Cash is king wrote: » I see Wills are doing the work on this bit of minor realingment but why have they not started more south towards Milltown where the road is worse imo and those bloody railway tracks would shake the teeth out of your head. Better still why didnt they bypass that kip Milltown, it's more like downtown Beirut in terms of road surface. I presume lack of funding answers both questions but you would imagine it wouldn't cost that much more. Discuss.
Resurrecting an old thread here rather than posting in the minor schemes thread where it might get lost. Archaeological consultants were appointed yesterday for the Milltown to Gortnagunned scheme. Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/irish-archaeological-consultancy-ltd_appointment-archaeologicalconsultants-ugcPost-7123220587191103488-q9_e
IAC Archaeology are delighted to announce that we have been appointed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Galway County Council as Archaeological Consultants for the N17 Milltown to Gortnagunned Road Scheme in Co. Galway. Our successful quality-based tender proposal was selected to provide Stages 1-4 excavation and post-excavation services and act as Project Supervisor for Construction Stage (PSCS). Pre-construction works will include archaeological geophysical and architectural heritage surveys, test excavation, excavation and post-excavation analyses, reporting, dissemination and archiving. We hope to commence onsite work on this project in November. Watch our social media spaces for updates on our progress and interesting findings.
What's involved in that scheme? Will it be offline or online and how long is it?
See the council's project page.
They bang on about over 10,000 vehicles a day going through Milltown, and yet they're still not bypassing it.
Not their decision though.
Proof if any were needed that this scheme needs to be done as soon as possible.
A three-vehicle crash killed one person and seriously injured another on the section of road that's due to be upgraded.
Hope this is ok but bumping this thread with ELCAT2009's post in the minor schemes thread. Progress is painfully slow on this, it seems construction is probably 2 years away. It's very frustrating that even these small uncontroversial projects take ages to come to fruition.
Notice to enter issued to land owners on the N17 Milltown to Gortnagunnad scheme with date of April 29th 2024. Indication is that site clearance, fencing and service diversion works will take place in Autumn 2024. Followed by demolition of structures. Main contract works to be tendered by Q2 2025. So despite Notice of entry, main contract works still over a year away it seems. Progress all the same albeit slow!
Land owners received notification today that the Advance Works Contract for site clearance and fencing of lands on the N17 Milltown to Gortnagunned realignment scheme has been awarded and these works are due to commence next Mon 29th Sept and last approximately 7 weeks. Great to see works will finally start on the ground approximately 8 years since the scheme was first proposed! Sadly it comes too late for a local young lad involved in fatal collision just last Friday on this stretch.
Latest from GCC: Tender process expected early 2026; construction to start Q3 2026.
Fencing works more or less complete and demolition and services diversion contract awarded 2 weeks ago to P&D Lydon. Demolition of one house took place this week (2 storey green house in middle pic) and currently roof being stripped off another.
1st pic looking north from railway crossing at Drum. 2nd pic looking North from further south. 3rd pic looking south towards Mr Price and the village in the distance
Have they tendered for the main construction contract yet? It will be interesting how they approach the railway crossing- there is no bridge planned and IE may be working on track clearance and other preliminary WRC related works at the same time as the road is being built.
Engineers have said won't be tendered until summer 2026 and then likely works start q4 2026 or q1 2027. Line clearance of vegetarian has already take place but yes will be interesting to see how they manage railway crossing
I just noticed that the CPO for the road covers land owned by Irish Rail, including 50 metres or so of the trackbed. It's still state owned land at the end of the day, but I hope this won't lead to issues around access etc.
I see they've dropped this section of road down to 50kmph. Was on it yesterday in the work van, cruise control set to 50 and people were right up my hole mad to get past me. Even with the no overtaking signs I had a girl in an Audi blast past me. People really need to cop on and chill. By the time we got to Ballindine I was right behind her...
Are there works going on?
Demolitions and Service diversions. There are road crossings to bring services undground to allow poles be removed. Has resulted in lots of stop/go traffic and backlogs in the last 2 weeks.
For reference, here's the plan:
That was an early concept but was not the final version. Road had to cross the railway at current crossing so final version is further north. Partially online and partially offline
This is the final route
Thanks for clarifying 👌🏼
From a reputable poster on another forum: I am hearing the N17 scheme north of Milltown in Galway is to be held back. (prep work like archaeology/fencing/hedges is all done). Something to do with the Tuam-Claremorris railway line, which used to cross the scheme area at a manual level crossing, once. Perhaps they are trying to somehow shoehorn a bridge into it.
Was on this road yesterday.
Is the 50km permanent?
Absolutely ridiculous if so.
Definitely won't be a bridge at railway. Always known new road had to tie in at current crossing point. I expect that point has to be widened to suit new road width but shouldn't be a major issue.
Enabling works still on going. Circet on site the past week planning for telecoms diversions. Ducts and poles have been put in place but no cables yet. Electricity diversions to follow after that.
Fencing done but there is still one house to be demolished diagonally across from Mr price on Milltown side. Lots of talk locally why it hasn't been knocked yet, from issues with clarifying who actually is the legal owner, to possible squatters in there etc. That is probably the biggest hold up at present as they won't be tendering a job if they can't give clear possession of the site to a contractor.
