Dundalk stretch of M1 motorway

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Maybe it was me but has anyone else noticed how badly laid the start of the new stretch of motorway is?

I thought it was my imagination the first time, but I travelled to Belfast over the weekend, and it really is not good at all.

ambrose :cool:

Victor

At the south (existing) end or at the north (Ballymascanlon [strike]Roundabout #4[/strike] interchange) end?

I suspect the north end will be reworked when the cross border section is being done.

murphaph

If you're referring to the southern end of the bypass then maybe it has something to do with the condition of the subsurface (just below the blacktop). That stretch was actually built at the same time as the Dunleer Bypass and was patchy looking (quite unusual even to see subsurface asphalt layed in such a patchwork fashion), I assumed they'd score the patches level before blacktopping it off, maybe somebody screwed up? You can see the stretch in these 2 pics on SABRE;

pic

other pic

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Its the latest part of the Motorway to be opened just a few weeks ago. It was opened a day early for all the Tyrone supporters and re-opened officially the next day.

Before it was opened, coming from Dublin, you had to go up that slip road onto the round about and then continued on past Xerox.

The part I'm referring too is on the new stretch, as if you were continuing straight on towards the "new" end of the motorway.

Hope thats a bit clearer?

ambrose :cool:

murphaph

kingambrose wrote:

Its the latest part of the Motorway to be opened just a few weeks ago. It was opened a day early for all the Tyrone supporters and re-opened officially the next day.

Before it was opened, coming from Dublin, you had to go up that slip road onto the round about and then continued on past Xerox.

The part I'm referring too is on the new stretch, as if you were continuing straight on towards the "new" end of the motorway.

Hope thats a bit clearer?

ambrose :cool:

Well then that's the bit that I linked two pics to. I assume you didn't mean the whole bypass from that point to the roundabout at the end is a bad surface? Write to the NRA about it (seriously, if it's below standard then it should be sorted by the contractor now).

Alun

Drove it on Saturday, and didn't notice anything particularly bad about it.

Bluetonic

murphaph wrote:

That stretch was actually built at the same time as the Dunleer Bypass and was patchy looking
[/URL]

That stretch was actually done during the Castlebellingham and Kilsaran bypass during the early 00's.

The Dunleer bypass was completed during the 90's and didn't feature any work in the area of the southern link interchange.

murphaph

Bluetonic wrote:

That stretch was actually done during the Castlebellingham and Kilsaran bypass during the early 00's.

The Dunleer bypass was completed during the 90's and didn't feature any work in the area of the southern link interchange.

Of course, I was half thinking it wasn't the Dunleer Bypass when I was writing it!

jesus_thats_gre

The only thing I would consider strange is now abrubtly it ends at the very nothern end but sure that will impove when the next extention is complete..

Bluetonic

jesus_thats_gre wrote:

The only thing I would consider strange is now abrubtly it ends at the very nothern end but sure that will impove when the next extention is complete..

Anyone have any idea how they are going to link the newly opened Dundalk Western Bypass Northern Link Motorway (M1 section) to the under development dual carriageway from Newry to the end of the Dundalk Western Bypass Northern Link Motorway as it stands now?

Some massive roundabout which will become a terrible bottle neck perhaps?

spacetweek

Bluetonic wrote:

Anyone have any idea how they are going to link the newly opened Dundalk Western Bypass Northern Link Motorway (M1 section) to the under development dual carriageway from Newry to the end of the Dundalk Western Bypass Northern Link Motorway as it stands now?

Some massive roundabout which will become a terrible bottle neck perhaps?

According to this map, it'll be a full interchange.

murphaph

I assume the current lead in to the terminus roundabout (travelling northbound) will be the future north bound off-slip and the mainline will be elevated to allow this off-slip to maintain it's connection to the current termnus roundabout which will also have a northbound on-slip passing under the mainline and up to merge with it. If you look at this picture on SABRE you can imagine the mainline to your right being elevated at this point and touching down to the left of centre where that mound of scrub covered earth is located.

Praetorian

I think lots of parts of the M1 aren't great quality.It's the whole Irish philosphy of "it'll do" and I'm sure no one checks up on these things anyway, just like any Irish road works.

Victor

The new N1 will continue straight on from the M1, parallel to the exisiting N1. Eventually the old N1 will merge with the new M1.

Brochure with miserable little (missing bits) map http://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/file,1848,en.pdf

http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,1847,en.html

Dundalk Western Bypass Officially Opens Five Months Early

26th September, 2005

National Development Plan and European Regional Development Fund Logos

Minister Cullen moves for Fixed Price Contracts on transport infrastructure. “The price you see must be the price you pay” says Cullen.

Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen TD today (26th September, 2005) officially opened the Dundalk Western Bypass, five months ahead of schedule. The Minister was joined at the opening by his Fianna Fáil colleagues, Minister Dermot Ahern TD, Seamus Kirk TD and by the NRA Chairman, Mr Peter Malone.

Minister Cullen also announced plans to introduce Fixed Price Contracts on all taxpayer funded transport projects to ensure the risk for any overruns falls on the contractor and not the taxpayer.

Speaking in Dundalk, Minister Cullen said:

“The opening of the new Dundalk Western Bypass will be a major benefit to the people of businesses of the North East. Its delivery, 5-months ahead of schedule, means that road users will save up to 30 minutes on journey times and traffic logjams will be reduced. Equally, with better access to and from Dundalk, local businesses can thrive and jobs in Louth can grow. The completion of this stretch also means that road users on the M1 Dublin - Belfast route can travel on continuous motorway from Dublin to Ballymascanlon, a total of over 90 kms.”

On Fixed Priced Contracts, Minister Cullen said:

“It is fair to say that on infrastructure costs, for several Governments, involving several Political Parties, over several years, there have been challenges. The old style of contracts, where any additional costs fell to the taxpayer, resulted in increased and inflated outcomes. The Government and its agencies, recognising this, have moved progressively since 2002 to the greater use of the Design and Build form of contract which ensures greater certainty of outturn costs.

“I believe we need to go further again and introduce Fixed Price Contracts. The price you see must be the price you pay. Fixed Priced Contracting can ensure this is the case. We need to learn the lessons from past road projects and work to ensure that the public can have confidence in the delivery of infrastructure. I want to see the rules of contracting changed so that contractors bear the construction risk involved. This is to ensure that taxpayers get maximum value for their money.”

The Minister announced that he will schedule meetings this week with the Chairmen of all the taxpayer-funded transport agencies that are responsible with the delivery of transport infrastructure – the NRA, CIE and the RPA – to progress the delivery of Fixed Price Contracts.

When this process is completed, the outcome will feed into the wider Government discussions on contract documents between the Department of Finance and construction industry interests.

Speaking at the road opening, NRA Chairman, Peter Malone said:

“The M1 Dundalk Western Bypass is the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) road scheme to open in Ireland, coming in five months ahead of schedule. PPP schemes are firmly on the agenda in Ireland in order to accelerate the delivery of key infrastructure projects, which are vital in maintaining Ireland’s economic competitiveness.

“The exchequer made no payment to the consortium to build the scheme as the revenue generated from the toll at Drogheda funded the project and a strict level of service is demanded from the operator of the Boyne Bridge toll scheme. Another PPP success story is the Kilcock /Kinnegad scheme, which is currently on course to open 10 months ahead of schedule in December 2005. The Fermoy PPP scheme is another extremely impressive project, which is also ahead of schedule and due to open in late 2006. In the not too distant future the contract for another PPP scheme - the Limerick Tunnel will be awarded. Early next year two more major PPP contracts will be awarded - the Waterford Bypass and the M3 PPP scheme.”

Victor

Brcohure includes tiny map http://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/file,1848,en.pdf

http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,1847,en.html

Dundalk Western Bypass Officially Opens Five Months Early
26th September, 2005

Minister Cullen moves for Fixed Price Contracts on transport infrastructure. “The price you see must be the price you pay” says Cullen.

Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen TD today (26th September, 2005) officially opened the Dundalk Western Bypass, five months ahead of schedule. The Minister was joined at the opening by his Fianna Fáil colleagues, Minister Dermot Ahern TD, Seamus Kirk TD and by the NRA Chairman, Mr Peter Malone.

Minister Cullen also announced plans to introduce Fixed Price Contracts on all taxpayer funded transport projects to ensure the risk for any overruns falls on the contractor and not the taxpayer.

Speaking in Dundalk, Minister Cullen said:

“The opening of the new Dundalk Western Bypass will be a major benefit to the people of businesses of the North East. Its delivery, 5-months ahead of schedule, means that road users will save up to 30 minutes on journey times and traffic logjams will be reduced. Equally, with better access to and from Dundalk, local businesses can thrive and jobs in Louth can grow. The completion of this stretch also means that road users on the M1 Dublin - Belfast route can travel on continuous motorway from Dublin to Ballymascanlon, a total of over 90 kms.”

On Fixed Priced Contracts, Minister Cullen said:

“It is fair to say that on infrastructure costs, for several Governments, involving several Political Parties, over several years, there have been challenges. The old style of contracts, where any additional costs fell to the taxpayer, resulted in increased and inflated outcomes. The Government and its agencies, recognising this, have moved progressively since 2002 to the greater use of the Design and Build form of contract which ensures greater certainty of outturn costs.

“I believe we need to go further again and introduce Fixed Price Contracts. The price you see must be the price you pay. Fixed Priced Contracting can ensure this is the case. We need to learn the lessons from past road projects and work to ensure that the public can have confidence in the delivery of infrastructure. I want to see the rules of contracting changed so that contractors bear the construction risk involved. This is to ensure that taxpayers get maximum value for their money.”


The Minister announced that he will schedule meetings this week with the Chairmen of all the taxpayer-funded transport agencies that are responsible with the delivery of transport infrastructure – the NRA, CIE and the RPA – to progress the delivery of Fixed Price Contracts.

When this process is completed, the outcome will feed into the wider Government discussions on contract documents between the Department of Finance and construction industry interests.

Speaking at the road opening, NRA Chairman, Peter Malone said:

“The M1 Dundalk Western Bypass is the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) road scheme to open in Ireland, coming in five months ahead of schedule. PPP schemes are firmly on the agenda in Ireland in order to accelerate the delivery of key infrastructure projects, which are vital in maintaining Ireland’s economic competitiveness.

“The exchequer made no payment to the consortium to build the scheme as the revenue generated from the toll at Drogheda funded the project and a strict level of service is demanded from the operator of the Boyne Bridge toll scheme. Another PPP success story is the Kilcock /Kinnegad scheme, which is currently on course to open 10 months ahead of schedule in December 2005. The Fermoy PPP scheme is another extremely impressive project, which is also ahead of schedule and due to open in late 2006. In the not too distant future the contract for another PPP scheme - the Limerick Tunnel will be awarded. Early next year two more major PPP contracts will be awarded - the Waterford Bypass and the M3 PPP scheme.”