N52 Tullamore Bypass to be fast-tracked

serfboard

OK, it's just a joke - but, with the taoiseach-to-be just waiting for his coronation, what are the chances?

ga2re2t

eh, 110% chance me thinks. And I'm saying that as an Offaly native

Irish and Proud

serfboard wrote: »

OK, it's just a joke - but, with the taoiseach-to-be just waiting for his coronation, what are the chances?

Actually, the N52 Tullamore By-pass is already started this year - according to www.transport21.ie!

So on this thread, April's Fool is April's Fool!!! :D:D

serfboard

Irish and Proud wrote: »

Actually, the N52 Tullamore By-pass is already started this year - according to www.transport21.ie!

Gosh, he works fast doesn't he - he's not even in the job yet and he's already delivered

Any chance he could get us two train lines as far as Athlone? After all, that runs right through his heartland (Tullamore & Clara). I won't hold my breath, though ...

Mailman

The bypass is a simple enough project and pivotal for the spatialisation project.
Apart from cutting through Ballard bog the rest of the land is pretty easy to work. They'll be digging through enough eskers and gravel deposits to provide foundations for the project.

I don't see them needing to rush the project as it will be easily ready in time for the next election as will the swimming pool.

Cowen's next pressing issue is to get the new Tullamore hospital open and it must be a source of major embarassment to him to have a hospital built but empty because of budget cutbacks. He'll prioritise this before other projects once he is boss.

ga2re2t

Mailman wrote: »

Cowen's next pressing issue is to get the new Tullamore hospital open and it must be a source of major embarassment to him to have a hospital built but empty because of budget cutbacks. He'll prioritise this before other projects once he is boss.

The hospital is open, it's just not working at full capacity. I know a nurse who works there.

The last time I looked (about 2 weeks ago), construction on the Tullamore bypass hasn't started yet. The land is acquired and the route is fenced. However, I think the project is still out to tender.

Mailman

only a few weeks ago there was a report in the Tullamore tribune that it was costing 40K a week to heat the empty hospital. Just over the weekend heard they haven't got enough ambulance drivers.

Yes it is fenced off. The web sites I googled for it said it was at tender stage too. My home place is about half a mile away from the bypass. It will take 5 or 10 minutes off my journey time to the far side of Tullamore even though it is less direct than going through the town or using the existing bypass.

invincibleirish

Mailman wrote: »

and pivotal for the spatialisation project.

Great to see they still believe the NSS is worth the paper its written on down in the FF heartlands.

road_high

About time this got fast tracked, Cowen or not. the N80 should be upgraded to National primary standard too imho.

ga2re2t

mfitzy wrote: »

About time this got fast tracked, Cowen or not. the N80 should be upgraded to National primary standard too imho.

It is indeed a very strategic road, but not more than certain other routes (e.g. N20, N24, N52). It will be a while, I imagine, before these routes really get the investment necessary. The main focus at the moment is to finish the inter-urban routes and the Atlantic corridor by 2015. Then the focus is expected to shift to public transport (it's kind of already starting to shift that way), but I imagine the national secondary routes will start to get a bigger slice of the pie. But I wouldn't count on any major improvements with the N80 in the near future. It'll probably be closer to 2020 before it gets a full facelift.

rekrow

ga2re2t wrote: »

It is indeed a very strategic road, but not more than certain other routes (e.g. N20, N24, N52).

I agree it is strategic in that it is a North-East South-West route. But the NRA traffic counters at Delvin (nearest I can see) there are about 4 to 5000 traffic movements per day. Also Tullamore is semi bypassed already. You can turn right coming from Mullingar and it brings you out at the train station on the Nenagh/Birr road. Politics makes me sick!

ga2re2t

The NRA website now has the Tullamore bypass marked as being under construction:
http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/OffalyCountyCouncil/N52TullamoreBypass/SchemeName,14490,en.html

The contractor is a consortium of UK based Graham and Tyrone based PT McWilliams:
http://www.graham.co.uk/index.php/news/article/graham-pt-mcwilliams-announce-45-million-contract-to-build-bypass/
(guess who's in the photo)

The contract is worth 45 million euros.

road_high

rekrow wrote: »

I agree it is strategic in that it is a North-East South-West route. But the NRA traffic counters at Delvin (nearest I can see) there are about 4 to 5000 traffic movements per day. Also Tullamore is semi bypassed already. You can turn right coming from Mullingar and it brings you out at the train station on the Nenagh/Birr road. Politics makes me sick!

But that "bypass" is a joke, handier stick it out and go down the main street.
This bypass is long overdue imho and great it has got under finally as Tullamore is a crossroads for the midlands. And Delvin traffic counts have nothing got to do with Tullamore.

Now, anyone know whats happening, if anyhting with the MMellick relief road? Thought it was to start last year

Victor

There is other stuff on the N52 (in Westmeath N4-N6) here: http://www.wccprojectoffice.ie/new/download_cat.asp?cat=8&dlCat=N52CB

Victor

http://www.transport21.ie/Projects/Roads/N52_Tullamore_By_Pass.html

Damn, thats a big bridge across the Grand Canal.

invincibleirish

Victor wrote: »

http://www.transport21.ie/Projects/Roads/N52_Tullamore_By_Pass.html

Damn, thats a big bridge across the Grand Canal.

Brian Cowen Bridge ftw.

also think its a photo of the bridge in Waterford?

Bards

invincibleirish wrote: »

Brian Cowen Bridge ftw.

also think its a photo of the bridge in Waterford?

already discussed below a couple of weeks ago

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055251737&page=3

Victor

I e-mail the WCC Project office for a better map - all the junctions seem to be at grade roundabouts.

ga2re2t

Victor wrote: »

I e-mail the WCC Project office for a better map - all the junctions seem to be at grade roundabouts.

Ridiculous! Goes completely against the consultants' report which cautioned against such junctions on a bypass of this nature for safety reasons. The consultants used NRA guidelines in all their assesments and Offaly Co. Co. (and therefore local politicians) seem to have given the long finger to those guidelines.

serfboard

ga2re2t wrote: »

Offaly Co. Co. (and therefore local politicians) seem to have given the long finger to those guidelines.

Would that be the long one-finger or the long two-fingers?;)

spacetweek

Victor wrote: »

I e-mail the WCC Project office for a better map - all the junctions seem to be at grade roundabouts.

Really? Sounds like they plan on making the road a local distributor for the town as opposed to a proper bypass.