M18 - Gort to Crusheen

glineli

I went by the Ennis tie in last night, wasnt diverted into Barefield yet, so maybe its next Monday?

Ascii

glineli wrote: »

I noticed a few cars last night driving on the new overpass at the ennis tie in so i was hopeful of it opening soon. This is great news. Now if only the Gort - Tuam section was sorted out!!

Mistake by Clare Fm. They got it of Clare Co. Co. website to issued the story when the dates haden't been confirmed. After the bank holiday before it is likely to go ahead.

Tech3

Myself and Furet had a look at the scheme today. Visibilty on some of the photos is not clear due to heavy fog but lots of work was being carried out on the paving.


85% of the scheme has it's final wearing course down now, signage is starting to go up on both the Crusheen and Gort junctions.



Starting at the most southerly section on the Curraderra overbridge looking south









Looking north from the Curraderra overbridge









Looking north from Ballyline overbridge









Looking south from Ballyline









Fog gets more heavy now with some photos from the Lahardan overbridge first north and then looking south to the Interchage at Crusheen.














Crusheen-Tubber local rd looking south









looking north from the same overbridge









Gortavoher looking north and south from the overbridge














Now looking at the mainline just south from the Gortavoher overbridge














The only clear photo of the day on the cats-eyes









Yellow line had rumble strips on it here and cats-eyes are also on the left of the line but are not done at this section yet.

Tech3

Shanaglish overbridge looking south and north

















New warning type signs at the start of every crash barrier









The following from Gort-Tubber overbridge: compound looking south and the other looking north














Overbridge at the R460 looking north









Looking south from the R460









M18 Entry signage at the southbound on-ramp









Better view of the on-ramp









Looking from the Gort junction towards the end of the scheme









attenuation pond









Wtf? The N18 north of Gort is replaced by the R458









N66 National secondary route sign at the Gort junction

topper75

Thanks so much to the photographers.
I was equally confused by the R458 Ardrahan sign. Still N18 no?
Where does the 12 November date addition to the thread title come from?

CDuVe

Whats the story with the Crusheen interchange? Will that be tied into the existing N18 before the M18 opens, meaning I would assume, significant delays for a while, or will it be left until after?

cremeegg

ya i was wondering about 12 november also!

kiwipower

CDuVe wrote: »

Whats the story with the Crusheen interchange? Will that be tied into the existing N18 before the M18 opens, meaning I would assume, significant delays for a while, or will it be left until after?

I was wondering about this too. It looks like a lot of work is still required on this junction, to tie in under the bridge, where the front wall from the old house is still in existance and to attach the other slip road. Hopefully they will be able to do this After traffic is diverted onto the new M18!

serfboard

CDuVe wrote: »

Whats the story with the Crusheen interchange? Will that be tied into the existing N18 before the M18 opens, meaning I would assume, significant delays for a while, or will it be left until after?

Precedent from the Ennis Bypass suggests that the mainline will be opened first. Also, it would be much easier to finish this off with less traffic on it.

serfboard

serfboard wrote: »

Keith Finnegan on Galway Bay FM this morning reported that the Chief Executive of Medtronic is to visit Galway soon - flying in to Shannon. Apparently he's going to be taken to Galway via the unopened part of the M18 so that he won't have to see the state that Gort is in! (Seems that they can allow this to happen by classing his use of the M18 as a "site visit").

More on this from The Connacht Tribune.

The Connacht Trubune wrote:

There are strong hopes on the job creation and investment front for Galway, after the full Board of Directors and Executive Management Committee of Medtronic – which includes some of the biggest industry leaders in the United States – visited the city earlier this week.

Such was the sheer magnitude and importance of the visit, the executives from the medical devices company – one of the biggest employers in the West – were given a VIP escort along the unopened stretch of the new M18 Ennis to Gort motorway, after flying into Shannon Airport from the United States.

Medtronic CEO William Hawkins is said to have been “super impressed” with Galway’s roads and transport infrastructure

Just as well he didn't go through Gort!:D

Chris_5339762

Medtronic CEO William Hawkins is said to have been “super impressed” with Galway’s roads and transport infrastructure

He was lying then. Noone could possibly think that Galway has good roads or transport. Getting TO Galway is getting better, but once you're IN Galway its a nightmare.

black47

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

He was lying then. Noone could possibly think that Galway has good roads or transport. Getting TO Galway is getting better, but once you're IN Galway its a nightmare.

They must have taken him to the pub in Clarinbridge to soften him up

youcrazyjesus!

Where and how will this road link with the N66?

Carawaystick

youcrazyjesus! wrote: »

Where and how will this road link with the N66?

I'd say the N66 will be extended from the junction on the street in Gort through the town to the Junction the Clarinbridge side of Gort, so what is now N18 will be changed to N66.

topper75

None of this makes sense.

The N66 Loughrea-Gort should still end as it does at the junction in Gort town. The N18 should still exist as it does, going up through the town because the new M18 must have an alternative for non-motorway traffic.
Even if Gort-Tuam M18 extension goes ahead, calling the existing road between Gort and Ardrahan R458 makes no sense. It should also stay as N18.

Tech3

I reckon the R458 north of Gort is a mistake as usual. It will have to be replaced again. Also I think the current N18 through Gort should be signed the R458 not N66.

urranger

I plan to go from Galway to Shannon early next month. Is any part of the new road open yet?
I thought they might have pushed to get it open in time for the Bank Holiday weekend traffic.

etchyed

topper75 wrote: »

None of this makes sense.

The N66 Loughrea-Gort should still end as it does at the junction in Gort town. The N18 should still exist as it does, going up through the town because the new M18 must have an alternative for non-motorway traffic.
Even if Gort-Tuam M18 extension goes ahead, calling the existing road between Gort and Ardrahan R458 makes no sense. It should also stay as N18.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorways_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland#Route_Number_Inheritance

swoofer

new road opens 12th November 2010 so depends when you set out for shannon.

gb--

Morebypasses

GBCULLEN wrote: »

new road opens 12th November 2010 so depends when you set out for shannon.

Where is the 12th November officially quoted?? Hope you are right!!

glineli

I have noticed on both roads into Crusheen, signs saying road works begin Monday October 18th, this must be the tie in, unless its for celebrations for the county final!!!

Amtmann

Scheme terminus, where it will tie into the Gort to Tuam section:


A flawed patch on the wearing course:

Chris_5339762

Furet wrote: »

Scheme terminus, where it will tie into the Gort to Tuam section:

An flawed patch on the wearing course:

I REALLY hope the put a sign up on that gantry in the distance, that'd be awesome somehow.

Question has to be asked too as to whether the dead end part will be under motorway regulations. And how long it will be before caravans appear.

serfboard

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Question has to be asked too as to whether the dead end part will be under motorway regulations. And how long it will be before caravans appear.

The other question that has to be asked is why they built this section this far? Why not just terminate just at Gort, as other sections have done? I can't see that Gort->Tuam would be that much more expensive by adding on this bit.

Also, why is the Gort interchange half a LILO and half a dumbell? Why not go for the full thing? (I'm sure there's a logical explanation, and sorry if it's been answered already).

Chris_5339762

Originally this scheme was to terminate at a roundabout, which would then be ripped up when the next bit is started. Really glad they did it they way they did as you will have an utterly seamless tie-in with no disruption whatsoever.

swoofer

for what its worth, the Clare Champion has the road closure mentioned this week, an insert by Clare Co Co, closed from 26th Otober to 7th November.

roll on the 12th.


gb--

parklands

Drove from Galway to Ennis last night.

Where and how will this road link with the N66?

At the roundabout at the end of the Motorway at the Northern end of the motorway The road into Gort is now signposted:

N66 Loughrea
Town centre

No brackets around the N66 - so safe to assume that this is where the N66 will terminate.


What is it with Galway towns and terrible road surfaces. Loughrea and Gort town main roads are in bits.

nordydan

Any plans for a N66 link bypassing Gort to the northeast, joining the new motorway to the Loughrea road?
Would make sense in a national context

L1011

nordydan wrote: »

Any plans for a N66 link bypassing Gort to the northeast, joining the new motorway to the Loughrea road?
Would make sense in a national context

More likely that the N66 will cease to be when the M18 is finished to Rathmorrisey. It also needs a (short) eastern 'bypass' of Loughrea if its being left there.

nordydan

MYOB wrote: »

More likely that the N66 will cease to be when the M18 is finished to Rathmorrisey. It also needs a (short) eastern 'bypass' of Loughrea if its being left there.

The Loughrea one is planned, couldn't find any info on any potential Gort Link Road