N22 - Macroom to Ballyvourney (Macroom Bypass) [open to traffic]

Water John

It's brutal ATM, it was absolutely brutal then.

imangry29

The update from Friday last, interesting (if optimistic?) last bullet on a 2019 start date. The use of the term "still hoped" is prob right .... although sod now turned on N4 Collooney-Castlebaldwin and N5 Westport-Turlough just a few months away. Here's just hoping that FF don't pull the plug before the start on this!

"N22 Macroom/Ballyvourney Project:
Construction of over 22kms of new national primary road bypassing both Macroom and Ballyvourney/Ballymakeera.

• The photograph below shows diversions of high voltage power lines by ESB crews in an area east of the Bohill River.
• The main high voltage power line diversion works required are near the western end of the scheme. Construction of an access track to facilitate these diversion works will get underway next week.
• It is still hoped that the main construction works will get underway before the end of this year."

Rows Grower

Water John wrote: »

It has been improved over the years.

I'm driving that road a long time and can't remember any improvements in the last 20 years, I do remember being diverted to the Millstreet road at one stage for a while but honestly can't remember today's road being any different than it was.

Maybe it's because I just zone out and drive the road on auto pilot.

hans aus dtschl

Rows Grower wrote: »

I'm driving that road a long time and can't remember any improvements in the last 20 years, I do remember being diverted to the Millstreet road at one stage for a while but honestly can't remember today's road being any different than it was.

Maybe it's because I just zone out and drive the road on auto pilot.

Even in the last 5 or 6 years the bends between Macroom and Ballyvourney have improved. The road immediately to the west of Macroom is the most recent bit I can think of.

On a related note, I always find it entertaining when people I know who are based in the Dublin area have cause to visit the SW. Many times I've been asked questions like "is this a back road", "am I on the wrong road", etc.

Chris_5339762

A very very quick look at the 1995 Aerial mapping on the OSI website... a few bends have been fixed but nothing on the scale that could have been done. Ah well, hopefully it'll start in Q1 2020... because I've learnt when they say "Q4 2019" things will actually kick off in Q1 2020.

spacetweek

I had a look at the Historic 6" map and this is the only place where I could definitely see an improvement. Rest of the bends look the same.

theguzman

spacetweek wrote: »

I had a look at the Historic 6" map and this is the only place where I could definitely see an improvement. Rest of the bends look the same.

Correct and that is all that has even been done to it, at that point two lorries or two coaches could not pass and might have to reverse. The Macroom Bypass has been spoken of since around 1986 so the prevailing attitude was it will do until it is bypassed.

AugustusMinimus

Surely the worst piece of National Primary Road in the country?

And yes, it was worse until about 10 years ago when certain sections were widened and straightened.

BelfastVanMan

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Surely the worst piece of National Primary Road in the country?

And yes, it was worse until about 10 years ago when certain sections were widened and straightened.

Parts of the N16 would run it close..

marno21

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Parts of the N16 would run it close..

True, but there is also the argument that the N22 carries 2-3x the traffic. However, stretches of road like this have no purpose on the national road network, let alone the national primary and TEN-T comprehensive network.

dmcsweeney

I noticed that there seem to be works going on north of the existing stretch to the north side of the road heading west out of Ballyvourney. There were a number of track machines and dumpers up there last Thursday when I was passing. Is this part of the N22 project?
Regards,
Dave

cantalach

dmcsweeney wrote: »

I noticed that there seem to be works going on north of the existing stretch to the north side of the road heading west out of Ballyvourney. There were a number of track machines and dumpers up there last Thursday when I was passing. Is this part of the N22 project?
Regards,
Dave

Yes. IIRC, that is part of advance works to divert HT power lines ahead of the main contract.

partyguinness

They widened the road over the County bounds in 1995/1996. I remember traveling it ever day to work during those summers and a few friends of mine had summer jobs on the road.

But that work came only a few years other major work in the early 90s.

The journey from around Ballyvourney to Killarney was a good 30-40 mins on the old road in the late 80s. Now down to 20mins.

Quackster

partyguinness wrote: »

They widened the road over the County bounds in 1995/1996. I remember traveling it ever day to work during those summers and a few friends of mine had summer jobs on the road.

But that work came only a few years other major work in the early 90s.

The journey from around Ballyvourney to Killarney was a good 30-40 mins on the old road in the late 80s. Now down to 20mins.

The Clonkeen section was the last part of the Killarney-Ballyvourney road to be upgraded and was completed in summer 1998.

theguzman

partyguinness wrote: »

They widened the road over the County bounds in 1995/1996. I remember traveling it ever day to work during those summers and a few friends of mine had summer jobs on the road.

But that work came only a few years other major work in the early 90s.

The journey from around Ballyvourney to Killarney was a good 30-40 mins on the old road in the late 80s. Now down to 20mins.

Around the same time they built a new section of road between the Kerryway (Curraglass then) to the John A. Wood Quarry outside Killarney.

partyguinness

theguzman wrote: »

Around the same time they built a new section of road between the Kerryway (Curraglass then) to the John A. Wood Quarry outside Killarney.

It was a bit of a strange one in some respects because it came only a few years after widening the sweeping left hand downhill bend just over the Kerry side of the border as you straighten up toward the former Kesmit House restaurant (which was completely killed by the new road). That was a decent place in its day.


In effect they bypassed the recently built new road. Bad planning somewhere back then.

dmcsweeney

[QUOTE=partyguinness;Kesmit House restaurant (which was completely killed by the new road). That was a decent place in its day.
.[/QUOTE]

Has the potential to be a goldmine again in a few years when the bypass is built. They'll be nowhere to eat bar the Kerry way and Mai Fitz's.

partyguinness

dmcsweeney wrote: »

Has the potential to be a goldmine again in a few years when the bypass is built. They'll be nowhere to eat bar the Kerry way and Mai Fitz's.

I suppose the problem it has is that if you are on your way to Killarney could you be bothered to stop when you are only maybe 15 mins away. You might as well keep going at that stage- that's what killed it 20 years ago. It would be a brave man to open the place again.

theguzman

Was the Kesmit House Restaurant that German looking house half way to the county bounds above beyond Clonkeen?

partyguinness

theguzman wrote: »

Was the Kesmit House Restaurant that German looking house half way to the county bounds above beyond Clonkeen?

Yes. I think the original owners were Dutch.

dmcsweeney

partyguinness wrote: »

I suppose the problem it has is that if you are on your way to Killarney could you be bothered to stop when you are only maybe 15 mins away. You might as well keep going at that stage- that's what killed it 20 years ago. It would be a brave man to open the place again.

I suppose that can be true or anywhere, but if you've come down the M8 first, or up the N25 you'd be on the road a while. A lot of people also eat close to home. If you think about that route, especially if you don't want the hassle of going off the motorway; Mai Fitzs is always jointed, Similarly with Dan Sheehan's, You're taking you're life into your hands going into Desmonds at the end of the ballincollig bypass (that is lethal with people pulling out and will end in a fatal accident) and most other places will be bypassed. If you do it right you can open anywhere, Toon's Bridge Dairy if you know it is living proof of that, but that entire route is very poorly served online. And if you're going past Killarney it's a pain to stop in there with traffic. The biggest missed opportunity on that road is the Mons Bar though. That could have made a fortune.

theguzman

partyguinness wrote: »

It was a bit of a strange one in some respects because it came only a few years after widening the sweeping left hand downhill bend just over the Kerry side of the border as you straighten up toward the former Kesmit House restaurant (which was completely killed by the new road). That was a decent place in its day.


In effect they bypassed the recently built new road. Bad planning somewhere back then.

https://www.google.ie/maps/@51.9778632,-9.2541664,1014m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

I heard before that it was unsafe for lorries due to the harshness of the bend and that was why they took the gentler curve outside it.

partyguinness

dmcsweeney wrote: »

I suppose that can be true or anywhere, but if you've come down the M8 first, or up the N25 you'd be on the road a while. A lot of people also eat close to home. If you think about that route, especially if you don't want the hassle of going off the motorway; Mai Fitzs is always jointed, Similarly with Dan Sheehan's, You're taking you're life into your hands going into Desmonds at the end of the ballincollig bypass (that is lethal with people pulling out and will end in a fatal accident) and most other places will be bypassed. If you do it right you can open anywhere, Toon's Bridge Dairy if you know it is living proof of that, but that entire route is very poorly served online. And if you're going past Killarney it's a pain to stop in there with traffic. The biggest missed opportunity on that road is the Mons Bar though. That could have made a fortune.

and there is no way you are going to tackle the centre of Macroom for say the Castle Hotel (as lovely and all the food is). The Mills in Ballyvourney is always jointed but that will go off grid.

partyguinness

theguzman wrote: »

https://www.google.ie/maps/@51.9778632,-9.2541664,1014m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

I heard before that it was unsafe for lorries due to the harshness of the bend and that was why they took the gentler curve outside it.

That's the one and the lane off to the left was a used to quarry material for it.

From memory there must have been only 6-7 years at most between finishing that upgrade before they started the new bend. Somebody took the eye off the ball. Perhaps it was just a temporary measure.

dmcsweeney

Anyone remember the cafe in the converted bus on the old road? Was very close to Kesmit. Think it was called the bun bus!

partyguinness

dmcsweeney wrote: »

Anyone remember the cafe in the converted bus on the old road? Was very close to Kesmit. Think it was called the bun bus!

I do. I never went in- it didnt last long but there was a previous incarnation a few years before (mid 80s). A red bus converted into an American style diner. Again gone in a few months.

theguzman

partyguinness wrote: »

and there is no way you are going to tackle the centre of Macroom for say the Castle Hotel (as lovely and all the food is). The Mills in Ballyvourney is always jointed but that will go off grid.

I'd travel to Cork fairly often (monthly or twice a month) and the Castle Hotel in Macroom is an absolutely way overpriced, just a plain ripoff, ate there early in January shortly after the introduction of the VAT increase, Mai Fitz's in Lissarda is almost as bad.

The Oven's bar Desmonds is by far better value to eat with plenty parking but it can be dangerous to get out of there unless you get a gap in the traffic.

dmcsweeney

partyguinness wrote: »

I do. I never went in- it didnt last long but there was a previous incarnation a few years before (mid 80s). A red bus converted into an American style diner. Again gone in a few months.

It's probably still parked in the same place. My memories of it would be from the early 80's going to Ballyheigue on holidays. My parents wouldn't stop there thought

partyguinness

theguzman wrote: »

I'd travel to Cork fairly often (monthly or twice a month) and the Castle Hotel in Macroom is an absolutely way overpriced, just a plain ripoff, ate there early in January shortly after the introduction of the VAT increase, Mai Fitz's in Lissarda is almost as bad.

The Oven's bar Desmonds is by far better value to eat with plenty parking but it can be dangerous to get out of there unless you get a gap in the traffic.

I have to admit I have not eaten in the Castle in a good few years having eaten there a good amount up to 7-8 years ago. The carvery at lunch time was always rock solid. TBH there isn't anywhere else in Macroom that I can remember.

dmcsweeney

[QUOTE=theguzman;The Oven's bar Desmonds is by far better value to eat with plenty parking but it can be dangerous to get out of there unless you get a gap in the traffic.[/QUOTE]

The trick the regulars use is to just pull out and accelerate gently up to 50 KPH. The worst I remember was returning from the airport one night after a business trip and a guy did it. I didn't even manage to get on the brakes, just swerved onto the cross hatchings. His reaction was to flash his lights continuously at me!