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

Apogee

Irish Times wrote:

The Government is committed to delivering on a near €300 million piece of infrastructure on the N22 which will improve connectivity between Cork and Kerry and reduce travel times by around 15 minutes, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has pledged.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/government-committed-to-funding-280-million-macroom-bypass-minister-1.4000473

Irish Times wrote:

Once construction work actually commences on the project, it will take three and a half years to complete but it is expected the Macroom section, providing a diversion around the town, could be completed and opened earlier.

Is this likely?

marno21

Apogee wrote: »

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/government-committed-to-funding-280-million-macroom-bypass-minister-1.4000473



Is this likely?

The build back near Ballyvourney will be tough, there is some bog, massive excavations required, and the terrain between the towns is quite difficult.

Sponge Bob over on SSC commented about the advance works and Kerry slug rehoming potentially delaying a start around Ballyvourney too, which may explain the delay.

What I'm having difficulty with is the €280m price tag. Are they planning on paving the road with gold tarmacadam? The N4 project in Sligo which is 2+2 also is coming in around €4m per km. That price suggests €12.7m per km for this scheme, some of which is on totally flat land.

Apogee

marno21 wrote: »

The build back near Ballyvourney will be tough, there is some bog, massive excavations required, and the terrain between the towns is quite difficult.

Sponge Bob over on SSC commented about the advance works and Kerry slug rehoming potentially delaying a start around Ballyvourney too, which may explain the delay.

I was wondering more whether it's likely the by-pass around Macroom town will be done as a standalone thing earlier than the final 3.5 yr deadline?

cantalach

marno21 wrote: »

That price suggests €12.7m per km for this scheme, some of which is on totally flat land.

The key word there is "some". As a cyclist married to a woman from Clondrohid, I can tell you the whole area is extremely challenging for road construction. Sure, the existing N22 between Macroom and the Halfway pub is mostly flat. But the new route runs to the north of the town and much of that flatter road. It is very undulating up there and the new route crosses the Millstreet road at a relatively deep glen ("the Glen"). There are then a number of km to the south of the existing N22 in boggy, boulder-strewn, flood-prone land by the Sullane before the new route crosses back over to bypass Ballyvourney on the north side. That's the side of Mullaghanish we're talking about there. Take a drive up the road by the side of the Mills and you'll see what I mean. Better still, cycle it! And throughout the whole length of the route, we're talking about a *lot* of rock. Hey there's a good reason for the saying, "east of Macroom for a husband, west of Macroom for a wife."

Roadrunner99

Will the whole project still be done inside the 3 and a half years as there saying or will the ballyvourney side be outside of that time frame?

imangry29

The undulating, rocky nature of a lot of the new route will definitely inflate price, plus there's a considerable number of structures - 18 road bridges (over and under), 24 accommodation structures and culverts galore. The eastern end of the new road at Coolcour is not so far away from landing in water. Better to see a relatively high price now so Cabinet aren't spooked later and ensure we're not in Dunkettle territory. Given how overdue this scheme is, €280m would be a worthy (if expensive) price tag for the benefits it will bring to Cork and Kerry.

Did not see the updated Cork RDO website previously. Links to EIS and route map better advertised than before.... roll on a dedicated project website!
https://www.corkrdo.ie/news/forbairt-bothair-n22-baile-bhuirne-maigh-chromtha/

highwaymaniac

marno21 wrote: »

The build back near Ballyvourney will be tough, there is some bog, massive excavations required, and the terrain between the towns is quite difficult.

Sponge Bob over on SSC commented about the advance works and Kerry slug rehoming potentially delaying a start around Ballyvourney too, which may explain the delay.

What I'm having difficulty with is the €280m price tag. Are they planning on paving the road with gold tarmacadam? The N4 project in Sligo which is 2+2 also is coming in around €4m per km. That price suggests €12.7m per km for this scheme, some of which is on totally flat land.

€280m will be the total budget for the project incl. vat design costs,advance works, land purchase, risk and contingency are all included in this, for N4 Colloney Castlebaldwin job the total is €150m so that is €10.7m per km. As Imangry29 has said, a very high number of structures on this one plus being a year later construction inflation will have impacted and no doubt the Kerry Slug will have added a few million direct and indirect cost etc. No gold pavement or anything like it, it is an expensive scheme but to be expected given the terrain.

highwaymaniac

Roadrunner99 wrote: »

Will the whole project still be done inside the 3 and a half years as there saying or will the Ballyvourney side be outside of that time frame?

The whole project will be scheduled to be done within that time frame. 9km approx out of the 22km could get Macroom bypass sorted - could certainly have advantages for eastbound traffic, getting this section open in 2 years would be very doable.

Sixsandsevens

Funding not yet secured according to Mr Creed..before cabinet in a few weeks so cannot be awarded until then.

Water John

Hoping we won't feel Brexit wobbles.

marno21

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/153552/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Tender out for site clearance along the route.

Cork Trucker

marno21 wrote: »

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/153552/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Tender out for site clearance along the route.

How soon after the deadline passes will these works be expected to begin? will it break ground by Christmas as a result or is that far too optimistic?

marno21

There is a road running parallel to Main Street in Macroom on the other side of the river, Google Maps has it down as the Mill Road. It’s often used by rat runners (including me) to avoid the town Centre at peak times.

Does anyone local know what’s happening this roadafter the bypass is built? The bypass seems to run on top of the road near the Mill and there doesn’t seem to be much room for both

Water John

Don't know, its the Coolehane Rd. This branches off the road to Aghinagh and that will have to be accommodated as well, also crossing the Sullane at the same point.
A bridge overpass would be the most logical, sweeping down from the hill west of Bealack Mill and over the whole lot.

Rows Grower

I use that short cut all the time, there's a good few houses on that route so the road will have to be left open.

Cork Trucker

I think i know the road in question, as mentioned above there are houses there. It's a bit similar to the old Mallow Road just by the bridge where the Sunset Ridge is, the old road runs next to the new road due to houses but is a cul de sac, again in a similar fashion the same thing is done in Ovens where the Lakewood soccer club is/ old meets new but the old is a cul de sac having had a section of it taking to incorporate into the new road while still giving local access.

Roadrunner99

Anyone know when the contractor who won the tender for this project will be announced? Thought it was going to be this month?

Water John

Wouldn't know, but my hunch would be that Brexit 31st Oct would have to be dealt with first. I know Creed could do with some good news as the beef strike is doing him a lot of damage.
Off topic, heard a question being posed a few days ago of, would Danny Healy Rae's daughter run in Cork NW? She teaches in Bandon.

serfboard

Water John wrote: »

Off topic, heard a question being posed a few days ago of, would Danny Healy Rae's daughter run in Cork NW? She teaches in Bandon.

The child of an existing politician? Check. A teacher? Check.

The Dail is full of either. If she's both, it sounds like she can't lose.

dmcsweeney

Water John wrote: »

Wouldn't know, but my hunch would be that Brexit 31st Oct would have to be dealt with first. I know Creed could do with some good news as the beef strike is doing him a lot of damage.
Off topic, heard a question being posed a few days ago of, would Danny Healy Rae's daughter run in Cork NW? She teaches in Bandon.

Another generation or two and they'll have enough seats to form their own majority government

annfield1978

Jons/ Craddock have won this subject to alcatel period

highwaymaniac

annfield1978 wrote: »

Jons/ Craddock have won this subject to alcatel period

So not roadbridge then as claimed on here!!

annfield1978

highwaymaniac wrote: »

So not roadbridge then as claimed on here!!

nowhere near!!

InGoochWeTrust

annfield1978 wrote: »

Jons/ Craddock have won this subject to alcatel period

Source?

Quackster

InGoochWeTrust wrote: »

Source?

Heard the same a few weeks ago.

marno21

annfield1978 has a very impressive track record of posting here without authoritative sources, so I won’t question it for a second.

It’s a bit odd those two getting such a big scheme being such small fish but all the best to them. Can’t wait to see diggers on the ground

serfboard

marno21 wrote: »

It’s a bit odd those two getting such a big scheme being such small fish but all the best to them.

Would you prefer if BAM got it? Because the Taoiseach wouldn't!

Leo Varadkar wrote:

There are one or two contractors who, quite frankly, I would not like to see get a public contract again in this State.

marno21

serfboard wrote: »

Would you prefer if BAM got it? Because the Taoiseach wouldn't!

I have no issue with them getting it just surprised is all.

annfield1978

marno21 wrote: »

I have no issue with them getting it just surprised is all.

BAM Wills were lowest but part of tender competition favour contractors closet to the average price

Cork Trucker

annfield1978 wrote: »

BAM Wills were lowest but part of tender competition favour contractors closet to the average price

Never heard of Wills, but if BAM got it we'd be still here in 2119 waiting for it.

Kevwoody

Cork Trucker wrote:

Never heard of Wills, but if BAM got it we'd be still here in 2119 waiting for it.

Wills Bros are one of the largest road building companies in Ireland.

Cork Trucker

Kevwoody wrote: »

Wills Bros are one of the largest road building companies in Ireland.

Do they trade under a different name?

KOR101

Cork Trucker wrote: »

Do they trade under a different name?

http://www.willsbros.com/

Cork Trucker

KOR101 wrote: »

http://www.willsbros.com/

I can’t for the life of me place them

marno21

Cork Trucker wrote: »

Never heard of Wills, but if BAM got it we'd be still here in 2119 waiting for it.

I have yet to see any issues with BAM on a road project. They’ve completed all their recent road contracts with no issues (N25 New Ross aside which is a tricky build)

L1011

Wills had a very strong reputation for speed and quality during the MIU rollout

Cork Trucker

marno21 wrote: »

I have yet to see any issues with BAM on a road project. They’ve completed all their recent road contracts with no issues (N25 New Ross aside which is a tricky build)

They are just out of their depth with the Cork Events Centre then?

Quackster

Cork Trucker wrote: »

They are just out of their depth with the Cork Events Centre then?

BAM have a bad reputation for pricing low and then screwing with a long list of extras at the end. Their work is undeniably to standard though. Wills did a number of projects for us in Kerry over the years.

Sixsandsevens

Very strange to give such a big scheme to small-sized contractors like Jons/Craddocks. They will be busy Jons have another road job in Meath I hear.

serfboard

Quackster wrote: »

BAM have a bad reputation for pricing low and then screwing with a long list of extras at the end.

Indeed - the Taoiseach said as much in the Dail when he stated that "companies have been low-balling" the State when bidding for major projects.

annfield1978 wrote: »

BAM Wills were lowest but part of tender competition favour contractors closet to the average price

I think that this is a very interesting development. This indicates that the state has learned, to its cost, not to pick the lowest tender.

road_high

Had the “pleasure” for the first time driving this road- god it’s an horrific stretch of awful unrelenting crap road. I’d have to say it’s worse than say the old N9 between Kilkenny and Waterford which was my national primary benchmark of terrible roads- it’s narrower and more winding with two never ending small towns either end. Must be accidents on it a lot. The 80kmh limit doesn’t even feel comfortable or safe. Most of the upgraded bits out from Killarney are great though

Truckermal

I heard today that John Paul construction have the job.

Cork Trucker

Truckermal wrote: »

I heard today that John Paul construction have the job.

Any chance they'll break ground by year's end?

tonc76

Truckermal wrote: »

I heard today that John Paul construction have the job.

Nope! John Cradock Ltd /Jons Civil Engineering JV are the preferred bidder

Cork Trucker

Truckermal wrote: »

I heard today that John Paul construction have the job.

tonc76 wrote: »

Nope! John Cradock Ltd /Jons Civil Engineering JV are the preferred bidder

tonc76

Cork Trucker wrote: »

Someone mixing up their Johns/Jons

Truckermal

tonc76 wrote: »

Nope! John Cradock Ltd /Jons Civil Engineering JV are the preferred bidder

Oops that was it I did met him in the pub after a few scoops!

spacetweek

Fingers crossed for end of year and that the snails can be accommodated!

Water John

Those are Kerry snails, the responsibility of the Healy Raes.

Cork Trucker

The Kerry Slug that lives in Cork, mother of god :rolleyes: