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

Prowetod · 17-04-2021 2:05pm

https://www.engineersireland.ie/Events/event/7442

A lunchtime webinar on this Tuesday might be of interest to some - it's on the design & construction of the Bohill River Bridge.

HillFarmer · 18-04-2021 4:26am

marno21 wrote: »

Work on the last 2 structures on the Macroom bypass to commence shortly with associated road closures:

L7456 Clonfadda Road: May 4th - September 10th
L7459 Kilnagurteen: June 8th - December 3rd

Should see all structures on the Macroom section complete in 2021. Be nice to see this section open next year.

Has anyone confirmed the Macroom section will be open next year and if so is there any ETA?

aisling86 · 18-04-2021 9:27pm

HillFarmer wrote: »

Has anyone confirmed the Macroom section will be open next year and if so is there any ETA?

I think its just all speculation at the moment there was never an indication given that it would open in different stages.

aisling86 · 19-04-2021 2:02pm

I saw the sign that they were blasting today up kilnagurteen but holy sweet jesus the whole house just shook. Got such a fright!

Chris_5339762 · 24-04-2021 9:37pm

I drove Ballyvourney to home in Cobh today after a lovely diversion to St Gobnaits well in Ballyvourney... there is currently an entire field of cuckooflower out which is spectacular, and there are carpets of celendine and a white one I didn't recognise. Its well worth a quick visit (religious or not) if you're in the area.

Anyway.

1) Got the attached photo from one of the side roads of the Ballyvourney bypass.

2) Where did the talk of sectional openings come from? The point west of Macroom where a sectional bypass opening of the town would have to join the current N22 had now got a massive embankment appearing at it. It'll go over the current N22, and quite high above it too. Without a lot of work and earthworks, I don't see how there can be a sectional opening.

3) The Mill Road overbridge is spectacular. Is this the only "bridge over a bridge over a river" that we have in Ireland?

marno21 · 26-04-2021 8:21pm

Stop/go in place at Carrigaphooca from May 4th til June 18th. This is likely to provide the new alignment of the existing route at this location. As you head east, you can see the alignment of the new R608 which will be in the cutting on the left beside the new N22. The R608 will then head under the new N22 at the bridge currently under construction which is open for the L road at this location.

Stop go was also in place for one day only at Coolnacaheragh where work has commenced on the earthworks at this location between the two towns. The existing N22 will dive under the new route at an underbridge here.

Work is also racing ahead on the new junction at Toon Lane where the existing Baile Mhic Ire-Clondrohid road will be diverted to a new link road, which will feature a junction with the new road, before meeting the existing N22 at a roundabout. Works are clearly visible beside the existing N22 here where a roundabout will be constructed. This diversion to the new link road is also going to have to go ahead shortly to allow earthworks on the current, to be closed, existing Clondrohid Road.

Work is also commencing in earnest at the western terminus at Slieverea where the new route terminates at a GSJ with the existing N22.

On the Macroom side, lots of fill being hauled in now to provide the embankments between the plethora of new bridges, namely the three in a short section crossing the R618, the Laney River and the Mill Road.

TeaPot918 · 27-04-2021 8:31pm

Was checking out satellite images of the Killarney fires from the 25th and realised the whole route now has a clear view. https://apps.sentinel-hub.com/eo-browser/?zoom=13&lat=51.92394&lng=-9.0693&themeId=DEFAULT-THEME&datasetId=S2L2A&fromTime=2021-04-25T00%3A00%3A00.000Z&toTime=2021-04-25T23%3A59%3A59.999Z&layerId=1_TRUE_COLOR&visualizationUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fservices.sentinel-hub.com%2Fogc%2Fwms%2Fbd86bcc0-f318-402b-a145-015f85b9427e

yerwanthere123 · 02-05-2021 11:16pm

Is tomorrow the last day of the Clonfadda road being open until September? Was maybe thinking of going up and taking a few photos, and I could then post the before and after in September. Although the weather is supposed to be terrible tomorrow, today would've been my day to do it.

aisling86 · 03-05-2021 8:08am

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Is tomorrow the last day of the Clonfadda road being open until September? Was maybe thinking of going up and taking a few photos, and I could then post the before and after in September. Although the weather is supposed to be terrible tomorrow, today would've been my day to do it.

Yes closed 4th May until 10th September

yannakis · 05-05-2021 1:54pm

aisling86 wrote: »

Yes closed 4th May until 10th September

Is it this part that's closed for the period you mentioned?

marno21 · 05-05-2021 2:00pm

yannakis wrote: »

Is it this part that's closed for the period you mentioned?

Sure is.

marno21 · 05-05-2021 2:02pm

Down to one lane now at Carrigaphooca where work is commencing on the new alignment of the existing N22 (future R608)

Work is underway now on the new roundabout beside the bridge which will form one half of a dumbbell junction albeit with no slip roads onto the N22.

This is going to be septic at peak times with the travel limits being removed and stuff opening up. (Not that the travel limits are being enforced atm anyway).

marno21 · 05-05-2021 6:10pm

Carrigaphooca (future R608) bridge
[img]http://www.n22bbm.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/11-Acomhal-Charrig-and-Phúca-Carrigaphooca-Junction-1024x682.jpg[/img]

marno21 · 05-05-2021 6:13pm

Carrigaphooca looking west
[img]http://www.n22bbm.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/12-Carraig-an-Phúca-Thiar-Carrigaphooca-West.jpg[/img]

Coolavokig
[img]http://www.n22bbm.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/13-Cúil-an-Bhuacaigh-Coolavokig.jpg[/img]

Toonlane
[img]http://www.n22bbm.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/14-Tonn-Láin-Toonlane-1024x683.jpg[/img]

Toonlane Junction
[img]http://www.n22bbm.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/15-Acomhal-Thonn-Láin-Toonlane-Junction-1024x683.jpg[/img]

Killeen bridge
[img]http://www.n22bbm.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/16-Tar-dhroichead-na-gCillín-Killeen-Overbridge-1024x682.jpg[/img]

Top Road bridge
[img]http://www.n22bbm.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/17-Fo-dhroichead-an-Bhóthair-Aird-Top-Road-Underbridge-1024x682.jpg[/img]

Bohill Bridge
18-Droichead-na-Biochaille-Bohill-River-Bridge-1024x682.jpg

18-Droichead-na-Biochaille-Bohill-River-Bridge-1024x682.jpg

19-Droichead-na-Biochaille-Bohill-River-Bridge-1024x682.jpg

Slievereagh

Slievereagh Junction (N22/R608)

yannakis · 05-05-2021 6:33pm

marno21 wrote: »

Sure is.

Thank you. I'll add a closure in Waze :pac:

yerwanthere123 · 05-05-2021 7:54pm

Maybe I'm going mad Marno but none of those pictures are appearing for me, on either laptop or mobile. Anyone else the same?

EDIT: Ok, seems it's a Chrome issue as I tried Internet Explorer (!) and they're appearing fine there. Great pictures! Really give you an appreciation of how rugged and tough the the terrain they've had to work with is. Can't get over how near the road will be to those two houses in the Bohill Bridge pictures. Will be some change for those people living in the remote countryside to now having a huge new road right next to their houses.

dmeehan · 06-05-2021 12:06am

Photos also not displaying with MS Edge (which is chrome under the hood)

Reuben1210 · 06-05-2021 3:42am

Not displaying for me either. I am using chrome, which is generally much better than IE

cantalach · 06-05-2021 8:37am

Displaying fine in Firefox.

For those not aware, using IE as a day to day browser really is asking for trouble...

Newtown90 · 11-05-2021 11:52am

marno21 wrote: »

Down to one lane now at Carrigaphooca where work is commencing on the new alignment of the existing N22 (future R608)

Work is underway now on the new roundabout beside the bridge which will form one half of a dumbbell junction albeit with no slip roads onto the N22.

This is going to be septic at peak times with the travel limits being removed and stuff opening up. (Not that the travel limits are being enforced atm anyway).

Any idea how long this is planned for?

Was a nightmare yesterday morning at 6.45, had lots of idiots passing all the traffic qued up at the red lights and going against oncoming traffic rather than wait the 10 minutes.

It was flowing much better this morning.

marno21 · 11-05-2021 12:10pm

Newtown90 wrote: »

Any idea how long this is planned for?

Was a nightmare yesterday morning at 6.45, had lots of idiots passing all the traffic qued up at the red lights and going against oncoming traffic rather than wait the 10 minutes.

It was flowing much better this morning.

June 18th is the end on the notice anyway.

peter.teahan · 27-05-2021 11:34am

No update since the 11th May...just like the Covid app?

BelfastVanMan · 28-05-2021 7:51am

peter.teahan wrote: »

No update since the 11th May...just like the Covid app?

...explain?

peter.teahan · 28-05-2021 9:30am

The Covid app (on phones) hasn't been updated since the 11th due to the hack...and the last post on here before mine was also the 11th...

marno21 · 28-05-2021 10:06am

One lane of the new alignment of the existing N22 is now open at Carrigaphooca plus one roundabout. Tie in of the other lane is ongoing atm.

Hopefully they can reopen before June 18th because the delays are chronic

steeler j · 28-05-2021 10:36am

peter.teahan wrote: »

No update since the 11th May...just like the Covid app?

There is an update vide on YouTube about a week ago . It's about the section around the town ,I think

aisling86 · 30-05-2021 1:18am

They are working on the bypass tonight....my head is wrecked not used to this heavy machinery noise by night!

yerwanthere123 · 30-05-2021 1:38am

aisling86 wrote: »

They are working on the bypass tonight....my head is wrecked not used to this heavy machinery noise by night!

Are they near enough to be keeping you awake? You'd think that wouldn't be allowed if so.

cantalach · 30-05-2021 2:05am

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Are they near enough to be keeping you awake? You'd think that wouldn't be allowed if so.

Occasional night works during various phases of construction are included in the planning application for most major infrastructural projects. Not that I'm not sympathetic to Aisling86. "Sleepless in Teerbeg".

peter.teahan · 31-05-2021 6:09pm

This farm house is going to be bang in the middle of the old and new N22. Wonder was that planning hard to get?

N22%20farm%20house%20in%20the%20middle.JPG?dl=0

N22%20farm%20house%20in%20the%20middle.JPG?dl=0

aisling86 · 31-05-2021 8:53pm

cantalach wrote: »

Occasional night works during various phases of construction are included in the planning application for most major infrastructural projects. Not that I'm not sympathetic to Aisling86. "Sleepless in Teerbeg".

I wonder was it actually the farming contractors because they’ve been going full tilt since locally & up behind us in mountmassey house.

Water John · 31-05-2021 9:04pm

Silage season has started.

dmeehan · 01-06-2021 10:19pm

steeler j wrote: »

There is an update vide on YouTube about a week ago . It's about the section around the town ,I think

do you have the link handy?

steeler j · 01-06-2021 11:09pm

Coolcower-Carrigaphooca

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WFpw_SugGg

Slievereagh-Carrigaphooca

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7P6rJHM1Jk

marno21 · 01-06-2021 11:32pm

Links fixed for you there steeler j.

Looks like atm they are going balls out to get the new alignment open at Carrigaphooca before the Bank Holiday. They had the new tie in at the western end almost complete today and the old road landscaped over.

Chris_5339762 · 02-06-2021 8:54am

Slightly less insane drone piloting this time! No flying under the legs of cows near to the new alignment.

Good progress. Some impressive structures. Want to drive it now.

steeler j · 02-06-2021 8:58am

marno21 wrote: »

Links fixed for you there steeler j.

Looks like atm they are going balls out to get the new alignment open at Carrigaphooca before the Bank Holiday. They had the new tie in at the western end almost complete today and the old road landscaped over.

Thank you . Great progress being made around the town

yerwanthere123 · 12-06-2021 12:02am

Had a drive by Carrigaphooca today, holy sh*t! Didn't even recognise the place, I last drove it only three weeks ago.

Chris_5339762 · 13-06-2021 8:38pm

Carrigaphooca all done anyway, no more traffic restrictions. Have to say its all well signposted, albeit disorientating! The driver in front of me today slowed down to a crawl any time there was anything to see, which was ok because I wanted to see too.

It's been asked on this thread before could they do a sectional opening from the eastern tie-in to Carrigaphooca, bypassing Macroom, first. I always said no, as the tie-in is complicated with no junction. However, I noticed today there is a haulage road going westbound at Carrigaphooca, and is they did want to sectionally open it, they could just tar this nicely. Might be a bit tight for HGVs though, unless they did a sharp turn at the top.

But that said, one part of the scheme that hasn't been touched is the Eastern Tie-in, or the road for a few hundred meters from here. Its through a lake. Won't be straightforward and will likely take time - so I still don't think we'll see a sectional opening.

Driving westbound this morning the car in front of me kept to a solid 50kmh all the way from Macroom to the west of Ballyvourney. I was not best pleased.

Nedved85 · 14-06-2021 2:37pm

Just wondering is there a service station planned along the bypass?

Quackster · 14-06-2021 3:37pm

Nedved85 wrote: »

Just wondering is there a service station planned along the bypass?

There is planning permission being sought (granted?) for one just off the Macroom West exit.

yerwanthere123 · 14-06-2021 4:03pm

Quackster wrote: »

There is planning permission being sought (granted?) for one just off the Macroom West exit.

Is this the one out the Millstreet road or a different one?

Quackster · 14-06-2021 4:35pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Is this the one out the Millstreet road or a different one?

Yeah, Millstreet Road.

Chris_5339762 · 15-06-2021 10:04pm

Ok I've been nerding out a little bit tonight, just wanting to see if I could work out just how much time this new road will save, given that all the towns on this route are 50kmh, and the "bit inbetween" is largely impossible to drive at more than 60kmh.

I have a big file of GPS tracklogs of whereever I go, and I have been along this road eight times in various directions. Now, ALL OF THEM ARE OFF PEAK, some are REALLY off peak, like 8am Sunday morning.

The average time from the eastern tie-in to the western tie-in for me was 22m05sec. Thats obeying all speed limits, not that you could possibly break any of them anyway. Lets say 22mins for ease. (Shortest was 19min, highest was 25min)

They say on the project website a total of 22km of dual carriageway (quite the coincidence). We'll assume thats correct and that you can get a smooth 100kmh out of it. That makes it just over 13 minutes to get from east to west tie-ins, or vice versa.

So off peak, as in a Sunday morning, you're looking at 6 minutes saved in the absolute "worst" case of tearing through Macroom and not getting stuck behind anyone anywhere.

On average, I'm saying a 10 minute time saving on a standard off-peak day - but as I generally travel early weekend mornings my data is quite biased, this could be closer to 12-15 minutes saved I'd say.

With 10 minute delays at Macroom, probably worse on a bank holiday, you're easily looking at 20 - 30 minutes saved.

Overall -
Offpeak - 12 to 15 minutes saved
Peak - God knows, but could be 20 - 30 minutes saved

Not to mention a **slightly** improved quality of the drive!!!

cjmcork · 16-06-2021 8:25am

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Ok I've been nerding out a little bit tonight, just wanting to see if I could work out just how much time this new road will save, given that all the towns on this route are 50kmh, and the "bit inbetween" is largely impossible to drive at more than 60kmh.

I have a big file of GPS tracklogs of whereever I go, and I have been along this road eight times in various directions. Now, ALL OF THEM ARE OFF PEAK, some are REALLY off peak, like 8am Sunday morning.

The average time from the eastern tie-in to the western tie-in for me was 22m05sec. Thats obeying all speed limits, not that you could possibly break any of them anyway. Lets say 22mins for ease. (Shortest was 19min, highest was 25min)

They say on the project website a total of 22km of dual carriageway (quite the coincidence). We'll assume thats correct and that you can get a smooth 100kmh out of it. That makes it just over 13 minutes to get from east to west tie-ins, or vice versa.

So off peak, as in a Sunday morning, you're looking at 6 minutes saved in the absolute "worst" case of tearing through Macroom and not getting stuck behind anyone anywhere.

On average, I'm saying a 10 minute time saving on a standard off-peak day - but as I generally travel early weekend mornings my data is quite biased, this could be closer to 12-15 minutes saved I'd say.

With 10 minute delays at Macroom, probably worse on a bank holiday, you're easily looking at 20 - 30 minutes saved.

Overall -
Offpeak - 12 to 15 minutes saved
Peak - God knows, but could be 20 - 30 minutes saved

Not to mention a **slightly** improved quality of the drive!!!

Not to mind the mental health benefits of not sitting in a line of traffic from the Auld Triangle to Ford, though why the new road doesn't start at Lissarda is mad, come off a 100kph road to ram into an artic turning off for Danone!

Mrs Dempsey · 16-06-2021 10:04am

cjmcork wrote: »

...... to ram into an artic turning off for Danone!

Ewe be careful :eek:

KrisW1001 · 16-06-2021 11:06am

20 minute delays aren’t unusual in Macroom on Friday evenings. All it takes is a badly parked car and a few trucks trying to pass through the town in opposite directions.

@cjmcork - Lissarda should have been bypassed long ago: N22 Ovens–Macroom was planned back in the early 2000s, and would have been built at the same time as, or just after, the Ballincollig Bypass. Sadly, there were a lot of well-connected people living along the Lee Valley who didn’t like the effect that a motorway would have had on their prospects for land rezoning, and unlike me and you, they had money to run a well-organised pressure campaign (remember “Save the Lee Valley”?).

At the time (2001), traffic on the route didn’t justify a motorway, but the government had money and was overcompensating for decades of half measures on roads projects. Today, the route is at between 20k AADT (Ovens) and 13k (Ballytrasna, west of Lissarda); the Ovens figure is towards the top end of what a 2+2 can handle, so it will probably need at least the eastern part to be built as Type 1 DC when it eventually gets built.

daveboy01 · 16-06-2021 11:22am

KrisW1001 wrote: »

20 minute delays aren’t unusual in Macroom on Friday evenings. All it takes is a badly parked car and a few trucks trying to pass through the town in opposite directions.

@cjmcork - Lissarda should have been bypassed long ago: N22 Ovens–Macroom was planned back in the early 2000s, and would have been built at the same time as, or just after, the Ballincollig Bypass. Sadly, there were a lot of well-connected people living along the Lee Valley who didn’t like the effect that a motorway would have had on their prospects for land rezoning, and unlike me and you, they had money to run a well-organised pressure campaign (remember “Save the Lee Valley”?).

At the time (2001), traffic on the route didn’t justify a motorway, but the government had money and was overcompensating for decades of half measures on roads projects. Today, the route is at between 20k AADT (Ovens) and 13k (Ballytrasna, west of Lissarda); the Ovens figure is towards the top end of what a 2+2 can handle, so it will probably need at least the eastern part to be built as Type 1 DC when it eventually gets built.

The bypass isn't all about speeding up journeys for car drivers travelling from Cork to Kerry or vice versa. The improvement it will make to the lives of the residents of Macroom is immeasurable. Because it's basically a one street town that is constantly choked with traffic (including buses and HGVs) walking or shopping in the town has become very unpleasant in recent years. Not just that but a lot of the minor roads around Macroom are used as a rat run for speeding motorists to avoid the traffic - so walking or cycling on these roads has become dangerous. The opening of the bypass (in 2023 hopefully?) will make a massive difference to life in Macroom - regardless of how many minutes it shaves off journey times.

aisling86 · 16-06-2021 12:35pm

daveboy01 wrote: »

The bypass isn't all about speeding up journeys for car drivers travelling from Cork to Kerry or vice versa. The improvement it will make to the lives of the residents of Macroom is immeasurable. Because it's basically a one street town that is constantly choked with traffic (including buses and HGVs) walking or shopping in the town has become very unpleasant in recent years. Not just that but a lot of the minor roads around Macroom are used as a rat run for speeding motorists to avoid the traffic - so walking or cycling on these roads has become dangerous. The opening of the bypass (in 2023 hopefully?) will make a massive difference to life in Macroom - regardless of how many minutes it shaves off journey times.

This is what I cannot wait for! Walking the kids to school and the smell of fumes is horrific and we cannot wait to be able to cycle through the town.

KrisW1001 · 16-06-2021 12:56pm

daveboy01 wrote: »

The bypass isn't all about speeding up journeys for car drivers travelling from Cork to Kerry or vice versa. The improvement it will make to the lives of the residents of Macroom is immeasurable. Because it's basically a one street town that is constantly choked with traffic (including buses and HGVs) walking or shopping in the town has become very unpleasant in recent years. Not just that but a lot of the minor roads around Macroom are used as a rat run for speeding motorists to avoid the traffic - so walking or cycling on these roads has become dangerous. The opening of the bypass (in 2023 hopefully?) will make a massive difference to life in Macroom - regardless of how many minutes it shaves off journey times.

I completely agree: I should have made that clearer what that delay really means to the town itself. The fact that there are frequently 20 minute delays, means that the town is often clogged with traffic that’s just sitting still, pumping out exhaust gases.

Actually, just walking around Macroom is difficult even at off-peak times, as the constant stream of traffic through Main St makes even crossing from one side of the road to the other far more difficult than it should be on a shopping street.

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

Comments