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

That would work well for Cork-bound traffic but not for Killarney-bound traffic. Vehicles coming down the R582 from the new junction would then have to turn right at the Millstreet Cross onto the current N22. That would be a cluster you-know-what. In theory, the Killarney-bound traffic could be diverted from the new junction via Clondrohid to Ballymakeera. But I think there would be a lot of pushback from the local community at the unplanned imposition of all that traffic on them for a year or more (bias: I have family there).

It would be a temporary measure, in place for at the very most 12 months, and I can’t believe it would be less convenient for westbound traffic than the current option of using Main Street in Macroom. Remember that the main reason it's so hard to turn right for Killarney from the Millstreet road right now is because you have to wait for a gap in the high volume of traffic from Cork that had to pass through Macroom. With that small section of the new N22 in place, the number of cars east of the Millstreet Road into Macroom will be much, much lower.

The disadvantage is that the Millstreet Road itself will temporarily get congested, but again, this would a short-term measure, and any congestion is still an order of magnitude better than what's there now.

Yeah, I see your point that it should be easier to turn right at that T junction. Most of the cars coming from your right will be turning to their left, with few continuing on straight into Macroom. Very true. But this assumes that they have indicated correctly, thereby enabling you to pull out. And it requires a leap of faith that an approaching car with its left indicator on is actually going to turn left. I tend to trust an indicator in a situation like that but many don’t…perhaps once bitten twice shy. As herself likes to say, there is no point being in the right but dead.

Its 2+2, there won't be hard shoulders.

Coolcower to Millstreet Junction looks to be only 3-6 months away from completion. I'd say there's a decent chance of it opening before the end of the year, as rumoured. As I've said a few times, even if they put down traffic cones and ran one lane of traffic each way at 60km/h it would still be preferable than driving through Macroom town centre.

Latest public notice re Upcoming road works at Coolcour on the Cork approach to Macroom: http://www.n22bbm.ie/n22bbm-fogra-poibli-public-notice-2/

TLDR:

"Online roadworks to construct the new junction between the existing N22 and the new N22, at the Cork end of the scheme at Coolcour, Macroom, are being carried out from early May until Friday 3rd June, using Stop/Go traffic management."

Where did you get this diagram from, I'd like to see this detail for the other junctions

Thats handy, thanks. I thought I looked for an EIS ages ago but couldn't find one. That detail is something thats been missing from this scheme.

The only thing we urgently need is a 3 lane motorway (has to be motorway) bypass of Glenflesk. Its unfair to expect drivers to slow down to 60kmh for all of a few hundred meters. We need a motorway there and a trumpet junction AT THE VERY LEAST.

https://goo.gl/maps/Ti2GRbCJPi2cYZyk8

I have just seen a post by the Principal contractor of this project in LinkedIn

There is a picture of the road with very long section of it already with a layer of tarmac on it.

What I am wondering is, is there not a concrete barrier going along the middle of that road ?

Or does that get put on after the tarmac, just I would have assumed the concrete barrier would go first due to it needing a solid grounding

2+2 roads like this have a wire barrier, not a concrete one. That gets drilled into the tarmac layer afterwards.

So more of The Mallow Road cheese graters, is this just a cheap alternative to the proper concrete ones on Motorways ?

The tie-in works on this were always going to cause total mayhem at Macroom, two weeks isn’t so bad. I notice an advance warning sign has been set up on N25 advising people to divert via N20 if possible, but it gets a bit lost in amongst all the other signage for the Dunkettle upgrade.

But, I wonder is that schedule also a hint that the Eastern section will open in October..?