Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Motorway from Dublin to Sligo Needed Badly

Options
  • 07-02-2017 11:47pm
    #1
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭


    Sorry if there is already a thread running on this but I couldnt find one. I think we badly need a proper (motorway standard not N-Road dual carriageway) Motorway running all the way from Sligo to Dublin (or rather Sligo to join up with the M4 in Mullingar) or Dublin to Sligo (Mullingar to Sligo ) - (whichever way you want to look at it)

    I dont seem to be alone in thinking this there is a campaign group on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/revivenorthwest/ and there is a peaceful protest outside the Dail tomorrow (wednesday 8th Feb) to highlight the need for one along with getting more money for the northwest.

    I think the Government will be quite happy to complete the N-Road improvements and upgrade of the existing N4 and then I am imagining after that is completed that they will not even enter into consultation of a motorway for the Northwest if anything of the past is to go by and the little amount of money the northwest recieves for projects in the past - but I shouldnt be negative.

    I really think it will bring more tourism to the area, will cut journey times immensely - will help trade as well as numerous other benefits personally.

    This is how I think the map would look like if they did build a proper motorway from Sligo to Dublin / (Sligo to M4 Mullingar )

    16684203_10211308150353366_1149163804127256869_n.jpg?oh=d1ce9796eac5298d93d4c93b3929957c&oe=58FDF8CC
    Tagged:


«134567…12

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Melanoma
    Registered Users Posts: 310 ✭✭Melanoma


    There is no money? There might be a toll that'd be expensive if traffic flow is too few. Then maybe there are savings and economic growth reasons to do it.

    Personally I think limerick to cork is higher priority due to volume of traffic and fatalities.

    Sligo to Galway then to Dublin, I was thinking might be an option but it is too far. Its a road though that'd up activity in the west.


  • Options
    #3
    SligoBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭SligoBrewer


    It would have to go by Longford and Carrick-On-Shannon.


  • Options
    #4
    Radharc na Sleibhte
    Registered Users Posts: 2,534 ✭✭✭Radharc na Sleibhte


    Most of Mayo come on to the N4 at various points. I'm genuinely surprised Enda hasn't done something at this stage. He's two ends of a gob***** but he tends to try and look after his own crowd in castlebar in particular. The road from Castlebaldwin to Mullingar is ok, so even if they just finally took their thumbs out of their holes and did something with the road out of Sligo. It's not as if there hasn't been enough accidents, injuries and deaths on this stretch to know that it is long gone past being badly needed.


  • Options
    #5
    Lyle Lanley
    Registered Users Posts: 642 ✭✭✭Lyle Lanley


    Radharc na Sleibhte wrote: »
    Most of Mayo come on to the N4 at various points. I'm genuinely surprised Enda hasn't done something at this stage. He's two ends of a gob***** but he tends to try and look after his own crowd in castlebar in particular. The road from Castlebaldwin to Mullingar is ok, so even if they just finally took their thumbs out of their holes and did something with the road out of Sligo. It's not as if there hasn't been enough accidents, injuries and deaths on this stretch to know that it is long gone past being badly needed.
    There's been massive improvements in roads in Mayo in Endas time.

    The road from Westport to Longford is pretty good now.


  • Options
    #6
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    Lyle Lanley wrote: »
    The road from Westport to Longford is pretty good now.

    The bit through Roscommon is terrible


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Lyle Lanley
    Registered Users Posts: 642 ✭✭✭Lyle Lanley


    The high horse brigade wrote: »
    The bit through Roscommon is terrible
    Once you leave mayo in any direction the roads deteriorate. Very evident when driving Sligo to Galway.


  • Options
    #8
    topmanamillion
    Registered Users Posts: 3,319 ✭✭✭topmanamillion


    I don't see the pressing need for a motor way to Dublin to be honest. The train link is pretty good at the moment so students are covered.
    The road at the moment to Dublin from Sligo is fine. There`s a dual carriageway out of Sligo town as far as collooney from there to Boyle is adequate and then there`s Carrick which really could do with being bypassed as its a bottle neck but after Carrick its fine and then you hit the motorway.

    Sligo`s problems aren't lack of road networks its mostly silly rates within the town which is off putting to businesses.


  • Options
    #9
    Mint Sauce
    Registered Users Posts: 29,294 ✭✭✭✭Mint Sauce


    I don't think we need a motorway the whole way either, as I don't think the traffic level requires it. What is needed though as soon as possible is the building of the DC from Collooney to Castlebaldwin, and whilst I may not be a fan of the 2+2 road that is planned, would rather the HQDC, it's certainly better than one of the worst roads in the country that is currently there. Also the Coco needs to review the current speed limit on the Sligo Coolloney road and allow a 120km/h limit on it, which it's more than capable of.


  • Options
    #10
    blackwhite
    Registered Users Posts: 8,630 ✭✭✭blackwhite


    Radharc na Sleibhte wrote: »
    Most of Mayo come on to the N4 at various points. I'm genuinely surprised Enda hasn't done something at this stage. He's two ends of a gob***** but he tends to try and look after his own crowd in castlebar in particular. The road from Castlebaldwin to Mullingar is ok, so even if they just finally took their thumbs out of their holes and did something with the road out of Sligo. It's not as if there hasn't been enough accidents, injuries and deaths on this stretch to know that it is long gone past being badly needed.

    That's already in the planning stage - tenders are out for the initial works (archaeological, etc)

    http://www.sligococo.ie/n4/

    €7.5m budgeted to be spent in 2017 on it, according to http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057444738&page=24



    There were plans to link the Dromod bypass to the Mullingar bypass will a dual carriageway - but they stalled during the recession. No sign of them being re-activated yet.
    Same for Dromod to Carrick plans.


  • Options
    #11
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    topmanamillion wrote: »
    I don't see the pressing need for a motor way to Dublin to be honest. The train link is pretty good at the moment so students are covered.
    ..


    Hmm , frequency of trains, no facility to transport cargo , talk of train services being cut maybe in the near future - I would say there is much more need for a proper motorway to be started building now - its not that brilliant the train service, your limited to travelling certain times of the day, its quite expensive, there is no night service - with a proper motorway if you need to get up in Dublin at a certain time and you have a car you can just get in and drive when you please in the comfort of your own car.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    Mint Sauce wrote: »
    ... Also the Coco needs to review the current speed limit on the Sligo Coolloney road and allow a 120km/h limit on it, which it's more than capable of.

    Is that even possible? - havent heard of any N-Roads being increased to 120kmh , I though the speed limit can only be 120kmh on a motorway quality road, after all on N4 you are sharing with cyclists, learner drivers and other transport and other things that would be prohibited on a Motorway


  • Options
    #13
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    Can you imagine a long stretch of dual carriage Motorway from Sligo to Dublin , 120kmh, with no bends , traffic lights, roundabouts, junctions (apart from slip roads) would it not be bliss to drive on and get you from A-B in excellent journey times.

    Whats it about at the moment on a good day, something like 2hours 45 mins on a good day to travel to Dublin by car ... you imagine how that journey time could be cut down travelling at an average of between 100-120kmh - I am not good with calculations but I bet it would shorten the travel time considerably, not even the Dublin train or bus eireann expressway can do those speeds consistently at the moment


  • Options
    #14
    blackwhite
    Registered Users Posts: 8,630 ✭✭✭blackwhite


    Andy From Sligo wrote: »
    Is that even possible? - havent heard of any N-Roads being increased to 120kmh , I though the speed limit can only be 120kmh on a motorway quality road, after all on N4 you are sharing with cyclists, learner drivers and other transport and other things that would be prohibited on a Motorway

    N25 approaching Cork. Built to similar standard as the Collooney/Ballisodare bypass - NRA and Cork CC were able to increase limit to 120 on it.

    https://www.google.ie/maps/@51.9038463,-8.375004,3a,75y,68.52h,86.18t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sl0ZNF3UMotSmMSfehOn8KA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656


  • Options
    #15
    jezzer
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭jezzer


    I 100% agree that there should be a motorway from Dublin to Sligo, you have one from Dublin to Mullingar then it gets patchy from Mullingar to Sligo. Sligo is a key point in that it it is the centre point that brings the east to the west and north west, if there was a motorway the whole way down it would seriously have a massive impact on sligo and the surrounding areas, Sligo would have the opportunity to become the next Galway of the west, you can get from Dublin to Galway in 2 hours, it should be the same to Sligo.


  • Options
    #16
    Mint Sauce
    Registered Users Posts: 29,294 ✭✭✭✭Mint Sauce


    Andy From Sligo wrote: »
    Can you imagine a long stretch of dual carriage Motorway from Sligo to Dublin , 120kmh, with no bends , traffic lights, roundabouts, junctions (apart from slip roads) would it not be bliss to drive on and get you from A-B in excellent journey times.

    Whats it about at the moment on a good day, something like 2hours 45 mins on a good day to travel to Dublin by car ... you imagine how that journey time could be cut down travelling at an average of between 100-120kmh - I am not good with calculations but I bet it would shorten the travel time considerably, not even the Dublin train or bus eireann expressway can do those speeds consistently at the moment

    About 2 1/2 currently to Lansdowne Road (handy for us Rovers fans), or to the Airport, slightly more to the City Centre, still don't think it justifies a need for a motorway way though. Only part that really slows you up is all the Roundabouts around Longford and Carrick, and Castlebaldwin to Colloney. Upgrade that section, and up the HQDC to 120, will satisfy most I would say, and both would knock off probably about 5 minutes.


  • Options
    #17
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    Mint Sauce wrote: »
    About 2 1/2 currently to Lansdowne Road (handy for us Rovers fans), or to the Airport, slightly more to the City Centre, still don't think it justifies a need for a motorway way though. Only part that really slows you up is all the Roundabouts around Longford and Carrick, and Castlebaldwin to Colloney. Upgrade that section, and up the HQDC to 120, will satisfy most I would say, and both would knock off probably about 5 minutes.

    Just as matter of fact though how many speed restriction would you come across though , you certainly can do 100kmh on some roads on the routes especially the bypasses they have done but then you got all that slowing down to do on other roads to 80kmh and 60kmh and even some 50kmh along the stretch, let alone slowing down for bends. If there was a motorway in place I bet there would not be a lot of people who would want to go back on the N4 route.


  • Options
    #18
    Jayop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,388 ✭✭✭✭Jayop


    Andy From Sligo wrote: »
    Is that even possible? - havent heard of any N-Roads being increased to 120kmh , I though the speed limit can only be 120kmh on a motorway quality road, after all on N4 you are sharing with cyclists, learner drivers and other transport and other things that would be prohibited on a Motorway

    It was built to motorway spec so could be upgraded very simply to 120-kmph. There's no crossing traffic, roundabouts at both ends and a good full size hard shoulder the full way both directions.

    Learner drivers can easily get to collooney the old road and cyclists/pedestrians shouldn't be on the dual carriage way anyway.

    There was talk of upgrading it to 120 a few years ago but it never went through. Instead the council are now talking about downgrading the N17 from Curry to Ballinacarrow to 80kmph. I guess the speed ans haven't been doing enough business there of late so they need to click a few more drivers going at a reasonable speed.


    Of course there should be a Motorway to Dublin from Sligo, or at least a proper dual carriageway. It could be done and opened in stages incorporating roads that are already in place.

    Sligo to Kinnegad where we meet the N4 or even Sligo to Moate to link with the M6 could be a thought, would open up Athlone and the midlands more for us too.

    Sligo to Kinnegad is 147kms, there's already two stretches of dual carriageway that probably total about 40kms so 100+ kms of road is all that's needed.


  • Options
    #19
    Mint Sauce
    Registered Users Posts: 29,294 ✭✭✭✭Mint Sauce


    Andy From Sligo wrote: »
    Just as matter of fact though how many speed restriction would you come across though , you certainly can do 100kmh on some roads on the routes especially the bypasses they have done but then you got all that slowing down to do on other roads to 80kmh and 60kmh and even some 50kmh along the stretch, let alone slowing down for bends. If there was a motorway in place I bet there would not be a lot of people who would want to go back on the N4 route.

    That's my point re slowing for all the Roundabouts, all the crests and twists for Collooney to Castlebaldwin.

    If there was a motorway I doubt hardly any would go back to the old N4, only for local traffic. But if it ever was done, and with Collooney to Castlebaldwin and such an advanced stage, I doubt it would be in our life's, I could see there probably being an additional toll or two.


  • Options
    #20
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    We loose an airport service to Dublin here in Sligo, both Irish Rail and Expressway have cited about having to cut services ... yet we have no good road infrastructure or motorway for people to fall back to - we have a lot of health services moved to "centre of excellence" in places as in Galway and Dublin ... and yet we dont have the proper roads or transport in place to get to these centres conveniently , safely and fast - why should we miss out in the northwest just because we are miles away from Dublin, they need to start sharing out the finances more to this area


  • Options
    #21
    Mint Sauce
    Registered Users Posts: 29,294 ✭✭✭✭Mint Sauce


    Andy From Sligo wrote: »
    Is that even possible? - havent heard of any N-Roads being increased to 120kmh , I though the speed limit can only be 120kmh on a motorway quality road, after all on N4 you are sharing with cyclists, learner drivers and other transport and other things that would be prohibited on a Motorway
    Jayop wrote: »
    It was built to motorway spec so could be upgraded very simply to 120-kmph. There's no crossing traffic, roundabouts at both ends and a good full size hard shoulder the full way both directions

    Definitely possible, it has been built as you say to spec, hence the tittle of HQDC. The N25 DC outside Cork City has had its speed limit increased to 120 in places and is not near as good a quality.

    Only thing I am not sure on, would increasing it to 120, mean it would have Motorway restrictions, ie, no learners, etc. It is built to such a good standard, it is currently good for Learners to get as close to Motorway experience as possible, without actually going on one.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    Andy From Sligo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    Well I have never heard of any other place anywhere changing an N-Road into a fully fledged motorway with motorway services (such as petrol station, toilets, restaurant etc) and motorway hard shoulders and having everything what a motorway is supposed to have but im prepared to be proved wrong. I have normally seen a Motorway built in the UK running alongside or near enough to A-roads which would be the N-Roads over here. After all if you upgraded the existing N4 to a motorway (M4 say) you would I should have thought , have a N-Road free for when there has been an accident on the motorway as an equivelent rout of for traffic that is phohibited for use on the motorway. I must say I would personally think it was well strange if they upgraded the whole of the existing N4 to a motorway and not just build another purpose built motorway from Sligo to Dublin / Sligo to mullingar from scratch properly


  • Options
    #23
    Mint Sauce
    Registered Users Posts: 29,294 ✭✭✭✭Mint Sauce


    Andy From Sligo wrote: »
    Well I have never heard of any other place anywhere changing an N-Road into a fully fledged motorway with motorway services (such as petrol station, toilets, restaurant etc) and motorway hard shoulders and having everything what a motorway is supposed to have but im prepared to be proved wrong. I have normally seen a Motorway built in the UK running alongside or near enough to A-roads which would be the N-Roads over here. After all if you upgraded the existing N4 to a motorway (M4 say) you would I should have thought , have a N-Road free for when there has been an accident on the motorway as an equivelent rout of for traffic that is phohibited for use on the motorway. I must say I would personally think it was well strange if they upgraded the whole of the existing N4 to a motorway and not just build another purpose built motorway from Sligo to Dublin / Sligo to mullingar from scratch properly

    None of the Motorways here had services along them up until a few years ago. The N4 from Sligo to Collooney has already been built to Motorway spec, plus if it was reclassified as Motorway in addition to the increased speed limit, it already has an alternative route for restricted traffic and incase of accidents.


  • Options
    #24
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,368 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    There is no need for a motorway from Dublin to Sligo. The traffic volumes are simply not there for it.

    The N4 between Collooney and Castlebaldwin is being upgraded to dual carraigeway starting next year. This won't have much time saving beenfits but will be a major safety upgrade for a pathetic stretch of road. After that, there are plans for a dual carraigeway bypass from north of Carrick-on-Shannon as far as Dromod and from Rooskey to Mullingar. Part of the Rooskey-Mullingar road south of Longford may be motorway.

    The N5 through Roscommon is being upgraded, and is currently in planning. No funding in place yet though.

    The N4 approaching Sligo is to motorway standard and could be redesignated motorway although the NRA have said that they won't upgrade isolated short sections. If the original plan for a motorway grade Sligo bypass goes ahead and connects the existing N4 DC to the planned N15 DC north of Sligo that may change. It is capable of a 120km/h limit though.

    There are threads on the various schemes discussed above in the Roads forum if anyone wants more details on the specifics involved.


  • Options
    #25
    exaisle
    Registered Users Posts: 2,675 ✭✭✭exaisle


    marno21 wrote: »
    There is no need for a motorway from Dublin to Sligo. The traffic volumes are simply not there for it.

    And no need for a four-lane M50 when that was being built....but they'd be glad of it now...

    The fact that there is not sufficient traffic volume at present does not mean that there won't be in the future. If there was a motorway built, traffic volume would increase BECAUSE there's a motorway.

    A bit of forward planning please, lads....

    Although given the choice, will the National Roads Association* for F*** sake get their fingers out and build a motorway from Limerick to Cork. Long beyond a joke now.


  • Options
    #26
    topmanamillion
    Registered Users Posts: 3,319 ✭✭✭topmanamillion


    Andy From Sligo wrote: »
    Hmm , frequency of trains, no facility to transport cargo , talk of train services being cut maybe in the near future - I would say there is much more need for a proper motorway to be started building now - its not that brilliant the train service, your limited to travelling certain times of the day, its quite expensive, there is no night service - with a proper motorway if you need to get up in Dublin at a certain time and you have a car you can just get in and drive when you please in the comfort of your own car.

    You`re talking like there isn't any road now. There are far more pressing investments needed in the region than a road to no where.


  • Options
    #27
    lawred2
    Registered Users Posts: 24,300 ✭✭✭✭lawred2


    Metro north and dart underground have greater immediate national significance


  • Options
    #28
    topmanamillion
    Registered Users Posts: 3,319 ✭✭✭topmanamillion


    exaisle wrote: »
    The fact that there is not sufficient traffic volume at present does not mean that there won't be in the future. If there was a motorway built, traffic volume would increase BECAUSE there's a motorway.

    I don't know about that Ray Kinsella, the build and they will come theory is a bit flawed.
    If you could link to some studies/articles where motorways have been built in places without the traffic volume to justify them at the time of construction but resulted in increased traffic flow at time of completion I would be interested in reading them and appreciate you taking the time to link to them. Thank you.


  • Options
    #29
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,368 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    exaisle wrote: »
    And no need for a four-lane M50 when that was being built....but they'd be glad of it now...

    The fact that there is not sufficient traffic volume at present does not mean that there won't be in the future. If there was a motorway built, traffic volume would increase BECAUSE there's a motorway.

    A bit of forward planning please, lads....

    Although given the choice, will the National Roads Association* for F*** sake get their fingers out and build a motorway from Limerick to Cork. Long beyond a joke now.

    Come here to me Sligo has a population of 20,000. A motorway has capacity for 55k vehicles a day, how do you see that filling? The M4/N4 is already above capacity east of Kilcock so any time savings made by having a motorway north of Mullingar will be cancelled by the increased congestion closer to Dublin.


  • Options
    #30
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users Posts: 17,849 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    And no need for a four-lane M50 when that was being built....but they'd be glad of it now...
    yeah and as soon as it was upgraded, it is already over capacity. You cannot compare Dublin with Sligo... The scheme would never reach capacity, well maybe in 2117 it might...


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #31
    feardeas
    Registered Users Posts: 307 ✭✭feardeas


    marno21 wrote:
    The N4 between Collooney and Castlebaldwin is being upgraded to dual carraigeway starting next year. This won't have much time saving beenfits but will be a major safety upgrade for a pathetic stretch of road. After that, there are plans for a dual carraigeway bypass from north of Carrick-on-Shannon as far as Dromod and from Rooskey to Mullingar. Part of the Rooskey-Mullingar road south of Longford may be motorway.

    That would make a big difference. If the recession had held off a few years Mullingar to Carrick might have been done. Then lots of things would be different.

    They could up the limit to 120 from Mullingar to Coralstown. Having it at 100 is daft.


Advertisement