N4 - Collooney to Castlebaldwin [open to traffic]

Andy From Sligo

Can anyone tell me if on the unlit by lighting (which is going to be a lot along that stretch of road) if they have included any cats eye studs into the road? (white in between white line markings & yellow at the edges of the road) and or any rumble strips at the edge of the road (where the yellow line is where the ditch is?)

Example:

(Yep - I know its white line at edge in this pic - could not find a pic of an Irish road with yellow solid line at edge of road with cats eyes on)

This all helps with extra safety on the roads and especially when its raining and dark when the painted lines are not as visible as when on dry roads.

Victor

Solid yellow lines are only used in two places:

1. For short stretches at junctions on roads that have road-edge markings. Not all of these have hard shoulders.
2. On motorways - there is usually a full hard shoulder.

KrisW1001

@Andy From Sligo "Yes", and "yes". These pictures from the Garda Facebook about an accident shortly after the opening clearly show the rumble strips and reflectors.

(3) Garda Síochána Sligo/Leitrim – Posts | Facebook

Both features are required on this type of road, as I understand it. Reflectors are definitely required on National roads.

Andy From Sligo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118051886#Comment_118051886

Brilliant thanks for answering - i have not travelled at night yet on that road in my car so I didn't know for certain - but glad to hear it

DumbBrunette

https://youtu.be/_6pUtsG4kR8

A lot of voices rehashing the same spiel in that video. 🙈

But tbh, they're right: Sligo is very well placed to compete with Galway and perhaps now Dublin as well. Moving around Sligo is so easy now. I think the upgrade of Hughes Bridge is working really well. It's now a very pleasant drive from Carrick to Sligo. Boyle and to a lesser extent Carrick are now satellite towns of Sligo and you can see how the new road opens its hinterland to increase Sligo's economy of scale.

There are only a few towns/cities in Sligo's position that have the infrastructure in place to thrive for the next 20 years. Dublin, Cork & Galway are going to shutdown due to gridlock. Pretending this won't happen is naive in the extreme. We cannot pretend that delaying these crticial infrastructure projects won't have serious consequences. They're going to increase in population with minimal transport & housing infrastructure to accommodate this. It's going to be a logistical & quality of life disaster.

Meanwhile, Sligo, Kilkenny, Limerick, Waterford, Castlebar-Westport, Tralee, Athlone etc ought to thrive, saving a recession, as they can afford to expand. Of course, Dublin etc should be proceeding with Metrolink & sustainable high density urban development, but due to bad public policy, political indifference & local NIMBYism, this won't happen for the foreseeable. Sligo et al are well poised to benefit as sustainable, liveable alternatives, especially if/when remote working becomes embedded as a national norm.

MY BAD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118164255#Comment_118164255

I think if the N17 to Knock gets upgraded to dual carriageway it will have a massive impact on what you have said there. Having a good road network to the regions most important airport is a must for Sligo's development.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118164255#Comment_118164255

Is there any sign of the Eastern Garvoge Bridge happening? It should also really help the town and remove some local traffic from Hughes Bridge.

Andy From Sligo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118164255#Comment_118164255

"Moving around Sligo is so easy now...."

Hmm.. really!! , are we talking about Sligo .. the Sligo? Sligo Ireland? LOL 😄

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118170512#Comment_118170512

Yes.

Vis à vis Galway, Dublin & Cork, Sligo is very easy to move around. Unless of course you expect to park at every shop & service you require, which is rightly not possible anywhere, bar towns which can't fathom the 21st century.

The sign for Highwood at the Castlebaldwin roundabout has fallen down, presumably caused by the wind. Another sign at the same roundabout is about to fall and two were blown backwards. They must have been erected in great haste.

marno21

They’re still catching people speeding on the old route. Surely if you want to do 111km/h you’d take the dual carriageway.

veryangryman

I'd imagine they live along the old road.

Chris_5339762

Who was doing 167kmh along the N20, thats suicidal.

marno21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119423270#Comment_119423270

By the Waterloo turn off. Very dodgy carry on.

Mother Trucker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119421875#Comment_119421875

Was dodgy enough trying to maintain the original 100km/h limit along there, seems pretty silly trying it there now, with the new, more realistic 80 limit.

Pete_Cavan

Tender issued for consultants for The N4 Active Travel - Collooney to Castlebaldwin project:

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/234739/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Good to see that this hasn't been forgotten about after active travel provisions weren't part of the road project, apart from a km or 2 on approach to Collooney.

Heartbreak Hank

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120304281#Comment_120304281

Will this be active travel route on space taken back from the old road e.g. narrow the old road, put in a barrier and put in a shared path?

KrisW1001

The old road isn’t really that wide for a lot of this scheme, so I suspect it will involve a new path. Pedestrian/cycle ways are relatively cheap to construct, as they don’t need to support very heavy loads.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320995#Comment_120320995

I assume that assessing options and recommending how to proceed will be one of the first tasks of the consultants. I think utilising existing existing roadspace on the old N4 where available and creating space where not will be the most likely option. There doesn't seem to be any other likely route or anything worth deviating for.

L1011

Considering the state of the old road, "where not" is most of the scheme except the bit towards the North end.

Pete_Cavan

Sligo CoCo have launched Public Consultations for two N4 Active Travel projects – Collooney to Toberbride and Collooney to Castlebaldwin;

https://consult.sligococo.ie/en/browse

Neither are particularly inspiring. Collooney to Castlebaldwin looks like going alongside the L3700 ("the old raod") has already been decided is the only option.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121168563#Comment_121168563

Just to say that Public Consultation No. 2 is open until tomorrow if anyone is interested;

https://consult.sligococo.ie/en/consultation/n4-active-travel-collooney-castlebaldwin-scheme%C2%A0-public-consultation-no-2