M17/M18 - Gort to Tuam [open to traffic]

Aontachtoir wrote: »

Only 100 or so kilometres of N17 left to upgrade then! :D

Less than 100, I think the N4 approach to Sligo is ok for now

Claremorris - Knock will be a cheap upgrade, the other 80/85km will be the major stumbling block.

The Limerick-Sligo trip has seen some change since this time 20 years ago. Limerick itself, Shannon, Newmarket on Fergus, Clarecastle, Ennis, Barefield, Crusheen, Gort, Ardrahan, Labane, Kilcolgan, Clarinbridge, Oranmore, Claregalway, Tuam, Claremorris, Knock, Collooney, Ballisodare and Sligo itself all bypassed.

flazio wrote: »

The sensible thing to do in my opinion is signpost exit 19 as the route to Parkmore and work the light sequences at Carnmore cross and the top of road into Parkmore in favour of traffic coming from that direction.

This could be an idea (even unofficially as a way to avoid the traffic) as traffic will be reduced on the now detrunked N18

m17 wrote: »

RATHMORRISSY 17/07/17

Benbecul97 wrote: »

Couldn't be having cloverleaf interchanges here - we like out roundabouts too much!:D

The Rathmorrissy roundabout performs the function of the cloverleaf. Every vehicle presenting at the roundabout is going 270 degrees around it. Meeting a vehicle coming onto the roundabout has to give way to one on the roundabout, but both know where the other is going - unlike a traditional roundabout.

On the cloverleaf, there are two strips of road where the leaves merge, and vehicles must cross over, with no priority saving the normal rules. The crossover distance is quite limited and is at a higher speed.

Given the lower traffic levels, the Rathmorrisey design wins in my book. The bridge costs on the cloverleaf looks higher, (twice the span and three times the width- to my eye) with the feeder roads about two to three times the length.

Rathmorrisey could have been made freeflow by a change in road marking and maybe wider lanes, better approach angles, on the roundabout.