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

cantalach

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119973206#Comment_119973206

I’m very happy about this early opening with Christmas family travel west on the cards, but I can’t see how it’s legal. The city council partially closed the road I live in for two days last year to put in speed bumps and even that required lots of “process” over the preceding months - notices published in the paper, etc. There are always provisions for councils to undertake emergency works without planning permission but this would hardly meet the definition of an emergency.

Brendan75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119973284#Comment_119973284

There is a legal duty of care on the developer, Cork County Council, to ensure the public safety of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians at this unauthorised junction and roundabout (without planning permission). Cork County Council may be liable in negligence because it is well known, including on this forum, that people are very apprehensive about vehicles coming down at high speed into this unauthorised junction, which was not in the original planning authorisation.

yerwanthere123

View from Clonfadda overbridge today (Thursday), the day before opening. Last time I'll be seeing the road this quiet!

kub

Just listening to a Cork County Council offical speaking right now on Morning Ireland.

He said it was the contractor that approached them earlier this year with the idea of the partial opening.

Hopefully that corrects some political stunt suggestions

KrisW1001

I think I was the only person on here making the suggestion that it was a stunt. But: it was only the reworking of the road to create a temporary junction that I thought was a political stunt. Partial openings are fine, but this still looked like messing around.

But if they were approached earlier this year, why didn’t the Council do their part and get the legal bits sorted? If there really is no planning here, it means that if anything were to happen at this junction, the injured parties could take the council to the cleaners for allowing an illegal construction. (I actually think there is some kind of legal permission in place, but it isn’t visible in the normal places, and that’s a bad sign)

And before anyone starts piling on: I'm really happy that this section of the road is opening. I just think the way it’s happened has been a bit of a shambles.

Salvadoor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119972319#Comment_119972319

Who are FFG?

Salvadoor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119974334#Comment_119974334

Like SF-IRA you mean?

Brendan75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119973917#Comment_119973917

Agreed, there has to be transparency in all planning permissions otherwise there may be allegations of abuse of power, corruption and other forms of skullduggery.

mydiscworld

https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2022/1209/1340865-macroom-bypass-cork/

Taoiseach opens 8km Macroom bypass in Co Cork

KrisW1001

The words ”no way they’re letting Varadkar have it” were used in the story that I heard when this partial opening was first mentioned, and the odd date did suggest that they were working to a gap in someone’s diary, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that An Taoiseach Micheál Martin is doing the blather and cut this morning..

marno21

MOD: Lads keep the abbreviations **** out of here, especially on a day like today. Take it to Twitter where it belongs.

Of all days can we not be negative on this thread today.

KrisW1001

@yerwanthere123 's photo would have made a much better pic than the one RTÉ chose for the story above, where the angle makes it look like the road is unevenly surfaced - it’s far from it.

It’s a really impressive piece of construction, and the western side will be even more so. The terrain here is probably the most difficult of any major road project. It’s just a shame we can’t get Ovens-Macroom lined up to fill the big gap that this scheme will now leave in the N22.

Apogee

Early preview

https://twitter.com/BGriffinTD/status/1601198922663268353

Salvadoor

De official part

https://twitter.com/EoinBearla/status/1601185038057754626

cork_south

An elderly lady has been killed by a lorry on main Street in Macroom. RIP.

eeepaulo

I just drove along the bypass, lovely road. Big chunks of sheer rock by the sides showing the work they put in. Wouldn't fancy using the millstreet turn heading west during rush hour. Sorry heading East, went up it to avoid town, didnt notice the west one.

There are gardai at the coolcower roundabout and the millstreet road trying to divert as many as possible away from the town because of that accident.

How long until google maps update roads usually?

TeaPot918

Just on it heading west, already people are ignoring the stop signs and driving straight on at the junction.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975125#Comment_119975125

Awful to hear on what should be a great day for the town. The prick in me says if only they hadn't done the ribbon cutting exercise but on the flip side, at least there's a good road diverting traffic now (scant consolation to the family).

Sounds like a good road anyway, lot of dynamite used. Must trek west as an excuse to use it now.

road_high

I understand it’s just the Macroom bypass element opening today? I’ve hardly ever needed to use that road thank god but isn’t Ballyvourney bad enough too?

peter.teahan

20221209 Macroom RIP.png

Sad start to what should have been a great day for Macroom. RIP

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975125#Comment_119975125

Horrible thing yo happen today and a reminder of how important these schemes are for road safety

rye_212

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119938366#Comment_119938366

Ah yeah. Tiz well known that the original N22 was laid down 2000 years ago by an immigrant crew supplied by the middle-east family business "Jesus, Mary and Joseph Roadworks Ltd". I heard Jesus himself was responsible for rolling the stones away.

AugustusMinimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975125#Comment_119975125

Very sad proof that opening this scheme early was the right thing to do. RIP.

confidentjosh

Nobody is saying here that opening the eastern part of the scheme wasn't a good idea. Of course its a no brainer.

The debate centres around the issue of the temporary roundabout at Carrigaphooca. There has been clear political manoeuvring to get this unauthorised junction tacked onto the end of it. Like has been said above I hope Cork CC have covered themselves with regard to the planning status of this unplanned junction. If they haven't there could be serious legal issues arising as a result.

I will also add my condolences in relation to todays fatality. Lets hope thats the last ever roads related fatality in the town centre. RIP.

spacetweek

The RTE article linked above says the rest of the scheme won't open until early 2024. Previously the opening date was guided at Q2 2023 - quite a slippage.

confidentjosh

DroneHawks latest video

https://youtu.be/E3Rjf11tKaw

yerwanthere123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119978145#Comment_119978145

Never at any stage was it supposed to open in Q2 2023. It was always expected to take 3.5 years to build, with an expected opening date in Q3/4 2023. Since covid it seems to have bounced back and forth between Q4 2023 / early 2024, so worst case scenario we're potentially looking at it opening around three months behind schedule. With everything that's happened in the world since construction started back in early 2020, I'd say that's pretty good going.

AugustusMinimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119977507#Comment_119977507

1 person on here has consistently stated that it’s a bad idea.

KrisW1001

Who?

cantalach

Pretty impressive how quickly OSM gets new roads shown compared to Google Maps.