N4 - Collooney to Castlebaldwin [open to traffic]

marmurr1916

The Irish Times is reporting that a high-accident section of the N4 between Collooney and Castlebaldwin in Co. Sligo is to be replaced by an almost 15km long dual-carriageway. The NRA has given the go-ahead to Sligo County Council to publish CPOs, prepare and EIS and submit a planning application.

The Irish Times reports that the project could cost €60 million.

A Co Sligo stretch of the main Dublin-Sligo road which is often described as the most dangerous section of roadway in the country on account of 30 deaths on it in recent years is set to be replaced by almost 15kms of dual carriageway.

Campaigners who have erected 30 white crosses on the verges of the existing 12km stretch of road, each one marking the scene of a fatality, have welcomed the “major breakthrough”.

Sligo County Council yesterday confirmed that it had submitted the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin proposed road development to An Bord Pleanála for planning approval.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/perilous-stretch-of-sligo-road-to-be-replaced-by-15km-dual-carriageway-1.1633708

Sir Arthur Daley

Long overdue solution here.

antoobrien

marmurr1916 wrote: »

The Irish Times is reporting that a high-accident section of the N4 between Collooney and Castlebaldwin in Co. Sligo is to be replaced by an almost 15km long dual-carriageway. The NRA has given the go-ahead to Sligo County Council to publish CPOs, prepare and EIS and submit a planning application.

The CPOs and route notices were in two full page ads in the Indo (tabloid version), the plans have been lodged with ABP so they should be there after next week (or more likely after christmas).

Project website: http://www.sligococo.ie/n4/

Project Description:
The Proposed Road Developmentcomprises inter-alia:

• 14.71km of Type 2 Dual Carriageway;
• New side roads (including in some cases parallel links) and upgrading of existing roads;
• One at-grade roundabout junction on the mainline;
• One Compact Grade Separated Junction on the mainline;
• Three at-grade roundabout junctions on side-roads;
• Four road overbridges;
• Six road underbridges;
• Two river bridges;
• Culverts and associated diversions of existing minor watercourses and drainage ditches;
• All the necessary drainage works associated with the proposed road development;
• The diversion of services and utilities;
• Earthworks operations including the management of spoil generated by the proposed road development;
• Environmental mitigation works;

In order to provide access/egress from the local roads/dwellings along the online upgrade section a single carriageway parallel access road is proposed to the east of the existing N4 between Toberbride and Doorly. The access road connects to the eastern arm of the Toberbride Roundabout and the existing N4 at Doorly. The access road connects to the eastern arm of the Toberbride Roundabout and the existing N4 at Doorly. Dwellings on the western side of the N4 can access the parallel road via a proposed overbridge at Toberbride and a proposed underbridge at Doorly (via a further western parallel road).

Map:

mydiscworld

Unfortunately the road deaths are not published by road name or geographic areas. I don't think they want us knowing precisely what the worst stretches are

Thread on it here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=78339103

veryangryman

Good news. Those crosses alone give you that gut feeling when you hit this stretch. How long do these things typically take between this stage and construction (assuming all passes ok)

L1011

T2 DC is a downgrade from the original plan - which was some T1 then T2. Makes more sense with the lack of cash though.

antoobrien

mydiscworld wrote: »

Unfortunately the road deaths are not published by road name or geographic areas.

The comment about deaths on the road is apparently a direct quote from the Sligo coroner.

This follows a marathon campaign by the N4 Action Group which has drawn national attention to the stretch of road, dubbed “the most dangerous in the country” by Sligo coroner Dr Desmond Moran.

JupiterKid

This is a welcome upgrade. The sooner it proceeds the better. It will eliminate the last remaining sub-standard section of the N4 between Longford and Sligo.

Chris_5339762

This is a dreadful bit of road... only driven it twice but it sticks in the memory.

road_high

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

This is a dreadful bit of road... only driven it twice but it sticks in the memory.

Same here. Felt like if you put a foot wrong you'd be out be out over a high ditch into the fields below.

Redsoxfan

MYOB wrote: »

T2 DC is a downgrade from the original plan - which was some T1 then T2. Makes more sense with the lack of cash though.

Is Rooskey -> Dromod T2?

L1011

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Is Rooskey -> Dromod T2?

Yes. Perfectly fine for the traffic levels.

Jamie2k9

Anyone know all the sections on the N4 that are 2+2 once the motorway ends and which types 1 or 2.

L1011

After the motorway ends you've sort-of Type 1 DC retrofitted over an older DC for a bit, then the Type 1 Mullingar bypass, then nothing until Dromod/Roosky Bypass with is Type 2. From Colooney in is Type 1 and then through the town its urban DC until it stops being the N4.

The intent was to fill all the gaps with a mix of T1 and T2 (including a decent amount of T2 overlaid on the existing single carriageway) but I'm fairly certain it'll all be T2 now.

Leonard Hofstadter

Could any of the existing Type 1 carriageway be reclassified to motorway and get a speed limit increase of 120 kph? Certainly the N4 dual carriageway into Sligo is as good as any motorway in the country and well deserves a 120 kph speed limit.

L1011

captainspeed wrote: »

Could any of the existing Type 1 carriageway be reclassified to motorway and get a speed limit increase of 120 kph? Certainly the N4 dual carriageway into Sligo is as good as any motorway in the country and well deserves a 120 kph speed limit.

That's the only section that could, the other section of T1 has private accesses (the Esso stations / Lidl).

Jamie2k9

captainspeed wrote: »

Could any of the existing Type 1 carriageway be reclassified to motorway and get a speed limit increase of 120 kph? Certainly the N4 dual carriageway into Sligo is as good as any motorway in the country and well deserves a 120 kph speed limit.

Local authorities have the power to apply 120 km/h speed limit to Type 1 dual carriageway if they wish provided its HQDC. The Ballincollig bypass N22/5 the section between M1 and A1 have it. Recent Type 1's build are motorway's without the regulations and cutting off access to land beside them.

Have not travelled that N4 a lot but guessing the section near Sligo isn't overly new. I would love to see Waterford City bypass have higher speeds.

spacetweek

MYOB wrote: »

T2 DC is a downgrade from the original plan - which was some T1 then T2. Makes more sense with the lack of cash though.

This was originally to be T2 but I seem to recall that they then seemed to change their minds to single carriageway. The return to T2 is welcome!

L1011

spacetweek wrote: »

This was originally to be T2 but I seem to recall that they then seemed to change their minds to single carriageway. The return to T2 is welcome!

There was definitely a T1 element in an older set of proposals - NRA website has managed to erase most of the history on projects and the old one is unnavigable on the archive.

marno21

Tender has gone out today for detailed ground investigation:

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=97465&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

marno21

I have been in contact with Sligo County Council about this scheme.

They have informed me that fencing, archeological testing, service diversion, ground investigation and topological surveying are ongoing and are expected to be complete by 2017. Construction will begin in 2018 pending approval to proceed to the construction phase from TII.

betistuc

marno21 wrote: »

I have been in contact with Sligo County Council about this scheme.

They have informed me that fencing, archeological testing, service diversion, ground investigation and topological surveying are ongoing and are expected to be complete by 2017. Construction will begin in 2018 pending approval to proceed to the construction phase from TII.

Judas Priest!! That is painfully slow. I thought they would have had most of this done since the scheme was first proposed

spacetweek

betistuc wrote: »

Judas Priest!! That is painfully slow. I thought they would have had most of this done since the scheme was first proposed

Yea, it's a pity, but we are still very much ramping up spending and projects have been in limbo for years now. It isn't until 2018 that the really big road spending bump kicks in - 860 million budget compared to 650 now.

marno21

spacetweek wrote: »

Yea, it's a pity, but we are still very much ramping up spending and projects have been in limbo for years now. It isn't until 2018 that the really big road spending bump kicks in - 860 million budget compared to 650 now.

Over the next few years they should be making more funding available to make projects shovel ready so that they can then proceed to construction when money for the construction phase is available. I'm thinking of the other N4 upgrades & N17 schemes in relation to Sligo here.

marno21

Tender gone out today for house demolition along the route:

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=100853&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

marno21

Tender for archaelogical services awarded today: https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=99090&PP=ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=2

Kevwoody

marno21 wrote: »

Tender for archaelogical services awarded today: https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=99090&PP=ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=2

Is that 1.3million just for the archeological work?

marno21

Kevwoody wrote: »

Is that 1.3million just for the archeological work?

It sure is.

Work that should've been done ages ago.

Kevwoody

marno21 wrote: »

It sure is.

Work that should've been done ages ago.

That's a ridiculous amount of money that could be better spent elsewhere, between that and paying consultants it's no wonder so many road projects never get going.

marno21

Kevwoody wrote: »

That's a ridiculous amount of money that could be better spent elsewhere, between that and paying consultants it's no wonder so many road projects never get going.

The archaeology has to be done and so do the consultancies.

The issue is when they construe the above as actually doing the project, like the current shower do. As such, these schemes are moving at glacial pace, as these things have to be done one by one.

If they had any desire to do so, this would be ready to start now, based on the announcement 11 months ago that funding had been allocated for the scheme (and the N5, M7, N8/N25/N40, N22, N56 and N59 schemes).

marno21

http://www.sligococo.ie/media/CouncilDownloads/Roads/N4Hearing/Brief%20of%20Evidence_Sligo%20County%20Council_BS_FM.pdf

Detailed document about the scheme here.

Laybys will be provided every 2.5km due to the lack of hard shoulder, interestingly enough.

marno21

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=103753&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

Tender has gone out today for engineering consultancy services for the tender and construction stages of this scheme.

Likely now 2018 start.

marno21

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=107092&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1

Tender out for topological survey along the route.

lucernarian

Will the planned route have any prohibitions on walking, cycling or very slow vehicles?

Without hard shoulders, it seems unacceptably dangerous to allow vulnerable road users on it.

BelfastVanMan

lucernarian wrote: »

Will the planned route have any prohibitions on walking, cycling or very slow vehicles?

Without hard shoulders, it seems unacceptably dangerous to allow vulnerable road users on it.

The old road can be used for that...

Cookiemunster

Deedsie wrote: »

Unless it's a motorway both roads will be used for that...

A pedestrian was killed on the M50 last week. It doesn't matter what the designation is, people will do stupid things.

BelfastVanMan

This is very true. Sadly...

lucernarian

Deedsie wrote: »

Exactly, motorists, cyclists, pedestrians all do stupid things. Lucernarian commented that our national roads should have hard shoulders to protect vulnerable road users from people who do stupid things.

Banishing cyclists to old roads is plain foolish, building proper roads suitable for everyone should be the policy.

That isn't what I said, I was criticising vulnerable road users being allowed on the proposed road as things stand. I don't have an opinion on whether a hard shoulder should be built, an offline cycle route built alongside, or a ban on bikes and walking like for motorways if possible.

I don't know the area well but I suspect the old road doesn't have much or any hard shoulder either.

Carawaystick

It says a lot about the mindset of the nra, when they want to buy land and build a new road for cars, but then say ah sher bikes( despite them being much more vulnerable) can use to old road we decided was inadequate to drive on....
All new road schemes should have a high quality cycling and pedestrian route constructed as part of the scheme.

MayoSalmon

Carawaystick wrote: »

It says a lot about the mindset of the nra, when they want to buy land and build a new road for cars, but then say ah sher bikes( despite them being much more vulnerable) can use to old road we decided was inadequate to drive on....
All new road schemes should have a high quality cycling and pedestrian route constructed as part of the scheme.

But with drastically reduced traffic volume does that road not become more adequate for use?!

Kevwoody

Carawaystick wrote: »

It says a lot about the mindset of the nra, when they want to buy land and build a new road for cars, but then say ah sher bikes( despite them being much more vulnerable) can use to old road we decided was inadequate to drive on....
All new road schemes should have a high quality cycling and pedestrian route constructed as part of the scheme.

The N86 realignment at Annascaul that was done in 2012 has cycle lanes and footpaths on each side.
I drive that road on a regular basis and not once have I seen a cyclist use them. In fact, any cyclists I've seen use the road as the cycle lane is not "self cleaning " ie it has loose chippings.

In an ideal world we would have someone to sweep and maintain cycle lanes, but we don't even have the money to build decent roads.

Kevwoody

I think it's crazy to include cycle lanes and not have a hard shoulder, as per the N86 realignment. If your car breaks down, there is nowhere to go but stay on the road, as there is a grass verge between the cycle lane and road.
Surely it would make more sense to have a hard shoulder, which cyclists, pedestrians and motorists can use, and there is no maintenance required?

marno21

Seeing as there are disconnected discussions taking place on the N2, N4 and N25 threads, here's a thread to discuss cyclist provisions on new national road schemes.

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057694424/

marno21

Archaelogical findings from the scheme:

http://www.independent.ie/regionals/sligochampion/news/prehistoric-sites-found-along-new-n4-route-36019955.html

marno21

The N4 Collooney-Castlebaldwin scheme has now gone to tender

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=121537&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

roadmaster

" earthworks including soft ground and karst" i like that bit of the tender it will fun for the contractor

D Trent

In that link
Which is the grade separated junction ?
Is it where the Collooney/Ballygawley roundabout is?
Or the roundabout for the N17 Tobercurry road?
Also the two roundabouts in the tender will be located where ?

Bebo stunnah

D Trent wrote: »

In that link
Which is the grade separated junction ?
Is it where the Collooney/Ballygawley roundabout is?
Or the roundabout for the N17 Tobercurry road?
Also the two roundabouts in the tender will be located where ?

It looks like the only part of the existing N4 DC being touched is the roundabout at Tobberbride on the N4/N17 junction, which will most likely involve a redesign. That and a roundabout at the termination of the DC in Castlebaldwin.

The grade seperated juntion would be aroud Drumfin somewhere to allow access to the Riverstown/Ballymote roads.

That's what I took from the tender anyways.

marno21

Bebo stunnah wrote: »

It looks like the only part of the existing N4 DC being touched is the roundabout at Tobberbride on the N4/N17 junction, which will most likely involve a redesign. That and a roundabout at the termination of the DC in Castlebaldwin.

The grade seperated juntion would be aroud Drumfin somewhere to allow access to the Riverstown/Ballymote roads.

That's what I took from the tender anyways.

Yep, the planned junction is near Drumfin, around halfway along the scheme.

marno21

Scheme to start in 2018:

http://www.dttas.ie/press-releases/2017/minister-ross-welcomes-over-€136m-funding-multiple-road-safety-schemes-and-road

FredFunk

Sorry, new to this thread, will the scheme bypass Castlebaldwin?