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M6/4 Motorway Galway to Dublin (for discussing completed sections)

KevR

I know there are various other M6 threads which deal with individual sections but I thought it might be good to also have one general M6 thread which could have discussions about every and any section of the M6 motorway – completed and under construction.
I hope it’s ok to have a general thread like this.

Just for anyone who doesn’t know, there are 2 sections of the M6 still under construction:
• West of Athlone – East of Ballinasloe [20 km]
• East of Ballinasloe – Galway City East [56 km]

The completed section runs from Kinnegad (where it joins with the M4) to Athlone. This section was constructed under 3 separate construction projects.

More detailed information about any of these individual projects can be found in the corresponding threads or from Wikipedia.
Athlone - Ballinasloe
Ballinasloe - Galway
Wikipedia

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[Deleted User]

KevR wrote: »

It might be a good idea for me to add a couple of construction pictures to the M6 wikipedia page. I'm not too sure how to edit wikipedia pages though because I've never tried it before; but I should be able to figure it out (what with me studying IT and all :cool:).

Just look for the "edit" tag (right)next to each paragraph/section and go for it!

KevR

Deleted User wrote: »

Just look for the "edit" tag (right)next to each paragraph/section and go for it!

Thanks

Just looking at it and it seems fairly straight forward. I've only just created an account so I have to wait 4 days and make 10 edits before I can upload images. The waiting 4 days isn't a problem but there's nothing I particularly want to edit so the 10 edits is a bit of a pain!

rekrow

ohnoigotsick wrote: »

don't see what the problem is with the slip road , it's only one way in. theres a slip road on the other side of the DC coming out from ballybrit ind estate

Going into work the other day I saw a car that was parked on the hard shoulder and the driver walked out the slip road entrance and hopped into car and pulled into the traffic. While the road was only designed as one way by virtue of the ablity access the garage off the DC lazy people can use the hard shoulder as a car park to avoid having to come out onto the R339.

Secondly the slip road uses the hard shoulder whereas the garage on the other side mainly uses a separate purpose built lane. I'd prefer to see the hard shoulder kept for either a bus lane or else a third lane for traffic turning left. Because the junctions are at level at busy times the traffic tends to build up at the roundabouts.

KevR

rekrow wrote: »

Going into work the other day I saw a car that was parked on the hard shoulder and the driver walked out the slip road entrance and hopped into car and pulled into the traffic. While the road was only designed as one way by virtue of the ablity access the garage off the DC lazy people can use the hard shoulder as a car park to avoid having to come out onto the R339.

What an idiot. That's where motorways have a huge advantage over DCs - the sliproad wouldn't have got planning permission on a motorway and even if there was a slip there he couldn't legally stop in the hard shoulder in a non-emergency situation.

I don't think that this road should be re-designated or anything because it shouldn't and will never be re-designated so we need not worry. It'd be nice if no more slip roads were built on/off it though through Galway City Council refusing any future applications.

KevR

Thanks to GerardKeating for uploading pictures onto the M6 wikipedia page.

giveth

See the following extract of an email from a Roscommon county council engineer (email was about a separate local road issue).

A significant amount of excavation work has yet to be carried out to
facilitate the connection of the new M6 to the existing Athlone By Pass.
This work will mainly take place adjacent to the Elan Factory. For that
purpose the contractor for the Motorway Scheme, SIAC Wills Ltd. is being
granted a road closure for the Elan exit off the N6 for the period Mid
March to September 2009. Dublin to Galway Traffic will be required to
leave the By Pass at the Roscommon Road exit before diverting via
Bellaugh and the Daneshill Roundabout before they re-join the N6 at the
new Summerhill Roundabout. Galway to Dublin traffic will also take this
same route in reverse. Some significant traffic disruption is likely to
be caused during this phase of the work.

So for up to 6 months, Dublin - Galway (and reverse) traffic will have to take Roscommon exit. This sounds really crazy to me. So crazy I think he might be mistaken?

KevR

How much extra time will the diversion add to journeys does anyone know?

I have to drive to and from Athlone from Galway everyday for 5 months starting in April. It could be a total nightmare..

[Deleted User]

I knew that tie in would be a nightmare! :mad:

What I think it should say is that westbound traffic would leave at the Tuam road exit and use the new link road, Eastbound traffic will go the reverse way around the link then go over the bridge (towards ELAN) and then rejoin the N6.

It will be difficult as through traffic will be mixing with local traffic.

[Deleted User]

KevR wrote: »

How much extra time will the diversion add to journeys does anyone know?

I have to drive to and from Athlone from Galway everyday for 5 months starting in April. It could be a total nightmare..

Minimum of five minutes when it's quiet, who knows when it's busy.
At lease half an hour if the memo is correct and traffic must use the roscommon road (it can't be right as the Roscommon-Tuam junction in town would be completly jammed for most of the day)

kaizersoze

Does it also mean that the M6 won't open till at least September?

I think it does.

KevR

Was thinking exactly that - a September opening.

Although, I really do hope they get the tie-in done and M6 open a little earlier (mid-late August possibly). It's possible I suppose; but also possible that it could be a later than expected opening..

Carawaystick

I thought there was to be a link route from the new roundabout at the west end of the Athlone bypass south to a tie in with the newly upgraded Tuam road junction. maybe the junction names are wrong in the email, I'd have thought all tie in work could be done west of the tuam road junction?

giveth

From the Westmeath Independent:
http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/articles/1/36418

Councillor calls on councils to work together to prevent ‘gridlock’

Traffic hell in Athlone, as a decision to close the Monksland exit of the Athlone bypass to facilitate works on the M6 is expected to cause traffic chaos in the Baylough and Monksland area for the next six months.

Contractors building the Athlone to Ballinasloe stage of the M6 motorway, SIAC Wills Ltd, are expected to apply to Roscommon County Council for permission to close off a section of the bypass.

From the middle of March to build the necessary infrastructure linking the bypass to the motorway at a location near the Élan factory.

The works are scheduled to continue until September and the Westmeath Independent understands it will not be possible to complete this section of the motorway unless the closure order is granted.

Significant traffic disruption is likely to be caused, due to the complicated diversions that are expected to be put in place.

All traffic bypassing Athlone, including the huge volume of Dublin to Galway motorists, will have to take the Roscommon exit, use the old Tuam Road, drive through Baylough and then get back on the N6 at the newly-built roundabout at Summerhill. Galway to Dublin traffic will also have to take the same route in reverse.

While accepting that the road closure is essential for the M6 works to be completed, Fine Gael Town Councillor Mick O’Connell is calling on both Roscommon and Westmeath County Councils to work together to prevent chaos in the town.

“This cannot be a case of Roscommon Council approving the closures and leaving Westmeath and Athlone with the resultant chaos,” he said.

“The impact of this closure will be much more serious than the last and it seems that all eastbound and westbound traffic from Dublin to Galway or vice versa will be routed through Baylough.

I have no confidence that there is a real consideration of the impact of these closures to the town, to residents, businesses and workers in the area. If not properly managed there will be gridlock.”

[Deleted User]

Why the fuck don't they open the central median where the westbound Tuam road exit is and lay a temporary loop there to allow eastbound traffic to cross over the central reservation and rejoin the main carriageway.

Sending ALL traffic to the Roscommon junction is MADNESS!

WHY is it not possible for Eastbound traffic to use the new link road, turn left at the Baylough roundabout then go over the bridge (towards ELAN) and then rejoin the N6.

veryangryman

All this for a stupid road to Galway?

Whisper it softly - i dont want to go that way. The Motorway/DC extends nicely just as far as my house and i only use it Eastbound.

Any chance they will abandon the project based on my selfish opinion?

I'll get my coat (and a flask of coffee for the inevitable extra half hour i shall now have to spend behind gombeen Roscommon farmers)

KevR

Would anyone be able draw the planned diversion on some sort of a map? I have an idea of the diversion route but am not sure exactly.

This is bound to add a fair bit onto my journeys everyday because I'll be travelling at peak times

. I might have to consider the train :eek:.

[Deleted User]

IF the report is correct and it's Roscommon Road the diversion is to use, it's like this! a nightmare!!!!

I can't beleave they will allow this diversion, especially if you consider that the Tuam road exit westbound has been rebuilt!

I hope it's a mistake on the report.

[Deleted User]

If on the other hand the diversion is via Tuam Rd then it's like this!

KevR

Thanks for the maps!

I really can't make any sense of it either. By looking at Page 13 of the Scheme Brochure I don't see any reason why they can't use the the Monksland/Tuam Rd Junction. As you said, all they would have to do is breaking the central reservation to allow Eastbound traffic to cross over.

It's madness making people use the much longer Roscommon Rd diversion for 6 months just to save them having to break and re-construct a tiny piece of the median.

[Deleted User]

This is one way of doing this tie in without causing major traffic delays.

It has the advantage of separating local traffic from N6 through traffic as local traffic will use the old tuam road.

?Cee?view

Does the fact that they're doing this closure for six months mean that when they open it (after six months), the Athlone - B'sloe section will then be open fully?

KevR

churchview wrote: »

Does the fact that they're doing this closure for six months mean that when they open it (after six months), the Athlone - B'sloe section will then be open fully?

I'd say so. Can't see how they could remove the diversion and re-open the bypass without opening the Ballinasloe-Athlone section of the M6.

?Cee?view

In that case, this could be great news. There will be such uproar over this crazy diversion that they will have to open by the vary lastest September 09, so yet another piece of my favourite piece of Architecture in Ireland (the M6) will be open!

The M6 - lowering my bloodpressure, newly opened section by newly opened section

[Deleted User]

KevR wrote: »

I'd say so. Can't see how they could remove the diversion and re-open the bypass without opening the Ballinasloe-Athlone section of the M6.

Yes. as this is the part that will cause the most disruption, everything should be done to get this part done as quickly as possible!

serfboard

I cannot understand why they need to do this nonsense. If they finish the link road to the old N6 first, they can avoid all of this as follows.

1. Finish the new link road from the new roundabout to the old N6 and tie it in (without the roundabout at first).

2. Close the old N6 north of this point.

3. Route the traffic along the link road as follows:

Galway->Dublin: Uses the new link road, turns left at Monksland roundabout onto the Tuam road, and back onto the bypass via the existing Tuam road link.

Dublin->Galway: Comes off at the Tuam Road exit, and uses the new link road to get back onto the old N6.

They can then proceed with constructing the old N6 roundabout, and the M6-Athlone Bypass tie-in without any disruption.

I think this would work. If you don't think so, I'd be interested to hear.

[Deleted User]

serfboard wrote: »

I cannot understand why they need to do this nonsense. If they finish the link road to the old N6 first, they can avoid all of this as follows.

1. Finish the new link road from the new roundabout to the old N6 and tie it in (without the roundabout at first).

2. Close the old N6 north of this point.

3. Route the traffic along the link road as follows:

Galway->Dublin: Uses the new link road, turns left at Monksland roundabout onto the Tuam road, and back onto the bypass via the existing Tuam road link.

Dublin->Galway: Comes off at the Tuam Road exit, and uses the new link road to get back onto the old N6.

They can then proceed with constructing the old N6 roundabout, and the M6-Athlone Bypass tie-in without any disruption.

I think this would work. If you don't think so, I'd be interested to hear.

1, this roundabout is almost complete, it is also in use now.

The routes you suggest are as the second map I posted earlier.

But even this comfiguration will cause disruption as local traffic (on the Tuam Rd) will crossover the N6 traffic.

kaizersoze

Updated the other thread with some current pics of the Suck bridge works.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=59218877&posted=1#post59218877

Btw, that proposed detour is madness.

Colm R

I travelled the N52 from Kells to Tullamore last night and hence travelled in the M6 for the first time since redesignation. Now while I was delighted to get a break for a few minutes, and do a bit of overtaking, I found it odd.

Is it legal that traffic wishing to continue on the N52, be directed onto the M6?

I would have thought that the old N6 would have been deignated the N52.

[Deleted User]

Seems perfectly resonable as it's the primary route.
Learners are not expected to be driving long distances.

[Deleted User]

Deleted User wrote: »

This is one way of doing this tie in without causing major traffic delays.

It has the advantage of separating local traffic from N6 through traffic as local traffic will use the old tuam road.

It looks like this is going to be the official version of the tie-in
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=59295412&postcount=137

For the affected people, i.e. everyone that uses the Athlone Bypass
here is the traffic restrictions that will be in place:-

Dublin to Galway traffic will exit at the Monksland turnoff, go straight through the Daneshill Roundabout (the new one with the temporary surface), take a new road over the railway line and come out at the Summerhill roundabout where they then turn left to get onto the Galway Road. Elan / River Village traffic will enter / exit off the Daneshill Roundabout as we do today. The current slip onto the N6 to Dublin (across from Pharmaplaz) will be closed.

Galway to Dublin traffic, will first turn right at the new roundabout at Summerhill before going onto the next new roundabout at Daneshill. At this roundabout Galway - Dublin traffic will go straight through and access will be built across the median onto the N6 and proceed as normal.

It is planned that these arrangements will be in place from 30th March to 17th July. So all traffic will now flow through the Daneshill Roundabout which will certainly result in an impact on queues at peak times. The impact however is far less than what was being proposed previously.