Government Capital Spending on Roads: 2016-2022

http://tii.ie/tii-library/reports-accounts/

2016 funding for TII. Bar the two schemes in Wexford it seems 2016 is another year of pussyfooting around with nothing being done bar land acquistion. This Government's attitude to transport infrastructure is shocking

L1011 wrote: »

It won't cease to apply until the final negotiated exit date or 24 months after A.50, whichever is first - if at all, as the EEA membership option still imposes the vast bulk of EU rules. Its far more likely we'd pull our funding (again) before that happened; so they'll have to find a way to get the development approved in accordance with it anyway.

Oh yeah, but then again, on the other hand, construction of the A5 isn't going to happen today or tomorrow either

The bridge at Slane definately needs relief, however the ~40km N2 Ashbourne to Ardee scheme isn't the solution, the 4km N2 Slane BP is.

Long term, Dublin -> NI traffic will be directed via the M1 and likely a N33 2+2 upgrade or a N53 upgrade. Upgrading the N2 is ridiculous considering it's about 6km from the M1 to the N2 at Collon.

The final part of the A5 upgrade, from Omagh to Ballygawley, is also dependent on an N2 upgrade south of the border, so it's assumed it will be done eventually.

As it stands, there is lots of chatter about a review of this programme next year which is being used to promote the possibility of inclusion of projects such as the M20 or the N52 Ardee BP.

As it stands, only the N56 Dungloe-Glenties and possibly the M7 upgrade will be underway two years into the six years of the programme.

I am not including the PPPs here because they were announced in 2009, would've been underway earlier barring the fiscal reasons I won't go into here, and in fact Gort-Tuam was underway early in 2015 and Howlin was delaying his motorway and expressway for the election to do some sod turning.

Not only was it an underwhelming terrible plan to begin with, they can't even get this much done.

annfield1978 wrote: »

Tender issued via the TII Framework

The proposed scheme entails the provision of a bypass of the village of Oilgate, Co. Wexford. The scheme will interface with the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme which will tie into the existing N11 at Scurlocksbush, north of Oilgate. The scheme is approximately 4 kilometres in length and ties into the existing N11, south of Oilgate, in the vicinity of Tinnahask / Whitefort. It is the intention of the Contracting Authority to engage a consultant to complete Phase 1 of Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s Project Management Guidelines 2010 (TII PMG). Using the Project Stages as defined in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Capital Works Management Framework, the Consultant will be engaged to complete Stage (i) Feasibility Study / Preliminary Report. The Consultant will need to carry out a Preliminary Appraisal as set out in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport’s Common Appraisal Framework for Transport Projects and Programmes (March 2016). A full description of the services required by the Client is provided in Schedule B of the Tender and Schedule for the Conditions of Engagement for Consultancy Services (Technical).

Is this to be built to motorway standard?

L1011 wrote: »

It has to meet the TEN-T standards which we have no other equivalent for, as far as I know.

The A8 upgrade in NI meets TEN-T with roundabouts but it has two carriageways with a solid median and hard shoulder.

The NRA shouldn't tender for something that doesn't meet their public standards, but they could I guess.

This is only TEN-T comprehensive I thought? Surely if that's the case the N11 from J6 - J14 will be done soon too.

Will be interesting to see what standard the Rathkeale-Foynes will be done

These dualling schemes in the North aren't that great are they - roundabouts and LILOs

It is now one year since this plan was published, and whilst those of us on the forum were optimistic that a roads plan had finally been published after many years of a construction drought, we were a bit too optimistic.

There has been very little movement across many of the schemes that comprise the already underwhelming plan, with several schemes undergoing ZERO movement in the past year. Only one of the schemes is likely to start within the next two years, that being the M7 Naas/Newbridge bypass upgrade.

Overall, the falling through of this plan and the lack of ambition in the plan anyway, the Irish road network comes under major pressure, especially in Cork and Galway, where the lack of several important schemes such as the M20, Dunkettle Interchange and M28 in Cork and the N6 Outer Bypass in Galway lead to signficiant congestion and delays on a daily basis.

Here's an update on all the schemes announced in the plan. As you can see, the update is very similar to the last update I put up in June 9 months into the plan:

Road schemes:

N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin:
Advance works on this are ongoing, with Sligo CoCo having a view to the beginning of construction in 2018.
Expected opening: 2020

N5 Westport to Turlough:
Advance works are complete on this scheme, but resources on Mayo are concentrated on a realignment of the N26 at Cloongullane Bridge, construction should start in 2018.
Expected opening: 2020

M7 widening J9-J11, J9A Osberstown & R409 Sallins BP:
Preliminary works are ongoing, and a tender has been awarded for the design of the scheme. The official line from Atkins, who were awarded that tender is late 2019, however it is hoped it would be opened earlier
Expected opening: late 2018 (presumed)/end 2019 (official)

N8/N25/N40 Dunkettle Interchange upgrade:
Still no news on this since the plan was announced, apart from the appointment of technical advisors. TII's Dominic Mullaney has recently said that the scheme is expected to start in 2018 after extensive traffic management plans have been organised.
Expected opening: 2020

N22 Baile Bhurine to Macroom:
Whilst this is almost shovel ready, Dominic Mullaney of TII recently said at a select committee that this scheme would begin in Q1 2020.
Expected opening: late 2022

N56 Dungloe to Glenties (26.9km)
Cloghbolie - Boyoughter (3.3km) opened 2014
Boyoughter - Kilkenny (4.9km) under construction
Rest is TBC.
Expected opening: 2019

N56 Mountcharles to Inver:
No news since the plan was announced. However, at a 5km long SC scheme, it shouldn't be too long to do.
Expected opening: 2019

N59 Moycullen BP:
Although shovel ready, no movement on this since the plan was announced.
Expected opening: TBC

Subject to planning:
N2 Slane BP:
No movement on this since the plan was announced, bar the issuing of a tender through the TII framework for consultants to be appointed to the scheme
Expected opening: 2022

N6 Galway City Outer Bypass:
This scheme is progressing through the planning stages with EIS & CPO due Q3 2016 (still not published). If funding is committed to by the government, it should be ready to go within a few years.
Expected opening: 2022

N21 Adare BP & N21/N69 Limerick - Foynes:
These were promised seperately, but have now been amalgamated into the N21/N69 Limerick-Foynes scheme. The route has been selected and refined down to a 100m corridor, with junction details also released. Pending EU funding release a start in late 2018 may be feasible.
Expected opening: 2021

M28 Cork - Ringaskiddy
Another scheme racing through the processes, with the final scheme, EIS & Motorway Order due before the end of the year. With this in mind, an early 2019 start should be achieved.
Expected opening: 2021

N72 Mallow Northern BP:
This is undergoing a feasability study by TII, which will be published before the end of the year. This study will decide whether the scheme actually goes ahead or not, and will decide how it will link in with the M20 Cork-Limerick scheme. Land purchase etc. will begin in 2017 if it progresses
Expected opening: 2021

Killaloe area road improvement plan (Killaloe BP, new Shannon crossing & new R494 Birdhill-Ballina)
Objections to this were recently quashed in the courts, so progression of this scheme soon is likely:
Expected opening: TBC

Other schemes mentioned in the plan are the new bridge in Sligo, distributor roads for Portlaoise & Athy, phase IV of the Dingle relief road & the new Laytown to Bettystown spine road, however none are under construction.

A5 Aughnacloy - Derry:
A special mention for the NI's A5, with the Irish government committing €25m every year from 2016-2018. Construction on the first section from Derry - Strabane will begin in 2017, with another stretch from Omagh to Ballygawley to begin in 2019. However, an objection has made which will likely push the start of this scheme back to 2018, which may cause funding issues.
Expected opening (for the lot): 2028, pending upgrade of the N2 to meet the proposed Ballygawley to the border stretch.