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N6 - Athlone Bypass Upgrade works

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Comments

  • #32
    Juelz Enough Stagecoach
    Posts: 0 ✭ Juelz Enough Stagecoach


    I have noticed that a large number of survey points have been set up along the bypass and some of the feeder roads in the past week.

    I wonder if this part of the planning for the scheduling of the upgrade works.


  • #33
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    The entrance to the feeder road from Kilmartin's Roundabout is a bloody nightmare, big chunk of the road missing along the centre plus a few big potholes. Can't understand how it has never been repaired.

    Plus does anyone know if the big hump/dip at the following roundabout is intentional, or just badly constructed?


  • #34
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Not news as such, but there is a small bit in the local paper this week saying the Minister is still waiting on information from the NRA, before making a decision about upgrading the bypass to motorway. No sign of a date for the decision either.


  • #35
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    Some work going on this morning on Roscommon side

    Morons at the AA roadwatch mentioned a stop-go system Eastbound.

    Not the case - Just was down to 1 lane from Exit 13 to just after the bridge. Anyone any idea what their at?


  • #36
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    Some pics i took en route


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  • #37
    Juelz Enough Stagecoach
    Posts: 0 ✭ Juelz Enough Stagecoach


    Looking at the photos, I would guess that they are marking the road into segments for future resurfacing/reconstruction, possibly with some minor realignments as well.

    The start of many months of slow traffic! :(


  • #38
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    Id imagine that if you drive down towards Mulligans and get on at Ganleys it shouldnt be too bad (still pretty bad though)


  • #39
    billbond4
    Registered Users Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭billbond4


    Yeah, they are marking the eastbound carriageway in segments this week and marking the westbound carriageway.
    Its doing to be another summer of slow traffic on the N6 bypass :(

    At least they are taking the cones up at night time in the section that they are finished and moving it on to the next section


  • #40
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    A bit more in the paper today. Upgrade work won't start before the Galway Races, and any festivals on in Athlone over the summer.

    Fibre optic cables will have to be moved from underneath the median strip, to the roadside, at a cost of €700,000, which may have to come out of the overall funding.


  • #41
    billbond4
    Registered Users Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭billbond4


    yeah the 700k should have to come from the project,you wouldnt expect the owners of the fiber optic to pay to have their own cabling moved, as they already pay for the existing ducting.

    If the paper said "upgrade work" wont start before the galway races, they could still start laying the new top surface layer before August.

    The sooner they start the sooner they will finish it.


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  • #42
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    "THERE could be major phone and internet outtages across the Midlands and even further afield when the €7m upgrade of the Athlone reflief road begins after August.

    The work, which will be carried out by Westmeath County Council and covers a 7.9km stretch of road that straddles Westmeath and Roscommon, will not begin until the festivals in Athlone and the Galway Races are over."


  • #43
    KevR
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    I'm sure Ericsson and other companies in the area will be far from impressed at the phone and internet outages..


  • #44
    dubhthach
    Registered Users Posts: 3,284 ✭✭✭dubhthach


    whyulittle wrote: »
    "THERE could be major phone and internet outtages across the Midlands and even further afield when the €7m upgrade of the Athlone reflief road begins after August.

    The work, which will be carried out by Westmeath County Council and covers a 7.9km stretch of road that straddles Westmeath and Roscommon, will not begin until the festivals in Athlone and the Galway Races are over."

    I assume this is tied in with fact that the Fibre MAN in Athlone follows the Bypass for part of it's route. See map here:
    Athlonemap.png

    I'm assuming the quoted comment is from a local newspaper. What they don't realise is the MAN is built as a Ring. If the fibre is broken in one point traffic can be routed around the other part of the Ring. As you can see if the duct along the bypass is broken it won't take down the MAN as traffic will all then be routed via the other crossing of the River.


  • #45
    Barname
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,084 ✭✭✭Barname


    Enbee wrote: »
    Just out of interest was there a financial reason (such as the cost of an additional Shannon bridge and perhaps difficult terrain) that mitigated against simply running the M6 to the south of the town and keeping the bypass as an urban relief road?

    Its a truly bizarre set up

    esp when you consider all the cash spent on the M6 either side

    perhaps the useless government would consider some capital expenditure to create employment and connect the 2 motorways with a new section of motorway


  • #46
    123easy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭123easy


    Barname wrote: »
    Its a truly bizarre set up

    esp when you consider all the cash spent on the M6 either side

    perhaps the useless government would consider some capital expenditure to create employment and connect the 2 motorways with a new section of motorway

    We dont have money to waste on Irelands first completed interurban. I think most people are quite happy with the M6/M4 Galway to Dublin.


  • #47
    Barname
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,084 ✭✭✭Barname


    123easy wrote: »
    We dont have money to waste on Irelands first completed interurban. I think most people are quite happy with the M6/M4 Galway to Dublin.

    I note you edited your earlier stupid comment.

    thing is you followed it up with another stupid post.

    [mod]Infracted for insulting other poster[/mod]


  • #48
    Juelz Enough Stagecoach
    Posts: 0 ✭ Juelz Enough Stagecoach


    The bypass is in need of refurbishment now, before it deteriorates too much and becomes a safety issue.

    The cost of building a parallel motorway to the south of the town could never be justified. The best that could be hoped for would be a two lane bridge parallel to the existing one for non-motorway traffic, but I just don't see that happening in the current economic climate if ever!

    Anyway, we are still waiting for the decision as to whether it's a motorway or an N road.


  • #49
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    This time 10 years ago, you had Motorway to Kilcock from Dublin. The length of the m4/M6 has quadrupled since.

    People act like spoilt brats with this. The fact is that you have at worst Dual Carriageway all the way Heuston to Renmore. Sure Athlone bypass is looking a tad dated but its hardly a bottleneck by any mans standards. One of the great advantages of living in the town (as any visitor will also confirm) is the decent infrastructure provided a la the bypass.

    Complete waste of money to upgrade until the likes of Claregalway, Newlands, completed Atlantic corridoor and even a possible N52 upgrade from Tyrellspass-Ardee get sorted out.

    And a partridge in a pear tree :D


  • #50
    KevR
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    veryangryman wrote: »
    Sure Athlone bypass is looking a tad dated but its hardly a bottleneck by any mans standards. One of the great advantages of living in the town (as any visitor will also confirm) is the decent infrastructure provided a la the bypass.

    Complete waste of money to upgrade until the likes of Claregalway, Newlands, completed Atlantic corridoor and even a possible N52 upgrade from Tyrellspass-Ardee get sorted out.

    And a partridge in a pear tree :D

    +1

    I really wish the people opposed to the Galway Bypass would spend some time in Athlone to see the huge positive difference a bypass can make. So effortless getting from one side of the town to the other.

    I think the planned upgrade works on the Athlone Bypass will be suffecient. A new Southern Bypass couldn't be justified both now and for the forseeable future. Other schemes are way more important.


  • #51
    CerebralCortex
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭CerebralCortex


    Juelz Enough Stagecoach wrote: »
    ...The cost of building a parallel motorway to the south of the town could never be justified. The best that could be hoped for would be a two lane bridge parallel to the existing one for non-motorway traffic, but I just don't see that happening in the current economic climate if ever!...

    That's fairly pessimistic, ever is a long time! Ireland's population needs to and will grow and therein lies the justification to building infrastructure ahead of that time. Right now with our current road infrastructure(and all infrastructure for that matter) we're playing catch up.


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  • #52
    JupiterKid
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,557 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    veryangryman wrote: »
    This time 10 years ago, you had Motorway to Kilcock from Dublin. The length of the m4/M6 has quadrupled since.

    People act like spoilt brats with this. The fact is that you have at worst Dual Carriageway all the way Heuston to Renmore. Sure Athlone bypass is looking a tad dated but its hardly a bottleneck by any mans standards. One of the great advantages of living in the town (as any visitor will also confirm) is the decent infrastructure provided a la the bypass.

    Complete waste of money to upgrade until the likes of Claregalway, Newlands, completed Atlantic corridoor and even a possible N52 upgrade from Tyrellspass-Ardee get sorted out.

    And a partridge in a pear tree :D

    Agreed. I think many have been spoiled by the rollout of new road schemes and are forgetting just how much a quantum leap road infrastructure has taken in Ireland in the past 10 to 15 years. Just 15 years ago, the principal roads connecting our main cities and towns were dangerous goat tracks for much of their length, there were very few bypasses and only a couple of tiny sections of motorway.

    The Athlone bypass works are adequate for now. Other road schemes are much more pressing, like the M11 to link ther Arklow and Ashford bypasses and the N21 upgrade/bypasses.


  • #53
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Any ideas what the exact plans for the road are and how long it will take?


  • #54
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,820 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    JupiterKid wrote: »
    The Athlone bypass works are adequate for now. Other road schemes are much more pressing, like the M11 to link ther Arklow and Ashford bypasses and the N21 upgrade/bypasses.
    with 7 million you'd not be building much M11 Motorway
    Nor would you even make a dent on the M20 project.

    A basic relief road for remaining bottlenecks like Claregalway though could be attempted with smaller sums.
    Edgeworthstown by-pass on the N4 for example cost 14 million at the peak of the boom so it would be nearer 7 to 10 now with land prices etc.
    Its a massive improvement on what the situation was before and theres surely other places that could benefit from similar schemes at a moderate cost.

    Belturbet and Virginia on the N3 spring to mind!


  • #55
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Edgeworthstown's shape helped that bypass be very short and hence very cheap.

    The best comparable scheme is the N5 Longford BP. Very short, very cheap and already CPOed


  • #56
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    These works are going to be a nightmare.

    Cones back on the bypass today west bound to allow drain clearing by the looks of it. Very small area to merge from the Exit 10 ramp straight into the outer lane and at a pretty sharp angle too.

    While driving the same spot yesterday, could see an unmarked squad car across on the east bound carraigeway, pretty much hiding on the slip road, tagging cars with a speed gun.


  • #57
    Empire o de Sun
    Registered Users Posts: 369 ✭✭Empire o de Sun


    veryangryman wrote: »
    Don't get me started on the Germans today...:mad:

    What did they do?


  • #58
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    Empire o de Sun wrote: »
    What did they do?

    I think youll find Munich beat Manyoo in the Champions League the night before.

    To somehow put the thread back on topic, i would compare that dissapointment to that dream i once had that Athlone never had a bypass! :eek:


  • #59
    Empire o de Sun
    Registered Users Posts: 369 ✭✭Empire o de Sun


    I remember getting to the Athlone Bypass and thinking it was so modern when it opened. And then thinking that we'd never have a coast to coast motorway any time soon as the Athlone Bypass was a fraction of the length of the N4/N6


  • #60
    emfifty
    Registered Users Posts: 178 ✭✭emfifty


    drove the n6 athlone bypass last weekend. no change whatsoever.

    is there a plan to upgrade?

    what has happened the 7m euro allocation?:cool:


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  • #61
    Juelz Enough Stagecoach
    Posts: 0 ✭ Juelz Enough Stagecoach


    According to the local papers, the upgrade works will be delayed until after the Galway races and a couple of other major events (don't remember which ones).

    Some low-level prep works ongoing at the moment with occational lane closures.


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