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

dmeehan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119597719#Comment_119597719

Anyone got a link for this?

rounders

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119603887#Comment_119603887

https://www.facebook.com/michaelcreedtd

KrisW1001

If you’d rather not hear (several times) about just how instrumental Mr Creed was in this project, he mentions the tie-in locations at 1’26” in the Facebook video posted above.

yerwanthere123

View today from Clonfadda Bridge, looking west towards Carrigaphooca.

dmeehan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119606678#Comment_119606678

this comment became immediately relevant upon watching the video from the start

confidentjosh

Here's a very good recent update video:

https://youtu.be/A4FQDj4hu_M

CB19Kevo

Is there any update as to when a tie in can be expected and the location?

KrisW1001

Scroll up six posts: Local TD Michael Creed has said that it'll be "before the end of the year", at Carrigaphuca.

Chris_5339762

This does seem to be confirmed by where the surfacing and finishing works seem to have stopped. I say this as I wouldn't trust anything a politician says!

How this tie-in will actually be achieved is still a mystery to all.

KrisW1001

I am sceptical of Carrigaphuca, but fairly sure that the new road will be open at least as far as Millstreet Road by the end of the year.

Chris_5339762

I took the bull by the horns and emailed them, asking. Got a reply back from a very helpful gentleman. I'm sure they look at this thread themselves too so I won't post it.

The gist of it is that despite recent rumours and announcements, nothing is officially confirmed and everything is still at the discussion phase. Nor is the tie-in location officially confirmed. Reading between the lines I'd say they can't say any more than that.

However Carrigphooca is being looked at and a temporary roundabout there is has potential where the two roads are parallel, just west of the bridge. I certainly got the impression that it is doable. He also mentioned that an announcement may be made shortly.

cantalach

As I’ve said before, an opening as far as Carrigaphooca might be legally difficult. Planning permission was never sought for a junction at that location so it would be “unplanned development” as the term goes. If I can’t knock an 800mm wide pedestrian entrance in the garden wall of my house without planning permission, they surely won’t be able to do that, even if temporary. I genuinely hope I’m wrong but rules are rules.

KrisW1001

... and your garden gate won't constitute a traffic hazard.

theguzman

The first layer of ashphalt was going down at the section in Carrigaphooka where the roads are almost the same level, to me it looks very unlikely there will be any tie in there and it will be the Millstreet road option, I hope I'm wrong but we will see.

holdfast

Good point on the planning, plus it around the land owner that took the case to stop the road for years.

arsebiscuits82

Must be something planned, the road markings are down now. They’re wouldn’t be done too early for fear of getting them damaged by site plant

KrisW1001

Where are the road-markings down? Coolcower or Carraigaphuca? It's almost certain that Coolcower to Millstreet road will open soon. The uncertainty is whether the section between Millstreet Road and the crossing point of the old and new roads at Carraigaphuca will also be included.

marno21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119692081#Comment_119692081

Road markings seem to be down from Coolcower to Millstreet Road, work ongoing on the central barrier too.

Going by the Macroom Notice Board Facebook group it seems like it’ll be opening from Coolcower to Carrigaphooca with a temporary tie in at Carrigaphooca.

Not sure how it’ll work in practice but that seems to be the rumour anyway.

KrisW1001

I really can't see how they can do a safe tie-in. Happy to be proven wrong, of course...

But if the central barrier is going in, that suggests a full opening, at 100 km/h, which is fantastic news.

marno21

https://youtu.be/Nth2C2iaB6Q

Getting very close now

AugustusMinimus

Surprised a concrete central barrier isn’t being used. It would be much safer for motorcyclists.

Imeacht gan teacht ort

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119695932#Comment_119695932

The new compact metal barriers are the safest of all, that's why they're using them from now on on Type 2 DCs.

AugustusMinimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119696419#Comment_119696419

Could a motorcyclist not hit one of the uprights?

Imeacht gan teacht ort

I think that the barriers on each side are so close to each other that it's too small a gap.

Chris_5339762

Type 2 DCs (like this) get jersey barriers, only motorways get concrete barriers.

This hardening of the rules basically came in when the M6 Ballinasloe to Athlone was built with a jersey barrier and AFAIK the contractor wouldn't change it and nor did they have to. So rules were put in place for other schemes.

No more wire barriers.

cantalach

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119695681#Comment_119695681

Wow! Really is ready to go. Only to-do is finishing the access roads at the Millstreet Road junction.

KrisW1001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119697526#Comment_119697526

Jersey barriers are the concrete type. The metal barriers are generally called “Armco” (although that’s a trademark; it’s the name of the American company that first made this type of metal fencing). I believe the catch-all technical term for these barriers is “Vehicle Restraint Systems” (VRS).

As long as a barrier meets a particular technical standard, it can be used. TII does recommend the Jersey type for motorways, I suspect because of it’s very low maintenance in the event of a crash.

The “2+2 sized” dual-carriageway Waterford ring road (R710) uses a jersey barrier rather than a metal fence.

I'm not sure I like the fact that there's no emergency lane. One could easily be rear-ended at speed in the event of a breakdown.

KrisW1001

There are lay-bys every few km:

Even outside of these, the verge is wide enough to pull over onto. It's hard to get an idea of how wide the road is with no cars on it, but there is room.

The sight-lines are so long on this road that anyone who rear-ended you at speed would have had about a minute or so to pick the exact spot where they wanted to hit your car.

hans aus dtschl

I'd prefer the concrete barriers for no other reason than it goes some way towards blocking the view of opposing traffic and headlights.