M17/M18 - Gort to Tuam [open to traffic]

westtip · 10-09-2010 1:00am

spacetweek wrote: »

Your idea is good, but there's no easy way to make it happen.

Firstly, the junction is going to be a roundabout, not cloverleaf. That's been discussed at length elsewhere. Personally I don't agree with it, but I'm not in charge.

Second, whether it's a cloverleaf or a roundabout, you can't tack a bus station onto the side. It would impede traffic flow through the junction. The Motorway Service Area that was originally proposed for this junction was refused planning permission for that very reason (and rightly so).

Finally, I'm trying to figure out why a north-south bus route through the area would use the M17/18 and not go via Galway where they could interchange passengers with Galway.

I didn't know about the non clover leaf - roundabout! My god do they ever learn? But if it is a roundabout - add another exit to the service station and have it in one quartile of the "cross roads"

I am sure something could be designed to divert buses to the bus interchange.

Keep them out of Galway so the North South passenges can move quicker rather than the in and out the city routine, it would become effectively an East Galway bus station. Of course buses direct to Galway from places like Sligo would continue this idea just offers an alternative use of the inter urbans

westtip · 10-09-2010 1:02am

Sponge Bob wrote: »

I would put it in Oranmore TBH or even Carnmore . Good use for the Airport once the PSO's dry up :cool:

Sponge agreed but the routes are now chosed the CPOs done lets accept that and let them build it - I just think using the pivotal north south and East west crossover for something useful should be done.

westtip · 10-09-2010 1:04am

darkman2 wrote: »

Confirmed on Today FM just now - it is expected to start "just after Christmas".

Adios amigos West on Track.:D

Jayuu · 10-09-2010 12:30pm

A roundabout? On the intersection between two motorways? Are they serious? Did they learn nothing from the M50 debacle?

Please tell me they at least are going to have some sort of freeflow slip lanes for leftbound traffic (e.g. M18 Northbound > M6 West) so as to take some pressure off the roundabout?

Irish and Proud · 10-09-2010 1:08pm

Jayuu wrote: »

A roundabout? On the intersection between two motorways? Are they serious? Did they learn nothing from the M50 debacle?

Please tell me they at least are going to have some sort of freeflow slip lanes for leftbound traffic (e.g. M18 Northbound > M6 West) so as to take some pressure off the roundabout?

The interchange will be on 3 levels - the roundabout will be sandwiched between the M6 and M17/18 motorways. Indeed, there will be 4 freeflow slips as well, so effectively, the roundabout will only handle right turns for the most part (there'll always be those who are lost). In any case, the junction should be highpowered enough to handle the traffic well into the future.

Hope this helps!

veryangryman · 10-09-2010 3:53pm

Irish and Proud wrote: »

The interchange will be on 3 levels - the roundabout will be sandwiched between the M6 and M17/18 motorways. Indeed, there will be 4 freeflow slips as well, so effectively, the roundabout will only handle right turns for the most part (there'll always be those who are lost). In any case, the junction should be highpowered enough to handle the traffic well into the future.

Hope this helps!

So to clarify...

Level 1 M6
Level 2 Roundabout Interchange
Level 3 M18

So long story short, anyone not changing Motorway will not have to slow the feck down i guess?

Jayuu · 10-09-2010 6:19pm

veryangryman wrote: »

So to clarify...

Level 1 M6
Level 2 Roundabout Interchange
Level 3 M18

So long story short, anyone not changing Motorway will not have to slow the feck down i guess?

Even still the roundabout is going to be very complicated because it's going to have an entrance for right-bound traffic from each direction and an exit to allow access off the roundabout in each direction. That makes eight junctions on the roundabout!?!? Or am I completely misunderstanding how this will look?

Is there a map or diagram of this roundabout anywhere, or a similar example of this junction that has been implemented somewhere else? It just seems to be extremely complicated. There must be examples of fully freeflow motorway to motorway intersections that are easier than this.

Chris_5339762 · 10-09-2010 6:39pm

Its one of these, basically.

http://www.cbrd.co.uk/badjunctions/60-62-66/

Jayuu · 10-09-2010 6:46pm

Looks fairly horrible all right! I really can't see how it can be so much dearer to build a fully freeflow junction but maybe the traffic levels don't justify it.

Geogregor · 11-09-2010 12:06am

Jayuu wrote: »

Looks fairly horrible all right! I really can't see how it can be so much dearer to build a fully freeflow junction but maybe the traffic levels don't justify it.

Of course traffic levels don't justify free flow junction.
Come on guys, it's going to be interchange on two not so heavily used motorways far from any significant population center and not serving any serious transit. I mean by European standards it is middle of nowhere. In many countries, cities the size of Galway don't even have motorway connection.
Junction with roundabout in the middle will be fine for century in that location

westtip · 11-09-2010 9:32am

Geogregor wrote: »

Of course traffic levels don't justify free flow junction.
Come on guys, it's going to be interchange on two not so heavily used motorways far from any significant population center and not serving any serious transit. I mean by European standards it is middle of nowhere. In many countries, cities the size of Galway don't even have motorway connection.
Junction with roundabout in the middle will be fine for century in that location

I agree it doesn't look so bad for flow of traffic that will be using it although it seems to kill off the idea of actually using the crossroads as an opportunity to create a dual function Service station/bus interchange, you only do this once so lets do it properly, plus the fact a service station/bus station at this location would create a few jobs for the Athenry area - not an employment hotspot would be my guess.

KevR · 11-09-2010 10:31pm

Geogregor wrote: »

Of course traffic levels don't justify free flow junction.
Come on guys, it's going to be interchange on two not so heavily used motorways far from any significant population center and not serving any serious transit. I mean by European standards it is middle of nowhere. In many countries, cities the size of Galway don't even have motorway connection.
Junction with roundabout in the middle will be fine for century in that location

I think the point being made by some people is that it wouldn't be more expensive to build a free flow. Yes, a free flow might not technically be necessary but you should pick the free flow option if you have the choice of building a 3-level stack or a free flow whirl at roughly the same cost.

I, along with some others, have always suspected that a roundabout was the chosen design for the junction because they wanted to attach a MSA onto the junction. You couldn't easily put a MSA on a free flow junction. The MSA has been scrapped but the poorly designed junction has survived.

I realise that it would delay the M17/18 project if the junction was to be redesigned at this very late stage and for that reason I'm happy for the junction to be built as a 3-level roundabout. But it should have been designed properly from the start and the MSA located elsewhere.

spacetweek · 13-09-2010 7:44pm

-Corkie- wrote: »

He also said newlands cross also starting early 2011. He never mentioned the bog doh...:p

As someone who lives near Newlands, trust me - this is really, really good news.

Sponge Bob · 14-09-2010 5:11pm

http://www.insideireland.ie/index.cfm/section/news/ext/tuammotorway001/category/904

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey announced today that the preferred tender has been selected for the M17/M18 Gort to Tuam PPP Motorway.

The BAM Balfour Beatty Consortium is the preferred bidder confirmed the National Roads Authority. Acceptance of the project is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.

serfboard · 14-09-2010 5:28pm

And the second part of that article states:

It is expected that work will begin early 2011 and be completed by the end of 2014.

Speaking today Minister Dempsey said: “This new road improvement scheme will make a very big difference to the west of Ireland.

“It will significantly improve safety and reduce journey times for traffic travelling north-south along the Atlantic corridor. It will improve connectivity between Dublin and the western region and it will significantly assist in the economic development of Border, Midlands and Western regions,” said Dempsey.

It's not often (read, ever) that I'd accuse a politician (particularly an FFer) of under-selling something, but in this case I think that Mr. Dempsey is doing so. This will make a massive difference to the West Of Ireland.

Now roll on the M20 and the GCOB, he said greedily.

Tech3 · 14-09-2010 7:02pm

This is brilliant news and hopefully BAM will get it done for 2013. Driving to Tuam from Shannon by motorway will be amazing to say the least.

Amtmann · 14-09-2010 8:13pm

Just to recapitulate the details of this scheme:

53.2 km of motorway from Gort to Tuam
4.2 km of Type 2 dual carriageway passing to the west of Tuam town, to its termination point on the N17 north of Tuam at Mountpotter
4 grade separated junctions at Kilternan (N67), Rathmorrisy (N6), Annagh Hill (N63) and Airgloony (R332)
3 Roundabout junctions at: Kilmore (N17); Mountpotter (N17) and Demesne (N83)
2 Railway Bridges – one over the live Galway Dublin line and the second over the currently disused Athenry Claremorris line near Tuam
5 River Bridges over the Clarinbridge, Dunkellin, Abbert, Grange and Nanny Rivers
31 Road Bridges

murphaph · 14-09-2010 8:53pm

This really is a very substantial project. Glad it's going ahead...we need to cut current expenditure but the capital programme needs maintaining as far as possible (there have to be some cuts of course, but borrowing for infrastructure is ok, borrowing for dole and public sector wages is not).

Amtmann · 14-09-2010 9:04pm

I wouldn't be surprised if construction started as soon as the signature is on the contract, maybe in November. Remember how Gort-Crusheen kicked off in November '08. Then again, this is BAM we're talking about.

BTW - Which of you will be taking pictures of this???

-Corkie- · 14-09-2010 9:14pm

Furet wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if construction started as soon as the signature is on the contract, maybe in November. Remember how Gort-Crusheen kicked off in November '08. Then again, this is BAM we're talking about.

BTW - Which of you will be taking pictures of this???

Im glad to see its terminating north of Tuam. Im sure work will start immediatley. Its not like they are up the walls with work.. Sorry lads but I am rarely up there for pictures but I promise I will have lots on the M20. I will probabaly be banned at that stage...:p

Jayuu · 15-09-2010 2:12am

I hope they break this down into two stages (Gort to M6 and Tuam to M6). I would suggest concentrating on the M18 section first so as to complete the Limerick > Galway link early and then continuing with the second section to Tuam.

Hopefully by the time 2013 comes around there may be more money in the kitty to then consider extending the M17 section further northwards.

westtip · 15-09-2010 8:54am

Furet wrote: »

Just to recapitulate the details of this scheme:
53.2 km of motorway from Gort to Tuam

4.2 km of Type 2 dual carriageway passing to the west of Tuam town, to its termination point on the N17 north of Tuam at Mountpotter

4 grade separated junctions at Kilternan (N67), Rathmorrisy (N6), Annagh Hill (N63) and Airgloony (R332)

3 Roundabout junctions at: Kilmore (N17); Mountpotter (N17) and Demesne (N83)

2 Railway Bridges – one over the live Galway Dublin line and the second over the currently disused Athenry Claremorris line near Tuam

5 River Bridges over the Clarinbridge, Dunkellin, Abbert, Grange and Nanny Rivers

31 Road Bridges

Beautiful. something to cheer us up in all this gloom.

53 km Tuam - Gort - thats about 25 minutes at just over 120 km ph. wonderful.

What will this do for the drive time from Limerick to Galway? I reckon it will be about an hour with a wet sail.

Express buses Tuam Galway (30 mins?), Gort Galway express buses the same?

This one stretch of DC/motorway will transform the west of Ireland!!!!

ki · 15-09-2010 10:06am

This will be my route, I do it at least once a week,

It used to take up to 2 hours pre tunnel/ennis bypass.

I've it down to about 1h 20min at the moment.

I hope to complete it in under an hour when this section of road opens.

antoobrien · 15-09-2010 11:36am

Furet wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if construction started as soon as the signature is on the contract, maybe in November. Remember how Gort-Crusheen kicked off in November '08. Then again, this is BAM we're talking about.

BTW - Which of you will be taking pictures of this???

I'll be able to take some of the athenry to tuam section (If i remember the camera when going to the outlaws)

antoobrien · 15-09-2010 11:44am

Jayuu wrote: »

I hope they break this down into two stages (Gort to M6 and Tuam to M6). I would suggest concentrating on the M18 section first so as to complete the Limerick > Galway link early and then continuing with the second section to Tuam.

For a construction pov that makes sense, but the worst traffic I have seen both into and out of galway is between claregalway & tuam, so I'd rather see the tuam to rathmorrissy bit done first (selfish i know)

Jayuu · 15-09-2010 11:50am

antoobrien wrote: »

For a construction pov that makes sense, but the worst traffic I have seen both into and out of galway is between claregalway & tuam, so I'd rather see the tuam to rathmorrissy bit done first (selfish i know)

I can appreciate that! I'd be the same if a route was being built close to me.

Can i ask if people think that when the Tuam link to the M6 is completed it would be used an alternative to Claregalway for commuting into Galway? Isn't there already some plan to bypass Claregalway seperately or has this been shelved along with most of the other road plans?

CerebralCortex · 15-09-2010 12:04pm

Jayuu wrote: »

I can appreciate that! I'd be the same if a route was being built close to me.

Can i ask if people think that when the Tuam link to the M6 is completed it would be used an alternative to Claregalway for commuting into Galway? Isn't there already some plan to bypass Claregalway seperately or has this been shelved along with most of the other road plans?

If they would go ahead with the Galway outer bypass I'd have no hesitation to use M18->M6 route coming from Tuam so as to leave the local traffic to the N17.

antoobrien · 15-09-2010 1:41pm

Jayuu wrote: »

Can i ask if people think that when the Tuam link to the M6 is completed it would be used an alternative to Claregalway for commuting into Galway? Isn't there already some plan to bypass Claregalway seperately or has this been shelved along with most of the other road plans?

Will people use it - if it's tolled no.

I don't see how it will improve matters without the bypass being built. All it will do is move the problems from Claregalway to Doughiska (and to a lesser extent carnmore cross, as people get off at Glenascaul to avoid the trouble in Doughiska).

Fozzie Bear · 15-09-2010 2:12pm

CerebralCortex wrote: »

If they would go ahead with the Galway outer bypass I'd have no hesitation to use M18->M6 route coming from Tuam so as to leave the local traffic to the N17.

+1 to that CC. The bypass really is needed to tie into the M18. People coming from Westside/Barna/Moycullen would have to go across town and out to Briarhill to get onto the M6 and then onto the M18. A nightmare at the best of times and when you consider the madness that decended on Galway yesterday after the outbound side of the Headford road was closed it can be even worse! Why would anyone subject themselves to that when they can simply turn out the Tuam road and head off.

Build the focking bypass!!!!!

KevR · 15-09-2010 4:53pm

As far as I know, BAM are building the new €40 million Engineering Building (14,200 sq-metre) in NUIG at the moment with possibly as many as 300 people working on it. Not sure when it's going to be finished, sometime in 2011 is all I know. I wonder if this could mean that the M17/18 gets off to a slow(ish) start with BAM wanting to hire only some new people and then transfer many of the 300 over when the NUIG Engineering Building is completed? Pure speculation of course, the M17/18 could get off to a very quick start.

M17/M18 - Gort to Tuam [open to traffic]

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