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

Carawaystick · 28-04-2015 11:31am

boosabum wrote: »

slightly off topic, but did anyone see BBC4 last night and a documentary about the Brititsh motorway system.
The M1 has 55 miles of motorway (110 of road in total) and 200 bridges. It was constructed in just 19 months back in the late 1950's.
Amazing to think that some 60 years later these projects cannot be completed as efficently.

It depends on how you measure efficiency.
The Mitchelstown bypass was built in 18 months, only 10 miles, but shows roads can be built quickly if needed.
It would take a lot of resources and management overhead to line everything up and cost more to build a road quickly, so it might not be efficient from an cost perspective.

Did the BBC programme show the widening works going on on the English M1? and mention the rate of progress there?

m17 · 28-04-2015 12:26pm

Carawaystick wrote: »

It depends on how you measure efficiency.
The Mitchelstown bypass was built in 18 months, only 10 miles, but shows roads can be built quickly if needed.
It would take a lot of resources and management overhead to line everything up and cost more to build a road quickly, so it might not be efficient from an cost perspective.

Did the BBC programme show the widening works going on on the English M1? and mention the rate of progress there?

So if that is the case the could do the than by pass in 9 months

m17 · 28-04-2015 12:33pm

I mean the tuam bypass

spacetweek · 28-04-2015 12:36pm

boosabum wrote: »

slightly off topic, but did anyone see BBC4 last night and a documentary about the Brititsh motorway system.
The M1 has 55 miles of motorway (110 of road in total) and 200 bridges. It was constructed in just 19 months back in the late 1950's.
Amazing to think that some 60 years later these projects cannot be completed as efficently.

No, they are built to a much higher standard nowadays so I'd expect them to take longer now.

spacetweek · 28-04-2015 12:47pm

m17 wrote: »

So if that is the case the could do the than by pass in 9 months

It's likely the Tuam bit will open early alright. I'd be surprised if it took longer than 2 years.

L1011 · 28-04-2015 2:11pm

boosabum wrote: »

slightly off topic, but did anyone see BBC4 last night and a documentary about the Brititsh motorway system.
The M1 has 55 miles of motorway (110 of road in total) and 200 bridges. It was constructed in just 19 months back in the late 1950's.
Amazing to think that some 60 years later these projects cannot be completed as efficently.

Looser planning systems, legal systems, safety requirements and indeed construction standards.

boosabum · 28-04-2015 4:43pm

L1011 wrote: »

Looser planning systems, legal systems, safety requirements and indeed construction standards.

True, but upgrades in equipment, skills and project planning should offset some of the issues you mention.

Now, to counter what i have been saying, it took them 7 years to complete a section of motorway in the pennines although the weather conditions and amount of peat which had to be excavated was unreal

Carawaystick · 28-04-2015 5:11pm

m17 wrote: »

So if that is the case the could do the than by pass in 9 months

At what cost? and who'd pay?
If it were realistic at all.

There's a minimum time needed for settling and concrete to cure, even if you could throw massive resources at it.

m17 · 28-04-2015 5:58pm

I have more pics just outside corofin taken 26/04/15

glineli · 28-04-2015 8:14pm

Updated newsletter here

http://www.directroutegorttotuam.ie/Newsletter.aspx

m17 · 01-05-2015 1:04pm

I got the 2015 road map free with Irish daily mail and it doesn't have the m17/m18 on it

Mrs Dempsey · 01-05-2015 1:12pm

I guess it is not built yet & having it both ways I suggest the Irish Mail is far from reliable with regard to reality.

veryangryman · 01-05-2015 1:23pm

m17 wrote: »

I got the 2015 road map free with Irish daily mail and it doesn't have the m17/m18 on it

Its got Junction 18, but no roads on the junction! The Mail are a class paper, no doubt about it.

barneygumble99 · 01-05-2015 6:14pm

If i went to a foreign country and got a map with a motorway on it that's not even built, id be fairly confused.

L1011 · 01-05-2015 7:06pm

barneygumble99 wrote: »

If i went to a foreign country and got a map with a motorway on it that's not even built, id be fairly confused.

Marking them as hatched is common enough. However, I've an AA map from a decade ago with schemes as yet unstarted (New Ross bypass, etc) marked as hatched...

Deedsie · 01-05-2015 9:00pm

m17 wrote: »

I got the 2015 road map free with Irish daily mail and it doesn't have the m17/m18 on it

It's the 2015 road map? The road isn't due to open till 2018.

marno21 · 01-05-2015 9:08pm

This years Collins Road Atlas has the M17/M18 scheme on it but not the M11 Arklow/Rathnew due to open later this year, surprisingly

m17 · 01-05-2015 9:37pm

Deedsie wrote: »

It's the 2015 road map? The road isn't due to open till 2018.

Yes but it should have motorway under construction

02-05-2015 7:32pm

Geogregor wrote: »

Any sign of works on the future junction with the M6? That will be complex and interesting site to watch.

Perhaps they could try one of these, maybe not - it would probably freak out the average Irish driver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DujenRtd8_A

Schadenfreudia · 03-05-2015 9:50pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Perhaps they could try one of these, maybe not - it would probably freak out the average Irish driver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DujenRtd8_A

Brilliant innovation. Was it invented in America or France?

03-05-2015 11:24pm

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

Brilliant innovation. Was it invented in America or France?

A quick google produces this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diverging_diamond_interchange#History

Prior to 2009 the only known diverging diamond interchanges were in France in the communities of Versailles, Le Perreux-sur-Marne and Seclin, all built in the 1970s.[4] (The ramps of the first two have been reconfigured to accommodate ramps of other interchanges, but they continue to function as diverging diamond interchanges.)
Despite the fact that such interchanges already existed, the idea for the DDI was "reinvented" around 2000, inspired by the former "synchronized split-phasing" type freeway-to-freeway interchange between Interstate 95 and I-695 north of Baltimore.[5]

mackerski · 04-05-2015 10:37am

Deleted User wrote: »

Perhaps they could try one of these, maybe not - it would probably freak out the average Irish driver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DujenRtd8_A

It's not a freeflow interchange, though, because of the traffic signals. A criticism you could make of the planned roundabout, of course, but IMO a design like this doesn't belong on a motorway-motorway interchange.

04-05-2015 12:14pm

mackerski wrote: »

It's not a freeflow interchange, though, because of the traffic signals. A criticism you could make of the planned roundabout, of course, but IMO a design like this doesn't belong on a motorway-motorway interchange.

Can't disagree, a simple cloverleaf would be sufficient here, but in reality in most other countries this new road wouldn't even be classed as a motorway.

m17 · 04-05-2015 3:18pm

f2 wrote: »

They are putting the plant in place for the big dig, getting access route through bog outside Tuam in place, I am led to believe the council will only allow access from N17 for heavy plant. Dump for peat for Tuam bypass still awaiting planning, no point in digging and nowhere to tip it, I guess plant will be wanted in 6 to 8 weeks. Noticed some temporary bridges left beside Grange river, blasting of rock to commence next month/

Temporary bridges are now in place over thé grange river

busyatwork · 04-05-2015 5:34pm

Well there wont be much activity now with the rain but crushing and blasting of rock will continue

Schadenfreudia · 04-05-2015 11:01pm

mackerski wrote: »

It's not a freeflow interchange, though, because of the traffic signals. A criticism you could make of the planned roundabout, of course, but IMO a design like this doesn't belong on a motorway-motorway interchange.

I don't think it is an a "autobhankrueze" !

The top road in the video doesn't appear to be a motorway, more like the Ballymount junction on the M50.

mackerski · 04-05-2015 11:05pm

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

I don't think it is an a "autobhankrueze" !

The top road in the video doesn't appear to be a motorway, more like the Ballymount junction on the M50.

Yes, only one of the mainlines is freeflowing in this design, making it even worse than the planned layout.

Geogregor · 05-05-2015 10:33am

Guys, why do you even discuss junction type which has nothing to do with motorway to motorway junctions. It is just regular exit from freeway to some local (even if busy) surface street.

Situation on the junction between M18/M17/M6 is completely different

Chris_5339762 · 05-05-2015 5:30pm

And I've always said the 3 level stack proposed is a bit of a poor choice. But Cloverleafs aren't really built anymore as they're terrible for weaving. Next level up is a Whirlpool which is way in excess of the traffic this interchange will carry for years.

Sadly, it is a logical option.

f2 · 06-05-2015 9:00pm

Seen a couple of hand written signs on two locations around Tuam, Corofin " TOP SOIL SALVAGE AREA" What is planned for these areas?

red bull · 06-05-2015 9:02pm

f2 wrote: »

Seen a couple of hand written signs on two locations around Tuam, Corofin " TOP SOIL SALVAGE AREA" What is planned for these areas?

Storage of topsoil I guess

irishgeo · 06-05-2015 9:03pm

f2 wrote: »

Seen a couple of hand written signs on two locations around Tuam, Corofin " TOP SOIL SALVAGE AREA" What is planned for these areas?

free top soil?

m17 · 07-05-2015 6:46am

red bull wrote: »

Storage of topsoil I guess

Yes there is a massive amount near corofin thé

f2 · 07-05-2015 7:52am

m17 wrote: »

Yes there is a massive amount near corofin thé

Is it permanent storage?

m17 · 07-05-2015 12:15pm

f2 wrote: »

Is it permanent storage?

Yes it is ill send on pic later

barneygumble99 · 08-05-2015 3:57pm

Generally there's top soil left over after the job but a lot of it is used for verges, batters and tip covering.

busyatwork · 08-05-2015 4:56pm

I will tell ya one thing there wont be any topsoil left over

f2 · 08-05-2015 9:48pm

busyatwork wrote: »

I will tell ya one thing there wont be any topsoil left over

A bit of a sweeping statement, how do you know?

Subpopulus · 08-05-2015 10:47pm

I will tell ya one thing there wont be any topsoil left over

f2 wrote: »

A bit of a sweeping statement, how do you know?

Sounds kinda like busyatwork intends on creaming off excess topsoil and selling it on the sly to unscrupulous black-market topsoil dealers.

That topsoil is the sovereign property of the Irish people! Hands of our natural resources you bleddy thief!

The topsoil racket is a fierce scourge these days...

busyatwork · 09-05-2015 5:43pm

Subpopulus wrote: »

Sounds kinda like busyatwork intends on creaming off excess topsoil and selling it on the sly to unscrupulous black-market topsoil dealers.

That topsoil is the sovereign property of the Irish people! Hands of our natural resources you bleddy thief!

The topsoil racket is a fierce scourge these days...

Like every man trying to line me own pocket ,,
i have drove all the site and with the amount of rock and the design of the road and batters roundabouts slip roads not much topsoil will be left
ya cant use subsoil it hard to get it to grow grass and if ya could you are a jenious

m17 · 09-05-2015 6:17pm

Drilltech have started drilling at annagh hill

f2 · 10-05-2015 11:10pm

will blasting soon start, they have the haul road nearly through Killelaun bog

irishgeo · 11-05-2015 6:27pm

any pictures lads?

D Trent · 11-05-2015 8:01pm

Jesus Christ Only in Ireland
After the amount of money spent like
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/motorway-shelved-because-of-lack-of-funds-676564.html

m17 · 11-05-2015 8:32pm

D Trent wrote: »

Jesus Christ Only in Ireland
After the amount of money spent like
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/motorway-shelved-because-of-lack-of-funds-676564.html

Its a same thats its not happing a motorway from tuam to cork Wood have been brill

irishgeo · 11-05-2015 11:41pm

a very interesting link.

http://rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Collision-Statistics/Ireland-Road-Collisions/

spacetweek · 12-05-2015 11:54am

RSA stats and M20 stuff is off topic.

m17 · 12-05-2015 8:41pm

The have started Work on the Foundation for the bridge near the corofin compound

spacetweek · 13-05-2015 12:45pm

Just noticed that on the FAQ section on the scheme website, it states that there will in fact not be a phased opening of the road. This is despite the fact that the Tuam Bypass element will surely be complete first, unless they deliberately concentrate elsewhere.

m17 · 13-05-2015 2:01pm

spacetweek wrote: »

Just noticed that on the FAQ section on the scheme website, it states that there will in fact not be a phased opening of the road. This is despite the fact that the Tuam Bypass element will surely be complete first, unless they deliberately concentrate elsewhere.

Tuam bypass Will open may 17

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

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