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

Middle Man · 02-10-2017 10:53PM

Pereplyotchik wrote: »

Hey Folks, I need some help here, heading from Tuam to Clarinbridge in the morning. I assume exit at Kilternan and take signs for Kinvarra is the best route? Can't find any maps on line... even the project website map is pretty poor...

I'd say come off at J18 (Rathmorrissy) and take the M6 towards Galway and then take next exit (J19) for Oranmore (R381) - from there, take the N67 (former N18) to Clarinbridge.

Hope this helps.

mrmanire · 03-10-2017 07:04AM

VR6 wrote: »

Middle Man wrote: »

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

A lot of older drivers coming out that road have probably never driven on a motorway before. I know speaking to some older locals in the last week, they were asking some very basic questions about driving on the motorway.

I wonder if a national retest for older drivers should be considered given the number of basic mistakes/faults on new road infrastructure?

What the country needs is a series of TV Public Information advertisements on basic Motorway driving and etiquette.
A lot of people really have no clue about lane discipline. They sit in the overtaking lane (even when there is nobody in the inner lane) and block drivers who want to overtake. If you use your indicator to remind them, or even flash them, they just think you are a roadhog and dig their heels in. Some of the worst offenders are those who drive most frequently - our beloved taxi-drivers.
Also on 6 lane motorways such as the M50, or 6 lane DCs such as the N7 Newlands Cross-Naas route, the inner lane is so rarely used you could safely have a picnic or take your dog for a walk on it.
If the government/NRA don't teach people the rules, then they will never learn to drive properly.

It does go bother ways though. I try to keep keep to the speed limit at all times where possible and often find myself in the overtaking lane travelling at 120 km/h passing a long queue of slower traffic (100 km/h +).
More often than not you'll end up with someone (seems to be always a van, high value car or ancient small car) travelling at 140 km/h flashing you because they feel you are the one hogging the "fast" lane because you're not breaking the speed limit!
I obviously pull in immediately once I've passed all the traffic but it's annoying! Sorry for thread drift! The M17/18 is fairly quiet when I travel it so not as much of an issue thankfully but it can be an annoyance on the N18 at five in the evening!

from_atozinc · 03-10-2017 08:21AM

from_atozinc wrote: »

whats the traffic like on M6 now approaching the main coolagh roundabout at Doughiska -- between 8 and 9am on Week mornings?
Is it backing up loads, normally its out about 700 metres from coolagh roundabout, what it like since new road?

anyone on this?

kingcon28 · 03-10-2017 08:44AM

from_atozinc wrote: »

anyone on this?

Was on it this morning at 08.05. No noticable difference.

kingcon28 · 03-10-2017 08:48AM

I might come across a bit loopy here........

Has anyone heard the sound when passing under the second bridge after gort travelling towards Galway?

It sounds like metal scraping against metal. I travel this road everyday and have heard it everytime I pass.

Be interesting to see if anyone else has heard it.

m17 · 03-10-2017 08:52AM

M18 kiltiernan 03/10/17

MBSnr · 03-10-2017 08:56AM

kingcon28 wrote: »

I might come across a bit loopy here........

Has anyone heard the sound when passing under the second bridge after gort travelling towards Galway?

It sounds like metal scraping against metal. I travel this road everyday and have heard it everytime I pass.

Be interesting to see if anyone else has heard it.

Weird you say this! Driving back from Junction 12 M18 to the M6 on Sunday there was an odd noise in the outside lane at some point alright. I put it down to the very windy conditions causing some sorta odd sonic reverb from the central barrier but it would have been around the same location you mentioned.....

irishgrover · 03-10-2017 09:02AM

MBSnr wrote: »

Weird you say this! Driving back from Junction 12 M18 to the M6 on Sunday there was an odd noise in the outside lane at some point alright. I put it down to the very windy conditions causing some sorta odd sonic reverb from the central barrier but it would have been around the same location you mentioned.....

I can also confirm same - drove it the day after it opening and it gave me a fright (I was in he overtaking lane) I've been in the driving lane since when passing the same point so have not noticed it.

Spiller78 · 03-10-2017 09:07AM

kingcon28 wrote: »

I might come across a bit loopy here........

Has anyone heard the sound when passing under the second bridge after gort travelling towards Galway?

It sounds like metal scraping against metal. I travel this road everyday and have heard it everytime I pass.

Be interesting to see if anyone else has heard it.

Thats so funny. I have been telling people about that all week and everyone thinks I'm loopy. Its Nothbound just after the bat bridge in the overtaking lane for about 300m. It's an odd one alright.

You are not gone loopy well if you are so am I.

turbbo · 03-10-2017 09:08AM

discodaveirl wrote: »

That'll never be upgraded. Were you not better of going Foxford, Bohola, Kiltimagh and Knock... We need a lot of investment on road in the west....

Too many biggish towns and the road from bohola to Kiltimagh is the stuff of nightmares - I'd rather do the couple extra kms thanks!

kingcon28 · 03-10-2017 09:08AM

Spiller78 wrote: »

Thats so funny. I have been telling people about that all week and everyone thinks I'm loopy. Its Nothbound just after the bat bridge in the overtaking lane for about 300m. It's an odd one alright.

You are not gone loopy well if you are so am I.

Thats right. Sounds like metal creaking. Made me jump a little the first time I heard it.

MBSnr · 03-10-2017 09:12AM

kingcon28 wrote: »

Thats right. Sounds like metal creaking. Made me jump a little the first time I heard it.

Yeap - My first thought was.. Oh what's broke on the car now.....:D

turbbo · 03-10-2017 09:13AM

mayota wrote: »

What about upgrading the Ballavary-Balla road?

All the foxford heads love that road! lol! Tried it once - never again - can't overtake on it when it gets anyways busy between Ballavary and Foxford torture if you get caught behind a few slow dopes.

from_atozinc · 03-10-2017 09:15AM

kingcon28 wrote: »

Was on it this morning at 08.05. No noticable difference.

so still well backed up and presume about 700 metres back from coolagh roundabout.

turbbo · 03-10-2017 09:22AM

whitey1 wrote: »

Haha...youre scraping the barrel with that suggestion.

The road from Ballina to Swinford is a disaster as is the road from Castlebar to Westport. Theyd be much more of a priority

Yeah Ballina - Swinford connects to the N5 also. The N17 is actually not a bad road on the killkelly side.... to me it makes total sense to connect Swinford to Killkelly via a decent road and have at least one good link between the 2 major roads without having to bypass other towns on the way.

That fupping bridge on the Swinford - Ballina road - waiting for a flood to wash that yoke away - shocking thats the crap that they have in Mayo on what are fairly busy routes. :eek: Suppose the Sligo to Carrick-on-Shannon isn't much better - totally out of whack with the standard it should be at.

marno21 · 03-10-2017 09:46AM

turbbo wrote: »

Yeah Ballina - Swinford connects to the N5 also. The N17 is actually not a bad road on the killkelly side.... to me it makes total sense to connect Swinford to Killkelly via a decent road and have at least one good link between the 2 major roads without having to bypass other towns on the way.

That fupping bridge on the Swinford - Ballina road - waiting for a flood to wash that yoke away - shocking thats the crap that they have in Mayo on what are fairly busy routes. :eek: Suppose the Sligo to Carrick-on-Shannon isn't much better - totally out of whack with the standard it should be at.

That bridge at Cloongullane is up for full replacement hopefully before 2020.

m17 · 03-10-2017 12:39PM

The ballygaddy road flyover on the tuam bypass

m17 · 03-10-2017 01:03PM

The m17 at castlelambert

annagh hill

these signs are 12kms apart have a look at claremorris and sligo,claremorris 8kms and sligo 6kms yet you have gone 12kms down the m17

Middle Man · 03-10-2017 01:12PM

Seriously, what clowns are doing the signage???

It's this kind of waste regarding taxpayers money that needs to be publicly nailed upon every opportunity - senior civil servants must be made accountable for their actions. Only then can we begin to see improvements to the way this country is being run.

m17 · 03-10-2017 03:40PM

RATHMORRISSY 02/10/17

Cordell · 03-10-2017 03:42PM

MBSnr wrote: »

Yeap - My first thought was.. Oh what's broke on the car now.....:D

JFC. I've heard it this Sunday and ever since I'm driving with the music down trying to catch it again. Sounded like a dying bearing or something, now I can listen to music again...

Middle Man · 03-10-2017 03:49PM

m17 wrote: »

The ballygaddy road flyover on the tuam bypass

What's interesting is the barrier on the NB exit slip at Ballygaddy - I'm guessing that a few locals (at the LILO beyond Kilmore) got a little teaser as the wire barrier was being tensioned (thereby cutting the old local access) before the actual opening.

m17 · 03-10-2017 04:27PM

Flyovers along the m18 coole park

bat bridge

raheen/kiltiernan

raheen/kilkelly

ballymaquiff

parkatleva

owenbristy

kiltiernan

caranavooduan

turloughtrassa

rinn

parknacuappuil

coldwood

rathmorrissy

03-10-2017 05:57PM

Cordell wrote: »

JFC. I've heard it this Sunday and ever since I'm driving with the music down trying to catch it again. Sounded like a dying bearing or something, now I can listen to music again...

Is there an opening in the central barrier with steel gates or similar at that point that could account for the change in sound.

I've had something like that happen on other roads.

Spiller78 · 03-10-2017 06:07PM

Post deleted.

Spiller78 · 03-10-2017 06:13PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is there an opening in the central barrier with steel gates or similar at that point that could account for the change in sound.

I've had something like that happen on other roads.

There is no gap or change in the barrier but if you look at it again there is a joint on the Wearing Course at the start and at the end of this loud section. It possibly has something to do with the material in this section been more open or porous than normal.

Spiller78 · 03-10-2017 06:15PM

m17 wrote: »

The m17 at castlelambert annagh hill these signs are 12kms apart have a look at claremorris and sligo,claremorris 8kms and sligo 6kms yet you have gone 12kms down the m17

Well spotted I noticed this before the road opened. The only reason they got Tuam correct is because they replaced the Tuam section of the sign you can see it in the top photo. It used to say Tuam 30km.

m17 · 03-10-2017 06:38PM

Spiller78 wrote: »

Well spotted I noticed this before the road opened. The only reason they got Tuam correct is because they replaced the Tuam section of the sign you can see it in the top photo. It used to say Tuam 30km.

It's right here

Spiller78 · 03-10-2017 06:40PM

m17 wrote: »

It's right here

Nice one.

03-10-2017 06:49PM

Spiller78 wrote: »

There is no gap or change in the barrier but if you look at it again there is a joint on the Wearing Course at the start and at the end of this loud section. It possibly has something to do with the material in this section been more open or porous than normal.

OK, no break in the barrier, yes the wearing course being porous sounds plausible.
The M4 had several sections like that and they used to set off a very loud buzz in the car as I passed over them, shortly after opening the contractors had to resurface whole sections of road and after that work was completed, the noise was gone.

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

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