Atlantic Corridor Part III: N25 Cork to Waterford

Amtmann

So it looks like the Atlantic Corridor will be delivered bit by bit after all - well, at least the bit from Tuam to Cork.

If we take the M18/M17 as being part one of the major sections of the corridor, and the M20 as part two, then the outstanding section is the N25 Cork to Waterford improvement.

Among the schemes at the preliminary stages are:

Carrigtwohill to Midleton, 4km (preliminary design) - brochure here.

Midleton to Youghal, 21km (constraints study)

On this scheme all I could find was this from the CRDO:

The scheme is currently at Constraints Study Stage. With changes to the Cork Infrastructural Programme the Study Boundary has consequently been revised and increased accordingly. The Constraints Report is intended to be published in the Summer of 2008 and will be made available for inspection and/or purchase. A consultation on the scheme is intended for the latter half of 2008.

Dungarvan Bypass, 15km wide two-lane (route selection) info here

Kinsalebeg to Youghal Bypass, 3km (feasibility study)

The tendency these days is to have big schemes instead of ones like the several small ones referenced above. On that basis, it does not seem that the N25 between Waterford and Cork is to be of motorway standard.

The real question, I suppose, is: Does it need to be? Do we need a motorway between Cork and Waterford? I'm still to be convinced, and would instead favour a Dromod-Roosky type dual carriageway if something is to be built. I think that an upgrade of a route such as the N80 or the N62, both of which connect several motorways, would be more strategically important.

nordydan

Good thread.

I think Cork-Youghal & Kilmeaded-New Ross Bypass with the rest 2+2 would be sufficient, IMHO. This would include a relatively cheap parallel bridgeover the Blackwaterto make that 2+2, anything else would be excessively expensive.

By the way, the THRDO website is an absolute disgrace!!!

Bards

It would make much more sense to upgrade the Midleton to Youghal section of the N25 to DC/2+2 and upgrade the complete Limerick to Waterford N24 to 2+2.

rather than upgrade the Whole way from Cork to Waterford as DC/2+2


I am also not convinced that the Whole Road between Waterford & Cork needs to be DC at this present time

Chris_5339762

TBH most of this route is fine.

Cork - Midleton bypass needs its work done, its very low grade DC.
Midleton - Youghal needs dualling eventually but really only a bypass of Castlemartyr is BADLY needed.
Youghal - Kinsalebeg will be a bit of a bottleneck but fine for the time.
From there to Dungarven is great quality WS2.
Dungarven bypass is needed.
Dungarven to Waterford is fine really.

Ok so in time the whole lot could be 2+2 but in reality, priorities should be Castlemartyr bypass and Dungarven bypass. Everything else can wait.

Aidan1

I think D2M/HQDC to East of Midleton (Whiterock) would be fine - it would involve putting a new junction where the roundabout is in Midleton - and Dromod-Roosky style DC (DCAP?) would be sufficient capacity from then on.

This would tie in with the CASP, which puts Midleton as the eastern edge of the commuter belt for Cork, but would serve to give long distance traffic much shorter travel times. There are a number of towns to the east of Midleton that are crying out for a 'bypass', Killeagh and Castlemartyr, but the real capital expense is going to come further East, in terms of crossing the Blackwater and the terrain thereafter. This will make sequencing very difficult, particularly given the amount of time it's going to take to find capital for these projects.

L1011

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

TBH most of this route is fine.

Cork - Midleton bypass needs its work done, its very low grade DC.
Midleton - Youghal needs dualling eventually but really only a bypass of Castlemartyr is BADLY needed.
Youghal - Kinsalebeg will be a bit of a bottleneck but fine for the time.
From there to Dungarven is great quality WS2.
Dungarven bypass is needed.
Dungarven to Waterford is fine really.

Ok so in time the whole lot could be 2+2 but in reality, priorities should be Castlemartyr bypass and Dungarven bypass. Everything else can wait.

Its Carrigtwohill - Midleton bypass thats very low grade, the East Cork Parkway is 120km/h HQDC.

I'm presuming the plan is to throw 2+2 down on some of the WS2 / climbing lane sections that already exist? The pavement is certainly wide enough in a number of areas.

alfa beta

Would agree with Chris above on the pressing need for a bypass around Castlemartyr - but that in itslef would also lead to a similar need for a bypass round Killeagh (5 mins further down the road).

Otherwise you'll just move the 5pm bottleneck on a few miles!

Sponge Bob

That is the only road in Cork that moved someone to Poetry

The Atlantic Corridor begins in Rosslare or Wexford and not Waterford by the way.

Now for poetry

http://www.youghalonline.com/2008/03/26/after-killeagh/#more-190

The couple cursing to my right
Had a family of four
They got stuck at the lights in ‘99
And now they have two more.

Chris_5339762

Actually if you look at the M20 EIS the Atlantic Corridor seems to be defined now as Cork to Galway

Sponge Bob

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Actually if you look at the M20 EIS the Atlantic Corridor seems to be defined now as Cork to Galway

Another one of Dempseys lies, why am I surprised

The "Atlantic Corridor" is Derry-Sligo-Galway-Limerick-Cork-Waterford-Rosslare and not an inch less.

It is supposed to connect all the major CITIES and PORTS on the west and South Coast into one road and to cross connect the radial routes to and from Dublin.

The only portions likely to be done in the next 10 years at this rate of going are

1. Tuam-Gort
2. Buttevant- Cork
3. New Ross Bypass

maybe

4. Carrigtwohill-Midleton
5. Derry-Strabane
6. Buttevant-Patrickswell

Ren2k7

Surely it would be better to have all the major population centres connected by HQDC rather than by 2+2. Waterford has a motorway from Dublin as does the other cities. Granted there may not be the same levels of traffic between Cork and Waterford and on to Rosslare surely future proofing the route for later on by building to HQDC standard in the first place would be a far more sensible option.

Also is the government saving much on building routes to 2+2 spec over HQDC standard? Would the cost savings be any better than the inevitable cost of upgrading down the line?

I read in the renewed Capital Review Plan that the priority for the government now was to get Rosslare connected with the rest of the motorway network.

The strategic objective of investment in roads is to provide Ireland with a road system commensurate with a modern society and economy, which facilitates economic competitiveness, is integrated with other transport modes and can support all-island cooperation.

In the particular economic context of today, the immediate objective must be to focus on those road connections which are needed to facilitate and promote economic recovery. By definition such roads are the major interurban routes between Dublin and the regional cities - which will be completed by end 2010 - and key strategic routes linking Dublin and Cork to Rosslare Port (part of the Trans European Network) and linking Galway to Cork (part of the Atlantic Road Corridor). The existing road network should be maintained to a sufficient standard to ensure the value of the original capital investment does not depreciate prematurely over the coming years.

Tech3

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Another one of Dempseys lies, why am I surprised

The "Atlantic Corridor" is Derry-Sligo-Galway-Limerick-Cork-Waterford-Rosslare and not an inch less.



maybe

4. Carrigtwohill-Midleton
5. Derry-Strabane
6. Buttevant-Patrickswell

I would stick Tuam-Claremorris in there aswell for may get tendered out in the next 10 years.

Neworder79

I would stick Tuam-Claremorris in there aswell for may get tendered out in the next 10 years.

Have there been any status updateds on AC north of Tuam, design continuing, allocation for next year?

Another serious crash on the N17 Tuam - Ballindine section yesterday where the 4 students died last year. Seems to be no will to look at realigning this section despite the traffic and accident numbers.

coolperson05

I suppose the other advantage to HQDC/Motorway is the increased speed would help the route. 192km to Rosslare from Cork yet 250km to Dublin from Cork. The times would nearly even out if you were messing with 100km and sharp bends, etc on the N25. Also I think Cork and Waterford have long been strategically important to each other, Cork in just over an hour from Waterford sounds pretty sweet! I do see the money aspect obviously over-riding, and I agree with others that the N24 Limerick-Waterford is awful to say the least.

gally74

Neworder79 wrote: »

Have there been any status updateds on AC north of Tuam, design continuing, allocation for next year?

Another serious crash on the N17 Tuam - Ballindine section yesterday where the 4 students died last year. Seems to be no will to look at realigning this section despite the traffic and accident numbers.

i have a friend that lives beside that, there can be 2-3 accidnets there a week, its nuts its not getting sorted.

Neworder79

NRA today announced they will be putting an "anti slip surface" on either side of this particular blackspot (according to local radio reports). But no re-alignment until the AC Tuam-Claremorris scheme happens, if ever.

FGR

Could you be more specific as to the location of this work? I don't know exactly where you're referring to on that stretch of roadway.

I'm thinking that dangerous turn in Castlemartyr as you're driving for Midleton.

wellboy76

I drove from Waterford to Cork this morning and I am not sure whether it is actually a road or one continuous pothole

Chris_5339762

Most of this scheme got canned I think.

Carrigtwohill - Midleton is still on the cards (though largely unnecessary now that Amgen are gone and the median crossings are blocked).
Midleton - Youghal is cancelled for definate anyway.

All thats really needed here for the time being is -
Castlemartyr bypass (2km of S2 will do it).
Dungarvan bypass

wellboy76

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Most of this scheme got canned I think.

Carrigtwohill - Midleton is still on the cards (though largely unnecessary now that Amgen are gone and the median crossings are blocked).
Midleton - Youghal is cancelled for definate anyway.

All thats really needed here for the time being is -
Castlemartyr bypass (2km of S2 will do it).
Dungarvan bypass

Killeagh could do with a by-pass for definite