M17/M18 - Gort to Tuam [open to traffic]

Geogregor

Deleted User wrote: »

No, the NSL sign (the one with the single black diagonal) specifically means the end of a local speed restriction and the national speed limit for the road type now applies.

That's what I meant, the same as in the UK. (or at least very similar)

That's what I find vague. Especially for tourists it might be confusing. Then you have to remember if you are on N-road or R-road or somewhere else. There also will be exceptions etc.
I would prefer if Ireland stick to the numbers.

Anyway, we are heading way OT. Motorways is on the early stage of construction, it will be a while until downgrading of the current N17

Not to be completely OT I'll ask again, any sign of construction on the future junction with the M6?

Czhornet

Mars Bar wrote: »

"And I wish I was on the RXXX, stone walls and the grass is green..." isn't going to have quite the same ring to it.

Anyway, a friend of mine on Facebook put up this pic from the Ballygaddy railway line.

Is that for all the high speed trains going between Athenry and Claremorris??:)

m17

Czhornet wrote: »

Is that for all the high speed trains going between Athenry and Claremorris??:)

Ah in 20 years time

m17

m17 wrote: »

Ah in 20 years time

And there's room for a pony second track or more likely cycleway.

ItHurtsWhenIP

dloob wrote: »

Not sure where you heard that.
The RSA indicates the new/old national limit sign equals 80kph

OK - just to put this OT discussion to bed ... I did see it in a paper somewhere and a quick google gave me this:

Under the document:
National roads less than 7 metres in width and more than 3km in length should have a maximum limit of 80km/h — while those over should be 100km/h zones.

Here is the official guidelines - it's 17MB so watch the download - go from Page 41 onwards.

TG I'm not losing it just yet!!! :rolleyes:

Carawaystick

Some people might think a road 2.5m wide should not have an 80 limit...

The new road is getting plenty of shout outs on Vincent Browne tonight, to wander back towards the topic

D Trent

Carawaystick wrote: »

Some people might think a road 2.5m wide should not have an 80 limit...

The new road is getting plenty of shout outs on Vincent Browne tonight, to wander back towards the topic

What's being said ?

Carawaystick

Fine gael saying the new road is going ahead cos we're great lads
FF saying the road is there cos of their amazing foresight.

No-one saying much when the two gentlemen who were abused in the Tuam mother and baby home told of their experiences.

Zubeneschamali

Geogregor wrote: »

Not to be completely OT I'll ask again, any sign of construction on the future junction with the M6?

A few poles with tape under the power lines, a few new fences, no real work yet.

Geogregor

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

A few poles with tape under the power lines, a few new fences, no real work yet.

Strange, it will be one of the most crucial places on the whole project. I would expect more movement by now.

m17

Geogregor wrote: »

Strange, it will be one of the most crucial places on the whole project. I would expect more movement by now.

For a project that is going to taken 27 months the such have started there frist

Carawaystick

m17 wrote: »

For a project that is going to taken 27 months the such have started there frist

This new bridge construction method with a face of hexagonal concrete slabs and backfilled with aggregate is very quick, with the beams fabricated offsite. so I wouldn't be too concerned yet.

Zubeneschamali

Geogregor wrote: »

Strange, it will be one of the most crucial places on the whole project. I would expect more movement by now.

Spoke too soon, they were out today with cones everywhere, 80 kph signs, the hard shoulder closed with armco, hi-viz and hard hats, the whole works.

moyners

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Spoke too soon, they were out today with cones everywhere, 80 kph signs, the hard shoulder closed with armco, hi-viz and hard hats, the whole works.

They must be following this thread!

m17

Work on managh Bridge at corofin so far

m17

Lot of bog Been moved outside tuam

fcio

Save me going over 200 pages, does anyone know whether R339 will go over or under the new motorway? It is a fairly busy road at times and there is already a sharp bend approaching there the current works are

m17

fcio wrote: »

Save me going over 200 pages, does anyone know whether R339 will go over or under the new motorway? It is a fairly busy road at times and there is already a sharp bend approaching there the current works are

Its going over

Geogregor

Looking at the last few images from different points it doesn't look like they are pushing this project particularly fast.
It is the best part of the construction season, with the driest weather and the longest days but progress doesn't look that amazing.

Unless nobody posted shots from places where works are really advanced.


Here is example where construction started towards the end of the last year (after previous contractor was kicked out without achieving much) with real works really kicking after the winter:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1539298&page=396

Most of the numerous structures are practically done (apart from a few longest bridges).

Schadenfreudia

Great photos - a lot of them seem to be taken from the on-site cranes.

The soil looks sandy and the landscape flat, building must be much easier in those conditions? Also the vast straight stretches - are there no houses etc in the way? (Obviously no valleys, bogs, hills etc)

Geogregor

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

Great photos - a lot of them seem to be taken from the on-site cranes.

The soil looks sandy and the landscape flat, building must be much easier in those conditions? Also the vast straight stretches - are there no houses etc in the way? (Obviously no valleys, bogs, hills etc)

Polish forumers are crazy about road constructions. They use multiple drones, cycle and drive side roads and put daily updates online

Actually sandy soils have their issues. It takes a while to stabilize the embankments and cuts (the landscape is no more flat than along the M17/M18 route). And in some places there is marshy ground which had to be replaced. Of course nothing on the scale of Irish bogs

But the biggest difference is the amount of resources the three contractors thrown into this scheme (about 40km in total). It is probably one of the fastest and best managed constructions we seen in Poland in years.

Going back to M17/M18, maybe someone would travel a bit more along the length of the project? Hard to judge its scope but few images we seen here are not showing great progress. Maybe it is just such impression, I don't know.

m17

I have taken 10 pics around corofin of blasting drilling cutting and Filling of rock

m17

And the next 5

m17

The flyover at coldwood near mother hubbards where the old Dublin Road is going over the m18

LFC Murphy

To the layman, it appears that work is moving at a great rate. The Tuam end is moving very fast. Even the outline of the Parsons roundabout is done. Are we looking at an early finish on some or all sections?

Deedsie

LFC Murphy wrote: »

To the layman, it appears that work is moving at a great rate. The Tuam end is moving very fast. Even the outline of the Parsons roundabout is done. Are we looking at an early finish on some or all sections?

I'd hope so but they are going to be delayed every winter. I presume they have factored these delays into the estimated finish date.

Geogregor

m17 wrote: »

And the next 5

On the last three shots there is only topsoil removed.
Is this place where they still have to dig/blast to the correct level?

How long are the stretches where blasting is needed in comparison with the overall scheme?

Anyway, thanks for the photos.

m17

Geogregor wrote: »

On the last three shots there is only topsoil removed.
Is this place where they still have to dig/blast to the correct level?

How long are the stretches where blasting is needed in comparison with the overall scheme?

Anyway, thanks for the photos.

About 1.5kms it will take them around 10 months

f2

Nice video on youtube of Roadbridge crew loading roc of blast site in Corofin.... Roadbridge M17 Gort to Tuam ...

Geogregor

f2 wrote: »

Nice video on youtube of Roadbridge crew loading roc of blast site in Corofin.... Roadbridge M17 Gort to Tuam ...

How about link?