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

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    #932
    Fozzie Bear
    Registered Users Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭Fozzie Bear


    KevR wrote: »
    In other news, last night a truck veered off the exit slip lane at the Eastbound MSA and crashed into a huge Applegreen sign which is in between the slip lane and the main carriageway.

    Its actually been sitting there a bit longer. Maybe Friday night/Saturday morning or Sat/Sun it happened? I had to drive to Dublin and back yesterday (Sunday) morning and it was planted into the sign at that stage.

    I stopped off at the Westbound Applegreen on the way back and had a better look across at it. He hit it some rattle, two deep ruts where he ploughed through the dirt before the sign, the windscreen is pushed out and there looked like a good bit of panel damage done too. The drivers door was left swinging open almost like it had been abandoned!

    If he fell asleep before he managed to get a cup of coffee into himself it was one rude, bright green awakening he got!!


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    #933
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    tech2 wrote: »
    Yeah the barrier on the express lane of the M4 takes ages to lift up. I was cruising through it at 60km/hr and it didnt lift up til I nearly drove into it. Also the road surface on the eastbound express lane is not very good.

    Barrier enforced speed limit! :eek::rolleyes:


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    #934
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,532 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Barrier Pointlessly and one more reason not to use the road enforced speed limit! :eek::rolleyes:

    Fixed that for you ;)


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    #935
    KevR
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Fozzie Bear wrote: »
    Its actually been sitting there a bit longer. Maybe Friday night/Saturday morning or Sat/Sun it happened? I had to drive to Dublin and back yesterday (Sunday) morning and it was planted into the sign at that stage.

    I stopped off at the Westbound Applegreen on the way back and had a better look across at it. He hit it some rattle, two deep ruts where he ploughed through the dirt before the sign, the windscreen is pushed out and there looked like a good bit of panel damage done too. The drivers door was left swinging open almost like it had been abandoned!

    If he fell asleep before he managed to get a cup of coffee into himself it was one rude, bright green awakening he got!!

    I actually drove to Dublin on Sunday night and didn't see it!! Must have missed it in the dark. Only noticed it on the way back home this morning in the daylight.

    Was thinking that it would have been ironic if he fell asleep and crashed in the service/rest/break area..


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    #936
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,834 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    What's the deal with the tree trimming along the M4, are they intending to remove them completely or is it just a trimming with the intention of said trees growing back ?


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    #937
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,723 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    The particularly poor signage for the M6 split is now SIGNFICANTLY improved. 4km and 2km warnings to use J11 (bear in mind that these are before J10) and then the exit sign for J10 has J11 on it also.


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    #938
    Chris_5339762
    Registered Users Posts: 5,849 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    Excellent. Someone get pics :D


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    #939
    KevR
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    MYOB wrote: »
    The particularly poor signage for the M6 split is now SIGNFICANTLY improved. 4km and 2km warnings to use J11 (bear in mind that these are before J10) and then the exit sign for J10 has J11 on it also.
    Noticed that but forgot to mention it!

    The signage is now very clear and people are well warned about the split - nobody can have any excuses for missing it..


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    #940
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    I noticed a couple of weeks ago signs warning of 'Low Flying aircraft' near kinnegad and later I heard on the radio that there was some aerial mapping under way. I took a look at google earth and saw that the photos show that the start of the M6 (Kinnegad to Kilbeggan) is still under construction (many structures appear to have not even been started).

    I know the ones of the M6 in Galway are at least 2 years out of date, so out of curiosity just how out of date are these pictures?


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    #941
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    4 to 5 years at a guess, where I live still has the original satellite images. :(
    I'm guessing that the aerial mapping is for the local councils property databases & planning management.

    Chances are the OSI photos will be updated soon, well the free site will be updated to the 2005 ones and the council planning pages to these when complete.


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    #942
    etchyed
    Registered Users Posts: 674 ✭✭✭etchyed


    MYOB wrote: »
    The particularly poor signage for the M6 split is now SIGNFICANTLY improved. 4km and 2km warnings to use J11 (bear in mind that these are before J10) and then the exit sign for J10 has J11 on it also.
    What do they actually say? Obviously they'd have to deviate from the standard "NEXT EXIT" design.


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    #943
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,723 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    USE EXIT 11 FOR GALWAY style messages as well as dual fork ADS

    I think there may be one case of the Galway fork gantry panel sitting above the mainline section too. I'll try and grab some pics but its not the easiest thing to do safely.


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    #944
    KevR
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Some traffic counts for the M6 West of Athlone are now available...finally!

    Links are broken on the NRA website so here are the correct ones:
    Athenry East
    Toll Section
    Immediately to the East of the Ballinasloe West junction (J15)

    I'm really disappointed that they have not put up counts for West of Athenry (J17) and West of Oranmore (J19). The nearest traffic count to Galway City is East of Athenry; it's just like on the old N6 where they had a counter East of Derrydonnell and nothing at all near Oranmore or nearer to the city. I don't understand why the haven't made the other counts available, the traffic counters are there!!

    Also, how come there are months missing from the Athenry East counter? Is it likely that the counter was/is broken or a case that they just didn't bother journeying to the counter to fetch the data those months?

    I sort of had a feeling that counts for the toll section would only be around 10k. When drivinig on the M6 the toll section is noticeably quieter than every other section.


    We all knew that HGVs were dodging the toll anyway but 7.8% HGV between Galway and Ballinasloe West; it jumps to 9.1% immediately to the East of the Ballinasloe West junction (the best/only way to avoid the toll is to drive the R446 the whole way from Galway to Ballinasloe West)..


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    #945
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,532 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    KevR wrote: »
    We all knew that HGVs were dodging the toll anyway

    Did we? Oddtimes i drive to Gort and get off at ballinasloe west towards Loughrea - gotta say i dont spot many

    No real saving money wise skipping it due to the longer distance - we must be seriously talking about coppers here. Not to mention the extra half hour of a journey


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    #946
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    KevR wrote: »
    Toll Section
    Immediately to the East of the Ballinasloe West junction (J15)

    Are you sure you haven't gotten those backwards (I know they're listed that way on the site) M6-08 is listed as Ballinasloe West - which may or may not be on the tolled section


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    #947
    KevR
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    veryangryman wrote: »
    Did we? Oddtimes i drive to Gort and get off at ballinasloe west towards Loughrea - gotta say i dont spot many

    No real saving money wise skipping it due to the longer distance - we must be seriously talking about coppers here. Not to mention the extra half hour of a journey

    I agree about there being no real financial gain by dodging the toll but not everyone sees that..

    Looking at the three R446 counters - the percentage for HGV traffic for the Kilreekill counter increased 2.1% after the motorway opened. (toll section)

    The percentage for HGV traffic actually declined 2.3% at the Ballydangan counter. (section of the old N6 in between Ballinasloe and Athlone)

    At the Rochfortbridge, the percentage declined slightly also (0.8%) after that section of motorway opened.

    So there is a delta of 2.9 and 4.4% between the tolled section and the two non-tolled sections.
    antoobrien wrote: »
    Are you sure you haven't gotten those backwards (I know they're listed that way on the site) M6-08 is listed as Ballinasloe West - which may or may not be on the tolled section

    Don't think so. If the Ballinasloe counter was to the West of the 'Ballinasloe West' junction then it would be exactly the same as the counter for the toll section (which is to the East of the Loughrea junction).

    The 'Ballinasloe West' counter is described as M6 Southwest of Ballinasloe. I think they mean Southwest of the town itself and not the junction.


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    #948
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    KevR wrote: »
    Don't think so. If the Ballinasloe counter was to the West of the 'Ballinasloe West' junction then it would be exactly the same as the counter for the toll section (which is to the East of the Loughrea junction).

    The 'Ballinasloe West' counter is described as M6 Southwest of Ballinasloe. I think they mean Southwest of the town itself and not the junction.

    oops sorry, got it confused


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    #949
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    KevR wrote: »
    I sort of had a feeling that counts for the toll section would only be around 10k. When drivinig on the M6 the toll section is noticeably quieter than every other section.

    We all knew that HGVs were dodging the toll anyway but 7.8% HGV between Galway and Ballinasloe West; it jumps to 9.1% immediately to the East of the Ballinasloe West junction (the best/only way to avoid the toll is to drive the R446 the whole way from Galway to Ballinasloe West)..

    veryangryman wrote: »
    Did we? Oddtimes i drive to Gort and get off at ballinasloe west towards Loughrea - gotta say i dont spot many


    The figures seem to agree with kev's observation and not just on HGVs. I'm not a statistician but I've come up with a basic analysis of the traffic on the N6(2009)/R446(2010) vs the M6 (2010). If anyone cares to go the whole hog, you have my thanks.

    On the face of it there's a 10% drop in total traffic using the N/M6 between 2009 and 2010, but that doesn't take into account the traffic (still) using the old road (R446). taking both roads into account, there's actually an increase of 28% using the M6 & R446 in 2010 than there was using the N6 in 2009. For more on this take a look at this post.


    As for the HGVs (I stress these are averages for the year, though I do think it'd be interesting to look at the more detailed data to see if there are any trends during the year):

    Eastbound there is never less than 1/3 of the HGV traffic of the M6 (tolled) using the R446. While most of the hourly splits are in the 34%-49% range (15 of 24 hours) there are 3 hours where the HGV usage of the old n6 is >=70% of that using the motorway at the same times.

    147406.png

    Westbound - the usage ranges from 24% to 56% of the usage of the M6 west, with the exception of two houts where the usage of the old road exceeds that of the motorway (between 5am and 7am) - a total of 60 hgvs using the R446 vs 50 using the M6.

    147407.png


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    #950
    etchyed
    Registered Users Posts: 674 ✭✭✭etchyed


    MYOB wrote: »
    USE EXIT 11 FOR GALWAY style messages as well as dual fork ADS

    I think there may be one case of the Galway fork gantry panel sitting above the mainline section too. I'll try and grab some pics but its not the easiest thing to do safely.
    Thanks, sure I'll get a look at it in time anyway. Google Street View came to visit just a little too early, before all the MIUs were finished and everything was tidied up.


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    #951
    KevR
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Emergency phones now installed between Athlone and Ballinasloe. Don't think they are operational yet because they have plastic covers on them.


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    #952
    absorbentmind
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19 ✭absorbentmind


    Just womdering is anyone on this thread commuting between Galway and Athlone?
    I'm looking to carpool to save on the cost of travel, Ive started using the train with the price of fuel but would gladly change back to driving if I could carpool. I don't mind driving the whole time if necessary.
    I travel Monday-Friday from Galway to Athlone.


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    #953
    KevR
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Emailed the NRA early last week asking if traffic counts for West of Athenry and West of Oranmore could be made available. There are counters in place which mean these figures should be available....unless the counters are not working properly.


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    #954
    delito
    Registered Users Posts: 70 ✭✭delito


    KevR wrote: »
    http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0306/rta.html





    Surely that would be County Roscommon, rather than Westmeath?

    Sad news, RIP. :(

    I was in the car behind the tractor, still cant believe it happened.


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    #955
    DWCommuter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,032 ✭✭✭DWCommuter


    This is the last IU I'm waiting to experience in full. Ireland is now a much smaller place.:D


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    #956
    Chris_5339762
    Registered Users Posts: 5,849 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    One thing I still miss about my time in Galway is that gorgeous piece of M6 between Galway and Ballinasloe :(


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    #957
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Not sure if this was covered or not but was up this way over the weekend and noticed that from Athlone to Galway there is only one rest area (well, it says authorized vehicles only but I think most people use it as a rest stop). I was driving about 3 and a half hours, wanted to stop (was around 10.30) and it took me forever to find somewhere to pull in without leaving the Motorway (which, not knowing the area, I have no idea how long it will take before I can find someplace).


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    #958
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,532 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    Sully wrote: »
    Not sure if this was covered or not but was up this way over the weekend and noticed that from Athlone to Galway there is only one rest area (well, it says authorized vehicles only but I think most people use it as a rest stop). I was driving about 3 and a half hours, wanted to stop (was around 10.30) and it took me forever to find somewhere to pull in without leaving the Motorway (which, not knowing the area, I have no idea how long it will take before I can find someplace).

    Vast majority of Motorway exits are right beside towns villages. Just leave a trail of breadcrumbs and you will be able get back to the Motorway :D


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    #959
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,195 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    Sully wrote: »
    Not sure if this was covered or not but was up this way over the weekend and noticed that from Athlone to Galway there is only one rest area (well, it says authorized vehicles only but I think most people use it as a rest stop). I was driving about 3 and a half hours, wanted to stop (was around 10.30) and it took me forever to find somewhere to pull in without leaving the Motorway (which, not knowing the area, I have no idea how long it will take before I can find someplace).

    I thought one of the defining characteristics of a motorway was that there was nowhere you could just pull in without leaving the motorway - as that would involve a standing start which is dangerous on a free flow motorway. Authorised vehicles only generally means just that! You were in breach of the rules of the road - thankfully you weren't caught. Might be worthwhile having a review of the specific rules relating to motorways if you're not familiar with them.


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    #960
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Marcusm wrote: »
    I thought one of the defining characteristics of a motorway was that there was nowhere you could just pull in without leaving the motorway - as that would involve a standing start which is dangerous on a free flow motorway. Authorised vehicles only generally means just that! You were in breach of the rules of the road - thankfully you weren't caught. Might be worthwhile having a review of the specific rules relating to motorways if you're not familiar with them.

    The M9, for example, has specific areas which are clearly indicated with the big "P" sign - Parking.


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    #961
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,195 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    Sully wrote: »
    The M9, for example, has specific areas which are clearly indicated with the big "P" sign - Parking.

    Click here ( http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055883597 for a boards discussion of those spaces! Doesn't change the fact that they don't exist on the M4.


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