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M55/M62/M52 'Midlands Corridor' proposal

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    #32
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    increasing the deficit is bad BUT seeing as health is also funded by the centra coffers, if road improvements are made to dangerous sections of road, then the state benefits in the longer term by fewer serious accidents.

    How many thousand does it cost the taxpayer when someone needs hospital treatment after an accident?
    And when 2 cars collide and theres many surviving passengers, that's a lot of cost to be borne by the taxpayer through the health service!!!

    If by spending a few thousand euros to improve the line of sight through a bend, or the markings/ warning signs you can avoid an accident, then it is a break even game with regards to the auld deficit.

    anyhow, thats all a little off topic on a thread about creating a midlands road supercorridor!!


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    #33
    T Corolla
    Closed Accounts Posts: 611 ✭✭✭T Corolla


    munchkin_utd wrote: »
    increasing the deficit is bad BUT seeing as health is also funded by the centra coffers, if road improvements are made to dangerous sections of road, then the state benefits in the longer term by fewer serious accidents.

    How many thousand does it cost the taxpayer when someone needs hospital treatment after an accident?
    And when 2 cars collide and theres many surviving passengers, that's a lot of cost to be borne by the taxpayer through the health service!!!

    If by spending a few thousand euros to improve the line of sight through a bend, or the markings/ warning signs you can avoid an accident, then it is a break even game with regards to the auld deficit.

    anyhow, thats all a little off topic on a thread about creating a midlands road supercorridor!!

    The problem is there are so many roads that have the same problem in this country. The N55/N52 need serious investment to bring them up to a decent standard. I travel north to visit family and find the N55 to be as busy as the N4 on Fridays and Sunday nights. I sometimes use the N52 to get to Belfast and believe me you are taking your life in your hands driving it.


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    #34
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    T Corolla wrote: »
    The N55 is closing for 11 days from the 11 October between Granard to Ballynea.
    you mean Ballinagh?
    I was looking for a townland called Ballynea and cant find one.


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    #35
    T Corolla
    Closed Accounts Posts: 611 ✭✭✭T Corolla


    munchkin_utd wrote: »
    you mean Ballinagh?
    I was looking for a townland called Ballynea and cant find one.

    Sorry I mispelt it.


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    #36
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    Cavan County council has a closure notice hid on their site "for the purpose of carrying out resurfacing works at various locations".

    So no fixing of bends.
    And from the diversion description, its the part of the road near the Cavan/ Longford county border. So likely the bendy bit near granard town that isnt in great shape at the moment (IIRC)
    The rest of the section being diverted is mostly the airport runway type section that runs for a few km north of the county border but its in top nick.

    http://www.cavancoco.ie/cavanweb/publish/domain/cavancoco/Default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=278


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    #37
    wellbutty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 478 ✭✭wellbutty


    Why cant all road spend be given on the back of a proper national roads plan, and not just doing little local, isolated schemes to various standards? The road suggested by the OP is a superb idea and if done properly, could replace chunks and in some cases all, of the N74,N62,N75,N52,N55 while tying into the M8 and M24 at one junction.


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    #38
    Ren2k7
    Registered Users Posts: 1,161 ✭✭✭Ren2k7


    Another death on the N55 this time at Kilcogy. Hopefully something will be done with this route to make it safer.


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    #39
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    18 year old dies in Cavan crash
    Oct 10 2010
    An 18 year old man has died in an overnight crash near Kilcogy in Co Cavan, and a 16 year old youth has been critically injured.

    The two were travelling in a car which left the road at Dundevan shortly after midnight last night.
    The 16 year old was brought from the scene to Cavan General Hospital for treatment.
    <snip>
    Dundevan townland hints at being the bit of the road which, if heading northbound, is the "normal" windy bit after the super upgraded runway quality road.
    Right where the super duper good road hits the bad theres aload of wreaths. Loks looks another one to be added.

    here is dundevan, and note the N55 3 km dead straight stretch before it comes near this area.
    Dunedavan location


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    #40
    Ren2k7
    Registered Users Posts: 1,161 ✭✭✭Ren2k7


    munchkin_utd wrote: »
    Dundevan townland hints at being the bit of the road which, if heading northbound, is the "normal" windy bit after the super upgraded runway quality road.
    Right where the super duper good road hits the bad theres aload of wreaths. Loks looks another one to be added.

    here is dundevan, and note the N55 3 km dead straight stretch before it comes near this area.
    Dunedavan location

    A lot of traffic on the ws2 section build up motorway level speeds, even lorries. The sharp contrast in road quality at the end of the WS2 section is quite apparent. Traffic is forced to drop speed considerably.

    Incidentally, the image posted here on this tread earlier of a vehicle tipped over into a ditch happened near where the crash occurred. This will be the second road fatality spot on the N55 that I'll be driving past in as many days after a similar fatality took place on this route near Carrickboy south of Edgeworthstown only last week.


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    #41
    oharach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 185 ✭✭oharach


    This road as proposed by the OP would have the potential to really slash Belfast-Galway journey times, which is probably the only major city link missing from the pre-crash plans.

    Then we can get rid of those ridiculous inter-island flights as well..


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    #42
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    for me the N55 and N54 are the same road corridor with one being an extension of the other, and with that in mind, theres another accident blackspot just removed off the Galway - Cavan - Belfast route :
    (Google Maps) Gannons Cross

    http://www.anglocelt.ie/news/roundup/articles/2010/10/27/4001075-gannons-cross-junction-realigned-and-made-safer/print

    There's mention that the junction onto the Castle Saunderson Road (where incidentally an international scouting camp is to be soon located) is also due for remedial action a km or so more further north on the N54, so another accident blackspot to be removed off this corridor!!


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    #43
    kiwipower
    Registered Users Posts: 802 ✭✭✭kiwipower


    lukejr wrote: »
    Really a M62, lets hope they build the M20, the Dublin outer ring-road, the M24, M25, M18 and M21 before they consider linking Athlone-Roscrea-Thurles-M8 link via the M62.


    Surely not such a bad Idea?
    Presently all the motorway networks are only joined up by the M50. I have often thought if there was a link running down the middle of the country North-South it would remove a volume of traffic (Expecially HGVs heading for Rosslare) off the M50 and other local/regional roads around the country. Not everyone in this country is heading to Dublin!
    While not classified as Cities the likes of Athlone, Monahan/Cavan, Birr, Nenagh, Killkenny, Wexford have sizeable populations. As anyone who drives the Boreens linking these places know they have a large commuter population!!!


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    #44
    loyatemu
    Registered Users Posts: 14,743 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    kiwipower wrote: »
    Presently all the motorway networks are only joined up by the M50. I have often thought if there was a link running down the middle of the country North-South it would remove a volume of traffic (Expecially HGVs heading for Rosslare) off the M50 and other local/regional roads around the country. Not everyone in this country is heading to Dublin!

    the so-called atlantic corridor (ie M20, M18) will link the motorways at their western ends, can't see a case for having a third Nth-Sth motorway up the middle of the country.
    While not classified as Cities the likes of Athlone, Monahan/Cavan, Birr, Nenagh, Killkenny, Wexford have sizeable populations. As anyone who drives the Boreens linking these places know they have a large commuter population!!!

    they're not sizeable in any way - Birr has a population of 5000. The cross-country secondary roads do need upgrading, but not to motorway standard.


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    #45
    knipex
    Registered Users Posts: 2,018 ✭✭✭knipex


    kiwipower wrote: »

    Surely not such a bad Idea?
    Presently all the motorway networks are only joined up by the M50.

    That what the Atlantic corridor was supposed to address. of which the M20 was a key component.

    Waterford linked to cork, linked to Ennis, Galway, Sligo and Letterkenny. Then across the border into Derry.

    From memory the link from Waterford to Rosslare was also supposed to be improved.

    What it looks like we will end up with is a hodge podge or motorway, dual carriageway and boreen.


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    #46
    kiwipower
    Registered Users Posts: 802 ✭✭✭kiwipower


    loyatemu wrote: »
    the so-called atlantic corridor (ie M20, M18) will link the motorways at their western ends, can't see a case for having a third Nth-Sth motorway up the middle of the country.



    they're not sizeable in any way - Birr has a population of 5000. The cross-country secondary roads do need upgrading, but not to motorway standard.

    I take your point about the Atlantic Corridor, and definatly the secondary roads do need upgrading. Having a good quality National road down the centre of the contry would be fantastic and probably all that is needed.

    As for the use of "sizable" maybe the wrong word.
    But over the last three years I have spent alot of time travelling many of the commuter runs around the Midlands and West.
    There is always heavy amounts of traffic on the Nenagh-Athlone run, The Loughrea-Nenagh/Birr run, The Roscommon-Athlone run, The Galway-Roscommon run, The Galway-Athlone run, The Limerick/Gort Loughrea run, The Sligo-Roscommon run and that does not include weekend commutes!
    Something definatly needs to be done to address this!
    knipex wrote: »
    That what the Atlantic corridor was supposed to address. of which the M20 was a key component.

    Waterford linked to cork, linked to Ennis, Galway, Sligo and Letterkenny. Then across the border into Derry.

    From memory the link from Waterford to Rosslare was also supposed to be improved.

    What it looks like we will end up with is a hodge podge or motorway, dual carriageway and boreen.

    This is great and maybe if they would build the M 11 from Wicklow to Arklow and from what I hear the N11 Ferns to Rosslare has been shelved as well!


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    #47
    Jayuu
    Registered Users Posts: 740 ✭✭✭Jayuu


    The N25 (Cork to Rosslare) route is now generally of a decent standard even if it is only single-carraigeway for the most part. It could do with a few improvements, some of which are planned such as the Dungarvan and New Ross bypasses and some of which could definitely do with being prioritised, mainly in the Country Cork part of the route. There are some minor bypass works in County Wexford which could also be done in the longer term but really aren't priorities.


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    #48
    -Corkie-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,025 ✭✭✭✭-Corkie-


    Even a high quality single carrigeway would suffice here. Its badly wanting.


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    #49
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,957 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    kiwipower wrote: »
    from what I hear the N11 Ferns to Rosslare has been shelved as well!
    It's the opposite, I thought? It wasn't being pushed but is now back on the agenda.

    I've explored the idea of what roads you'd need in the Futures section on my website, which I've just recently overhauled. My proposals mainly consist of upgrades to existing routes. I have an SC N55/54 (Athlone-Monghan), an SC N61 (Athlone-Boyle) and a DC N52.

    The reason is because if you look at the north-south axis in the centre of the country, you need a zigzag because the towns all alternate left-right-left-right:
    M7/M8 Split - Portlaoise - Tullamore/Athlone - Mullingar - Longford - Cavan.
    A straight road would miss all of these, passing too far. So you end up with a series of diagonal routes.


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    #50
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    There another small 700m section of the n55 up for realignment according to a tender just issued
    http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG261355


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    #51
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    Ren2k7 wrote: »
    Another death on the N55 this time at Kilcogy. Hopefully something will be done with this route to make it safer.
    a surprise from out of the blue but an utterly welcome addition to the upcoming N55 improvements is a 2.7km section from Dundavin to Mullahoran where this death happened (theres more details of the crash in the article I linked at the time).
    Just for reference , heres the source of upgrade news : http://www.merrionstreet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2012-Minor-Works-Construction-starts1.pdf

    The works will seemingly link in to the end of the super wide and straight section which begins at the Cavan/Longford border and ends in a chicane that has claimed many lives over the years (not just the sad case from 14 months ago) and is long overdue to be addressed.

    Heres the section of road which seems to be whats going to realigned:
    http://maps.google.de/maps?saddr=N55&daddr=N55&hl=en&sll=53.841032,-7.445211&sspn=0.03074,0.078878&geocode=FRpQNQMdfmiO_w%3BFSGnNQMd9leO_w&vpsrc=0&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=14&t=h&z=14

    How offline or major the realignment will be is anyones guess.

    If its like the section to the north of Mullahoran pitch which was recently realigned where this scheme will end up, it'll be a value for money job keeping roughly to the old alignment but with much less acute bends, safer junction layouts and a wider carraigeway than the current state of affairs that a truck can barely stay on its own side of the road without risking a catastrophic drop off the side of the road into the bog!
    i.e This section here which is being realigned and is a regular scene of stranded trucks and cars which have "fallen" off the road!
    http://maps.google.de/maps?q=Kilcogy,+Ireland&hl=en&ll=53.83151,-7.439117&spn=0.015373,0.039439&sll=51.151786,10.415039&sspn=16.758004,40.385742&oq=kilcogy&vpsrc=0&hnear=Kilcogy,+County+Cavan,+Ireland&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.832044,-7.438638&panoid=g-1wsthlar6iqFHkKpsF3w&cbp=12,215.36,,0,-1.88


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    #52
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    I know that 3km section well, the northbound lane sort of disappears at altitude and you must hit the narrow bit at c.85kph to coast for the 1st lefthander at 65kph.

    Mind you there is a nasty chicane on the Longford Border end of the 3km section and you would not want to hit the second bend before the 3km straight at more than 60kph as it is a downhill when going northbound. As bad as 80% of the crap on the section before Ballinagh...but between 2 generally straight bits. You can easily do it at 80kph southbound :(


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    #53
    enoefay
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭enoefay


    etenders notice for: N55 Dundavan to Mullaghoran Road Realignment

    http://www.ga.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=FEB310157


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    #54
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    Cavan County council is pressing ahead with planning on the N55.
    N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon Route Selection Public Consultation (Including Garrymore to Pottahee).
    Cavan County Council hereby gives notice that it has commenced the design process of a proposed realignment of a section of the existing N55 National Secondary Public Road.

    between Ballinagh and Mullaghoran in County Cavan, which is hereafter referred to as the proposed ‘N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon’ Realigment Scheme.
    <snip>
    Plans of the proposed Route Options will also be available for inspection until Friday, 13 April 2012 during normal office hours 09.15 to 13.00 and 14.00 to 17.00 hours at the following locations:
    - Planning Section, The Johnston Library, Farnham Street, Cavan
    - Cavan Roads Area Office, Moynehall, Cavan
    <snip>
    http://www.cavancoco.ie/cavanweb/publish/domain/cavancoco/Default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=692

    in laymans terms it seems to be 2 sections, one the km or so south of Ballinagh that has a number of 90 degree bends before hitting the upgraded section where the gown road turns off, and the second a Killydoon by-pass linking together the upgraded sections either side of the village (and eliminating the narrow windy bit parallel to the river Erne north of the Village).

    No sign of planing for a Ballinagh By-pass though.


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    #55
    enoefay
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭enoefay


    Thanks for all the info munchkin_utd .. Just to follow up on your post, here is the planned works for 2012:

    http://www.transport.ie/uploads/documents/news/2012%20Minor%20Works%20at%20Planning%20stage.pdf

    So there will be two phases one near ballinagh and one around killydoon ... Will be a couple of years before its at the construction phase i would think.


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    #56
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    enoefay wrote: »
    Thanks for all the info munchkin_utd .. Just to follow up on your post, here is the planned works for 2012:

    http://www.transport.ie/uploads/documents/news/2012%20Minor%20Works%20at%20Planning%20stage.pdf

    So there will be two phases one near ballinagh and one around killydoon ... Will be a couple of years before its at the construction phase i would think.
    travelled the road twice last week. The bit nearer Ballinagh is barely a single bend getting removed from the looks of it.
    Heres that 600m of road definitely getting realigned
    http://maps.google.ie/maps?saddr=N55&daddr=N55&hl=de&sll=53.90626,-7.43577&sspn=0.014335,0.042272&geocode=FfWUNgMdBXmO_w%3BFZSINgMdFnCO_w&mra=mift&mrsp=1&sz=15&t=m&z=15

    The other larger section bypassing Mullaghoran pitch is still only at ground clearance stage with no earthworks visible from the main road.


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    #57
    enoefay
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭enoefay


    Cavan County Council are closing one of the local roads due to the start of the dundavan to mullaghorn realignment (better late than never), see notice published on county council website:

    http://www.cavancoco.ie/cavanweb/publish/domain/cavancoco/Default.aspx?StructureID_str=255&guid=741

    Looks as if clarkes are going to be the contractors on this job.


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    #58
    BrianD3
    Registered Users Posts: 8,278 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    I was on the N55 in Co. Cavan today. Some good work being done but I wasn't fully sure which scheme was which. From what I can see the N55 Corduff Stage 3 Road Realignment Scheme is the most advanced. This involves removal of a drumlin and realignment of a short stretch of the N55 a couple of kms south of Ballinagh.

    The N55 Dundavan Mullaghoran Realignment Scheme also seems to have just started. This a longer stretch from the big wide straight north of Granard to the straight south of Killydoon.

    Then there is the N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon Route, not sure about that one. Has it started yet.

    When these are all completed the road from Granard to Ballinagh will be vastly improved. It was already improved by realignments in recent years (eg a stretch just south of Ballinagh near the junction for Gowna) But these latest realignments will result in removal of several bad bends and unforgiving stretches where a small mistake would see a vehicle ending up in a bog on its roof.


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    #59
    medoc
    Registered Users Posts: 966 ✭✭✭medoc


    The N62 is closed North of Cloghan near the Bord Na Mona Briquette Factory to allow the tie in of the works to remove the very bad bend. Diversions are in polace for a few weeks.


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    #60
    BrianD3
    Registered Users Posts: 8,278 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    BrianD3 wrote: »
    I was on the N55 in Co. Cavan today. Some good work being done but I wasn't fully sure which scheme was which. From what I can see the N55 Corduff Stage 3 Road Realignment Scheme is the most advanced. This involves removal of a drumlin and realignment of a short stretch of the N55 a couple of kms south of Ballinagh.
    This part opened to traffic a few days ago. Short stretch but gives an overtaking opportunity and removes a very bad bend.
    The N55 Dundavan Mullaghoran Realignment Scheme also seems to have just started. This a longer stretch from the big wide straight north of Granard to the straight south of Killydoon.
    This part seems to be progressing well.


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    #61
    munchkin_utd
    Registered Users Posts: 7,834 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    already posted in the tender alert thread, the missing link between the 2 N55 projects between Cavan and Granard just finished / with progressing construction is now moving tentatively in the right direction, abeit still in very early days

    N55 Corduff to South of Killydoon Topographical Survey Contract


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