N5 - Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge [underway]

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122368613#Comment_122368613

The AADT figures and capacity are not always the drivers for DC upgrades. The new offline Westport Turlough N5 route was built to DC standard for safety reasons not traffic volumes. The same logic can apply to the N17 which is one of the most dangerous roads in the country. It would also signal that the government is serious about balanced regional development by linking the 2 biggest population centres in the west.

I agree that the DC ship may have sailed for the foreseeable future but it's important to clarify the various reasons for roads are upgrades.

yew_tree

I live on an L road in south Mayo and since the M17 opened the traffic increase is very noticeable as motorists now use various local roads outside Ballinrobe/Kilmaine/Shrule/Hollymount as rat runs to zig zag their way into Tuam and onto the motorway.

veryangryman

The section bypassing Tulsk is a good distance from the existing crossroads. I'm guessing this means the crossroads ain't getting upgraded to a roundabout

paulbok

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122383305#Comment_122383305

I wonder if once the new N5 is completed, could we see a change of priority to that junction in Tulsk? With the Roscommon to Boyle road becoming straight through and the downgraded Strokestown to Ballinagare getting junctions?

Probably would still need some sort of realignment works to do that safely.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122384631#Comment_122384631

I was thinking the same thing. Might stay away from it the first few weeks until the locals get used to it 😄

veryangryman

Probably cheaper to build a roundabout.

Given the state of the effort roscommon coco got for the roundabout at Bealnamulla, I'm not optimistic

Covieland

https://roscommonherald.ie/news/n5-road-contractor-seeking-to-fill-key-positions-for-450m-county-roscommon-project_arid-26048.html

Update

DumbBrunette

One of my main concerns with this project has always been that it would get bogged down, literally, due to deep peat excavation. I assumed this was one of the reasons for the long construction timeframe of 4 years.

I came across a map today which shows this actually shouldn't be a major issue, which is great news.

The new N5 will run south of Frenchpark, then across to Elphin and down to Strokestown. The only area where it will run through peatland is near Frenchpark, and only for a short distance. Hopefully this increases the odds that this project will be completed far sooner than the 4 year contract period.

Map extract courtesy of Teagasc.

paulbok

I have in-laws where the new road crosses the R369, and he was speaking with one of the engineers recently. General chit chat on how they were getting on, as they looked back towards Strokestown the engineer said " back that way is as good as ground conditions as you can get. Looking the other way, he said it's pretty much the worst".

Some boggy land as well to traverse around the back of Strokestown Park house out towards the Scramogue tie in, which hasn't been touched yet and could throw up some curveballs.

Westernview

I'd have assumed most of the route was bog and marshland too. If that's not the case I think there's a very good change it will be done ahead of schedule. Wills have often completed projects ahead of time.

paulbok

Must be nearly 1 year of the project gone by now? Think it was September contracts were signed (but could be wrong). They were slow getting started after that as well.

Correction: it was November.

Strokestown to that R369 junction (~8 to 10km) should be straightforward, though they do have a section of hill outside Strokestown to level out/terrace.

The 3km or so back from Strokestown to Scramogue has a bit of bog to traverse and two bridges to build. I've a suspicion that as they haven't started work on that section yet, they may leave the bulk of it until the spring, concentrating resources on the boggy ground over Frenchpark side.

I'd hazard a guess it'll be open around Easter or early summer 2027 unless disaster conditions pop-up.

DumbBrunette

https://www.roscommonherald.ie/news/public-in-county-roscommon-fed-up-with-noise-and-dust-from-n5-project_arid-27475.html

Not much fun at the moment for locals living beside the works.

irishgeo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122462121#Comment_122462121

Same as the N5 around Castlebar. Probably looking for a compo payment.

Some fella bought a house near the breaffy exit of the N5 when the works had started and complained every week about the noise of the construction works and got the house CPO.

Nice little earner that.

Westernview

Those issues are an unfortunate but unavoidable side effect of road projects. The residents on the eastern side of Castlebar had genuine grievances when rock blasting went on far longer than initially planned.

But the road will benefit the residents in the long term if they can stick with it. 'Cars being destroyed' and talk of 'prisons' is typical opportunistic hyperbole from county councillors. They can look after their electorate without resorting to such sensationalism.

oscarBravo

Opportunistic hyperbole is how councillors keep their names in the local press. Nothing is ever merely a problem; everything is a catastrophe.

paulbok

Just passed the works on the R368 and there is a flyover going up there for the new road.

I'm pretty sure that wasn't on the original plans, I have it in my head there was just a set of junctions there.

That road from Strokestown to Elphin is closed from next week (Sept 2nd) to the end of November.

Makes sense though, the less junctions the better and the topography there makes it an easier build than flat terrain

irishgeo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122554317#Comment_122554317

It might a temporary diversion while they do the works.

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122554317#Comment_122554317

The new N5 will cross the R368 via an underbridge, with the junction being further along the road.

paulbok

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122554861#Comment_122554861

Do you have the link to those plans?

I'd like to check out a few more junctions to see if they've changed.

Cookiemunster

I got them off the ABP site.

https://www.pleanala.ie/en-ie/case/300493

Click on View associated documents and look for 03-EIAR-Volume-3-Figs-4-1-4-41

user1842

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122555227#Comment_122555227

Crazy amount of local roads connecting to the new N5. Almost the exact opposite of the Charlestown and Ballaghaderreen bypasses and I don't understand why for a new offline road build.

In my view this will just lower the safety of the road.

oscarBravo

I thought the same. It will almost be more reminiscent of the Swinford bypass than the Ballaghaderreen one.

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122554861#Comment_122554861

If there is a bridge then they should use to ensure that there are no right turns on the road, having a bridge and not doing this would seem to be an opportunity lost.

DumbBrunette

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122567368#Comment_122567368

I don't think it was ever a runner to build this project with lots of grade separation, the higher costs would mean the project would fail a cost benefit analysis given traffic figures are expected to be only 4k or 5k.

The Swinford bypass AADT would be roughly 8k.

serfboard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122578249#Comment_122578249

Pedantic correction - the Swinford bypass AADT is 6.6K (6K for the full year of 2023). For comparison the Ballaghadereen bypass is 5K and the Frenchpark number is 6K.

Your overall point is probably right though about the low numbers not justifying the extra expense of overbridges and GSJs even though they would be safer.

DumbBrunette

The sunny weather on Friday offered a great opportunity to get a progress update on this project from satellite imagery.

The Frenchpark bypass looks like the most advanced section. Perhaps it will open ahead of the rest of the project.

Earthworks well underway between Bellanagare (bottom left) and Elphin, but they haven't started digging in what seems to be a bog east of Bellanagare.

This will be the grade separated junction with the R368 to the SE of Elphin. There will be a deep curved cutting to the east of the junction which is clearly visible.

The Strokestown roundabout is also taking on a rough shape. The tie in with the existing N5 will be on the right.

paulbok

Heard that the road is ahead of schedule at the moment. Going by those images above, progress looks good alright.

nordydan

Great pictures. Yes the Frenchpark sections would be the obvious choice to open early, makes sense to prioritise

Paddico

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122593232#Comment_122593232

What satellite imagery site did you use DB?

DumbBrunette

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122608653#Comment_122608653

https://apps.sentinel-hub.com/eo-browser