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

I've spotted that too. Time for some average-speed cameras, I think. There are people who think that just becase there's two lanes on a road, it's a motorway. This isn't. Unlike a motorway, there is not enough space for below-average drivers* to correct for their mistakes. And then, when the first crash happens, we'll hear how it's the fault of the junction design or having no hard shoulders, or not having merge lanes, because it's never the fault of the person who made the choice about much reaction time they'd give themselves..

(* if they weren't below average ability they'd recognise this, and not try to drive at 130+ on a road where traffic can join so suddenly)

I'm reacting mainly to the knee-jerk tendency here to blame every setback or shortcoming in the roads programme on Eamon Ryan. I don't think he's a great minister, but have we forgotten his predecessor so soon? He is also the first we've ever had in the history of the State who believed that "Transport" is more than "Roads". It's a shame he has to also keep a lid on factions in his own party that honestly would prefer that no roads at all get built and that he's so **** at communicating (but again, this may be a survival strategy: saying nothing means saying nothing that would enrage the party extremists), but he's not the worst Minister to ever hold the portfolio.

My feeling on this is that all of this is really down to money. I actually agree with the 2:1 distribution of the transport budget between Public transport and roads - we neglected PT in the boom times, and it is hurting us badly now, and there's no way we can road-build our way out of the traffic problems we have. The problem is that with that 2:1 split, or even with a 1:1 split (which itself would have been revolutionary in Irish terms), there was no significant increase in money for Transport, all while construction costs shot up.

We've Metro getting started in Dublin, BusConnects, DART and rail improvements too. All are welcome and needed, but all come out of the same pot of cash that would in the past have been used solely for roads.

In fairness, it's a fine piece of engineering work, and a pleasure to drive.

I don.t drive these days...just the odd car hire ..so am bit out of touch ..but I notice the lack of a hard shoulder or even lay bys. Is that a cost cutting measure? What happens in a break down scenario?

I haven't seen many people breaking the limit either. Most people seem to be doing it right.

I'm often driving in bad weather though which helps.

Agree. I’ve driven it numerous times and people are overwhelmingly sticking to the limit. Those breaking it are doing 110kph. I’ve seen no one at motorway speeds. Literally no one.

Firstly, apologies for going a bit OT

We have a particular problem on the N25 with three serious bottlenecks between Youghal and Dunkettle (Killeagh, Castlemartyr, and Lakeview Roundabout) all three are about 30 years overdue being bypassed. The latest word in the area is that the yet unopened €27m greenway from Midleton to Youghal will be ripped up and the old rail connection reinstated. How's that for strategic planning of our infrastructure Mr. Ryan?

The €27m Midleton-Youghal greenway has very questionable value. Unlike other successful greenways, like for example, the Dungarvan-Waterford one, the Midleton-Youghal greenway has zero scenic value to attract recreational users. Having said that, as a commuter facility, a decent e-bike combined with the Midleton-Cork train would probably be a quicker option than doing the journey using the N25 as it's currently configured.

People on this thread were adamant nobody ever speeds on this road 😁