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N17 - Knock to Collooney [design & planning underway]

24567…11

Comments

  • #52
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Tender out for soil and ecology services for the project

    https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/160872/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE


  • #53
    annfield1978
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 571 ✭✭✭annfield1978


    gerrybbadd wrote: »
    I see €1.5m has been allocated to this scheme under the 2020 National Roads Allocation.

    The Colooney to Castlebaldwin scheme was awarded 40m!!!

    That covers consultancy fees this year for various specialists that they are procuring at present, plus whatever surveys are procured.


  • #54
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Tender out for a biodiversity specialist for the project

    https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=160443&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1

    Relentless


  • #55
    hometruths
    Registered Users, Subscribers, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,263 ✭✭✭hometruths


    marno21 wrote: »
    Tender out for a biodiversity specialist for the project

    https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=160443&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1

    Relentless

    Why are there so many more tenders at such an early stage for this project compared to others? eg M11 upgrade is in Phase 2 and the only tender that has been advertised to date is for topographical services.

    Are there guidelines somewhere of what should be put out to tender and when?


  • #56
    highwaymaniac
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭highwaymaniac


    schmittel wrote: »
    Why are there so many more tenders at such an early stage for this project compared to others? eg M11 upgrade is in Phase 2 and the only tender that has been advertised to date is for topographical services.

    Are there guidelines somewhere of what should be put out to tender and when?

    I'd guess that the road design is being done in house by council engineers and engaging consultants for specialist services as needed as opposed to getting one big consultant to do everything. Going back to the way it used be done prior to boom in road construction in the early 00s.


  • #57
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,197 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    This project will be a game changer for the North West and I'll be fascinated to see if it goes ahead in full and to a high standard.


  • #58
    MY BAD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭MY BAD


    highwaymaniac wrote: »
    I'd guess that the road design is being done in house by council engineers and engaging consultants for specialist services as needed as opposed to getting one big consultant to do everything. Going back to the way it used be done prior to boom in road construction in the early 00s.
    I was talking to a Sligo CC engineer at the weekend he said this was the case.


  • #59
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Tender out for socioeconomic and population services for the project

    https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/161391/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE


  • #60
    MooShop
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 974 ✭✭✭MooShop


    marno21 wrote: »
    Preferred route is to be picked by Q3 2021.

    Was just wondering where you read this, was there a press release? Can't find it anywhere on the council website or any documentation I've read about it.


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  • #61
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    MooShop wrote: »
    Was just wondering where you read this, was there a press release? Can't find it anywhere on the council website or any documentation I've read about it.

    http://sligococo.ie/N17KCAEC/

    In the graphics


  • #62
    MooShop
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 974 ✭✭✭MooShop


    marno21 wrote: »
    http://sligococo.ie/N17KCAEC/

    In the graphics

    Thanks, I hadn't fully read that and missed that part.


  • #63
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    marno21 wrote: »

    Tender out for landscape and visual services for the project

    https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/160519/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

    Retendered for some reason

    https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/162471/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE


  • #64
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Tender out for biodiversity services along the route.

    https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/162907/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE


  • #65
    MY BAD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭MY BAD


    The N17 speed limit between Tubbercurry and near Collooney has been reduced from 100kph to 80kph.


  • #66
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »
    The N17 speed limit between Tubbercurry and near Collooney has been reduced from 100kph to 80kph.

    Proper order. Some ****show of a road


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  • #67
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    marno21 wrote: »
    Proper order. Some ****show of a road

    It is a terrible road but, its the main road artery from people in the west of Ireland to travel to Sligo and further North to Enniskillen, Belfast, Letterkenny & Derry. So while motorways are been built to speed up travel time on the main routes in the country, here it is been slowed down to 80km.

    At least it might speed up the progress of a new road.


  • #68
    serfboard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,739 ✭✭✭serfboard


    Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »
    The N17 speed limit between Tubbercurry and near Collooney has been reduced from 100kph to 80kph.
    Has this not been done a while?

    In any case it's a welcome development. However, I hope it's sensible and that the 100kph re-applies 2km north of Ballinacarrow.


  • #69
    MY BAD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭MY BAD


    serfboard wrote: »
    Has this not been done a while?

    In any case it's a welcome development. However, I hope it's sensible and that the 100kph re-applies 2km north of Ballinacarrow.
    They changed the speed limit signs last week before the lock down. This stretch of road was added to the new speed van zones a while back.


  • #70
    joujoujou
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,913 ✭✭✭✭joujoujou
    Unregistered Users


    Deleted User wrote: »
    [...]

    At least it might speed up the progress of a new road.

    Seriously doubt that.

    In addition, speed limit drop will more than likely slow the traffic down significantly over there - until now, during daytime it was literally impossible to drive faster than 80 km/h, not because of conditions - many road users just kept crawling. And now, they will crawl even slower.


  • #71
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Deleted User wrote: »
    It is a terrible road but, its the main road artery from people in the west of Ireland to travel to Sligo and further North to Enniskillen, Belfast, Letterkenny & Derry. So while motorways are been built to speed up travel time on the main routes in the country, here it is been slowed down to 80km.

    At least it might speed up the progress of a new road.

    It's not safe at 100km/h. Narrow road with frequent corners, poor horizontal and vertical alignment and soft margins. The road was built for donkeys and carts. If anything the sections of the national primary network that are downgraded to 80km/h should be pushed up the list for works.
    serfboard wrote: »
    In any case it's a welcome development. However, I hope it's sensible and that the 100kph re-applies 2km north of Ballinacarrow.

    Precedent elsewhere in the country would suggest that the 100km/h would apply here. It's only the cart tracks that are downgraded to 80km/h.


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  • #72
    Cosmo Kramer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,047 ✭✭✭Cosmo Kramer


    Some progress on the completion of the N17 - route options will be available to view online next week.

    https://westernpeople.ie/2020/09/30/n17-route-options-will-be-published-next-week/


  • #73
    yew_tree
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 546 ✭✭✭yew_tree


    Is this a dual carriageway project 2+2? Is there really a need to upgrade the N17 between knock and Charlestown? Road is perfect.


  • #74
    CatInABox
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,468 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatInABox


    yew_tree wrote: »
    Is this a dual carriageway project 2+2? Is there really a need to upgrade the N17 between knock and Charlestown? Road is perfect.

    I'm sure that'll be one of the route options there. Where to branch off to give enough room to go around Charlestown would be the question really, along with whether to go east or west of the town, as that'll likely determine the rest of the route.


  • #75
    MY BAD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭MY BAD


    From Curry to Ballinacarrow in Co Sligo its terrible. The speed limit is now 80km/h. Talking to a engineer who is involved in the project he said following along the old railway line would be cheapest option but unlikely to go that route.


  • #76
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    There seems to be a drive now to classify the N17 as the Atlantic Economic Corridor. Instead of the bad stretches, take a look at the route as a whole:

    M6 to Tuam North: Complete now as motorway and 2+2 around Tuam.

    Tuam North-Claremorris: This was originally to go ahead as a 2+2 towards the end of the 2000s but got sidelined by the recession. The road was so bad as to require immediate action in parts and the worst stretches were realigned around 2010. A further realignment between Milltown and Ballindine was done in 2017 and the remainder of the bad Milltown-Ballindine stretch is currently in design. However, even with this work, the stretch is still going to be overcapacity within a few years and a full 2+2 between the Tuam bypass and the southern end of the Claremorris bypass is required in the future, which will include bypasses of Milltown and Ballindine, It could make the 2021 NDP but the work done along here would have reached obsolescence rather quickly.

    Claremorris/Knock bypass: This 2000s WS2 is an excellent WS2 scheme, but like all WS2 schemes suffers from safety issues and will eventually be a wide single carriageway sandwiched in between two long dual carriageways. Documents filed as part of the plan to create a new grade separated junction south of Claremorris indicate there is a long term plan to upgrade this stretch to 2+2. It would be rather cheap as the mainline works are already done and would require reconfiguration of local roads and accesses. By the time it comes around there would also be 3 grade separated junctions along the stretch.

    Which brings us to this scheme. The study area for this scheme goes from the southern end of the Knock bypass to the N4/N17 roundabout at Collooney. The entire route needs upgrading, but has different levels of priority. The Knock bypass as already discussed would be a cheap upgrade to 2+2 and have major safety benefits. From the northern end of the Knock bypass to Charlestown is 1970s/1980s spec S2 with frequent accesses and, while better than other national roads, isn't the standard of road required going forward for fully dualled N17. There are some twists south of Kilkelly as well that could be improved on. Charlestown-Ballinacarrow is self explanatory, absolute dogs dinner of a road. From there north should be a cheap upgrade to the existing WS2 and is rather short.

    In summary, the 58km or so of N17 up for upgrade contains the following

    * 2000s style wide S2 (Knock bypass)
    * 1970s/1980s style straightened and widened S2 with accesses and other deficiencies (Knock North-Kilkelly-Knock Airport-Charlestown)
    * Legacy 19th century track (Curry-Ballinacarrow)
    * 1990s spec widened S2 (Ballincarrow-N4)
    * Urban areas (Charlestown, Tobercurry, Curry, Ballinacarrow)

    As with all the other interurbans, replacing this mix with a continuous 60km stretch of grade separated dual carriageway is the optimum solution. It would be the minimum level of route to provide decent, consistent interurban service. Piecemeal upgrades and bits here and there won't cut it.

    There are similar long distance upgrades planned in the NDP (M20 Cork-Limerick (80km), N24 Limerick Junction-Waterford (80km) N4 Mullingar-Rooskey). These upgrades are absolutely fantastic and progressive in the context of Irish road development policy which for the most part has been far too ad hoc and unplanned. It would be wonderful to see similar length schemes on other roads such as the N15, N21, N25 and national secondaries. 4km schemes here and there lead to glorified messes in the end.


  • #77
    Pete_Cavan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,166 ✭✭✭Pete_Cavan


    Assuming the new road goes east of Charlestown, ideally it would join the N4 further south of where it currently does, even south of Ballymote if possible. We are too keen to shadow historic routes, the N5 Stroketown project is an example of this where the N5 split from the N4 should have moved north. N4 2+2 should have been prioritised, passing south of COS with the N5 branching off here to connect to the Ballaghaderreen bypass giving Mayo traffic more driving on dual carriageway and not having to cross the Shannon in Termonbarry. Same applies here, there will be a high quality road north of Castlebaldwin completed soon, traffic from the N17 should be using it, if possible.


  • #78
    Cosmo Kramer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,047 ✭✭✭Cosmo Kramer


    I agree about the N5 but I think what you're suggesting for the N17 moving it over to Castlebaldwin is too much of a deviation from the route. The N17 north of Charlestown is also the main route from most of Mayo to Sligo and on to the north. If you pull the new road away to the east of Charlestown and over towards Castlebaldwin many users will continue on the old route and the new one won't really get the traffic it would be built for. I think there are cases where major rerouting is justified but this isn't one.


  • #79
    Pete_Cavan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,166 ✭✭✭Pete_Cavan


    Cosmo Kramer wrote: »
    I agree about the N5 but I think what you're suggesting for the N17 moving it over to Castlebaldwin is too much of a deviation from the route. The N17 north of Charlestown is also the main route from most of Mayo to Sligo and on to the north. If you pull the new road away to the east of Charlestown and over towards Castlebaldwin many users will continue on the old route and the new one won't really get the traffic it would be built for. I think there are cases where major rerouting is justified but this isn't one.

    Even if joining the N4 not too far north of Castlebaldwin, the new road would not necessarily be any further from Charlestown than it otherwise would be. I don't think it would make much difference to those driving from Mayo to Sligo/further north. The only difference with my suggestion is that you spend less time on the yet to be built N17 and more on the almost built N4. Those starting from Tobercurry or further north would likely continue to use the existing N17 but that is a very small amount of traffic and not really worth considering for the National Primary network.


  • #80
    CatInABox
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,468 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatInABox


    Website is up.

    https://n17knockcollooney.ie/


  • #81
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    They plan to have planning in Q1 2024. EPR in Q4 2021.

    This is a most impressive scheme and when built will be quite the transformation for the region.


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  • #82
    BelfastVanMan
    Registered Users Posts: 667 ✭✭✭BelfastVanMan


    marno21 wrote: »
    They plan to have planning in Q1 2024. EPR in Q4 2021.

    This is a most impressive scheme and when built will be quite the transformation for the region.

    I can see the stretch of N17 between Curry and Bellahy becoming a favourite for the boy racers, once it becomes a quiet local road...

    This will be a great boon for anyone from Sligo or Donegal travelling to Knock Airport, as well.


  • #83
    Cosmo Kramer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,047 ✭✭✭Cosmo Kramer


    Quite a few of the route options are running to the west of the airport and closer to Swinford than Charlestown. Would be great for connectivity from Mayo to the airport and to the north west but there would be some difficult topography to deal with if they went that direction.


  • #84
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    The routes west of the existing N17 seem optimal to me. Especially south of Charlestown - better connectivity into Swinford/Kiltimagh/the general N5 area. IMO there is limited benefit of running to the east of the existing N17 - there isn't much there. The N83 north of Ballyhaunis carries less than 1k cars per day - it's the quietest national road on the network (open to correction on that but it's def one of them anyway).

    I see that many of the routes also propose going west of Collooney and freeflowing onto the N4 dual carriageway north of Collooney - which is impressive

    Junctions at Kilkelly/Kiltimagh Road, Knock Airport, Charlestown/N5, Tobercurry, Achonry, Ballincarrow and N4 seem to be on the agenda too. All are planned to be grade separated. Serious ambition on show here which is most welcome. This is an absolute world class scheme and if/when it is built it will be transformative. You'd have continuous dual carriageway from Summerhill College to Knock village. Simply a world apart from what's there now.


  • #85
    Cosmo Kramer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,047 ✭✭✭Cosmo Kramer


    The other big advantage of going west of Charlestown is that it would bring the route into play for Ballina and North Mayo traffic heading south. I'm not sure what is the most used Ballina/North Mayo to Galway route at the moment but it almost certainly involves using R roads at some point, or even possibly the L road from Ballyvary to Manulla to join the N60 - so people need to travel N26/N58/L??/N60/N17/N83 which is a lot of twisting and turning for a 70 mile trip between two large settlements in the west.

    This scheme would allow traffic from North Mayo to travel down the N26, use a very short, well built stretch of the N5 and then join the new N17 for easy access to the M17, Galway City and the south of the country. Could actually be a bit of a gamechanger for connectivity into North Mayo.

    As noted, there is very little east of Charlestown in terms of population or major towns on this route. However the terrain over there would be a lot easier and presumably cheaper to work with, so I have a feeling they'll stay east of the airport and Charlestown for cost reasons. But personally I think the westmost route on the map would be the one to go for to generate the most benefit from the scheme. If they keep far enough west they can avoid most of the large hill that the airport was built on.


  • #86
    shanec1928
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,189 ✭✭✭shanec1928


    marno21 wrote: »
    The routes west of the existing N17 seem optimal to me. Especially south of Charlestown - better connectivity into Swinford/Kiltimagh/the general N5 area. IMO there is limited benefit of running to the east of the existing N17 - there isn't much there. The N83 north of Ballyhaunis carries less than 1k cars per day - it's the quietest national road on the network (open to correction on that but it's def one of them anyway).

    I see that many of the routes also propose going west of Collooney and freeflowing onto the N4 dual carriageway north of Collooney - which is impressive

    Junctions at Kilkelly/Kiltimagh Road, Knock Airport, Charlestown/N5, Tobercurry, Achonry, Ballincarrow and N4 seem to be on the agenda too. All are planned to be grade separated. Serious ambition on show here which is most welcome. This is an absolute world class scheme and if/when it is built it will be transformative. You'd have continuous dual carriageway from Summerhill College to Knock village. Simply a world apart from what's there now.


    I wonder how exactly that would work? the area they are proposing to come out at collooney has a few obstacles, the train station and the train tracks are elevated assume its roughly this stretch of road.
    theirs two railway bridges one with a bad bend and the road is a good bit lower than the train tracks


  • #87
    steeler j
    Registered Users Posts: 318 ✭✭steeler j


    marno21 wrote: »
    The routes west of the existing N17 seem optimal to me. Especially south of Charlestown - better connectivity into Swinford/Kiltimagh/the general N5 area. IMO there is limited benefit of running to the east of the existing N17 - there isn't much there. The N83 north of Ballyhaunis carries less than 1k cars per day - it's the quietest national road on the network (open to correction on that but it's def one of them

    If they go east of the n17 would the n83 be downgraded?


  • #88
    Cosmo Kramer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,047 ✭✭✭Cosmo Kramer


    I've never really understood what the original N83 is supposed to achieve as a national secondary route. It connects Tuam to Knock Airport via a different route to the N17, but everyone going that direction would use the N17 anyway. I don't know the background but it has a feel of a political designation to appease locals years ago who might have been unhappy that the Primary route was designated via Claremorris. Some of the N8X routes make sense but that one not so much, especially if traffic is around 1000 vehicles a day - that should be a regional road.


  • #89
    DumbBrunette
    Registered Users Posts: 847 ✭✭✭DumbBrunette


    It's a bit of a joke alright. I think it was kept as a national route because it used to be the main Galway to Sligo road back in the days of trunk roads. It was part of the T11 Cork to Collooney route.

    Cosmo Kramer wrote: »
    I've never really understood what the original N83 is supposed to achieve as a national secondary route. It connects Tuam to Knock Airport via a different route to the N17, but everyone going that direction would use the N17 anyway. I don't know the background but it has a feel of a political designation to appease locals years ago who might have been unhappy that the Primary route was designated via Claremorris. Some of the N8X routes make sense but that one not so much, especially if traffic is around 1000 vehicles a day - that should be a regional road.


  • #90
    serfboard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,739 ✭✭✭serfboard


    Cosmo Kramer wrote: »
    I don't know the background but it has a feel of a political designation to appease locals years ago who might have been unhappy that the Primary route was designated via Claremorris. Some of the N8X routes make sense but that one not so much, especially if traffic is around 1000 vehicles a day - that should be a regional road.
    Very interesting that you say that.

    The more direct route from Tuam to Charlestown would be via the N83. The speculation that I've heard is that the church lobbied to get the "main" road routed via Knock.

    In any event, the N83 north of Tuam is an awful road and should really be regional. I would think that most traffic around Ballyhaunis is East-West rather than North-South, so numbers like 1000 north of Ballyhaunis wouldn't surprise me.


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  • #91
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Going by recent precedent when this new N17 opens the N83 will be extended to Charlestown.

    You can break the N83 into 3 separate sections:

    Tuam-Galway: Ridiculous nonsense. Tuam-Loughgeorge has no business being a national road when there's a motorway shadowing it. The only reason for this being a national road would be for TII to have to fund a Claregalway bypass seeing as the M17 didn't do much for Galway-Tuam traffic blocking up Claregalway. In that case, extending the N63 from Annagh Hill into Galway would have done a similar job with less national road being retained by TII.

    Tuam-Ballyhaunis: There is some merit in there being a national road into Ballyhaunis from the south to meet the N60 there. It's also the main route from Galway to Dunmore and Ballyhaunis.

    Ballyhaunis-N17: No business at all being an N road with those traffic volumes. Less than 1000.

    Routing the N17 via Claremorris made more sense when it was being upgraded. Better access to Castlebar via the N60, better access to North Mayo via the myriad of R roads in the area, and better access from south of Galway to Westport via the R332 and R330. Routing this new N17 to the west of the existing N17 reinforces the benefits of all of that.


  • #92
    MY BAD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭MY BAD


    Very interesting discussion. What would the options be on the country Sligo route assuming the new road goes west of Charlestown? The majority of people in south Sligo travel towards Sligo town daily. I'd imagine one of the routes closest to Tubbercurry would be more favourable? Would traffic from Ballymote be considered? On the N83 I used to travel that road regularly, it has to be one of the worst national roads in the country.


  • #93
    Pete_Cavan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,166 ✭✭✭Pete_Cavan


    I don't think the routing of a National Primary road should be too concerned with small towns. The vast majority of the population of Mayo would be accessing the new N17 via the N5 anyway, whether it is east or west of Charlestown is only a few minutes driving in the difference and really makes no difference to regional connectivity.


  • #94
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,197 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    Of course a really radical idea would be to re-route the N17 via Ballina. That way there'd be no need for N26 or N60 Claremorris-Castlebar upgrades.
    Would make Galway-Sligo a lot longer though, but it would take in bigger places along the way.


  • #95
    serfboard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,739 ✭✭✭serfboard


    marno21 wrote: »
    Tuam-Ballyhaunis: There is some merit in there being a national road into Ballyhaunis from the south to meet the N60 there.
    The N17 meets the N60 at Claremorris. Think that's enough meself.
    marno21 wrote: »
    It's also the main route from Galway to Dunmore and Ballyhaunis.
    Don't think that either of those merit an N road.


  • #96
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,500 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Getting rid of the entire N83 would likely be difficult. The N83 north of Tuam has an AADT of 4.3k, which is higher than the N60 either side of Ballyhaunis. It's also higher than the N63 at Abbeyknockmoy. This debate is more a debate about what a national secondary road should be more than anything else.

    Re: N17 routing around Charlestown. There is strategic traffic from Ballina and mid Mayo that could be mopped up by the new N17 rather than the regional roads around mid Mayo. The R375 from Swinford to Kilkelly for example is a shocking road. Intersecting the N5 west of Charlestown rather than east of Charlestown would be far better for this reason. There is little of note east of Charlestown to merit an east of Charlestown routing.


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  • #97
    Cosmo Kramer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,047 ✭✭✭Cosmo Kramer


    serfboard wrote: »
    Very interesting that you say that.

    The more direct route from Tuam to Charlestown would be via the N83. The speculation that I've heard is that the church lobbied to get the "main" road routed via Knock.

    In any event, the N83 north of Tuam is an awful road and should really be regional. I would think that most traffic around Ballyhaunis is East-West rather than North-South, so numbers like 1000 north of Ballyhaunis wouldn't surprise me.

    Just on that, this Irish road map from around the time that the road network was renumbered actually shows the N17 routing via Dunmore and Ballyhaunis. Parts of what is today the N17 north of Claremorris are minor roads not even considered important enough to be shown on the map. So I could well believe that something like what you suggest might have happened that resulted in the routing being changed.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=69432&d=1230829831


  • #98
    friedcircuits
    Registered Users Posts: 197 ✭✭friedcircuits


    Hi all, my house and others including housing estates etc are on one proposed route around Tubbercurry. I generally don't worry about things but this is abit scary if I'm honest. Does anyone have any experience with this kinda thing or what to expect etc? Only two years in the house so not sure what to think, and how long will this be dragged out etc. Also no planning permission to extend so that could halt family starting. Ah scared myself more now!


  • #99
    Pete_Cavan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,166 ✭✭✭Pete_Cavan


    marno21 wrote: »
    Re: N17 routing around Charlestown. There is strategic traffic from Ballina and mid Mayo that could be mopped up by the new N17 rather than the regional roads around mid Mayo. The R375 from Swinford to Kilkelly for example is a shocking road. Intersecting the N5 west of Charlestown rather than east of Charlestown would be far better for this reason. There is little of note east of Charlestown to merit an east of Charlestown routing.

    Bar traffic starting journeys on the R375 or other similar roads, the vast majority of traffic in Mayo will use the N5 to access the new N17. Once on the N5, it doesn't really matter whether the N17 is east or west of Charlestown. There is less than 10km between the western-most and eastern-most routes, thats a few minutes driving on a decent quality road, nobody is going to opt for a longer drive on a much worse quality road instead. There is little of note north west of Charlestown to merit a west of Charlestown routing. The east routing would at least make it more accessible to the population of Ballymote which is bigger than anything north west of Charlestown (all options are within 5km of Tubbercurry so east or west doesn't matter there).

    But like I said, these are trivial enough issues when talking about a National Primary Road. Engineering and ultimately cost will be the biggest influencers. I can see the grey route being preferred at the northern end, hugging the train line for a couple of km and then 3km online upgrade before joining the N4 at the existing roundabout. It would be good if the relatively straight stretch a few km north of Tubbercurry could be incorporated too.


  • #100
    riddlinrussell
    Registered Users Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭riddlinrussell


    friedcircuits wrote: »
    Hi all, my house and others including housing estates etc are on one proposed route around Tubbercurry. I generally don't worry about things but this is abit scary if I'm honest. Does anyone have any experience with this kinda thing or what to expect etc? Only two years in the house so not sure what to think, and how long will this be dragged out etc. Also no planning permission to extend so that could halt family starting. Ah scared myself more now!

    Hi, the forum often looks at infra like this almost from an academic perspective, or at a minimum as 'its near to me and I know there will be x issue with it' rather than the construction/planning directly impacting their property.

    There will likely be a few people here with experience of the process but I'd personally suggest emailing the contact on the project website with your concerns and asking them if they can provide you with some info.

    Its likely they will have a team designated for liaison with affected landowners, if not already then soon.


  • #101
    BelfastVanMan
    Registered Users Posts: 667 ✭✭✭BelfastVanMan


    riddlinrussell wrote: »
    Hi, the forum often looks at infra like this almost from an academic perspective, or at a minimum as 'its near to me and I know there will be x issue with it' rather than the construction/planning directly impacting their property.

    There will likely be a few people here with experience of the process but I'd personally suggest emailing the contact on the project website with your concerns and asking them if they can provide you with some info.

    Its likely they will have a team designated for liaison with affected landowners, if not already then soon.

    Quick question... was the R375 ever the N26? Possibly before 2006, when the N5 Charlestown bypass was completed?


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