N22 - Macroom to Ballyvourney (Macroom Bypass) [open to traffic]

marno21 · 11-09-2020 12:29am

alaimacerc wrote: »

Hence my original question. I shouldn't have said 'no way' of course, but it sounds like a bit of a thorny trilemma. Leave it unused, vs spend significant extra money putting in an up-to-spec junction that'll get bulldozed in due course, vs put in a 'works junction' that might be worse than the problem you're trying to solve. (Well, Macroom is pretty bad, so maybe 'worse' is slightly over-claiming...)

I have a fairly limited experience in driving half finished road projects, but this has precedent from what I read on here, and it certainly did happen on the N86 project near Dingle a few years back.

I know the Mill Road is closed at the minute but the traffic is absolutely scandalous in the town. There was a queue back to the graveyard when I went west today at 12pm. On my way back at school time I just turned right before the dump, down through Sleveen, past Nutricia and out onto the N22 past the Two Mile Bridge.

Water John · 11-09-2020 12:48am

The start of that rat run is very narrow. No need to pass Nutricia, come out at Hartnett's Cross.

marno21 · 11-09-2020 1:09am

Water John wrote: »

The start of that rat run is very narrow. No need to pass Nutricia, come out at Hartnett's Cross.

Indeed. It’s chronic if you meet anything bigger than a small car along there.

Hartnetts Cross true - the Nutricia option was more to avoid traffic at that cross and along there as far as Kelleher’s. The junction with the N22 after Nutricia is hairy though - you would feel sorry for the truck drivers trying to get out there and then right - of which there are many.

Truckermal · 11-09-2020 12:44pm

marno21 wrote: »

Indeed. It’s chronic if you meet anything bigger than a small car along there.

Hartnetts Cross true - the Nutricia option was more to avoid traffic at that cross and along there as far as Kelleher’s. The junction with the N22 after Nutricia is hairy though - you would feel sorry for the truck drivers trying to get out there and then right - of which there are many.

Try driving it with a Artic!

alaimacerc · 11-09-2020 8:27pm

marno21 wrote: »

I have a fairly limited experience in driving half finished road projects, but this has precedent from what I read on here, and it certainly did happen on the N86 project near Dingle a few years back.

I guess it depends on several factors. What sort of 'completion gap' might be involved -- week, months, years? The complexity of the junction -- this doesn't look too bad, basically just a relatively shallow fork. And the cost of different degrees of finish, of course.

I know the Mill Road is closed at the minute but the traffic is absolutely scandalous in the town. There was a queue back to the graveyard when I went west today at 12pm. On my way back at school time I just turned right before the dump, down through Sleveen, past Nutricia and out onto the N22 past the Two Mile Bridge.

It got a 'shout out' on Drivetime, so must have been pretty bad if they're pricing in how terrible it is routinely.

alaimacerc · 11-09-2020 8:40pm

Water John wrote: »

The start of that rat run is very narrow. No need to pass Nutricia, come out at Hartnett's Cross.

Pretty 'scenic' just on a bike, both those roads!

Water John · 11-09-2020 9:52pm

Find somewhere not near Macroom to cycle for the next while. Mill Rd closed for 5 weeks, one down.

alaimacerc · 11-09-2020 11:44pm

Water John wrote: »

Find somewhere not near Macroom to cycle for the next while. Mill Rd closed for 5 weeks, one down.

No worries on that score, not nearly fit enough for Macroom day trips at the minute! Or likely even long weekend ones, likely... I'd be mordidly curious to come have a look around once there's a phase of it just-about finished, though...

Prospectors · 28-09-2020 11:54pm

Today I heard talk of the project being several months ahead on time? Not sure what timeline that is based on considering the covid delays earlier in the year.

Any photos of Mill Road progress? It will be a small blessing when that reopens in the next week or two hopefully.

aisling86 · 30-09-2020 9:50am

Urgent Road Closure - L3424 Cooleyhane Road, Macroom from Friday 9th to Friday 16th October 2020 to facilitate N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom Works on underbridge

Knew this would happen!

aisling86 · 05-10-2020 1:09pm

https://twitter.com/Corkcoco/status/1313087812917489666?s=19

TeaPot918 · 05-10-2020 5:40pm

Latest clear satellite image from 25th of September

https://apps.sentinel-hub.com/eo-browser/?zoom=14&lat=51.91047&lng=-8.99669&themeId=DEFAULT-THEME&datasetId=S2L2A&fromTime=2020-09-25T00%3A00%3A00.000Z&toTime=2020-09-25T23%3A59%3A59.999Z&layerId=1_TRUE_COLOR&visualizationUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fservices.sentinel-hub.com%2Fogc%2Fwms%2Fbd86bcc0-f318-402b-a145-015f85b9427e

Chris_5339762 · 05-10-2020 8:57pm

Still the bit inbetween the two bypasses is untouched. I'm sure they know what they're doing, but its just weird!

aisling86 · 17-10-2020 3:02pm

Drove the mill road this morning it's a fabulous job.

marno21 · 17-10-2020 4:36pm

Few pics of the Mill Road area

https://twitter.com/wonkyankle/status/1317478468393799682

https://twitter.com/wonkyankle/status/1317479179567419392

yerwanthere123 · 17-10-2020 4:52pm

Wow, that's unreal!

Newtown90 · 17-10-2020 6:35pm

Looks great!

Any idea when the mill road is reopening?

marno21 · 17-10-2020 6:41pm

Newtown90 wrote: »

Looks great!

Any idea when the mill road is reopening?

It reopened yesterday. No more lengthy closures

marno21 · 18-10-2020 11:33pm

Pics courtesy n22bbm.ie

Possibly the Millstreet Road interchange

Carrigaphooca (interface with existing N22)

Reverse angle of previous photo

Possibly Carrigaphooca again

Possibly Millstreet Road

Carrigaphooca again

Looks like new Mill Road alignment

Lainey bridge

Pillars for R618 bridge

marno21 · 02-11-2020 8:30pm

http://www.n22bbm.ie/nuashonru-maidir-le-pleascadh-carraigeacha-ar-an-gceapach-thiar-update-on-rock-blasting-at-cappagh-west/

Some information on rock blasting which took place at Cappagh West which is east of the Mullaghanish Road at the back of Ballyvourney. Rock removal is complete there and rock removal work has moved east to Tonn Lain and Coolnacaheragh (which is the section between the Clondrohid Road out of Ballymakeera and where the new N22 crosses the existing N22 east of Ballymakeera).

aisling86 · 03-11-2020 12:15pm

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=Er0VeEZXcMU

Drone October update posted on macroom notice board.

Prowetod · 21-11-2020 1:26pm

A couple of posts on LinkedIn by the contractors/subcontractors over the past week or two.

1604753246271?e=1608768000&v=beta&t=OEJPRY4-g8XLThw-bLvmdGqLqEOo6cJoBy9RDBsxZwI

1604753246271?e=1608768000&v=beta&t=OEJPRY4-g8XLThw-bLvmdGqLqEOo6cJoBy9RDBsxZwI

A nice drone shot of our newest addition to the fleet on its first test run pulling another 53m, 150T load for our clients. This lorry, our first with a torque converter is plated for 250T increasing the range of services we can now offer in terms of abnormal and heavy haulage. Here at Whitten Road Haulage we like to invest into increasing our ability to provide additional capacity to our clients. LINK

Here's a short video of it going through a roundabout enroute.

Jons Civil Engineering Company Ltd & our JV Partner John Cradock Limited - JCL on the N22 are pleased to say that works are progressing on one of our 5 no. overbridges, S24 Coolyhane Overbridge, for the N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom Road Development with precast beams from Banagher Precast Concrete having been installed on the 19th and 21st of October 2020 using Wm. O'Brien 750T mobile crane with 96T of ballast.

There are 15 no. beams on this structure with 10 no. beams being 12m long and weighing approx. 20T and the 5 no. beams on the central span, under which the new N22 Mainline will pass, being 26.35m long and weighing 50T.

All beams were delivered to site overnight, by Whitten Road Haulage, so as to cause no traffic jams or disruption to members of the public. Overall on this scheme there are also 25 no. underbridges to construct and 4 no. riverbridges to construct.” LINK

1605261970547?e=1608768000&v=beta&t=1KBeLm_x8teKvJPu3ndQq1CZLYAzqzpvfw_HU8S2ybQ

1605261972750?e=1608768000&v=beta&t=IB728qBRbznR-l8zNjb9YCOql9XXpXkJ67RKa1YZdDw

1605261971796?e=1608768000&v=beta&t=ORtra_P2Q0EtQuBX1s7dVUww7zMWTqBvo3m6aM1uxTU

0?e=1608768000&v=beta&t=Z9x9ltV-RQSwf5DpRzqHB2o_1NZIKXzth7vmMvksLhA

Edit: if you're using firefox like myself you may not see the pictures

marno21 · 21-11-2020 4:36pm

Thanks a mil for copying those over

There’s long beams ready to be deployed where the new N22 crosses the old N22 at Carrigaphooca. I think that’s the 53m ones above.

marno21 · 01-12-2020 1:31am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUaMy9qahIQ

Drone footage from very recently of the scheme. Many of the structures are really taking shape now and some of the cuttings are also on show in the above.

Work has finally started on the section between the two towns recently also. Heavy rock breaking underway east of the Ballyvourney East interchange, and crews also out now parallel to the existing N22 at Coolavokig and just west of the Carrigaphooca crossing (work until now had been kept to the east of the existing N22).

Work has been ongoing on the Ballyvourney bypass for some time also, the massive structure spanning the River Bohill and the Mullaghanish Road is well underway.

cantalach · 01-12-2020 11:29am

marno21 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUaMy9qahIQ

Drone footage from very recently of the scheme. Many of the structures are really taking shape now and some of the cuttings are also on show in the above.

Nice. And we can pretend we’re back in Sir Henry’s while watching

Utah Saints don’t do copyright strikes?

BelfastVanMan · 01-12-2020 11:46am

cantalach wrote: »

Nice. And we can pretend we’re back in Sir Henry’s while watching Utah Saints don’t do copyright strikes?

Not if it's something good... :-P

Paddico · 01-12-2020 2:45pm

Sie Henrys .... now there is a blast ....

dmeehan · 02-12-2020 3:20am

marno21 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUaMy9qahIQ

Drone footage from very recently of the scheme.

Grand soft day

BelfastVanMan · 02-12-2020 9:58am

dmeehan wrote: »

Grand soft day

Pardon?

KrisW1001 · 02-12-2020 11:27am

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Pardon?

There's misty rain all through that video. Or, to use the common expression, it's a "grand soft day".

serfboard · 02-12-2020 4:01pm

marno21 wrote: »

Drone footage from very recently of the scheme.

Thanks for posting this - it really gives a good picture of the massive extent of this scheme and the work that is required.

One thing I was interested in if anyone knows - there are some quite large dips in the scheme. I think for motorways there is only supposed to be a certain gradient - is it the same for 2+2 roads, and so will those dips be filled?

marno21 · 02-12-2020 4:31pm

serfboard wrote: »

Thanks for posting this - it really gives a good picture of the massive extent of this scheme and the work that is required.

One thing I was interested in if anyone knows - there are some quite large dips in the scheme. I think for motorways there is only supposed to be a certain gradient - is it the same for 2+2 roads, and so will those dips be filled?

Motorway max gradient is 3% (4% relaxation) and 2+2 max gradient is 4% (5% relaxation)

There’s some cuttings and embankments left to be done in the above, primarily around structures. For example the Millstreet Road junction has a lot of earthworks yet to be done.

The challenges of terrain in this scheme is huge, there’s several rapid terrain changes in the ~7km Macroom bypass alone as seen above

marno21 · 07-12-2020 11:55pm

http://www.n22bbm.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Newsletter-3-N22-BBM-final-English.pdf

Newsletter #3 has been released.

Beam lifts to take place in December/January on the Laney river bridge, the Foherish bridge (near the existing N22 at Carrigaphooca) and the R618 overbridge. The retaining walls for the R618 overbridge only went up in the last 2 weeks for regular users of the Mill Road like myself.

aisling86 · 15-12-2020 9:49am

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIz6A_cJfzk/?igshid=eh51xq9eaf3o

Water John · 15-12-2020 2:39pm

Thanks, Aisling, happened to see the first beam being swung into position today.
Sorry I've never mastered putting up pics or videos.

marno21 · 15-12-2020 6:54pm

Video of the beam lift

https://twitter.com/corkcranecount/status/1338902774201917442

serfboard · 15-12-2020 7:01pm

marno21 wrote: »

Video of the beam lift

Not a good video, but the same lad has some good photos, like this one here

EpS9YC8XIAg-d0p?format=jpg

theguzman · 15-12-2020 7:09pm

A fair journey to bring that down from Banagher or was it poured on site? Would it be moved by back roads or the Motorway from Portlaoise down?

Water John · 15-12-2020 7:49pm

They travel on a split lorry, same as wind turbines. I think there is a total of about 6 on site, sitting on jacks. Just one shift lorry on site. They travel at night.

marno21 · 15-12-2020 8:06pm

theguzman wrote: »

A fair journey to bring that down from Banagher or was it poured on site? Would it be moved by back roads or the Motorway from Portlaoise down?

Open to correction on this but I believe it's down to Birr on the R439, then N62 down to the M8 and onto Cork. I saw a convoy of 4 trucks on the N40 westbound last week at 7:30pm or so but these weren't the longest beams I've seen yet.

marno21 · 15-12-2020 8:19pm

Couple of points from driving this road 10 times a week at the minute:

60km/h speed limit now in place at Carrigaphooca (this is for 12 months). The local road that meets the N22 here will multiplex with the future old N22 to cross under the new N22 here, there appears to be tarmac down where this new crossing will go so I assume they are to close the local road there shortly. With that in mind they'll likely put down the alignment that the existing N22 will move to shortly also if they plan to build the new N22 up on the existing alignment.

The road at Ballyveerane was closed today due to tarmac being laid. I assume the new alignment of this road to the left of the existing road (heading north) is being prorgessed at the minute.

The beams are in on the Lainey bridge as above. Up next will be the beams over the R618 but this requires a full overnight road closure.

Still no work on the overbridge at Kilnagurteen. The cutting from Ballyveerane upto here is substantially complete so this will likely start soon also - there was a lot of blasting done up here.

Rock removal is continuing apace at Toon Lain, Coolavokig, where the new N22 crosses the road to Renaniree from the Mons Bar, and at the western end of the Carrigaphooca junction.

Overall, with these beam lifts on the 4 bridges (Sullane, Lainey, R618 and Foherish) the work on the ground is looking significantly more advanced. I note also that although work on the section between the towns only started in recent weeks, this section is light on structures and likely will be quicker to do than the other sections.

The Mill Road is a joy to drive given it runs along the busiest part of the site for 1km or so. Would highly recommend for anyone travelling the route.

steeler j · 15-12-2020 9:00pm

There's some videos on youtube off the beams passing through birr I think on there way to the scheme

aisling86 · 16-12-2020 2:41pm

Theres been a helicopter flying the bypass route the last 30min or so. The big crane is the one lifting the beams down mill road.

mydiscworld · 18-12-2020 12:10pm

At what point does the bypass of Macroom start on the city side? Will you still go over the existing bridge over the Lee by Coolcower?

hans aus dtschl · 18-12-2020 12:17pm

mydiscworld wrote: »

At what point does the bypass of Macroom start on the city side? Will you still go over the existing bridge over the Lee by Coolcower?

Yes.
The bypass starts shortly after that bridge, on the Macroom side, near Circle K / Coolcower House entrance

Chris_5339762 · 18-12-2020 5:04pm

Yes unfortunately. IMO this was short sighted, as a closure of this bridge will mean extremely complex diversions.

Truckermal · 18-12-2020 5:34pm

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Yes unfortunately. IMO this was short sighted, as a closure of this bridge will mean extremely complex diversions.

Not really left before the Bridge, pass Danone, turn right and over the Bridge then right again but yes it would have been a much better project extended to Crookstown..

steeler j · 18-12-2020 6:18pm

Truckermal wrote: »

Not really left before the Bridge, pass Danone, turn right and over the Bridge then right again but yes it would have been a much better project extended to Crookstown..

It can be tight road for trucks

KrisW1001 · 18-12-2020 6:39pm

Truckermal wrote: »

Not really left before the Bridge, pass Danone, turn right and over the Bridge then right again but yes it would have been a much better project extended to Crookstown..

It would have required two new bridges, which would have pushed the cost up considerably.

There are possible onward two routes from the Eastern end of this scheme towards Cork. The most likely is to cut out that whole winding section of N22 completely and take a direct line from Coolcower, cross the Lee once over to Mashanaglas, then again to Ballytrasna and rejoin the existing N22 route there: it means building two bridges, but that'll be a lot cheaper than doing an online upgrade of two bridges.

Pete_Cavan · 18-12-2020 8:48pm

Would it not be better to split from the new scheme further north, around the R618, and head east from there? Cross the river once where it is most suitable to do so, maybe even at the hydro station, and head for Ovens. Redesignate a chunk of the existing N22 as R585.

N22 - Macroom to Ballyvourney (Macroom Bypass) [open to traffic]

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