Mallow to the M8, Dublin-bound: N72 or N73?

Amtmann

Just wondering what people would recommend. Conventional wisdom says take the N73 from Mallow to Mitchelstown if heading for Dublin, but the N72 to Fermoy from Mallow is a shorter distance of mediocre N road to the M8. Opinions? Safety and time-saving are the priorities, not kilometres as such.

corktina

its an interesting question.In my view , the N72 is a better road and quieter.I'm gonna try it next time as I hate the N73 so much.

Theres a useful back lane short cut which works best west-bound that avoids Castletownroche and it a bit shorter that would make it even more attactive.If you combine this with going via Killavullen, you pop up south of Mallow Bridge and thus avoid Mallow too (straight on to join N20 to Limerick or N72 Killarney....turn left for N20 Cork. The Killavullen section is quite a good road.

JayeL

Wouldn't you have to pay the toll getting on at Fermoy?

Amtmann

JayeL wrote: »

Wouldn't you have to pay the toll getting on at Fermoy?

No, you'd join the M8 at junction 14N, thus avoiding the toll.

Amtmann

corktina wrote: »

its an interesting question.In my view , the N72 is a better road and quieter.I'm gonna try it next time as I hate the N73 so much.

I also hate the N73 and I think I'll be taking the N72 from now on as well.

BluntGuy

The N73 is atrocious throughout, but it will get you there faster. The 100 km/h limit is a joke though.

The slightly less atrocious N72 from Mallow to Fermoy appears deceptively short on maps. The extra speed on the M8 does make up some time, but you'd still be adding at least 5-10 extra minutes to your journey. And if you arrive in Fermoy at the wrong time (you're prob aware there's some heavy roadworks going on there at the moment) then that's gonna be another 3-5 minutes + possibly added on.

The time difference won't be massive, but I definitely reckon N73 is faster, having considered the very same problem before.

Edit (Saw your post above); Oh yeah, the N73 is one detestable piece of roadway alright. Not one decent section (well until the Mitchelstown Bypass became part of it, but according to the signage it's still N8 so I guess it doesn't count )

corktina

i suppose it depends on by what margin you exceed the speed limit on the m8....

Amtmann

BluntGuy wrote: »

The N73 is atrocious throughout, but it will get you there faster. The 100 km/h limit is a joke though.

The slightly less atrocious N72 from Mallow to Fermoy appears deceptively short on maps. The extra speed on the M8 does make up some time, but you'd still be adding at least 5-10 extra minutes to your journey. And if you arrive in Fermoy at the wrong time (you're prob aware there's some heavy roadworks going on there at the moment) then that's gonna be another 3-5 minutes + possibly added on.

The time difference won't be massive, but I definitely reckon N73 is faster, having considered the very same problem before.

Edit (Saw your post above); Oh yeah, the N73 is one detestable piece of roadway alright. Not one decent section (well until the Mitchelstown Bypass became part of it, but according to the signage it's still N8 so I guess it doesn't count )

Okay, thanks for that. It certainly does seem shorter on the map I have to say. But doesn't the N72 from Mallow meet the R639 in Fermoy outside the church that has those three cowled statues, therefore avoiding the Fermoy traffic lights and roadworks, which are closer to the bridge?

charlemont

N73 is slightly quicker and better road than the N72. it was quite surprised to make it to mallow from mitchelstown in about 20/25 mins, not speeding either...

Amtmann

BluntGuy wrote: »

Edit (Saw your post above); Oh yeah, the N73 is one detestable piece of roadway alright. Not one decent section (well until the Mitchelstown Bypass became part of it, but according to the signage it's still N8 so I guess it doesn't count )

According to our friends in the NRA, a re-signing strategy is currently being developed for the N73 Mitchelstown Relief Road and the former N8. :rolleyes:

Amtmann

charlemont wrote: »

N73 is slightly quicker and better road than the N72. it was quite surprised to make it to mallow from mitchelstown in about 20/25 mins, not speeding either...

It took me 45 minutes last night as I was stuck behind a tractor and couldn't overtake.

BluntGuy

Furet wrote: »

According to our friends in the NRA, a re-signing strategy is currently being developed for the N73 Mitchelstown Relief Road and the former N8. :rolleyes:

You mean:

1) Taking down the old signs.

2) Putting up the new signs.

Ah, yes I can see why they'd need half a dozen consultants to come to that conclusion. :rolleyes:

Re:roadworks, that is true, but I've seen the queue stretch out quite a bit and I remember there being a one-way system near the junction, but those works may have finished.

charlemont

one night i drove the n72 from fermoy to mallow, i was dizzy from all the bends, especially near castletownroche...a new road should ( but wont ) be built from J14 to mallow where the M20 junction is planned thus also replacing the N73...

Amtmann

charlemont wrote: »

one night i drove the n72 from fermoy to mallow, i was dizzy from all the bends, especially near castletownroche...a new road should ( but wont ) be built from J14 to mallow where the M20 junction is planned thus also replacing the N73...

How many kilometres is it I wonder.

Stark

I've used both but tend to go with the N73 these days for the reasons Bluntguy mentioned.

Furet wrote:

Okay, thanks for that. It certainly does seem shorter on the map I have to say. But doesn't the N72 from Mallow meet the R639 in Fermoy outside the church that has those three cowled statues, therefore avoiding the Fermoy traffic lights and roadworks, which are closer to the bridge?

I've been held up there for a bit trying to turn left onto the R639. Not held up for long, but long enough to negate the time savings made by the faster speed on the M8.

corktina

what you do is turn left just before the church and cut through the back streets if its busy.:D

-Corkie-

The fermoy road is a way longer and in my mind more dangerous!!!.. The Mitchelstown road is only really bad to Kildorrery.

corktina

the only bad bit on the Fermoy road is the bit from the quarry to the Killavullen junction.Ther rest of it is quite good especially if you avoid castletownroache as I do.
On the other side of the coin, the Mallow to Kildorrery road is much much worse and for a much greater distance.Dangerous in fact

peteandjenn

Mallow to Mitchelstown is probably one of the worst roads your ever going to drive on and the Mallow to Fermoy isn't much better. If you get stuck behind a Truck or tractor in either of these its a nightmare. I've always gone the Mitchelstown way but its much of a much really on which road you take as for time.

But soon they will be building that bypass around mallow from the Mallow road to Mitchelstown which will be great if they ever start it!!

corktina

I believe that is a non-starter, replaced by the slightly more likely M20 running east of the town

peteandjenn

Any road at all would be better than whats there

corktina

peteandjenn wrote: »

Any road at all would be better than whats there

yes, except the M20 isnt going to provide a bypass for Mallow town on the east west axis and isnt going to go to Mitchelstown, so we are broadly stuck with the N72/3..

As soon as the M7 is complete I intend to go back to that route...10 miles further via Limerick but much better road. (R road to Charleville and then N20 to Limerick.

KrodMandoon

It doesnt help when villages along these routes such as Kildorrery have road surfaces that resemble a WWII tank trap.

Realistically upgrading some of the surface, providing more lay-bys and providing better sight lines by removing hedge rows going around the more dangerous bends is all we can hope for.
I also wouldnt be against permanent speed cameras between Mitchelstown and Kildorrery,It would discourage reckless over taking going into dips.

Iv seen a mechanical pothole filling machine been used recently in South Tipp (around Cahir) with great results, Its mounted on a back of a truck and lays down perfect squares. I'd never seen one before, if these routes got this treatment with would sure beat the normal procedure of trowing in chips and hitting it down with the back of a shovel

corktina

comparison test complete...N73 Mitchelstown wins!

Can I suggest a short cut? If you happen to be on the N20, go through Doneraile and take a right after Doneraile park.Its not a great road but will cut out a lot of the very worst bits of the N73 AND Mallow Town

KrodMandoon

sorry...meant to put my last post in the similar N72/N73 infrastructure thread

dowlingm

SARASON wrote: »

The fermoy road is a way longer and in my mind more dangerous!!!.. The Mitchelstown road is only really bad to Kildorrery.

The Kildorrery-Mitchelstown section used to be a complete nightmare near Glenahulla until they flattened out some crazy humps in the late 80s or early 90s.