M20 - Cork to Limerick [preferred route chosen; in design - phase 3]

Rathduff16

Hi all,

Just seen the updated purple corridor. We are at the eastern edge of this new refined corridor, about 50 metres from current road.

It's stated that the proposed road will be typically centre of this new corridor. Hopefully, we are far enough away to avoid significant impact?

Can obviously check with the M20 team too. Last update in February with them was that we were 'low risk' and hopefully that is still the case.

We are situated half way between Mourneabbey and Rathduff.

Thanks,

Fabio

Width of new Cork-Limerick road to be reduced by more than half:

The width of the mainline road corridor between Limerick and Cork on the proposed N/M20 road project is to be reduced by over half in an update on the massive project, estimated to cost up to €1.5 billion, published by Transport Infrastructure Ireland today.

Reducing the width of the road corridor from 500 metres to 200 metres is one of the proposals put forward, as well as identifying a further reduction in the proposed fence line on the road.

In addition, expanding active travel infrastructure to encourage more walking and cycling along the route will increase from 80km to 100km, as well as improved transport and freight hubs, and improved public transport connections. Improved junctions and link roads are to be identified as part of the updated route.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2023/1127/1418691-route-corridor-announced-for-new-cork-limerick-road/

Chris_5339762

Awful wording from RTE. I await people saying "DOES THAT MEAN ITS NOT GOING TO BE MOTORWAY, ONLY SINGLE CARRIAGEWAY".

Its the general route corridor that has halved in width as they refine it. Nothing more than that RTE.

twinytwo

Newb question but what impact does reducing the road corridor by width actually mean in terms of the project?

They cant deviate more than 200 meters either side?

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423572#Comment_121423572

It means they are closer to finalising the exact route.

They start with a broad corridor from A to B and gradually narrow it as they rule in/rule out areas for routing the final road.

In simple terms - narrow corridor = good progress

prunudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423553#Comment_121423553

Awful standard of journalism in this country.

Mc Love

Just looking at that housing estate in Blarney, surely they wouldnt CPO them?

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423815#Comment_121423815

I'd imagine that'd be unlikely, can.see them sticking to current road route there

Kermit.de.frog

I think most have the feeling they are going to make a balls of this.

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423988#Comment_121423988

There's absolutely nothing to even hint at that.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121424165#Comment_121424165

There is. The bike salesman assured us it doesn't have to be motorway the whole way.

Cookiemunster

Ryan will have nothing to do with the final plan for the road. He'll be out of office before it even gets to ABP.

Pete_Cavan

The Side Road Corridor is odd, mostly shading over a few small sections of existing roads. I was expecting some stretches of new link roads, particularly where there will be online upgrades to tie together existing roads which would be severed.

The junction south of Charleville seems unnecessarily far south with no further road to serve the town.

Also hard to understand what is planned at Croom. I would have thought a single junction further north and a new road plus bridge heading east to link to the existing road would better distribute traffic.

KrisW1001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121424733#Comment_121424733

It doesn't have to be. Same as the middle bit of M18 or the Southern bit of M9 didn't have to be motorway. Same as N22 didn't have to be 2+2 west of Macroom. None of those decisions are supported by current or predicted traffic levels, and yet they were made.

About 25 km of this new N20 in South Limerick county will be very quiet, but reducing the cross section to type 2 for that bit only to increase it again on either side is less safe than just leaving it at type 1 throughout.

I can see the urban approach sections being at 100 km/h, but I'm fairly confident that we'll see Type 1 DC for the whole length of the scheme.

medoc

Great to see progress ongoing. The active travel areas along parts of the new route and old N20 look good. Hopefully they do a decent job on the M20/M21 junction with full access in all directions.

pajoguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121426052#Comment_121426052

I thought they would need to link the 2 half junctions at croom with a new link rd?

Limerick74

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121426052#Comment_121426052

The parallel link roads / access roads most likely fall within the 200m wide mainline corridor and only roads outside of that 200m corridor are highlighted with side road / link road corridors. There will have to be a link road between the two half junctions at Croom.

Pete_Cavan

What is the logic for two half junctions at Croom? Looks a messy solution and could force traffic from certain directions through the town in order to access the N20. Why not a single full junction further north linking to the existing road looping around the town?

Cookiemunster

Croom is already bypassed. The M20 will make zero difference to passing trade.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121427159#Comment_121427159

I think there is only one junction in Croom. However there is the replacement ordinary road beside the motorway. The Junction is where the present Southern Access to Croom. However the new ordinary road switches sides at this junction

pajoguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121427490#Comment_121427490

A certain Mr Brosnan owns the land south of the existing maigue bridge and east of current road.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121427576#Comment_121427576

There are two junctions on the map serving Croom, although each will only allow access to/from the N20 in one direction. The northern junction, where the existing Croom town N20 junction is, will be northbound only. The southern junction at Anhid will be southbound only. That's the proposal according to the map at least.

Chris_5339762

Could also be the need to keep the footprint of the new junctions within the current land originally CPOed for the Croom bypass. A big junction where the current one is may simply not fit.

ColemanY2K

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121416173#Comment_121416173

correct, don't know where i got the interciy info from.

pajoguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121428432#Comment_121428432

They will need to connect both junctions with a side road surely. they wont go east because of the old cork rd now a walkway. How come they hae not indicated a side road on map. will it fit within the 100m corridor also?

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423988#Comment_121423988

Well given your strike rate with persistent claims that the EU would shaft Ireland over Brexit, I’d put money on it being completed and completed well.

Limerick74

A full junction at the current junction location would cut through the new housing estate with southbound on ramp.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429820#Comment_121429820

God help the poor bastards living in that estate. They'll struggle to ever sell based on what I see around the Athlone bypass. The noise from passing traffic is a nightmare for folks living that close

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429851#Comment_121429851

It wont be that much worse compared to current situation there realistically.