M6 - Ballinasloe to Galway

EAFC_rdfl

it diverted around mid october at aughrim. its moving quick enough the past week, don't think it will be long til the overbridge work begins, as I think the digging seems to be nearly complete. signs up on the east side of balinasloe stating a new road layout will be in place from this friday. must be to do with the roundabout they have been working on

Emerate

Hi does anyone have any estimates of how long it would take to drive from athenry to Ballinasloe once the motorway is completed? thanks:)

KevR

Athenry-Ballinasloe will take roughly 20 minutes when the motorway is done if you're driving at the 120kmh speed limit.

Obviously it will take longer if you're averaging a lesser speed or less time if you drive slightly over the limit.

Chris_533976

Fools.

I've just realised, looking at Google Earth pics, that there is no scope in place for the (possible) M6 junction with the Galway Outer Bypass. Which means that about a km of this scheme will have to be ripped to bits if/when whats been approved of the bypass gets built.

Morons.

KevR

kaizersoze wrote: »

Serious work to do there. It's all bog. They've been digging that out for at least 6 weeks and no end in sight. I'd say t'll be along time before we see any structure appearing there.

Can see things taking a bit of shape there now. It was a complete mess up until recently, it was hard to figure out what was being done there by looking at it but it's shaping up now.

Hopefully they'll be ready to start on the structure in a few weeks.

kaizersoze

KevR wrote: »

Can see things taking a bit of shape there now. It was a complete mess up until recently, it was hard to figure out what was being done there by looking at it but it's shaping up now.

Hopefully they'll be ready to start on the structure in a few weeks.

It's a bit wierd there. They seem to have all done (ie ramps, road levels, etc) except for the structure.

The first overbridge that I'm aware of (open to correction) on the scheme was completed and opened on Thursday at Barnacragh. It's just east of that N6 crossing. The Liscappul road was also closed permanently aswell. Local traffic from that road now join the N6 via a new link road and under the new underbridge at Mackney.
Work has also started on the western interchange structure at Mackney and the new footbridge nearby looks set to start.

Things are moving along nicely now. Base course and asphalt has also been laid from the N6 crossing heading west, almost as far as the toll plaza site at Cappataggle.

kaizersoze

Updated the gallery with some new pics.

Batching plant Cappataggle.

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Overbridge on N6 at Aughrim.

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Suck bridge progress.

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Toll Plaza Cappataggle.

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dubhthach

Good to see the progress on the Suck Bridge, wonder if they will be able to finish the "Ballinasloe bypass" section in time for the opening of "Athlone-Ballinasloe" ?

It would definetly make life easier.

GerardKeating

dubhthach wrote: »

Good to see the progress on the Suck Bridge, wonder if they will be able to finish the "Ballinasloe bypass" section in time for the opening of "Athlone-Ballinasloe" ?

It would definetly make life easier.

Nope, the bridge is part of a seperate scheme and will open with the Galway-Ballinasloe section.

kaizersoze

dubhthach wrote: »

Good to see the progress on the Suck Bridge, wonder if they will be able to finish the "Ballinasloe bypass" section in time for the opening of "Athlone-Ballinasloe" ?

It would definetly make life easier.

Gerard is correct, it won't be opening early. Even if the bridge was finished in time the western junction has barely started and the stretch between the 2 structures has a long way to go before it gets any type of road surface.

There's a big push on the bridge because once Athlone - Ballinasloe opens it will be their only access to their bit on the east of the river.

KevR

Excellent pictures kaizersoze!

You should put a couple of them up on the M6 Wikipedia page (a picture of the Suck Bridge and one of your pictures of the Athlone-Ballinasloe scheme would add to the page a lot). I have a couple of pictures (which I should really update...) from the Galway-Ballinalsoe scheme up there.

spacetweek

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Fools.

I've just realised, looking at Google Earth pics, that there is no scope in place for the (possible) M6 junction with the Galway Outer Bypass. Which means that about a km of this scheme will have to be ripped to bits if/when whats been approved of the bypass gets built.

Morons.

Easy with the temper!

In the map that I drew of it, the interchange zone is surrounded by empty land. Looks like the interchange could just be slotted in no probs.

flazio

Are they really going to open all of Ballinasloe to Galway in one go or are they going to go as far as the Loughrea turn off or Athenry first?

Chris_533976

Guesswork - one go. Progress seems to be reasonably constant throughout, from the pics I've seen.

flazio

flazio wrote: »

Are they really going to open all of Ballinasloe to Galway in one go or are they going to go as far as the Loughrea turn off or Athenry first?

There would be little incentive in part opening the motorway if the traffic then has to divert off half way and take a longer journey.
Not to mention the issue of paying a toll for half a road - or not paying depending which end opens first, another reason the Ballinasloe bypass won't open early.

KevR

kaizersoze wrote: »

Overbridge on N6 at Aughrim.

Saw a cement truck with a big long pumping arm there this morning pumping cement into the foundations which are shown in the far side of this picture.

Also, the big huge drainage pipe (which you can't see in this image) is almost fully encased in a huge concrete block.

Probably see things taking a lot more shape here in the next few weeks.

kaizersoze

KevR wrote: »

Saw a cement truck with a big long pumping arm there this morning pumping cement into the foundations which are shown in the far side of this picture.

Also, the big huge drainage pipe (which you can't see in this image) is almost fully encased in a huge concrete block.

Probably see things taking a lot more shape here in the next few weeks.

Thats the start of the western abutment. Formwork and steel were in place when I was there on Sunday.
It looks like things are finally moving there alright.

Afaik, that big drain pipe in the foreground is actually an animal underpass.

KevR

Yikes! Looking at the photo I mistook the drainpipe for the Eastern foundations of the bridge!

But, yeah, that pipe is almost fully encased now. They're a few weeks at it.

kaizersoze

10/05/09. M6 Ballinasloe to Galway. Video at double speed.
Covering ~9kms heading west from accommadation underbridge at Mackney Ballinasloe to Newcastle overbridge near Cappataggle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6vO7O8Vir0

Amtmann

LOL you were stopped in your tracks there at the end!

Another excellent film. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a thousand pictures.

Security seems really lax on that site. Did you encounter any contractors working there, kaizer?

murphaph

I hope you were using a 4x4 and not your mother's Nissan Micra for that Kaizer!

Sponge Bob

LOL @ the Kaiser going cross country for Boardsies

KevR

Excellent video!

I presume you must have recorded it Saturday evening or on Sunday? Saw them working on this scheme when I passed early on Saturday; they usually work Saturdays from what I have seen.

Also, notice the carriageways have been laid down seperately here (like near Athenry). Could this be a strong indication that we'll be getting a steel barrier here also? A bit odd if they're taking the cheaper barrier option when this is a toll section..

kaizersoze

Furet wrote: »

LOL you were stopped in your tracks there at the end!

Aye. I thought discretion was the better part of valour there alright.:D
Drove through there last week and it was dry but littered with rocks.

Furet wrote: »

Security seems really lax on that site. Did you encounter any contractors working there, kaizer?

The site is wide open and has been from day one. It'll start getting harder to get onto it as the overbridges are finished. Ballinasloe to Athlone was the opposite. All gates locked every evening. No one on site yesterday (Sunday).

murphaph wrote:

I hope you were using a 4x4 and not your mother's Nissan Micra for that Kaizer!

Yeah a 4x4. A Micra wouldn't last long there although some locals are driving the tarred sections in their cars.

Sponge Bob

When are you first crossing the Suck and driving all the way to Galway ( that railway bridge west of Athenry is still not in do please note) and can we come and wave at you from the sidelines on the day ??

kaizersoze

Sponge Bob wrote: »

When are you first crossing the Suck and driving all the way to Galway ( that railway bridge west of Athenry is still not in do please note) and can we come and wave at you from the sidelines on the day ??

Keep an eye on the Connacht Tribune. There'll be an announcement and itinerary in it before the trip. All are welcome.:pac:

Crossed the Suck bridge already but on foot only.:(
None of the 3 rail crossings on the route are in place yet or even started afaik.

Sponge Bob

The Infrastructure Board Magical Mystery Tour

KevR

Passed the railway crossing near Athenry last week and still no sign of any structure. There was some machinery there though which wasn't there previously..

Another obstacle if you were going to drive to Galway is the existing N18. It's completely blocking the mainline M6 at the moment. You'd have to wait until the new overbridge is open and the old N18 road is bulldozed out of the way.

Sponge Bob

we will gladly block it for him ...cue flash mob traffic jam .

antoobrien

KevR wrote: »

Passed the railway crossing near Athenry last week and still no sign of any structure. There was some machinery there though which wasn't there previously..

Another obstacle if you were going to drive to Galway is the existing N18. It's completely blocking the mainline M6 at the moment. You'd have to wait until the new overbridge is open and the old N18 road is bulldozed out of the way.

I'm sure there's more than that just in they way. I don't think the overbridge at Lisheenkyle (past it last weeked) is likely to get tar anytime soon. There seems to be a lot of work needed on the link roads in the area between Athenry & Craughwell as well