Cork, Limerick, Galway Motorway

Bass Reeves

What most that do not travel the Cork to Limericak and the Limerick to Galways is that large stretches of these roads are unsuitable for level of traffic carried. The development of these routes were put on hold as a motorway was planned.

I think the penny has dropped with the NRA. A lot of the talk for the last few years was that the Cork to Limerick part would not be done until near 2030. If it is not I think the NRA realize that the present N20 will have to be widened and realigned from before Buttervant to where the the road to Cork widens just before the turn off for Blarney. The cost of such a project will be in the 100's of millions. It will not be much cheaper than putting a motorway on this section.

I think a lot of people who travel from Dublin out do not realize the state of this section of road. Because when they normally leave motorway a lot of the roads are of good single carriageway standard. This is not true of Buttervant to Blarney this is a dangerous piece of roadway with often only average speeds of 70km/hour because no overtaking is possible. TBH while my preference would be for motorway on this section ( the Gort to Tuam section will be completed AFAIK by 2020) if it is not going to be completed within 5 years then the Buttervant to Blarney section with bypass's at Buttervant and Mallow will have to be done.

I think this is the quandary the NRA is in if the motorways is not fast tracked then it a case of spending 300ish million on a single lane carrriageway before Buttervant to Blarney. But TBH if that is the most viable option then taht is what will have to happen.

Isambard

you're behind the times, the planning process has restarted. In any case you're wide of the mark saying the average speed is 70k and overtaking isn't possible.

marno21

Isambard wrote: »

you're behind the times, the planning process has restarted. In any case you're wide of the mark saying the average speed is 70k and overtaking isn't possible.

70k is a bit high average from Buttevant to the Blarney exit.

Slow through Buttevant, >60km/h through the Ballybeg bends, getting stuck in a queue no doubt before Mallow. 50km/h through the Mallow "bypass" and its 2 roundabouts. Then usually stuck in a queue til the beginning of the 2+1 and any time made up in the "2" sections is lost behind someone who does 70km/h on the "1" sections and 110km/h in the "2" sections and is a **** to overtake. Then there is a climbing lane south of Rathduff but it's useful 50% of the time because the queues are so long.

Bass Reeves

marno21 wrote: »

70k is a bit high average from Buttevant to the Blarney exit.

Slow through Buttevant, >60km/h through the Ballybeg bends, getting stuck in a queue no doubt before Mallow. 50km/h through the Mallow "bypass" and its 2 roundabouts. Then usually stuck in a queue til the beginning of the 2+1 and any time made up in the "2" sections is lost behind someone who does 70km/h on the "1" sections and 110km/h in the "2" sections and is a **** to overtake. Then there is a climbing lane south of Rathduff but it's useful 50% of the time because the queues are so long.

2+1 section isquite dangerous.pent up demand has drivers queing up to overtake. You have to be careful in case driver behind you is planning to rocket out to get past you and traffic ahead. You are also right about drivers that speed up on the overtaking sections. Truvksvas well trying to overtake even though it is illegal for them.

Isambard

it's only illegal for trucks to overtake on Motorways,

markpb

Isambard wrote:

it's only illegal for trucks to overtake on Motorways,

That's not true AFAIK. It's illegal fit a truck to overtake using lane 3 of a three lane motorway.

trellheim

Monument's point is valid here. It's not worth building a motorway if all you get is uncontrolled ribbon growth and a bunch more people of cars ( I mean look at the Kildare and Meath heartlands and the M9/M7 inbound to Dublin every morning.

So a proper joined up strategy that says "well actually we plan Mallow to become a regional strong population centre" so increase the commuter trains and say run them all the way to Cobh and Midleton so there's some chance of them going places people need to be.

Isambard

markpb wrote: »

That's not true AFAIK. It's illegal fit a truck to overtake using lane 3 of a three lane motorway.

my point being it is not illegal for them to pass on non-motorways.

I wasn't stating they could never overtake on motorways.

Bass Reeves

trellheim wrote: »

Monument's point is valid here. It's not worth building a motorway if all you get is uncontrolled ribbon growth and a bunch more people of cars ( I mean look at the Kildare and Meath heartlands and the M9/M7 inbound to Dublin every morning.

So a proper joined up strategy that says "well actually we plan Mallow to become a regional strong population centre" so increase the commuter trains and say run them all the way to Cobh and Midleton so there's some chance of them going places people need to be.

Motorways are there to get people to work. People have to be flexible now and move from one job to another. Getting into the center of Cork or Limerick city is ok but what if you job is in EMC in Ballincollig, in De Beers in Shannon, in Analog in Raheen, Sap AG in Galway. Maybe you work in Alcan in Askeaton. Your partner could work 30-50 miles in opposite direction.

Wake up and smell the coffee and live in the real world. It all sounds great in theory that you get out of bed in the morning and 4-500 meters from your door a bus or train collect you and drops you to the door of your workplace. This is the real world we live in. It is not just to get to work it is for all those that travel these routes with Goods and services to keep other companies going.

Electric and Hybrid cars are only 5-10 years away and will again change the ability to travel.

L1011

markpb wrote: »

That's not true AFAIK. It's illegal fit a truck to overtake using lane 3 of a three lane motorway.

Outer lane of any motorway is illegal, it's only on 3+ they can at all.

Bass Reeves

L1011 wrote: »

Outer lane of any motorway is illegal, it's only on 3+ they can at all.

My understanding was that it was the outer lane on any multi lane road such as slow climb area's and 2+1's. However I may be incorrect

Isambard

Bass Reeves wrote: »

My understanding was that it was the outer lane on any multi lane road such as slow climb area's and 2+1's. However I may be incorrect

you are

trellheim

Motorways are there to get people to work. People have to be flexible now and move from one job to another. Getting into the center of Cork or Limerick city is ok but what if you job is in EMC in Ballincollig, in De Beers in Shannon, in Analog in Raheen, Sap AG in Galway. Maybe you work in Alcan in Askeaton. Your partner could work 30-50 miles in opposite direction.

Wake up and smell the coffee and live in the real world. It all sounds great in theory that you get out of bed in the morning and 4-500 meters from your door a bus or train collect you and drops you to the door of your workplace. This is the real world we live in. It is not just to get to work it is for all those that travel these routes with Goods and services to keep other companies going.

Electric and Hybrid cars are only 5-10 years away and will again change the ability to travel.

By your argument no-one should take public transport or it should only be for the plebs or whatever and we'd have a motorway through every village in the Republic - do you not see the problem here ? The waterford -dublin motorway was built to that logic and apart from either end its empty most of the day and its not even tolled.

Just because some people work in estates that arent properly connected to joined up public transport is no reason to not properly work out a long term solution that might address the gridlock.

To take some sort of local view try and sit @Dunkettle roundabout inbound on Monday morning and wonder why a 2 lane motorway is no fking use unless its connected onto a proper system thats designed for the long haul > 20 year growth.

Its why I stopped driving to Cork for work from Dublin - it was easier and less hassle to get the train and then do a taxi ( cheaper, too ).