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

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Comments

  • #402
    westtip
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    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.


  • #403
    KevR
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    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.


  • #404
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,144 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    -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.


  • #405
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    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.


  • #406
    serfboard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,720 ✭✭✭serfboard


    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. :D


  • #407
    Tech3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭Tech3


    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.


  • #408
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    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

    tuam-gort.jpg


  • #409
    murphaph
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,031 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    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).


  • #410
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    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??? :D


  • #411
    -Corkie-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,025 ✭✭✭✭-Corkie-


    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??? :D

    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


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  • #412
    Jayuu
    Registered Users Posts: 761 ✭✭✭Jayuu


    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.


  • #413
    westtip
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    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

    tuam-gort.jpg

    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!!!!


  • #414
    ki
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 532 ✭✭✭ki


    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.


  • #415
    antoobrien
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    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??? :D

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


  • #416
    antoobrien
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    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)


  • #417
    Jayuu
    Registered Users Posts: 761 ✭✭✭Jayuu


    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. :D

    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?


  • #418
    CerebralCortex
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭CerebralCortex


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

    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.


  • #419
    antoobrien
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    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).


  • #420
    Fozzie Bear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭Fozzie Bear


    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!!!!!


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  • #421
    KevR
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    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.


  • #422
    westtip
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,282 ✭✭✭westtip


    antoobrien wrote: »
    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).

    But it will remove through traffic from the mess that is Claregalway - the non Galway bound traffic will go nowhere near Claregalway or Doughiska - mind I agree with the sentiments on the need for the bypass.


  • #423
    antoobrien
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    westtip wrote: »
    But it will remove through traffic from the mess that is Claregalway - the non Galway bound traffic will go nowhere near Claregalway or Doughiska

    A lot of people I know come out of galway at peak times using the tuam rd to avoid briarhill & doughiska since the motorway opened. I can't see people trying to use the existing overcrowded road to get to the motorway, I think they'll go out to claregalway and turn right. Or worse turn any number of side roads into cregmore style rat runs.


  • #424
    ki
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 532 ✭✭✭ki


    antoobrien wrote: »
    A lot of people I know come out of galway at peak times using the tuam rd to avoid briarhill & doughiska since the motorway opened. I can't see people trying to use the existing overcrowded road to get to the motorway, I think they'll go out to claregalway and turn right. Or worse turn any number of side roads into cregmore style rat runs.

    I fully agree with what your saying.

    Galway City needs more than 1 access point to the Motorway Network of Ireland

    Dublin has 15(guess figure)
    Cork 6/8 along the South Ring Road
    Limerick 6
    Galway 1, this has to become a bottle neck for inward and out going traffic.:eek:

    City Planners and the NRA have to be able to see this. :confused:


  • #425
    murphaph
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,031 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    ki wrote: »
    City Planners and the NRA have to be able to see this. :confused:
    They have seen it, hence the plans for a Galway City bypass which will provide more dispersed access to the M6. It's held up at the moment (legal stuff).


  • #426
    ki
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 532 ✭✭✭ki


    murphaph wrote: »
    They have seen it, hence the plans for a Galway City bypass which will provide more dispersed access to the M6. It's held up at the moment (legal stuff).

    Sorry your right, and they must press ahead with what they can.

    The city bypass is 10 years away

    Could they do something in the mean time?


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  • #427
    KevR
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    ki wrote: »
    Sorry your right, and they must press ahead with what they can.

    The city bypass is 10 years away

    Could they do something in the mean time?

    They could have built a trumpet/freeflow junction at Doughiska instead of terminating the M6 at an at-grade roundabout but they didn't. If they had built a trumpet then they could maybe have looked at grade seperating the Briarhill roundabout (going towards or away from the M6 roundabout, you could often spend 15-25 mins queuing for the Briarhill roundabout at peak times). Then they could look at improving other junctions further West.


  • #428
    antoobrien
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    KevR wrote: »
    They could have built a trumpet/freeflow junction at Doughiska instead of terminating the M6 at an at-grade roundabout but they didn't. If they had built a trumpet then they could maybe have looked at grade seperating the Briarhill roundabout (going towards or away from the M6 roundabout, you could often spend 15-25 mins queuing for the Briarhill roundabout at peak times). Then they could look at improving other junctions further West.
    The briarhill roundabout was a disater at peak times long before the motorway opened up, so I have to disagree that the freeflow junction would have made a difference. To really make a differnce here you'd have to close off the monivea rd from accessing town and force them either up ballybrit to tuam rd or out to glenascaul and back in the dual carriageway (that part id not rated m/way)


  • #429
    Chris_5339762
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    I originally thought a trumpet would be great, but since there are roundabouts at both ends of the trumpet (effectively) it would make no real difference.

    Contrary to popular belief it is possible (although too expensive) to upgrade all the roundabouts on the current N6 in Galway. It wont happen but it is doable, even Terryland.


  • #430
    locha
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 333 ✭✭locha


    A bit off the point but I was chatting to an engineer from Balfour Beatty today and while they are not Irish they made me laugh by referring to the job as "the Hiace Highway"... Apparently this is a non toll motor way but the company are getting paid for the level of usage... has the taxpayer got screwed again?


  • #431
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69,547 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    locha wrote: »
    A bit off the point but I was chatting to an engineer from Balfour Beatty today and while they are not Irish they made me laugh by referring to the job as "the Hiace Highway"... Apparently this is a non toll motor way but the company are getting paid for the level of usage... has the taxpayer got screwed again?

    The entire point of this is that its a shadow toll arrangement, thats exactly what the NRA were intending. They're paying little (or nothing) upfront and paying for it over a period of time.

    There may or may not be a minimum traffic guarantee, its unlikely the NRA will admit that for some time if there is for commercial reasons.


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  • #432
    serfboard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,720 ✭✭✭serfboard


    MYOB wrote: »
    There may or may not be a minimum traffic guarantee, its unlikely the NRA will admit that for some time if there is for commercial reasons.

    One would imagine that there would have to be - since whoever is constructing it will be borrowing money to build it, their banks will need some guarantees before lending in these times.

    Also, the M3 shows that there is a precedent for this - and that route was tolled!

    I don't like shadow tolls meself - pushing capital expenditure onto current expenditure for the next 30 years and nearly always paying way more, but we're skint and it has to be a PPP. A tolled PPP would result in Claregalway still being jammers - whatever you think about whether the M17 will solve that.


  • #433
    gally74
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭gally74


    BAM confirmed, galway advertiser,

    cant wait to see this one start


  • #434
    Cosmo K
    Registered Users Posts: 985 ✭✭✭Cosmo K


    I wonder, will there be a partial opening of sections of the scheme? Gort-Oranmore for example.


  • #435
    jwcurtin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 562 ✭✭✭jwcurtin


    When completed roughly how long will it take to go from Galway to the Tunnel? Estimates welcome!:D Can't wait as it used to take well over 3 hours to get to Abbeyfeale before there was any dual-carriageway on the Galway-Limerick route (this was like 10 years ago). Currently 2hrs 15mins from the west of the city (using the tunnel)


  • #436
    rainbowdash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 878 ✭✭✭rainbowdash


    jwcurtin wrote: »
    When completed roughly how long will it take to go from Galway to the Tunnel? Estimates welcome!:D Can't wait as it used to take well over 3 hours to get to Abbeyfeale before there was any dual-carriageway on the Galway-Limerick route (this was like 10 years ago). Currently 2hrs 15mins from the west of the city (using the tunnel)

    Galway - Limerick is 65 miles so I woud say you could be from Oranmore through the tunnel and out the Adare road coming into Adare in under an hour. Would Abbeyfeale be 30 minutes off peak from the Limerick side of Adare?


  • #437
    jwcurtin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 562 ✭✭✭jwcurtin


    rainbowdash wrote: »
    Galway - Limerick is 65 miles so I woud say you could be from Oranmore through the tunnel and out the Adare road coming into Adare in under an hour. Would Abbeyfeale be 30 minutes off peak from the Limerick side of Adare?

    Takes 40 minutes from the roundabout, with traffic in Adare.


  • #438
    AOwannabe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 274 ✭✭AOwannabe


    Roadbridge employees put on protective notice due to failure to land Gort to Tuam contract

    http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Limerick-employees-at-Roadbridge-.6542902.jp
    THE Limerick-based construction company Roadbridge Civil Engineers and Building Contractors has placed its local staff on four weeks' protective notice, raising fears of widespread job losses and redundancies at the company.

    It is understood that staff were informed of the decision to place them on protective notice last week, after the company - one of Ireland's leading civil engineering contractors - failed to secure a tender for a contract in Gort, Co Galway.

    Staff at the company chaired by Ballysheedy man Pat Mulcair, which directly employs in the region of 750 people worldwide and is thought to employ up to 100 people locally, were offered the opportunity to apply for jobs on Roadbridge contracts in Poland, Glasgow and Germany.

    No-one was available for comment at Roadbridge this Tuesday morning, with www.limerickleader.ie informed that "management are out of the country and will not return until Thursday".

    Roadbridge - which began life as Pat Mulcair Civil Engineering in 1967 - have their headquarters in Limerick and currently operate from offices in Dublin, Galway, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Oman, Qatar, Poland, Libya and UK, according to their website.

    Mr Mulcair has consistently featured on the Sunday Times Rich List in recent years, but dropped back to 119th on the countdown in April of this year, with his fortune dropping €2 million to €73 million.

    The Limerick based company were among the contractors who made up the consortium that worked on the €660 million Limerick Tunnel project, and it is with that project's completion in July and the lack of further available national projects that has led to staff being placed on notice.

    The company say on their website that they have "enjoyed significant organic growth over the past number of years" and more than doubled their turnover in the past five years to a consolidated turnover of €490 million in 2007.

    In recent years Roadbridge worked on the Foynes Oil Terminal, a €30 million project, and won a tender in February of this year, along with John Sisk and Son, for the contract on one of the main links between the M4 and Pembrokeshire in the UK.


  • #439
    summer11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37 ✭summer11


    AOwannabe wrote: »
    Roadbridge employees put on protective notice due to failure to land Gort to Tuam contract

    http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Limerick-employees-at-Roadbridge-.6542902.jp

    Sorry to read this... Roadbridge seemed to be one of the better Contractors in terms of speed and quality finish over the past few years.

    I hope that they are rewarded further along the Atlantic Corridor.


  • #440
    crusheenman
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭crusheenman


    Its a shame a dutch / english company got this job, irish companies need to be doing these jobs.. from my experience (driving around the country, none building experience) wills / roadbridge / sisk always seem to finish on time and with minimum fuss.. I have no idea where the all the employees working on the gort to crusheen are going to go.


  • #441
    Tech3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭Tech3


    Latest article on the scheme:
    Gort to Tuam Motorway to Provide Catalyst to Economy in the West




    gort-tuam.jpg


    The Border, Midland and Western (BMW) Regional Assembly has welcomed the announcement by the National Roads Authority (NRA) that work will commence on the M17/M18 Gort to Tuam motorway in early 2011. This was announced following the completion of the tender process to identify a preferred bidder to build the next stage of the Atlantic Road Corridor which will bypass Claregalway, Ardrahan, Kilcolgan and Clarinbridge in Co. Galway, linking with the soon to be completed Crusheen to Gort bypass.



    Mr. Gerry Finn, Director of the BMW Regional Assembly speaking from their offices in Ballaghaderren, Co. Roscommon stated, “The commitment to develop the Atlantic Road Corridor as set out in Transport 21 is one of the most critically important investments for the development of the West of Ireland and the whole of the BMW Region. The announcement of this project is welcomed by all those in the Region who support the Atlantic Corridor and we would urge the Government to ensure that all phases of this Corridor remain on schedule. Its development will provide a counterbalance along the West coast to the economic dominance of the East coast which now includes the enhanced Belfast/Dublin economic corridor and will ultimately strengthen the connections between the designated Gateways of Limerick, Galway, Sligo and Letterkenny”.



    Mr. Finn added, “the pattern of investment under the National Roads Programme over the past decade has concentrated on the creation of a radial motorway network out of Dublin. Whilst recognising the importance of relieving congestion in the existing roads networks in the Greater Dublin Area, this prioritisation has as a consequence strengthened the dominance of Dublin and contributed to increased urban sprawl. It has been recognised that the BMW Region’s under-developed road network has been one of the major barriers restricting the development of the regional economy and has been a barrier to inward investment. These current deficits create obstacles for enterprise development and the overall accessibility and quality of life for people in the Region. Quality access to and within the BMW Region via radial corridors, linking corridors and international access points attract and promotes investment to and within the Region and will ultimately be a major factor enabling it’s future development. Balanced regional development and a more sustainable convergence in socio-economic terms between the regions as outlined in the National Spatial Strategy 2002–2020 remain possible provided that strategic investments are made to address transport and other infrastructure deficits. This announcement demonstrates the Government’s continued commitment to these important objectives”.



    Mr. Finn concluded by highlighting the targeted investment under the BMW Regional Operational Programme 2007–2013, which is part-funded support by the European Regional Development Fund, “building upon the work of the 2000–2006 Programme, we have provided funding to the recently completed Athlone to Ballinsloe section of the M6, the Tullamore bypass and as part of our investment in the Gateways and Hubs Programme in the Region, funding is being provided to develop urban road schemes such as the upgrade of the Seamus Quirke Road in Galway and the construction of an Eastern Access Route in Cavan Town”.

    Click here for link


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  • #442
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,144 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    "BMW Regional Assembly" - jesus, does the West have a devolved government now??


  • #443
    witnessmenow
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,199 ✭✭✭witnessmenow


    crusheenman wrote: »
    Its a shame a dutch / english company got this job, irish companies need to be doing these jobs.. from my experience (driving around the country, none building experience) wills / roadbridge / sisk always seem to finish on time and with minimum fuss.. I have no idea where the all the employees working on the gort to crusheen are going to go.

    In fairness to Bam civil they aren't dutch like the M6 crowd were spanish. I was in one of their site offices recently and it was all Irish people there. I agree that it would have been nice to allow a total Irish bid to win it though. I always had a little chuckle to myself when the gov complained about us going north to do our grocery shopping when they give major construction contracts to foreign companies.

    Is there long left in the Gort to Crusheen job?


  • #444
    charlemont
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,725 ✭✭✭charlemont


    spacetweek wrote: »
    "BMW Regional Assembly" - jesus, does the West have a devolved government now??

    the south east also has 1, its capital is clonmel. that really shows the joke it is, jobs for the boys, these authorities do fcuk all, they are i think made up of the european parliament boundaries ,

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Authorities_in_Ireland

    i cant see many people driving as far as rathmorrisey to then go north to tuam..


  • #445
    123easy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭123easy


    crusheenman wrote: »
    Its a shame a dutch / english company got this job, irish companies need to be doing these jobs.. from my experience (driving around the country, none building experience) wills / roadbridge / sisk always seem to finish on time and with minimum fuss.. I have no idea where the all the employees working on the gort to crusheen are going to go.

    BAM is the new name for ASCON of old. They are very much an Irish company with Irish employees, engineers and project managers


  • #446
    crusheenman
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭crusheenman


    123easy wrote: »
    BAM is the new name for ASCON of old. They are very much an Irish company with Irish employees, engineers and project managers


    Yes, but will all the money stay in the county..? id sill prefer a Indigenous irish company on the job. Reports from some plant hire guys locally is not good regarding BAM, and alot are nervous to do business with them.. these guys worked with Wills on N18.

    N18 seems well on the way to be finished and will be opened in the next month or so, weather depending of course. I cant see any delays coming up..


  • #447
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    anyone else hate te way these roads are shown at weird orientations

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=68187899&postcount=441

    its the same with a lot of the scheme websites


  • #448
    123easy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭123easy


    crusheenman wrote: »

    Yes, but will all the money stay in the county..? id sill prefer a Indigenous irish company on the job. Reports from some plant hire guys locally is not good regarding BAM, and alot are nervous to do business with them.. these guys worked with Wills on N18.

    N18 seems well on the way to be finished and will be opened in the next month or so, weather depending of course. I cant see any delays coming up..


    Most of the construction money I would imagine would stay in the country, Its not like 3 or 4 years ago when Irish subcontrctors were expensive. The concessaire I would imagine would repatriate their profits but they all work for foreign concessionaires anyway


  • #449
    Carawaystick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    123easy wrote: »
    BAM is the new name for ASCON of old. They are very much an Irish company with Irish employees, engineers and project managers

    Ascon built the Bray and Arklow bypasses(M11) well ahead of schedule, back when schedules weren't padded out like now


  • #450
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,144 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    witnessmenow wrote: »
    I always had a little chuckle to myself when the gov complained about us going north to do our grocery shopping when they give major construction contracts to foreign companies.
    The tendering process is EU-wide and the gov isn't allowed to treat Irish tenderees preferentially.


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  • #451
    sdanseo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,234 ✭✭✭sdanseo


    spacetweek wrote: »
    The tendering process is EU-wide and the gov isn't allowed to treat Irish tenderees preferentially.

    Which is one area where the EU should feck off and butt out. We're not using their money to build it any more unless I'm mistaken?


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