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

Roddylarge · 13-09-2017 11:13AM

If I'm coming from Dundalk to Ennis, Id normally go via Limerick (M7). Once this new motorway opens I wonder if it would be better going via the M6? I avoid the M6 normally as I hate the road from Loughrea to Gort.

Benbecul97 · 13-09-2017 11:19AM

Roddylarge wrote: »

If I'm coming from Dundalk to Ennis, Id normally go via Limerick (M7). Once this new motorway opens I wonder if it would be better going via the M6? I avoid the M6 normally as I hate the road from Loughrea to Gort.

Dundalk to Ennis will be pretty much the sames distance via either the M6 or M7, but with the new M6/M18 junction you will avoid the towns of Loughrea and Gort.

Benbecul97 · 13-09-2017 11:23AM

J o e wrote: »

I suspect it might well be quicker to do that trip via the M17/M6 around busy times. It's a longer distance but you're avoiding Claregalway.

How could that trip possibly be quicker at busy times? Claregalway is going to be quieter with the M17.

Quackster · 13-09-2017 11:25AM

Roddylarge wrote: »

If I'm coming from Dundalk to Ennis, Id normally go via Limerick (M7). Once this new motorway opens I wonder if it would be better going via the M6? I avoid the M6 normally as I hate the road from Loughrea to Gort.

The distance will be almost exactly the same so I don't think there will be any benefit one way or the other. I'd probably go M6 half the time and M7 the other half, just for a change of scenery.

BelfastVanMan · 13-09-2017 11:33AM

Benbecul97 wrote: »

J o e wrote: »

I suspect it might well be quicker to do that trip via the M17/M6 around busy times. It's a longer distance but you're avoiding Claregalway.

How could that trip possibly be quicker at busy times? Claregalway is going to be quieter with the M17.

Not by an awful lot...

Bazzy · 13-09-2017 11:37AM

i live in Ardrahan I cannot wait to see the difference it makes to the N18 here i'd imagine a massive impact particularly to local Applegreen station

joeKel73 · 13-09-2017 11:41AM

Benbecul97 wrote: »

How could that trip possibly be quicker at busy times? Claregalway is going to be quieter with the M17.

That all depends on how much quieter Claregalway becomes.

Suppose both options start at the top of Bothar na dThreabh....

M6/M17 Route

Bothar na dThreadbh to the roundabout that leads to the motorway = 10mins (typical with heavy traffic)
4km on the N6 to the M6 (say 95km/hr) = 2.5 mins
8km on the M6 to M17 (say 110km/hr) = 4.5 mins
25km on the M17 to Tuam (say 110km/hr) = 13.5 mins
Tuam to Belclare (N17 and R333) = 6mins (current Google maps estimate, this stretch flows fairly well)

Total: 36.5 mins

N17 Route

At the moment this could take 45-50mins in an evening rush hour.

Will be interesting to compare when the road opens and the N17 gets quieter.

Benbecul97 · 13-09-2017 11:55AM

J o e wrote: »

M6/M17 Route
Bothar na dThreadbh to the roundabout that leads to the motorway = 10mins (typical with heavy traffic)

10mins is very optimistic at busy times.

J o e wrote: »

N17 Route

J o e wrote: »

At the moment this could take 45-50mins in an evening rush hour.

But we're not talking about at the moment.

J o e wrote: »

Will be interesting to compare when the road opens and the N17 gets quieter.

It will and its all unknown until then.

L1011 · 13-09-2017 11:56AM

Benbecul97 wrote: »

How could that trip possibly be quicker at busy times? Claregalway is going to be quieter with the M17.

If everyone decides going via Claregalway is going to be quicker, it won't be.

Benbecul97 · 13-09-2017 12:01PM

L1011 wrote: »

If everyone decides going via Claregalway is going to be quicker, it won't be.

I'm not talking about "everyone". I gave a specific example.

joeKel73 · 13-09-2017 12:08PM

Benbecul97 wrote: »

I'm not talking about "everyone". I gave a specific example.

Yeah well that example is an edge case based on how far south of Tuam it will be viable to go north onto the M17 before travelling south to Galway. If I lived there I'd check with Google Maps before the commute home each evening.

I think traffic north of Tuam should find the new motorway faster.

Zerbini Blewitt · 13-09-2017 12:28PM

So on the Sligo - Cork route (aside from Ballindine & Milltown which are not really bottlenecks?) the first town after Charlestown will be Charleville – 215km.

Nice!

Benbecul97 · 13-09-2017 12:38PM

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Not by an awful lot...

Unknown....

marno21 · 13-09-2017 12:40PM

Zerbini Blewitt wrote: »

So on the Sligo - Cork route (aside from Ballindine & Milltown which are not really bottlenecks?) the first town after Charlestown will be Charleville – 215km.

Nice!

I can see Milltown being slow at peak times as its free flow from Galway/Limerick to Milltown.

I don't think it'll be Claregalway level but it could be liable to congestion all the same

Benbecul97 · 13-09-2017 12:40PM

J o e wrote: »

Yeah well that example is an edge case based on how far south of Tuam it will be viable to go north onto the M17 before travelling south to Galway. If I lived there I'd check with Google Maps before the commute home each evening.

I think traffic north of Tuam should find the new motorway faster.

Yeah, well it is just an example, one size is not going to fit all....

Roadfan · 13-09-2017 01:05PM

marno21 wrote: »

I can see Milltown being slow at peak times as its free flow from Galway/Limerick to Milltown.

I don't think it'll be Claregalway level but it could be liable to congestion all the same

I see Councillors in Sligo are making a bit of noise about the N17 from their side. Good to see the lot done at some stage and indeed Milltown and Ballindine being bypassed. Think it will be a while though before M17 is out and about on the bike taking photos of that particular project.!

wotzgoingon · 13-09-2017 01:40PM

Roadfan wrote: »

I see Councillors in Sligo are making a bit of noise about the N17 from their side. Good to see the lot done at some stage and indeed Milltown and Ballindine being bypassed. Think it will be a while though before M17 is out and about on the bike taking photos of that particular project.!

Why would you bypass Milltown and Ballindine. I live near both places and never got held up there ever, yes traffic slows down but it is free flowing and the only time you get held up was if there was road works.

Roadfan · 13-09-2017 01:48PM

wotzgoingon wrote: »

Why would you bypass Milltown and Ballindine. I live near both places and never got held up there ever, yes traffic slows down but it is free flowing and the only time you get held up was if there was road works.

Well maybe so but I gather that's the long term plan and an improved road north and south of those locations would seem a bit odd if the two places were left in the middle. Aside from that time will tell what effect the uninterrupted flow of traffic1 coming from the south will have on both places both from the point of view of the flow of traffic itself and the lives of people living in Milltown and Ballindine. Factor in any improvements in economy giving rise to heavier traffic etc and you might want them bypassed.

loyatemu · 13-09-2017 01:53PM

Kevwoody wrote: »

How are they silly? They tell you that destination isn't on the road you are on, you have to take another road before reaching that destination.

but what does that matter - if you have to turn off, it is (or should be) well signposted in advance. In the case of the sign above, you have to go through the interchange at Rathmorrissey to get to all those destinations, so just follow the signs. No one cares what the "legal destination" is. How do other countries manage without putting the destinations in brackets? I've never driven along a French Autoroute complaining "how am I supposed to know what the legal destination of this road is"

Reading through threads on Boards recently, I can't believe the amount of silly remarks made towards signage, a lot of motorists really need to brush up on their signs.

You shouldn't have to "brush up" on directional signs - they should be self explanatory, that's the point of them.

Kevwoody · 13-09-2017 02:33PM

loyatemu wrote: »

but what does that matter - if you have to turn off, it is (or should be) well signposted in advance. In the case of the sign above, you have to go through the interchange at Rathmorrissey to get to all those destinations, so just follow the signs. No one cares what the "legal destination" is. How do other countries manage without putting the destinations in brackets? I've never driven along a French Autoroute complaining "how am I supposed to know what the legal destination of this road is"

You shouldn't have to "brush up" on directional signs - they should be self explanatory, that's the point of them.

I meant "brush up" on all signage, and if you are completely missing the point of the brackets, then Directional signs are obviously not as self explanatory as you think!

It's not the "legal destination" as you keep saying, it's the Terminal Destination. ie, if you keep following that road, the Terminal Destination is where you will end up. If there was no Terminal Destination on each sign, how would it be decided where that road ends??

As for the brackets, I really can't see what the fuss is. The brackets show that that destination is on another road completely. And as another poster argued that no matter what the destination is you need to use another road to reach it, especially on motorways, well that's because the motorway obviously doesn't terminate on the Main Street or market square of every town!

m17 · 13-09-2017 03:36PM

Roadfan wrote: »

I see Councillors in Sligo are making a bit of noise about the N17 from their side. Good to see the lot done at some stage and indeed Milltown and Ballindine being bypassed. Think it will be a while though before M17 is out and about on the bike taking photos of that particular project.!

I'll have the m20 done before that starts

Truckermal · 13-09-2017 03:46PM

m17 wrote: »

I'll have the m20 done before that starts

I wouldn't hold my breath on that!

m17 · 13-09-2017 03:46PM

Ribbon to be cut at kiltiernan at 11am 27/09/17

why can't the ribbon be cut at rathmorrissy at least he'll be cutting the ribbon for both the m17/m18

m17 · 13-09-2017 03:55PM

Motorway cycle raised a €100,000

turbbo · 13-09-2017 04:08PM

Quackster wrote: »

The distance will be almost exactly the same so I don't think there will be any benefit one way or the other. I'd probably go M6 half the time and M7 the other half, just for a change of scenery.

Distance might be the same but the M7 is way busier that is a fact.:D Plus presuming you get on the m50 you'd have to spend longer on it to get to M7.

Benbecul97 · 13-09-2017 04:23PM

turbbo wrote: »

Distance might be the same but the M7 is way busier that is a fact.:D Plus presuming you get on the m50 you'd have to spend longer on it to get to M7.

True, given that the M7 also serves the M8 and M9. M6 it is!

turbbo · 13-09-2017 04:32PM

Benbecul97 wrote: »

True, given that the M7 also serves the M8 and M9. M6 it is!

Yes quite busy - astounded that they all branch off the M7 - seems like very bad planning. I'm sure it will have to be revised at some stage - very frustrating for kildare -> dublin commuters.

13-09-2017 04:35PM

m17 wrote: »

Motorway cycle raised a €100,000

No photo credit to you? For shame Tuam Herald

joeKel73 · 13-09-2017 04:52PM

m17 wrote: »

Ribbon to be cut at kiltiernan at 11am 27/09/17

Important note in the article for anyone heading to this...
"neither the motorway nor the Tuam bypass will be opened to traffic until later that evening"

Quackster · 13-09-2017 05:10PM

turbbo wrote: »

Distance might be the same but the M7 is way busier that is a fact.:D Plus presuming you get on the m50 you'd have to spend longer on it to get to M7.

Very true. And given the Naas Bypass widening starts in a few weeks, that'll add further disruption.

If it were me making the journey regularly, I'd still use the M7 off-peak sometimes just to vary things, but yeah, M6 makes for the better option traffic-wise.

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

Comments