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M55/M62/M52 'Midlands Corridor' proposal

Ren2k7

I spend a good bit of time travelling along this route between Cavan town and Ballymahon and find it to be incredibly treacherous. Does anyone else travel this route and if so what do they think of it and is there any planned (or on hold) upgrades due, such as bypasses of Ballinagh, Granard and Edgeworthstown?

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Sponge Bob

But if that 6.5km were complete there would be no diabolic N road in Cavan any more...then they can start on the N55 Longford ....no easy job that with quite a few sections to do. North of Granard would be but a start.

munchkin_utd

Sponge Bob wrote: »

But if that 6.5km were complete there would be no diabolic N road in Cavan any more...then they can start on the N55 Longford ....no easy job that with quite a few sections to do. North of Granard would be but a start.

well theres still a few bits in Cavan to be fixed,
-the N54 immediately leaving Butlersbridge could be tackled
-theres still some crazy bends going to remain near Ballinagh on the N55,
-the beloved N87 between Belturbet and Ballyconnell is a pure disaster and a little work on the worst bends would be a big help (akin to the massive multi million improvements on the Killeshandra - Ballinamore regional road that could be now designated 100kmh, before anyone says the N87 shouldnt be a national road in the first place!)

But about Granard, there is a plan to bypass it at some stage(mentioned in the Longford county plan apparently) so possibly any upgrade there from the Cavan border would be part of that development.
On a positive, Longford council wants to provide some off street parking so at least the congestion in Granard should be soon reduced

JupiterKid

It's good to hear that sections of the atrocious N55 in Cavan are being widened and realigned but since the N55 is such an appalling road generally, there is still so much that needs to be done with this road.

The sections in Longford and Westmeath need improvement - especially the parts between Ballymahon and Edgeworthstown.

Sponge Bob

It is a crap road everywhere except for that section on the Cavan border and of course the Cavan Bypass bit. All they can do is the truly shocking bits....around a third of it. A bit from here SOUTH was DONE 10?? years back and is no longer truly shocking.

enoefay

Seems that a route for the new proposed N55 work has been selected ..

http://www.cavancoco.ie/default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=957

Public consultation on the 'N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon’ Realignment Scheme

munchkin_utd

a couple of months late, but the N55 Dundavan Mullaghoran Road Realignment Scheme is now opened a couple of months now.

Published on:09 Aug 2013
Cavan County Council are pleased to announce that the N55 Dundavan Mullaghoran Road Realignment Scheme will open today Friday 9th August 2013 from 4pm. This new section of single carriageway road is 2.7km in length and is located in the townlands of Dundavan and Mullaghoran, Co. Cavan.

http://www.cavancoco.ie/Default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=1050

I drove it a number of times at the weekend and its a massive improvement on the road and it removes a section of the road where a number of people were killed and seriously injuired over the years.
To be honest, once the section between Lackan GAA and Ballinagh along with the section around Killydoon village gets done, theres not really anything more that you could suggest that is of urgent pressing need on the co. Cavan stretch of the N55 aside from maybe a little widening on certain sections.

If Longford Co.Council werent in some sort of terminal coma (i.e. only council on record to return a substantial chunk of their roads funds a number of years ago!), you might hope that the bends from the Cavan border to Granard would get attention, but I wouldnt be holding my breath. The rest of the Co. Longford N55 would be hard to justify spending much cash on.

Closer to Athlone theres a few short sections of the N55 that could do with realignment.

Overall its really much improved and you can keep a constant 100km/h on almost all of the road, with exception of the sections I mention above and in towns.

Aard

munchkin_utd wrote: »

If Longford Co.Council werent in some sort of terminal coma (i.e. only council on record to return a substantial chunk of their roads funds a number of years ago!) [...]

A little off topic, but I wish more councils would hand back unused funds like that, rather than just frittering away the cash 'cos they can!

enoefay

Where are the council with regards to starting the "N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon" project ..? As far as i know they have selected a route and initial ground investigations were put out to tender but I haven't seen anything else ...

munchkin_utd

enoefay wrote: »

Where are the council with regards to starting the "N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon" project ..? As far as i know they have selected a route and initial ground investigations were put out to tender but I haven't seen anything else ...

there was a public consultation there over the summer (may/ june 2013) in Mullaghoran and Cavan so it seems to be tipping along nicely.

The Route Selection Stage of this project has advanced and the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor has been identified.
To afford an opportunity for the public to be fully informed of this Emerging Preferred Route Corridor and to comment on this proposal, you are invited to attend a Public Consultation Event

http://www.cavancoco.ie/default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=957

BTW, the additional stretch (Corduff/ Garrymore) mentioned seems to be the small section of a couple of right angle bends just the Longford side of Ballinagh.

Ren2k7

munchkin_utd wrote: »

a couple of months late, but the N55 Dundavan Mullaghoran Road Realignment Scheme is now opened a couple of months now.

http://www.cavancoco.ie/Default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=1050

I drove it a number of times at the weekend and its a massive improvement on the road and it removes a section of the road where a number of people were killed and seriously injuired over the years.
To be honest, once the section between Lackan GAA and Ballinagh along with the section around Killydoon village gets done, theres not really anything more that you could suggest that is of urgent pressing need on the co. Cavan stretch of the N55 aside from maybe a little widening on certain sections.

If Longford Co.Council werent in some sort of terminal coma (i.e. only council on record to return a substantial chunk of their roads funds a number of years ago!), you might hope that the bends from the Cavan border to Granard would get attention, but I wouldnt be holding my breath. The rest of the Co. Longford N55 would be hard to justify spending much cash on.

Closer to Athlone theres a few short sections of the N55 that could do with realignment.

Overall its really much improved and you can keep a constant 100km/h on almost all of the road, with exception of the sections I mention above and in towns.

Well as someone who uses that road on an almost constant basis I would have to say there's loads wrong with it that needs serious work. The section between the Cavan border to Granard is fairly tight, with sharp bends, though granted it's not to long of a distance until you hit the town. The whole stretch from Granard to Edgeworthstown, while fairly straight, is quite hilly and goes over many peaks and sharp dips. Overtaking opportunities are few and far between. Also it's pretty awful accident blackspot, with quite a few fatalities. As for Edgeworthstown to Ballymahon it's quite twisty with few opportunities for overtaking. And finally the worst part of the whole route Ballymahon to Athlone, a truly awful stretch, one of the worst national secondaries I've driven on. Woeful!

enoefay

I see on the Cavan County Council website that there is a development plan but the positive sign from an N55 point of view is that there is a proposal for a Ballinagh bypass which would remove the massive lorries going through the town and cut commuter travel

http://www.cavancoco.ie/file/development-plans/county-cavan/Small%20Towns%20and%20Villages%20-%20Maps/Ballinagh%20Adopted.pdf

More details here:

http://www.cavancoco.ie/Default.aspx?StructureID_str=184&dir=~/file/development-plans/county-cavan

Now its a proposal - might be 2050 before its a reality!!!!

enoefay

More movement on the N55 project - route has been selected:

http://www.cavancoco.ie/default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=1232

enoefay

Public consultation document on the N55 road improvements

enoefay

And the final page!

enoefay

http://www.cavancoco.ie/default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=1251

Seems this work is going to be done in phases so planning for phase 1 and phase 2 is mentioned in the link above. Phase one is the bad bend before you enter Ballinagh (approx 1 KM) with a roundabout just before entering ballinagh and phase 2 is realignment about 2 KM further down the road for 2KM. No mention yet of bypassing killydoon which is in a later phase I assume.

enoefay

Feedback from Longford County Council regarding the state of the N55 road going through Granard town...

"Resurfacing of the N55 in Granard town is currently under design. The proposed works will be from its Junction with the R194, Market Street to its junction with Local Road L-1077 at the Lite Pac plant.
It is anticipated that these resurfacing works will take place in spring 2015."

Lets wait and see because its about 2 years over due ..!

BelfastVanMan

You are right...the only town on a National road with a worse surface that I can think of is Buttevant on the N20!

BrianD3

N55 between Edgeworthstown and Granard was closed recently for about a week, open again now and there seems to have been minor pavement or bridge work in a couple of places. Also there is work ongoing beside the N55 in the townland of Ardaguillon - does anyone know if this is a realignment?
https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Ardagullion,+Co.+Longford/@53.7375672,-7.5468918,3a,75y,180h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sTBrS4lRSbbZhu8SEeEn06w!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DTBrS4lRSbbZhu8SEeEn06w%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D283.37677%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x485ddb93ebab87d3:0x2600c7a7bb521182!6m1!1e1

Also a couple of miles south of Ardaguillon, an area of forestry beside the road has been cleared - just harvesting or something else?
https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.7166689,-7.5766057,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szTGuwwVxJBN8bNBLH9oNEw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

munchkin_utd

theres now a bit of progress on the remaining small bits to remove the bad bends near Ballinagh.

Theres a public consultation in the Cavan Library for anyone who can go in person.

Cavan County Council hereby gives notice of its intention to construct two new realigned sections of public road hereafter referred to as the proposed ‘N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon Realignment Scheme (including Garrymore to Pottahee); Phase 1 and Phase 2’.

The proposed road realignments are located approximately 1.8km apart at the following locations:

Phase 1: Approximately 1km long realignment section of the N55 south of Ballinagh between the townlands of Garrymore and Pottahee, and
Phase 2: Approximately 2km long realignment section of the N55 south of Ballinagh in the townlands of Corduff, Oghill and Ballytrust.
The proposed 1km realignment of Phase 1 will intersect a proposed realignment of the L6552 Local Road serving Pottahee, with the provision of a new junction layout approximately 250 metres northeast of the existing N55/L6552 junction.

The proposed 2km realignment of Phase 2 will tie-in to the road realignment scheme completed in 2012 and the project will provide a junction to the existing N55 road thereby providing access to the L25144 Local Road at Oghill.

http://www.cavancoco.ie/default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=1251

The associated land purchase services and archaeology services are already out for tender so it does look as these improvements will actually happen.

And more background info :

Three million euro has been allocated for a dangerous stretch of road on Cavan’s N55.

The road between Ballinagh and Ballytrust has been described as one of the most dangerous stretches of road in the midlands.

Phase One – a kilometre of road at Garrymore is due to begin this summer, – as is phase two – a two kilometre stretch from Corduff Cross to Ballytrust.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Philip Brady says the works could take up to two years but that it will see a big improvement in the flow of traffic

http://www.northernsound.ie/news/e3-million-in-funding-to-improve-dangerous-stretches-of-n55-in-cavan/

BelfastVanMan

Anyone got any updates on this?

marno21

Deedsie wrote: »

Just wondering.

Could the Limerick to Nenagh R445 road (Former N7) be upgraded to become part of the N52? There is a cycle lane the length of the R445 but that shouldnt affect any decision to upgrade the R445 to the N52?

The N52 would become the Limerick to Dundalk road?

Much more beneficial to direct N52 traffic along the M7, same as where N52 traffic is directed along the M6 between Kilbeggan and Tyrrellspass.

Don't think the idea of adding extra traffic to the R445 with the cycle lanes would be a runner.

marno21

Deedsie wrote: »

Ya you are right, the R445 is already served by a superior road. I was just thinking the N52 might receive more funding if it was linking a city like Limerick to the East coast.

A 3.5km section of the N52 in Co. Westmeath is about to begin shortly - that's about it for the moment unfortunately for such an abysmal road.

marno21

A woman was killed today after being involved in a collision with a truck on the very narrow, twisty section of N52 between Devlin and Mullingar.

RIP

D Trent

marno21 wrote: »

A woman was killed today after being involved in a collision with a truck on the very narrow, twisty section of N52 between Devlin and Mullingar.

RIP

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1008/822512-fatal-collision-westmeath/

Two women dead near Delvin.

Politicians past and present should be ashamed of the state of our national road network in a developed country in 2016

D Trent

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1115/832003-fatal-westmeath-cyclist/

N52 again

munchkin_utd

The Cavan based Anglo Celt recently reported that theres a pot of "€6,850,892 for the improvement and maintenance of the National Road Network in the county", and that the N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon was to be started with some of that funding.
A council tweet gave a map of the 2 sections of the scheme which tallies with whats mentioned in the tenders, i.e. the works will essentially complete the upgrade from Ballinagh to Killydoon but NOT finish up "south of Killydoon" contrary to the name of the scheme. That's presumably going to be phase 3 somewhere down the line.

The tenders were published there recently, but I've no info on who if anyone got the job and if its started yet

B_WpyJPWwAAqGMn.jpg:large

Freddypaccman

According to the Cavan County Council website the N55 realignment will be complete by October 2018. there is a reduced speed limit on the road now and there will be traffic lights from tomorrow (Monday) just south of Ballinagh for 4 weeks which I think is for the scheme.

Freddypaccman

Also on the Cavan County Council website there is a document for N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon - Section B announced last spring. It goes into detail on design and junctions etc. I am only new to this so I can't post links or nothing yet

Freddypaccman

Now I can
http://www.cavancoco.ie/n55-realignment-scheme.htm

here's the Section B doc. Couldn't find any for the current scheme
http://www.cavancoco.ie/file/news/Miscellaneous/N55%20CSK%20Natura%20Impact%20Statement%20Section%20B%20(April%202017)_compressed.pdf