at the end of the M8 motorway. In a low lying swamp.


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## sponge_bob

N22 Macroom Bypass east to west. Earthworks @83% completion now and paving has started on the easternmost section, which section is headed for an autumn 22 opening. Deadline for the entire scheme is late 2023 but it might be ready by this time next year.


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## sponge_bob

The large N5 Project in Roscommon has been retendered and expressions of interest received. A replacement contractor will not be appointed before Q1 23 for this scheme, which was in contract until Roadbridge collapsed in March. 



https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_docs.asp?PID=211641&LID=240851&AllowPrint=1


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## Corvinus

Few snapshots of N25 around a roadworks site near Newtown, Co. Waterford, earlier in May this year.
Road is an undivided 2 x 1 here and traffic could pass in one direction at a time only, creating huge backups of about 1 - 1.5 kms.


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## sponge_bob

Latest for Macroom. I still suspect a temporary tie in (bang on the 6 minutes in the vid) might be planned to get the eastern half of the scheme into service around the October bank holiday weekend. Well over a year _and two winters_ before contractual completion that. 

I'd see the rest opening either side of next summer. 






On the western half the last cutting, near the western tie in, is nearing completion. Still unsure if this means some aggregate will have to be imported to finish the job but if so it won't be much. Structures appear complete bar a possible farm bridge across that big cutting. 

Jons and Craddock have done a fantastic job so far.


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## sponge_bob

The other major job in Ireland, the N5 Castlebar Bypass, was due to finish this October but a delay has long been flagged. It might not be that bad because it appears the eastern half...the bit that _actually_ bypasses Castlebar...should open on schedule with the delays mainly confined to a few km of new N59 tie in north of Westport at the western extremity of the scheme.









N5 completion date pushed out to 2023 | Connaught Telegraph


THE completion date for the N5 Turlough - Westport road project is being pushed out to 2023.




www.con-telegraph.ie





I can see this project opening in 2 or maybe 3 stages from east to west...and by next spring in total.


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## geogregor

Last few updates from Dunkettle:


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## sponge_bob

The Donegal Ten-T scheme, a package of 3 major improvements, should be headed to ABP soon but this does not include a short stretch of crappy N15 just south of Ballybofey, a town which is to be bypassed as part of this scheme. You can see the offending short stretch starting north of here.









Google Maps


Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.




www.google.com





Fortunately those who 'drive' transport policy in Ireland have taken this short section onboard as a pet project. It might even get done before the bypass at this rate. _This new scheme is now called "N15 Blackburn Bridge Phase 3/McGroarys Brae"_ as the section south of it on the Donegal side saw some improvements in recent years. 









Cyclists demand urgent action on dangerous stretch of Donegal road


Man almost killed because of no hard shoulder at McGrory's Brae




www.donegallive.ie


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## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> Latest for Macroom. I still suspect a temporary tie in (bang on the 6 minutes in the vid) might be planned to get the eastern half of the scheme into service around the October bank holiday weekend. Well over a year _and two winters_ before contractual completion that.
> 
> I'd see the rest opening either side of next summer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the western half the last cutting, near the western tie in, is nearing completion. Still unsure if this means some aggregate will have to be imported to finish the job but if so it won't be much. Structures appear complete bar a possible farm bridge across that big cutting.
> 
> Jons and Craddock have done a fantastic job so far.


More steady video, from higher up and with less drama


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## sponge_bob

@Stuu might be interested in the costings as the Macroom terrain is not miles off his home patch in Wales. 

The Macroom scheme has a lot of structures duly itemised in the vid above. It was tendered for at €8.5m a km in late 2019 with a contract signing just 2.5 years ago followed in short order by the covid lockdown. 

It will cost more than €8.5m a km to build, in the end, as _some_ escalation was recently allowed by the government, certainly for diesel steel and concrete.


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## geogregor

sponge_bob said:


> It will cost more than €8.5m a km to build, in the end, as _some_ escalation was recently allowed by the government, certainly for diesel steel and concrete.


But still nowhere near the ridiculous costs we have here in England.


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## Stuu

sponge_bob said:


> @Stuu might be interested in the costings as the Macroom terrain is not miles off his home patch in Wales.
> 
> The Macroom scheme has a lot of structures duly itemised in the vid above. It was tendered for at €8.5m a km in late 2019 with a contract signing just 2.5 years ago followed in short order by the covid lockdown.
> 
> It will cost more than €8.5m a km to build, in the end, as _some_ escalation was recently allowed by the government, certainly for diesel steel and concrete.


I'm not from Wales, but that does compare very well with the prices here. It's not exactly the easiest landscape either. Anything less than £30m a km seems impossible here now


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## sponge_bob

It is an outlier in terms of cost here, entirely because of the terrain. Typically that grade of 2+2 can be built for nearer €5m a km at 2019/2020 prices. 

Land acquisition, archaeology and snail whispering...some were whispered off the land near Cut 1 in Geogregors video....will cost more on top, of course, and consultants will add 2-300k per km .


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## geogregor




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## sponge_bob

This table shows the pipeline of significant schemes in Ireland, defined as schemes to start 2022-2027. Schemes estimated to cost less than €20m are not shown as they do not require a ministerial consent, therefore the cost ranges start at €20m as they do require ministerial consent or even cabinet consent before they can go ahead.

The Moycullen Bypass is now under construction on the N59 since end 2021 and is tendered at over €20m too so _don't consider this list to be canonical_ by any means. There are a lot of sub €20m schemes in planning, mainly on NS roads, and they will go ahead in the next few years. 






Prospects 2022 - Ireland’s Major Infrastructure Project Pipeline







www.gov.ie





Don't ask what happened to the N5 scheme underway in Mayo which clearly _should_ be in this table. 










*Anything Else* such as the Donegal Ten-T bundle on the N15/N13/N14/N56, which is quite advanced in planning now, is not due to start until *2028 at the earliest*.


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## spacetweek

Wow. Very disappointing. Only 4 significant schemes due to start by 2027. Although all 4 are very big, and at least 3 will be motorway (The Galway Bypass may not be designated a motorway and I still don't believe it will ever go ahead as it flies in the face of sustainable transport development).


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## sponge_bob

The N6 Galway Bypass was needed 20 years ago and the myriad delays are a damning indictment of planning in Ireland. It cannot happen fast enough.

The Galway Bypass is designed as a 100kph rather than 120kph motorway and I don't ever want to see a fucking bicycle on it like some of the local nutters want either.


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## geogregor

I love this guy's videos. Like Hollywood trailers


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## geogregor

Cork appoints Atkins to lead ring road improvement


Cork City Council has appointed consulting engineer Atkins to plan improvements to a strategically important highway in the city.




www.theconstructionindex.co.uk


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## sponge_bob

This road was upgraded, substantially, less than 10 years ago. It has a major bottleneck, a maxed out 2+2 tunnel from the 1990s, just south of the current Dunkettle scheme. Data

What they need to do is to finally build an _adequate_ North Ring Road and move the Ten-T core designation to that route leaving the existing N40 south ring on either side of that tunnel to local traffic. It should start on the N25 east of the tunnel and join the stump east of Ballncollig with a rework of the N22/N40 junction SE of Ballincollig to full freeflow. That scheme is in early design at present, again as it was nearly finished route selection in the late 2000s before being canned. 

Nothing short of sharp congestion charging will make _any difference on the current N40 south ring_, all the land reservation was built on less than 10 years ago and expansion is neither possible nor desirable.

I suspect the plan here is to bring in congestion charging on the N40 and M50 in Dublin at the same time as that road is also at capacity in parts.



geogregor said:


> Cork appoints Atkins to lead ring road improvement
> 
> 
> Cork City Council has appointed consulting engineer Atkins to plan improvements to a strategically important highway in the city.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.theconstructionindex.co.uk


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## geogregor




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## geogregor




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## sponge_bob

Macroom Bypass partial opening is now very near. A 'traditional' time to open a stretch in Ireland is just before the bank holiday weekend at the end of October. This will be the first 2+2 in Ireland with low profile armco barriers rather than wire and post barriers from the look of it. No sign of a tie in at Carrigaphooca yet, where the video ends.






This much was done in 2 and a half years flat, by JONS and Craddock, once we remove the Covid shutdown in 2020. Props to both for such fast work in such complex terrain. Love to see you get another 100km or 2 any time lads. 

The second half of the scheme, not opening soon, is shown in this other vid.


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## Stuu

sponge_bob said:


> Macroom Bypass partial opening is now very near. A 'traditional' time to open a stretch in Ireland is just before the bank holiday weekend at the end of October. This will be the first 2+2 in Ireland with low profile armco barriers rather than wire and post barriers from the look of it. No sign of a tie in at Carrigaphooca yet, where the video ends.


Do you know how wide the lanes or total carriageway are? It seems like narrower lanes than a normal DC, and looks barely wider than an S2+1 like the Caernarfon bypass


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## sponge_bob

Stuu said:


> Do you know how wide the lanes or total carriageway are? It seems like narrower lanes than a normal DC, and looks barely wider than an S2+1 like the Caernarfon bypass


The entire carriageway including median and edge strips is 16.5m. Lanes are 3.5m each. Most of what is in design in Ireland is in the more rural parts and is this carriageway type. I think the UK prefers wider lanes, 3.6-3.7m, compared to Ireland where even motorways.have 3.5m wide lanes too, in rural areas anyway. 

It is restricted to 100kph, MQDC I suppose you could call it. The latest design iteration, none have made it to construction yet, is shown here. They added cycle lanes in recent times.


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## sponge_bob

I mentioned yesterday that there are a number of 2+2 schemes in design but in august the government stated that none would start before 2028, mentioned in August upthread. Some of these are to bypass sections that are frankly awful and in many cases the old road, an S2 of some description, is getting some love while we wait for the long term solution .

Here is one such interim scheme on the N2 under construction in 2019 A long term 2+2 bypass solution for that stretch was already in design when that scheme was undertaken but the safety record was so bad that an interim fix was implemented. Interim schemes can pop up anywhere but they are generally because of an awful safety record or because a village is so badly congested that it cannot wait 10 years for a full bypass.


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## ChrisZwolle

The first 8 kilometers of the upgraded N22 opens to traffic today, the Macroom bypass.

_Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Cork County Council say an 8km bypass of Macroom in Co Cork that has opened today will have a transformative effect on the town and on the Cork and Kerry region.

The bypass is part of a €280m project which will see a new dual carriageway built from the Cork and Kerry border, extending for 22km to the east of Macroom.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin officially opened the bypass and work will now focus on the remaining 14km of the N22 dual carriageway. That is due for completion in early 2024._









'Transformative' 8km Macroom bypass in Cork opens


Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Cork County Council say an 8km bypass of Macroom in Co Cork that has opened today will have a transformative effect on the town and on the Cork and Kerry region.




www.rte.ie


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