National Roads Authority projects motoring ahead

Fool 5000

Note the bit in bold.;)It was said by a NRA spokesman

A number of the government’s motorway construction projects and bypasses are running between two and six months ahead of schedule.

At least four large projects being overseen by the National Roads Authority (NRA) are ahead of their target completion dates, which is a boost for motorists and areas with bad traffic congestion.

These include the N2 Finglas-Ashbourne bypass, a 17-kilometre stretch of two and three-lane dual carriageway, which opened last Thursday.

This was completed within budget and four months ahead of target. Builders John Sisk were the contractors and the cost of construction was €213 million.



The Fermoy-Watergrasshill motorway in Cork, which is due for completion next year, is running six months ahead of schedule and is a public private partnership, with Direct Route one the main companies involved in the project. An 18-kilometre stretch of road, its budget is €148million.

Two other NRA projects in Cork also running ahead of target completion dates are the Kinsale Road interchange and the Mitchelstown western relief road. The former is being built by Ascon, at a cost of €50 million, and is running two months ahead of schedule.

Both were due for completion at the end of this year.

The latter is a project built by Roadbridge which is four kilometres long. Its cost is €27 million and it is running between two and four months ahead. According to a NRA spokesman, all projects ongoing for 2006 are either well on budget, ahead of schedule or have had only minor setbacks.

‘‘In some cases we are happy to say projects are up to eight months ahead,” he said.

‘‘There is a lot of groundwork to be done before we get to the stage of ‘turning the sod’ on a new project, and this is extremely important too. There are 27 significant active projects which the NRA are overseeing.

‘‘This week will see the launch of the Cashel/Mitchelstown/south Tipperary project, which will cost almost €500 million and will provide 37 kilometres of motorway. Undertakings like this are vital to upgrading our roads network, and show a real commitment to this cause.”

Sisk and Roadbridge are the joint contracts on the construction of this motorway, which has a completion date of 2009.

While all projects now undertaken have an agreed set price, savings are made on extra budget allocations and overrides, and the additional expenses that ongoing or delayed work often causes.

A number of reasons have been cited for the ‘speeding up’ of road projects in the last few years. These include the involvement of overseas contractors and companies, and the European-wide business benefits of doing a good job, ahead of target dates.

English, Japanese, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Scandinavian contractors are all part of consortiums constructing roads, according to the NRA.

Turkish firm Gama and an Austrian company are involved in the Ennis bypass, while Japanese and English firms are working on the Port Tunnel in Dublin.

‘‘There are benefits for both sides working in this way,” said a spokesman for the NRA.

‘‘Any of the foreign contractors might invite an Irish company to work with them on a project overseas in the future - if all goes well - and an Irish company can make a name for itself in the European market, if they deliver a sound product, ahead of time, and within budget,” he said.

spacetweek

Fool 5000 wrote:

Note the bit in bold.;)It was said by a NRA spokesman

In Ireland the words motorway and dual carriageway are often used interchangeably, even by the NRA. This bloke should have known better though.

It's not a motorway, it's HQDC which is physically identical to a motorway but without the restrictions. However calling it a motorway makes it sound sexier. It might be that too.

bk

I must say in all fairness the NRA are doing a great job.

They have really seemed to sort out the project management problems they had in the past and they are doing a great job now.

So I think we should all say to them, well done, keep up the good work.

mysterious

bk wrote:

I must say in all fairness the NRA are doing a great job.

They have really seemed to sort out the project management problems they had in the past and they are doing a great job now.

So I think we should all say to them, well done, keep up the good work.

Nah I don't think so MAN.... roads are delayed since when 2006 and I won't bet that all the inter urban routes have finished before 2010 another 4 years of fooling around.



Limerick section is yet to start? the Limerick bypass is yet to start? this year? already half through this year NRA = cock up.

Don't get me started..:mad:

bk

Well they seem to be doing a great job down in Cork.

But then that is hardly surprising, us Corkonians are brilliant, no matter what we do

jd

spacetweek wrote:

In Ireland the words motorway and dual carriageway are often used interchangeably, even by the NRA. This bloke should have known better though.

It's not a motorway, it's HQDC which is physically identical to a motorway but without the restrictions. However calling it a motorway makes it sound sexier. It might be that too.

Well, he could argue that they are constructing a motorway,though the rules implemented will mean it won't operate as one.
jd

Nuttzz

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/SchemeActivity-2006/

The N8 Cashel to Mitchelstown forms part of the South West Corridor that links Limerick and Cork to Dublin and is to be upgraded to dual carriageway/ motorway standard. Roadbridge/Sisk Joint Venture was appointed as the Contractor in October 2004 to Design and Build the works for this project. Construction works began in March 2006.

further down the N8

The scheme comprises 17.5 km of motorway together with associated interchanges and local road realignments and includes a 450 m long viaduct spanning the Blackwater Valley. The scheme will be tolled. This is a PPP scheme and the contract was signed and construction commenced in June 2004

about time munster got some M roads

road_high

Give me a break, this is more govt spin imo.
Yes, construction of certain projects is ahead of schedule (selective reporting really), but for the most part projects on the major routes have actually started years behind- I remember NDP launch in late 1999 and 2006 was mentioned regularly as the date when most of the major inter-urban routes would be finished.

I know much progress has been made, for instance on M7 and M4 ( as far as portlaoise and mullingar respectively) but most of the other major stretches are only starting construction/in construction/ going to tender etc etc
Also no mention of the fact that we are decades behind other first world economies in the provision of such essential infrastructure.

Chris_533976

Nuttzz wrote:

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/SchemeActivity-2006/

The N8 Cashel to Mitchelstown forms part of the South West Corridor that links Limerick and Cork to Dublin and is to be upgraded to dual carriageway/ motorway standard. Roadbridge/Sisk Joint Venture was appointed as the Contractor in October 2004 to Design and Build the works for this project. Construction works began in March 2006.

further down the N8

The scheme comprises 17.5 km of motorway together with associated interchanges and local road realignments and includes a 450 m long viaduct spanning the Blackwater Valley. The scheme will be tolled. This is a PPP scheme and the contract was signed and construction commenced in June 2004

about time munster got some M roads

Yeah the second one is the Fermoy bypass which is definately motorway. The first one I'm not sure will be labelled motorway or HQDC.

sprinkles

mysterious wrote:

Nah I don't think so MAN.... roads are delayed since when 2006 and I won't bet that all the inter urban routes have finished before 2010 another 4 years of fooling around.



Limerick section is yet to start? the Limerick bypass is yet to start? this year? already half through this year NRA = cock up.

Don't get me started..:mad:

Only speaking form what I know but the M1 is flying ahead (despite having Ferrovial as the joint contractors - don't get me started).

All in all I think they have slowly got their act together and are finally delivering. A push on the M50 upgrade would be nice though. Was talking to a senior South Dublin Councilor in charge of the drainage for his end of the M50 the other week and they are still in limbo as to the design and layout of the interchange at Lucan.......what the **** is taking you!!!!!!

Nuttzz

mfitzy wrote:

Also no mention of the fact that we are decades behind other first world economies in the provision of such essential infrastructure.

why would the NRA be commenting on such issues?

spacetweek

mysterious wrote:

Nah I don't think so MAN.... roads are delayed since when 2006 and I won't bet that all the inter urban routes have finished before 2010 another 4 years of fooling around.
Limerick section is yet to start? the Limerick bypass is yet to start? this year? already half through this year NRA = cock up.
Don't get me started..:mad:

Mysterious, chillax. In the last 3-4 years it's really looking like the NRA have gotten their act together tbh. Roads coming in early across the board, notable exceptions aside (which are sadly quite hysterically reported in the media, q.v. Port Tunnel.) Halfway through the year means there are still another 6 months to go! The glass is half full!

True the original NDP foresaw 2006 everything would be completed but let's face it that was never really gonna happen with the Dept of Finance fooling around with the funding, Foot and Mouth, greedy farmers, frivolous legal challenges etc.

All of those have now been sorted and won't recur. There is the guaranteed funding envelope from the DoF each year, F&M is gone, the farmers have their compensation agreements and I believe they made changes to the planning laws (confirm anyone?) after the debacle with the land for the M50 SE motorway where the entire project was apparently held up for about 2 years by a single person who launched a legal challenge (not related to Carrickmines).

All countries prolly had a shaky start when planning and building their motorway networks but now it moves very smoothly for them - as it now does for us. There are something like 15 projects starting this year alone. I firmly believe we will have a proper road network to most parts of the country by the end of the decade, as planned.