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

f2 · 01-06-2015 9:29am

Tuam headford traffic bad because lorries are drawing stone from Quarry in Belclare area for fill for new roads, not unusal to see 10 12 trucks passing in an hour

ratracer · 01-06-2015 7:39pm

I stopped to snap this pic on Friday night at about 10.30pm. Alongside the machinery on the right hand side are 5 of the Volvo A3xxx dump trucks. This is between Kiltartan and Kiltiernan.

88C7B53CA7EE486D8F7FBB57AC10FB83-0000362220-0003766547-00640L-160BF30308C14B4C966DB708D7F9F50C.jpg

funnyname · 03-06-2015 12:22pm

Surely all this activity points to the project finishing early so are the powers that be thinking of additional routes that could be upgraded such as the n20 and n24.

It would be waste to have all this heavy machinery and expertise in the country and let it go once this project is finished.

m17 · 03-06-2015 12:58pm

funnyname wrote: »

Surely all this activity points to the project finishing early so are the powers that be thinking of additional routes that could be upgraded such as the n20 and n24.

It would be waste to have all this heavy machinery and expertise in the country and let it go once this project is finished.

The n20 got knocked on the head

spacetweek · 03-06-2015 12:59pm

funnyname wrote: »

Surely all this activity points to the project finishing early so are the powers that be thinking of additional routes that could be upgraded such as the n20 and n24.

It would be waste to have all this heavy machinery and expertise in the country and let it go once this project is finished.

I think we might be a bit far off completion to be saying that so soon.
Whatever about machinery, those other routes would need funding which they don't have.

m17 · 03-06-2015 1:01pm

I have taken more pics near corofin

funnyname · 03-06-2015 3:38pm

Funding should be easy enough to organise especially with an election around the corner.

Planning begins now for n20 to begin when n18 finishes and n24 to begin when n20 finishes, that would bring us to the end of the next dáil. No brained re continued prosperity for the country and votes for fg and lab.

Cookiemunster · 03-06-2015 4:40pm

funnyname wrote: »

Funding should be easy enough to organise especially with an election around the corner.

Planning begins now for n20 to begin when n18 finishes and n24 to begin when n20 finishes, that would bring us to the end of the next dáil. No brained re continued prosperity for the country and votes for fg and lab.

The minister for transport has already categorically stated that the M20 is not happening. It has to be redesigned, have a route selected, go through EIS and planning before going out to tender. Even it all that started today the M17/18 would be opened 2-3 years before the M20 construction could start.

Schadenfreudia · 04-06-2015 12:31am

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The minister for transport has already categorically stated that the M20 is not happening. It has to be redesigned, have a route selected, go through EIS and planning before going out to tender. Even it all that started today the M17/18 would be opened 2-3 years before the M20 construction could start.

Indeed - and it looks like the N28 will put the M20 on the back-boiler yet again.

You want a Cork vote - that's the one to go for.

mackerski · 04-06-2015 8:52am

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

Indeed - and it looks like the N28 will put the M20 on the back-boiler yet again.

The M20 will heat your home using energy from your fireplace? Snazzy...

m17 · 04-06-2015 1:49pm

Roadbrige have put up blasting notices around corofin

Schadenfreudia · 04-06-2015 2:49pm

mackerski wrote: »

The M20 will heat your home using energy from your fireplace? Snazzy...

I reckon it will be generating heat rather than moving traffic for at least a decade

Geogregor · 04-06-2015 8:03pm

funnyname wrote: »

Took a couple of photos from this spot near roveagh tonight.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/53°14'03.0"N+8°49'54.0"W/@53.2347074,-8.831653,18z?hl=en

m17 wrote: »

I have taken more pics near corofin

Nice to finally see road taking shape rather than just preparatory works.

How about structures? Any progress on the junction with M6?

m17 · 04-06-2015 9:17pm

Geogregor wrote: »

Nice to finally see road taking shape rather than just preparatory works.

How about structures? Any progress on the junction with M6?

They have started on thé structuré at mahangh corofin fountion has Been dug téléphone wires have Been put underground

Gerobrien25 · 05-06-2015 10:55am

I saw yesterday evening on the way home from work, that they were digging on the Milltown side of Parsons garage on the opposite side of the road. Would this be the start of construction of a roundabout?

spacetweek · 05-06-2015 4:52pm

m17 wrote: »

They have started on thé structuré at mahangh corofin fountion has Been dug téléphone wires have Been put underground

You've gone all French there with your accents.

m17 · 05-06-2015 5:07pm

Got letter from roadbridge about Rock blasting starting next week

m17 · 06-06-2015 6:37pm

Gerobrien25 wrote: »

I saw yesterday evening on the way home from work, that they were digging on the Milltown side of Parsons garage on the opposite side of the road. Would this be the start of construction of a roundabout?

There are 3 roundabouts been put in tuam 1 at the west wing 2 before Parsons garage turn off for dunmore 3 Milltown side of Parsons garage

irishgeo · 07-06-2015 12:47pm

any major traffic delays on this on the n17/n18

Mars Bar · 07-06-2015 1:15pm

m17 wrote: »

There are 3 roundabouts been put in tuam 1 at the west wing 2 before Parsons garage turn off for dunmore 3 Milltown side of Parsons garage

The second and third roundabouts seem awful close to one other

D Trent · 07-06-2015 2:42pm

m17 wrote: »

There are 3 roundabouts been put in tuam 1 at the west wing 2 before Parsons garage turn off for dunmore 3 Milltown side of Parsons garage

Youve lost me
How many altogether ?

LFC Murphy · 07-06-2015 3:04pm

D Trent wrote:

Youve lost me How many altogether ?

There will be 2 on the bypass, one at westwing, second at Parsons end. There is however a third roundabout being built at the Dunmore, Kilcloughans (spelling) intersection, so not really on the actual bypass.

f2 · 07-06-2015 8:45pm

Blasting due to start in Corofin next Tues 9

m17 · 08-06-2015 9:58am

I have taken more pics around corofin lots of plant have landed

spacetweek · 08-06-2015 1:02pm

m17 wrote: »

I have taken more pics around corofin lots of plant have landed

Very good pictures - well done.

busyatwork · 08-06-2015 1:20pm

m17 wrote: »

I have taken more pics around corofin lots of plant have landed

They are getting ready to shift the bog at tuam and draw in rock
once they bog is clear them dumptrucks will be gone

makeorbrake · 08-06-2015 2:20pm

How many minutes will this shave off a Tuam-Galway journey?

kippy · 08-06-2015 2:28pm

makeorbrake wrote: »

How many minutes will this shave off a Tuam-Galway journey?

It depends what point in Galway you are going to and whether you'd be taking the motorway or staying on the N17.

This road (M17) joins the M6 the city side of Athenry. So you'd have to come in with all the traffic coming in that way onto the M6 junction then take whichever route suits.
It could be possible that the increase in traffic on this side of what is already pretty congested in the morning would mean that for many it may be just as "fast" to go on the old road as the new road would probably take a portion of traffic off the old road and may in fact lead to quicker journey times on the N17, even if the speed limit is dropped to 80K.

It all depends on traffic, where you are going too etc etc

threeball · 08-06-2015 2:38pm

m17 wrote: »

I have taken more pics around corofin lots of plant have landed

What's the big chasm in IMG182?

m17 · 08-06-2015 3:18pm

Road closure at ballinaphuil corofin from 08/06/15 to 28/02/16

Altreab · 08-06-2015 4:01pm

threeball wrote: »

What's the big chasm in IMG182?

id say thats a "face" for the blasting process ...when the dynamite is detonated it will cause the earth/stones to move in that direction ..the path of least resistance. the further away from the face the later* the detonations occur.

*when i say later im talking fractions of seconds later

makeorbrake · 08-06-2015 4:45pm

kippy wrote: »

It depends what point in Galway you are going to and whether you'd be taking the motorway or staying on the N17.

This road (M17) joins the M6 the city side of Athenry. So you'd have to come in with all the traffic coming in that way onto the M6 junction then take whichever route suits.
It could be possible that the increase in traffic on this side of what is already pretty congested in the morning would mean that for many it may be just as "fast" to go on the old road as the new road would probably take a portion of traffic off the old road and may in fact lead to quicker journey times on the N17, even if the speed limit is dropped to 80K.

It all depends on traffic, where you are going too etc etc

would be leaving tuam at 3pm. Leaving galway (ballybrit) at 11.30pm

I have been in two minds as to whether it would be worthwhile to go this route....

08-06-2015 5:23pm

makeorbrake wrote: »

would be leaving tuam at 3pm. Leaving galway (ballybrit) at 11.30pm

I have been in two minds as to whether it would be worthwhile to go this route....

For you, at those times, it will likely work out the same timewise. One will be a further distance but higher speed limit.

This will have a major impact on those used to 40 min tail backs in Claregalway or spending 20 mins trying to get through Tuam during peak times

Irish_rat · 08-06-2015 5:47pm

Thanks M17, those are great photos.

kippy · 08-06-2015 7:43pm

makeorbrake wrote: »

would be leaving tuam at 3pm. Leaving galway (ballybrit) at 11.30pm

I have been in two minds as to whether it would be worthwhile to go this route....

Time will tell. There are a lot of variables at play.

Carawaystick · 08-06-2015 11:32pm

makeorbrake wrote: »

would be leaving tuam at 3pm. Leaving galway (ballybrit) at 11.30pm

I have been in two minds as to whether it would be worthwhile to go this route....

Motorway is 7-10 times safer than S2 road. For what its worth.

glineli · 09-06-2015 9:23am

A very badly taken photo at Kiltiernan where they are building the new structure

glineli · 09-06-2015 9:24am

And other looking at the motorway back to Gort

m17 · 09-06-2015 9:53pm

They have started work on the bridge at mahanagh corofin

makeorbrake · 10-06-2015 2:03pm

Carawaystick wrote: »

Motorway is 7-10 times safer than S2 road. For what its worth.

Your a fountain of knowledge.

They're not running parallel to each other. One runs straight(ish) from Tuam to Galway. The other will involve clocking up a lot more miles - Tuam-Athenry-Galway.

L1011 · 10-06-2015 2:06pm

Claregalway at the time you'd be hitting it inbound would not be fun 9 months of the year. Direct home at 11:30 is unlikely to be overly delayed

munchkin_utd · 11-06-2015 10:36am

makeorbrake wrote: »

Your a fountain of knowledge.

They're not running parallel to each other. One runs straight(ish) from Tuam to Galway. The other will involve clocking up a lot more miles - Tuam-Athenry-Galway.

its more, but whether its a "lot" is debatable.

Direct from Ballybane to Tuam via Claregalway (so a common commute) is 34km and according to google should take 36min with very little traffic. With traffic, more like a shade under an hour is realistic.
Via the new motorway will be about 40km. Taking a point 40km down the M6 (so equivalent to M6+M17 to Tuam) would take 25min journey time so a saving of 10minutes despite the longer distance.

NOW, you can go the old road, and take 10min longer on a good day, 30min+longer on a bad day, but for the sake of 6km extra I think the new road is not a bad alternative.

EDIT, should the old road get an 80kmh limit then the time difference will be greater again, in favour of the new road.

kippy · 11-06-2015 11:21am

munchkin_utd wrote: »

its more, but whether its a "lot" is debatable.

Direct from Ballybane to Tuam via Claregalway (so a common commute) is 34km and according to google should take 36min with very little traffic. With traffic, more like a shade under an hour is realistic.
Via the new motorway will be about 40km. Taking a point 40km down the M6 (so equivalent to M6+M17 to Tuam) would take 25min journey time so a saving of 10minutes despite the longer distance.

NOW, you can go the old road, and take 10min longer on a good day, 30min+longer on a bad day, but for the sake of 6km extra I think the new road is not a bad alternative.

EDIT, should the old road get an 80kmh limit then the time difference will be greater again, in favour of the new road.

I think you miss the point that the time advantage of the new road will be directly impacted by the number of commuters that decide to use it.
Essentially if EVERYONE that currently uses the N17 decides to use the M17 ALL the traffic that came into town via that road will be forced to use the existing M6 junction and merge with all of the traffic coming in from the south of the city which is quite a substantial amount. Unless there people use other arteries to come into town.
Same for going home essentially although there are so many variables it would be difficult to call.

I suppose as someone mentioned earlier there is also the safety aspect to take into account. Travelling on motorway is much safer than standard roadway and that, to someone who would commute daily may be a major consideration as well as potential time savings.

Schadenfreudia · 11-06-2015 9:32pm

Well, dunno about the M17/18/6....but Kilternan to Ballymun "direct" (through the city) is 22km and takes about an hour at 10am; via the M50 it is 45km and takes about 30 minutes.

I'd always use the motorway.

makeorbrake · 11-06-2015 9:53pm

@munchkin_utd/kippy: Thanks for that. I wasn't sure how it would pan out. Other road becoming a nuisance for speed detection (and that's before they pull it down to 80KM/hr.) - driving on it at otherwise quiet times. Between the slight time saving and ease of driving, will be happy to take m'way instead.

Carawaystick · 11-06-2015 11:38pm

makeorbrake wrote: »

Your a fountain of knowledge.

They're not running parallel to each other. One runs straight(ish) from Tuam to Galway. The other will involve clocking up a lot more miles - Tuam-Athenry-Galway.

As Munchkin_utd pointed out its only 6km longer, over the 34 km old route.

It's much quicker to go from Loughrea to Galway on the new n65/m6 than the old road, even though its longer

m17 · 12-06-2015 9:14am

Got a letter from roadbridge about bridge construction

Czhornet · 12-06-2015 11:12am

m17 wrote: »

Got a letter from roadbridge about bridge construction

Thats for the earth retaining walls forming part of the bridge face. They are precast and are finished ready to be installed, kinda like a huge jigsaw puzzle.

severeoversteer · 12-06-2015 2:05pm

Carawaystick wrote: »

As Munchkin_utd pointed out its only 6km longer, over the 34 km old route.

It's much quicker to go from Loughrea to Galway on the new n65/m6 than the old road, even though its longer

ihave to disagree with the loughrea to galway statement

I travel that route a few times a day and the old road wins hands down theres about 7 minutes of a difference in favoiur of the old road

as long as the old road stays at 100kph ill be going the old road.

glineli · 12-06-2015 10:00pm

There are alerts up at Kiltiernan that there will be road works commencing Wednesday June 15th. Serious progress over the last few weeks there.

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

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