Motorway between Athlone and Moate

L.Jenkins

Anyone know what's being done at either side of the Motorway between exit 8 Athlone and exit 7 Moate, near the layby?

Zubeneschamali

Could be this? From the NRA website:

• Scheme Motorway Service Areas (Tranche 2)
• Status Tender
• Start County Westmeath
• End County Westmeath
• Local Authority N/A

Tranche 2 Service Areas is a PPP project comprising the design, construction, operation, maintenance and financing of two service areas, located on the M6 motorway east of Athlone and on the M9 motorway south of Kilcullen. The scheme comprises the provis

L.Jenkins

I would imagine so. There's a few portable site offices and heavy moving equipment such as large dumpers.

EDIT: Do you have a link to it?

johnp001

www .nra.ie/mapping/motorway-service-areas-(t/

Zubeneschamali

johnp001 wrote: »

www .nra.ie/mapping/motorway-service-areas-(t/

A grade separated junction on the existing motorways, which will provide access to the single sided service area facilities, will be procured in a separate advance works contract.

So the services on one side only, and a bridge?

Long Gone

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

So the services on one side only, and a bridge?

Or will the services be on one side only with no bridge ? ? - I certainly hope not, but after all This Is Ireland......:o

L.Jenkins

Whether there will be services on both sides or services on one side with access from the other side, it's going to hit the N6 centre hard. Aparently similar services are being developed along the N7.

flazio

Seems a strange place to do that what with Kilmartins and Applegreen so close by.

L.Jenkins

flazio wrote: »

Seems a strange place to do that what with Kilmartins and Applegreen so close by.

I thought the exact same thing, but maybe they want to cater to larger vehicles, whom may not find it easy to get parking, especially if they are not used to driving in the area.

Steven81

Kilmartins has McDonalds, Subway, Creggan Court, shop with deli so a large choice. The amount of buses picking up/ dropping off is large. The place is a goldmine.

Long Gone

The problem for the N6 centre is that you have to know it's there - It's a fair distance up from the motorway proper. The new service area will have sliproads directly off and then back onto the motorway so it will be easier to access and egress. There's also a limited amount of parking available at the N6 centre and no real sit down dining areas apart from McDonalds which is not everyon'e first choice for a dining experience. Some proper Athlone style 'atin houses are required - Serving crubeens and other such local delicacies.:p

L.Jenkins

For those who do know the N6 Centre is there and commute between Dublin and Galway regularly, may take there business to the new service opening. It may sting the N6 Centre somewhat, but may also force them to drop the price of their fuel.

charlieIRL

Motorway down to one lane in both directions around the construction site this evening. Permanent barriers too so looks like they will be there for a while.

Any more word is it definitely a service station?

galait

Itzy wrote: »

For those who do know the N6 Centre is there and commute between Dublin and Galway regularly, may take there business to the new service opening. It may sting the N6 Centre somewhat, but may also force them to drop the price of their fuel.

The owners of the N6 Centre /Kilmartins were at one point part of the consortium bidding to build the services.

L.Jenkins

galait wrote: »

The owners of the N6 Centre /Kilmartins were at one point part of the consortium bidding to build the services.

Must look into it and see if they still have a hand in it, as they would stand to make a killing once the books balance out again.

charlieIRL

Just found this from May 2012........

Over a year on from when tenders were first sought for a new motorway rest area near Athlone, the National Roads Authority (NRA) can still give no indication of when motorists can expect to be able to buy a coffee or take a toilet break on the M6 from Kinnegad to Galway.

Initially, it had been thought the service area earmarked for the Fassagh townland, around nine kilometres east of Athlone, would be in operation by 2013, however, that seems highly unlikely as no contracts have been awarded for the project as of yet.

Question marks also remain over about the funding commitment for the service area project, being developed as part of a public private partnership.

"Negotiations with tenderers for a public private partnership scheme to operate service areas on the N6 near Athlone, the N9 near Kilcullen and the M11 near Gorey are at an advanced stage." Minister of State at the Department of Transport Alan Kelly told the Seanad on May 3 last.

However, a spokesperson for the National Roads Authority could give no updated timeframe on the service station plans, save to say the negotiations were advanced but ongoing.

A new overpass is needed for the Athlone service area, which will be located on only one side of the road as the NRA previously said the traffic volumes didn't justify a rest area on both sides of the stretch.

Back in late 2009, planning approval and a compulsory purchase order was granted for the development of the service station at a 10.6 hectare site in the townlands of Fassagh, Glen and Killogeenaghan, but it was later shelved due to funding cuts.

In 2011 it was decided to progress the much needed piece of motorway infrastructure as a public private partnership project.

The facilities for the service station will include 24-hour services, public toilets and showers, food provision from 6am to 10pm, parking facilities for cars and heavy goods vehicles, and indoor and outdoor children's play areas.

There are just three service areas at present along Ireland's motorway network.

A service area opened on the M4 close to Enfield but there is currently no such service area on the M6 from Kinnegad west.

Long Gone

Only services on one side of the motorway ? - That is very poor and extremely shortsighted.

Zubeneschamali

Long Gone wrote: »

Only services on one side of the motorway ? - That is very poor and extremely shortsighted.

With an overpass from the other side. I'd assume the current works are for the bridge, which will take longer to build.

L.Jenkins

Long Gone wrote: »

Only services on one side of the motorway ? - That is very poor and extremely shortsighted.

I think the following justifies only one Service Station...

...A new overpass is needed for the Athlone service area, which will be located on only one side of the road as the NRA previously said the traffic volumes didn't justify a rest area on both sides of the stretch...

Long Gone

Itzy wrote: »

I think the following justifies only one Service Station...

Like I said, an extremely poor and very short sighted decision.

The NRA may claim (for their own convenience) that current traffic volumes don't justify service areas on both sides of the motorway, but those volumes will only increase in the medium to long term. Services could have been built on the other side for not a lot more than they're spending on building the overpass between the two sides..... There was a choice to be made between building a proper European standard services area or a poor, 3rd rate imitation of such - They went for the compromise mediocrity that is currently being built.

nice_guy80

Is this where the Chinese were meant to built their new Emerald City?

Zubeneschamali

Long Gone wrote: »

Services could have been built on the other side for not a lot more than they're spending on building the overpass between the two sides.....

Yes, but then you'd need someone two run two loss-making service areas instead of one profit making one.

Long Gone

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Yes, but then you'd need someone two run two loss-making service areas instead of one profit making one.

Why should they be loss making ? On what basis do you believe they would make a loss ? - There is more than enough traffic on both sides for the services to be very profitable even on just fuel sales alone....

Zubeneschamali

Long Gone wrote: »

Why should they be loss making ? On what basis do you believe they would make a loss ? - There is more than enough traffic on both sides for the services to be very profitable even on just fuel sales alone....

Says you. The NRA says different:

the NRA previously said the traffic volumes didn't justify a rest area on both sides of the stretch.

Sunny Dayz

Note that where the road works are on the speed limit has been reduced. Gardai were on the motorway this evening enforcing it.

L.Jenkins

Long Gone wrote: »

Like I said, an extremely poor and very short sighted decision.

The NRA may claim (for their own convenience) that current traffic volumes don't justify service areas on both sides of the motorway, but those volumes will only increase in the medium to long term...

I would trust in their use of portable road sensing technologies to gather data for the purpose of analytics. I know that traffic through the area will increase, but will it increase at a rate within the next 5 years, that will justify 2 separate service centres?

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Is this where the Chinese were meant to built their new Emerald City?

That was to be built between Michael Moores Car Dealership and Golden Island.

Zubeneschamali

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Yes, but then you'd need someone two run two loss-making service areas instead of one profit making one.

There are plenty of single sides service stations in the UK on the more remote sections of motorway, largely down to the historical requirements to have them every 15 miles or so along the motorway. Some even have the restaurant on the overbridge to serve both sides with a small filling station at either end.

Long Gone

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Says you. The NRA says different:

the NRA previously said the traffic volumes didn't justify a rest area on both sides of the stretch.

Well they would say that, wouldn't they ? - Bear in mind that they are a government agency. It suits them to say that at the moment. This is not a remote section of motorway - It is at a very strategic location on the main artery between the east and the west of the country. They have displayed no foresight, no vision for the future, no ambition, hopeless...

Are we back at the stage now where everything in Ireland has got to be second or third rate ?

demanufactured

Apple green is at the coosan exit...

L.Jenkins

Deleted User wrote: »

There are plenty of single sides service stations in the UK on the more remote sections of motorway, largely down to the historical requirements to have them every 15 miles or so along the motorway. Some even have the restaurant on the overbridge to serve both sides with a small filling station at either end.

That's understandable with a population of over 30 million. Here in Ireland our population is over 4 million.

Itzy

Itzy wrote: »

That's understandable with a population of over 30 million. Here in Ireland our population is over 4 million.

It's the traffic passing the service station that matter, not the population of the country. It's more important to consider how far they've travelled and how much further they will be going.

This location is near the half way point between Dublin & Galway.

L.Jenkins

If the M6 extended to Clifden, another Service Centre could be justified between Oranmore and Loughrea. Anyone needing to stop between Athlone and Galway could easily jump off at Ballinasloe or Athenry. Unlike Athlone, Services are no real trek to get to in either town.

veryangryman

Long Gone wrote: »

Why should they be loss making ? On what basis do you believe they would make a loss ? - There is more than enough traffic on both sides for the services to be very profitable even on just fuel sales alone....

M4 which carries more traffic was a bad choice for both sided. Always very quiet when I visit either side. M6 services with at least 2 nearby rivals and lesser traffic count is a no brained for one sided. Thankfully nra saw sense.

nice_guy80

In the USA, Australia and Canada in many place they direct people into the nearest town for fuel and food and don't have dedicated motorway services. And the distances between tops there would be much bigger.
I think that would be a much more sensible option in a small country like Ireland
I also like the fact that in Australia they have rest areas along the highways with well maintained toilets and picnic areas (many with drinkable water)

veryangryman

nice_guy80 wrote: »

In the USA, Australia and Canada in many place they direct people into the nearest town for fuel and food and don't have dedicated motorway services. And the distances between tops there would be much bigger.
I think that would be a much more sensible option in a small country like Ireland
I also like the fact that in Australia they have rest areas along the highways with well maintained toilets and picnic areas (many with drinkable water)

All 3 examples middle towns are places with extreme poverty for hundreds of miles in the majority of the land (US has almost nothing outside of the coast). The locals think that getting a few trucks through their bypassed towns would be a good thing. Short sighted.

I think we definitely should be looking to make the motorway network as high quality as possible. Every Motorway (M3 excepted) leads to a city at either end and one should expect city-standard services en route.

charlieIRL

Looking at all the excavation work this morning, the main bulk of the work is on the left hand side if you are coming from Dublin to Athlone (on the Ballydonagh side)

Has it been confirmed that its the service station yet??

Zubeneschamali

I found the EIS, but not the associated drawings, which would be in Volume 3:

http://www.nra.ie/policy-publications/eis-publications/Volume-2-Main-Report.pdf