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First roads to be declared motorways without a motorway order

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    #122
    Carawaystick
    Registered Users Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    There's Hardcore down on the new road east of Aughrim and south of the existing N6, and also where the new road crosses the N6 west of Athlone where there's a shop/petrol station

    There hasn't been much progress on the N7 south of Portlaoise at all compared to the N6 or N8


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    #123
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users Posts: 34,347 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    ga2re2t wrote: »
    In my opinion, L-drivers who are accompanied by a driving instructor, or an experienced driver, should be allowed on motorways. How else are they meant to learn how to drive on one - in a book?!!

    There's nothing at all stopping them from doing a motorway lesson with an instructor after passing their test. It would be beneficial to a lot of people who seem to drive on motorways/dual carrageways in a state of white knuckled terror... The test usually only assesses one's ability to drive at up to 50km/h in traffic in daylight and usually relatively good weather. Anyone who thinks the test prepares them for anything they will encounter on the roads is a fool.

    Fingal County Council are certainly not competent to be making decisions about the most important piece of infrastructure on the island. They need to stick to badly designed cycle lanes and deciding on whether Mrs Murphy can have her kitchen extension.



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    #124
    mysterious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,133 ✭✭✭mysterious


    Carawaystick wrote: »
    There's Hardcore down on the new road east of Aughrim and south of the existing N6, and also where the new road crosses the N6 west of Athlone where there's a shop/petrol station

    There hasn't been much progress on the N7 south of Portlaoise at all compared to the N6 or N8


    Yes It's facinatinating is'nt it!?

    The Government are really hoping to finish the job by 2010.

    Well they'd want to get cracking on it cus is 2008.

    Oh yes I forgot,
    The final N7 section is due to start in March I believe (spring) yes this spring. Would they ever just shut uip announcing it now, and start the bleedin thing.

    Rant over:D


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    #125
    Bards
    Registered Users Posts: 2,756 ✭✭✭Bards


    Just passed by the southern section of the soon to be opened Carlow Bypass and Blue "Motorway Ahead" (with the usual rules such as no L drivers etc) signs have been installed, so it looks like this will the first road to be declared a Motorway under the new rules. - Happy Days


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    #126
    Chris_533976
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    Fantastic :D


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    #127
    E92
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,147 ✭✭✭E92


    Great stuff, let this be the first of many roads to be reclassified to Motorway(I hope they will go and reclassify other roads to Motorway while they're at it(other than the inter urbans), like the HQDCs on the Atlantic Corridor, Ballincollig bypass, N8 from the Dunkettle Interchange to the Fermoy bypass, Limerick Southern Ring Road etc)!

    I assume this road has the solid yellow hard shoulder rather than the broken line type hard shoulder too.


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    #128
    fricatus
    Registered Users Posts: 5,081 ✭✭✭fricatus


    Bards wrote: »
    Just passed by the southern section of the soon to be opened Carlow Bypass and Blue "Motorway Ahead" (with the usual rules such as no L drivers etc) signs have been installed, so it looks like this will the first road to be declared a Motorway under the new rules. - Happy Days

    Aww yehsss buoyyyy!!!! Roll on the next section of M9 (Dunkitt-Knocktopher).

    By the way, two questions, if anyone can answer them:

    - when is the Carlow bypass due to open?
    - will the new Waterford city/Kilmeaden bypass be N25 or M25?


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    #129
    nordydan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,105 ✭✭✭nordydan


    fricatus wrote: »
    Aww yehsss buoyyyy!!!! Roll on the next section of M9 (Dunkitt-Knocktopher).

    By the way, two questions, if anyone can answer them:

    - when is the Carlow bypass due to open?
    - will the new Waterford city/Kilmeaden bypass be N25 or M25?

    http://www.asconrohcon.com/live/ascon/aproject_details.asp?section1=1&sub_section=1

    Ascon say motorway, and they're building it so...


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    #130
    Niall1234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 425 ✭✭Niall1234


    ninja900 wrote: »
    There's nothing at all stopping them from doing a motorway lesson with an instructor after passing their test. It would be beneficial to a lot of people who seem to drive on motorways/dual carrageways in a state of white knuckled terror... The test usually only assesses one's ability to drive at up to 50km/h in traffic in daylight and usually relatively good weather. Anyone who thinks the test prepares them for anything they will encounter on the roads is a fool.


    Agreed.

    I saw a woman a few months ago hogging the fast lane on the Cork South Ring Road doing about 80 kph. I passed her on the inside after flashing the lights a few times (yes, I know I shouldn't).

    The girl was swerving all over the place and was hunched right up on the steering wheels. Most bizarre of all, there were no L plates showing meaning she prob passed the test. I think it was before Dempsey's announcement on L plates so there would be no reason not to show them either.


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    #131
    slimjimmc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,787 ✭✭✭slimjimmc


    http://www.asconrohcon.com/live/ascon/aproject_details.asp?id=148&section1=1&sub_section=1

    That looks like one severe curve for a motorway.:eek: I hope it's only an optical illusion because if it's not then I'd also be concerned why that safety barrier doesn't extend around the bend.



    carlow.png


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    #132
    Stark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,949 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    Niall1234 wrote: »
    The girl was swerving all over the place and was hunched right up on the steering wheels. Most bizarre of all, there were no L plates showing meaning she prob passed the test. I think it was before Dempsey's announcement on L plates so there would be no reason not to show them either.

    She probably took her plates down after convincing herself that "other drivers keep beeping at me and flashing me because I've L-plates up". I've heard people say that on many occasion.


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    #133
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    slimjimmc wrote: »
    http://www.asconrohcon.com/live/ascon/aproject_details.asp?id=148&section1=1&sub_section=1

    That looks like one severe curve for a motorway.:eek: I hope it's only an optical illusion because if it's not then I'd also be concerned why that safety barrier doesn't extend around the bend.



    carlow.png

    Was thinking the same things myself.


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    #134
    ga2re2t
    Closed Accounts Posts: 134 ✭✭ga2re2t


    Niall1234 wrote: »
    Agreed.

    I saw a woman a few months ago hogging the fast lane on the Cork South Ring Road doing about 80 kph. I passed her on the inside after flashing the lights a few times (yes, I know I shouldn't).

    The girl was swerving all over the place and was hunched right up on the steering wheels. Most bizarre of all, there were no L plates showing meaning she prob passed the test. I think it was before Dempsey's announcement on L plates so there would be no reason not to show them either.

    Eh, doesn't that prove my point? If she had been allowed to get lessons on a motorway before passing her test then she may have actually been qualified to drive on one. In all fairness, do ya think many people would actually bother getting driving lessons for motorways once they passed their test? Graduated license system is the way to go (with compulsory motorway training) and it will happen, tis only a matter of time me thinks.

    - Ga2re2t


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    #135
    invincibleirish
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,219 ✭✭✭invincibleirish


    ga2re2t wrote: »
    Eh, doesn't that prove my point? If she had been allowed to get lessons on a motorway before passing her test then she may have actually been qualified to drive on one. In all fairness, do ya think many people would actually bother getting driving lessons for motorways once they passed their test? Graduated license system is the way to go (with compulsory motorway training) and it will happen, tis only a matter of time me thinks.

    - Ga2re2t

    The South ring road isnt a Motorway. L plate drivers can drive on it freely.


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    #136
    Irish and Proud
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,735 ✭✭✭Irish and Proud


    slimjimmc wrote: »
    http://www.asconrohcon.com/live/ascon/aproject_details.asp?id=148&section1=1&sub_section=1

    That looks like one severe curve for a motorway.:eek: I hope it's only an optical illusion because if it's not then I'd also be concerned why that safety barrier doesn't extend around the bend.



    carlow.png

    The photographer probably used a short lens - if you look at the spacing along the broken white line, it appears much tighter than usual. As far as I know, all the inter-urbans are to be built to a design speed of 120kph.

    Regards!


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    #137
    Stark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,949 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    ga2re2t wrote: »
    Eh, doesn't that prove my point? If she had been allowed to get lessons on a motorway before passing her test then she may have actually been qualified to drive on one. In all fairness, do ya think many people would actually bother getting driving lessons for motorways once they passed their test? Graduated license system is the way to go (with compulsory motorway training) and it will happen, tis only a matter of time me thinks.

    - Ga2re2t

    There are plenty of dual carriageways for people to learn on.


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    #138
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Stark wrote: »
    There are plenty of dual carriageways for people to learn on.
    Yep! the principles are the same & as many have grade separated junctions no problem. Unless you live in the back of beyond.


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    #139
    Bards
    Registered Users Posts: 2,756 ✭✭✭Bards


    Irish and Proud wrote: »
    The photographer probably used a short lens - if you look at the spacing along the broken white line, it appears much tighter than usual. As far as I know, all the inter-urbans are to be built to a design speed of 120kph.

    Regards!

    you are indeed correct is saying that the n9 has a design speed of 120Km/h


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    #140
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,985 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Yep! the principles are the same & as many have grade separated junctions no problem. Unless you live in the back of beyond.
    That raises a good point. Right now, making a drive on a motorway/GS Dual a part of the driving test isn't possible because in too many parts of the country there aren't any nearby. But this will change soon as all parts of the country have something along those lines built nearby. I think that this should then be incorporated.


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    #141
    Stark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,949 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    A lot of the problems with people on motorways stem from people simply not "reading the ****ing manual". If more questions on motorway driving were included in the theory test/oral examination part of the driving test, it would go half way towards addressing the issues. Then everyone could be tested to some degree, regardless of their proximity to a DC.


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    #142
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,116 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    spacetweek wrote: »
    That raises a good point. Right now, making a drive on a motorway/GS Dual a part of the driving test isn't possible because in too many parts of the country there aren't any nearby. But this will change soon as all parts of the country have something along those lines built nearby. I think that this should then be incorporated.

    One of the main routes out of SGS Fonthill takes you on to the three-laned (at that section) N4, and one of the routes on SGS Tallaght takes you on to the Tallaght Bypass... but even in the future there will still be test centres too much in the sticks to have a DC nearby.


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    #143
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,563 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    spacetweek wrote: »
    That raises a good point. Right now, making a drive on a motorway/GS Dual a part of the driving test isn't possible because in too many parts of the country there aren't any nearby. But this will change soon as all parts of the country have something along those lines built nearby. I think that this should then be incorporated.

    Even after the inter-urbans are built there will still be too many areas of the country which won't have motorways or dual carriageways with grade seperation. Kerry, Cavan, Monagahan, Donegal, Leitrim, and Mayo will all have no sections at all, while some other counties will only have short sections of GS dual carriageway that are not really built to serve towns in these counties but are passing through them for short periods on the way to somewhere else (Roscommon and Offaly come to mind). I may have missed other counties.

    Even in those counties that do have signifcant streches of interurban, they may be so long distance away as to be inpractical to incorporate onto the test. And the distances between junctions may lenghten the test considerable. Most motorways in the country have a significantly longer distance between junctions than the M50 does.

    Bottom line - it really isn't practical to incorporate motorway driving in the test, even if it were desirable. Which is a different debate.


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    #144
    Chris_533976
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    A roll out of those virtual driving simulators countrywide would solve that problem.

    virtual_driving_simulator.jpg


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    #145
    Bards
    Registered Users Posts: 2,756 ✭✭✭Bards


    Update with regard to the Carlow bypass - Our friends over at sabre have posted some pics and can be found by following the link.

    http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=150&page=2


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    #146
    ardmacha
    Registered Users Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭ardmacha


    Bottom line - it really isn't practical to incorporate motorway driving in the test, even if it were desirable

    Give people passing a non motorway test a 6 month licence, and let them then drive to somewhere where a motorway test could be done. Quite a long way from Donegal though and it is not clear that this is especially needed.

    Simulators could have a role to play. Also everyone should have to pass a comprehensive rules of the road test every 10 years when they renew their licence. This would be no problem for a normal driver.


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    #147
    Irish and Proud
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,735 ✭✭✭Irish and Proud


    Bards wrote: »
    Update with regard to the Carlow bypass - Our friends over at sabre have posted some pics and can be found by following the link.

    http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=150&page=2

    The Carlow By-pass was initially being constructed as a HQDC complete with lay-bys. Now that the authorities have decided to re-classify this road as a motorway, the lay-bys have been ripped out and replaced with new sections of hardshoulder. I guess the same will happen with the N6 HQDC from Kinnegead to Kilbeggan, and the N8 HQDC from Cashel to Cahir!

    What a terrible waste! :(, but it's good to see these roads being re-classified! :)

    Regards!


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    #148
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,856 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    From the Irish Times today

    There'll be blue lines/ signs all over the shop!!
    Just under 300km of roads upgraded to motorway

    JUST UNDER 300km of dual carriageway linking Dublin with Cork, Limerick and Galway has been redesignated motorway.

    The alteration will produce an almost continuous motorway linking Athlone to Dublin as the Kinnegad to Athlone route is among those reclassified.

    The 40km stretch connecting Cashel to Mitchelstown - which is due to open next Friday - will extend the length of motorway on the main Dublin to Cork route.

    In total, 10 sections of road stretching 292km are affected, four of which (125km) will be open to traffic on September 24th when the changes come into force.

    The remainder are under construction. All inter-urban routes are due to be completed by 2010.

    The main differences between a a dual carriageway and a motorway, aside from the speed limit, are that learner drivers, vehicles with a speed of less than 50km/h and motorcycles of less than 50cc are barred from using the latter.

    The National Roads Authority (NRA) is anxious that quality dual carriageways be reclassified as motorways to prevent what it terms "inappropriate developments" alongside the roads.

    Once classified as a motorway access to the route is restricted to separated junctions and this contributes to motorways being the safest routes in the State.

    An NRA spokesman said: "It is critical that the NRA protect their investment in the inter-urban routes. We don't need a bunch of M50s around the country."

    For this reason the NRA has also sought motorway classification for routes under construction.

    Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey yesterday signed the redesignation order.

    Among reclassified routes are the Kinnegad to Athlone section of the N6; the Cashel bypass and Cashel to Mitchelstown section on the N8; and the Carlow bypass on the N9. Routes under construction that are being redesignated include the Castletown to Limerick stretch of the N7 and Urlingford to Cashel section of the N8.

    A 120km/h speed limit will apply on the reclassified routes.

    © 2008 The Irish Times


    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0718/1216330999777.html


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    #149
    Bards
    Registered Users Posts: 2,756 ✭✭✭Bards


    munchkin_utd wrote: »
    From the Irish Times today

    There'll be blue lines/ signs all over the shop!!




    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0718/1216330999777.html

    As usual the Irish Times left out Waterford even though the N9 will become the M9 (Carlow Bypass to be the first section) and it terminates at the Waterford City Bypass. Still it's good to see this commming into law on September 24th


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    #150
    xabi
    Registered Users Posts: 2,997 ✭✭✭xabi


    The Irish Times wrote:
    Among reclassified routes are the Kinnegad to Athlone section of the N6; the Cashel bypass and Cashel to Mitchelstown section on the N8; and the Carlow bypass on the N9. Routes under construction that are being redesignated include the Castletown to Limerick stretch of the N7 and Urlingford to Cashel section of the N8.

    A 120km/h speed limit will apply on the reclassified routes.

    © 2008 The Irish Times

    I recall seeing a post saying that the Cashel bypass would have a 100km/h speed limit, it was an email from one of the county councils.

    X.


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    #151
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0718/1216330999777.html

    According to the above article, at any rate. So, when will limits be upped from 100 to 120kph?


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