N5 - Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge [underway]

paulbok · 21-01-2019 10:53am

user1842 wrote: »

This is great news. I would agree it is not the busiest section of our primary network but it is an extremely dangerous section of road. In reality the 100kph speed limit is far too high on some of the sections.

I am not sure why so many roundabouts are needed on the proposed new road though.

Only 3 are on the mainline, 1at Strokestown, 1 crossing the Boyle - Roscommon road and 1 at Frenchpark

RedDevil55 · 21-01-2019 2:17pm

paulbok wrote: »

Only 3 are on the mainline, 1at Strokestown, 1 crossing the Boyle - Roscommon road and 1 at Frenchpark

There needs to be one at the intersection with the N61 but are the other 2 needed? Would turning lanes not suffice for the traffic that would be using them?

Although I suppose road safety is the main reason this scheme is going ahead. If there ends up being a high speed collision because of someone turning right it defeats the purpose of the whole thing.

paulbok · 21-01-2019 3:26pm

The one at Strokestown crosses the L1405 which has a lot of quarry and other lorry traffic so I'd guess the roundabout is deemed safer than two T junctions there.

paulbok · 23-01-2019 7:59pm

marno21 wrote: »

I have no interest in starting an argument with you because we are on the same page but relative to the rest of the national primary network this is a quiet road. It carries approx 5k AADT per day. There are large sections of the national primary road network that are also shocking and significantly busier.

This road is where it is purely for political reasons, from the days of Kenny and Ring.

There was an archaeological services tender issues in late last year that should start this year now that it's approved. Archaeological works will take more than a year so I'd be guessing the earliest this will start is Q1 2021 or so. The fact that there is currently zero competition apart from the M28 will be a significant help in getting it to construction quick.

When would you guess the archeology work will start. Cpo's complete by summer and then the digs start?

paulbok · 26-02-2019 10:29pm

CPO notification in the Independent today, available on the Roscommon co co website

marno21 · 02-03-2019 7:28pm

marno21 wrote: »

Tender out for archaelogical consultancy services for this project

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=138340&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

Now tendered in full.

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders/ViewNotice/212882

€12.7m for archaeology.

spacetweek · 02-03-2019 10:21pm

marno21 wrote: »

€12.7m for archaeology.

Hopefully they don't find too much. They've avoided the archaeologically rich Tulsk area on purpose.

marno21 · 02-03-2019 11:40pm

spacetweek wrote: »

Hopefully they don't find too much. They've avoided the archaeologically rich Tulsk area on purpose.

It will be time consuming though. Frustratingly so.

dubhthach · 06-03-2019 2:26pm

spacetweek wrote: »

Hopefully they don't find too much. They've avoided the archaeologically rich Tulsk area on purpose.

Given the historic importance of Magh nAoi (Mag Aí) they'll find a fair bit I imagine. The area was one of most important regions in Ireland between 400 and 1200AD. All probability it was the origin point for the Uí Néill expansion from the early 5th century onwards.

yop · 12-03-2019 3:17pm

Great to hear. Drove that road daily from Westport to Dublin for 2 years for work and that part of the road was painful.
While its not ideal for passing out the new roads are a vast improvement.

marno21 · 15-03-2019 1:20pm

Roscommon County Council have tendered for land valuation services for the lands to be CPOd for the scheme.

marno21 · 14-04-2019 10:43pm

Roscommon County Council have now tendered for land conveyancing and legal services for the route

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=145520&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

annfield1978 · 20-04-2019 4:21pm

Tenders for Consultants roles during TII Phases 5 to 7 due for submission in a fortnight

Neworder79 · 07-05-2019 1:12pm

"Approval granted for N5 Ballaghadereen to Scramogue road to go to construction"

http://www.midwestradio.ie/index.php/news/30990-approval-granted-for-n5-ballaghadereen-to-scramogue-road-to-go-to-construction

Out of interest, how has this section progressed so quickly compared to N5 Westport?

BelfastVanMan · 07-05-2019 2:01pm

It may be because it's pretty much the final part of the N5 (at least the final DREADFUL parts of it) to be realigned/replaced, and with the rest of it decent SC, and especially with the new DC starting construction shortly from Westport to Castlebar, Ballaghadereen to Scramoge would stick out like a sore thumb.

BelfastVanMan · 07-05-2019 2:04pm

Anyone got an idea of when we could expect to see shovels on the ground?

marno21 · 07-05-2019 2:39pm

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

It may be because it's pretty much the final part of the N5 (at least the final DREADFUL parts of it) to be realigned/replaced, and with the rest of it decent SC, and especially with the new DC starting construction shortly from Westport to Castlebar, Ballaghadereen to Scramoge would stick out like a sore thumb.

I admire your logic but when you have a Minister for Transport who tells TII to suck up because they ask for funding to complete the targetted 20 minor safety schemes per year that the Road Safety Strategy sets out and tells them to do 4 per year, that logic doesn't apply. The most likely reason its moving so fast is that it's the ONLY major project with planning permission not already tendered or under construction and they need something to spend money on in 2020 and 2021.

The project is to start in 2020 according to DPER's Ireland 2040 documentation released last week.

CatInABox · 07-05-2019 3:03pm

marno21 wrote: »

I admire your logic but when you have a Minister for Transport who tells TII to suck up because they ask for funding to complete the targetted 20 minor safety schemes per year that the Road Safety Strategy sets out and tells them to do 4 per year, that logic doesn't apply. The most likely reason its moving so fast is that it's the ONLY major project with planning permission not already tendered or under construction and they need something to spend money on in 2020 and 2021.

The project is to start in 2020 according to DPER's Ireland 2040 documentation released last week.

They'll also want to burnish their rural credentials ahead of the local elections, and this was probably the easiest to progress to this stage.

marno21 · 07-05-2019 3:26pm

CatInABox wrote: »

They'll also want to burnish their rural credentials ahead of the local elections, and this was probably the easiest to progress to this stage.

That's a possibility, but there is literally no other project on the table bar this one. It's the result of years and years of neglect and a failure to spend small sums on advancing planning during the 2010s.

BelfastVanMan · 07-05-2019 3:42pm

marno21 wrote: »

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

It may be because it's pretty much the final part of the N5 (at least the final DREADFUL parts of it) to be realigned/replaced, and with the rest of it decent SC, and especially with the new DC starting construction shortly from Westport to Castlebar, Ballaghadereen to Scramoge would stick out like a sore thumb.

I admire your logic but when you have a Minister for Transport who tells TII to suck up because they ask for funding to complete the targetted 20 minor safety schemes per year that the Road Safety Strategy sets out and tells them to do 4 per year, that logic doesn't apply. The most likely reason its moving so fast is that it's the ONLY major project with planning permission not already tendered or under construction and they need something to spend money on in 2020 and 2021.

The project is to start in 2020 according to DPER's Ireland 2040 documentation released last week.

Thanks for that info. :-)

Yeah, on reflection, I think your logic is the correct one.

annfield1978 · 07-05-2019 3:45pm

Tenders for the Employer Role during Phases 5 to 7 of TII PMGs were submitted last week so decision by end of month probably

marno21 · 07-05-2019 4:09pm

annfield1978 wrote: »

Tenders for the Employer Role during Phases 5 to 7 of TII PMGs were submitted last week so decision by end of month probably

Good stuff. Full steam ahead with this one.

road_high · 08-05-2019 9:59am

yop wrote: »

Great to hear. Drove that road daily from Westport to Dublin for 2 years for work and that part of the road was painful.
While its not ideal for passing out the new roads are a vast improvement.

Presume this new N5 while not DC will have climbing lanes?

marno21 · 08-05-2019 4:33pm

TII/Roscommon County Council plan to have the tender for construction awarded by end of 2020

https://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/roundup/articles/2019/05/08/4173646-n5-ballaghaderreenscramoge-road-approval-good-news-for-mayo-motorists/

paulbok · 08-05-2019 6:02pm

marno21 wrote: »

TII/Roscommon County Council plan to have the tender for construction awarded by end of 2020

https://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/roundup/articles/2019/05/08/4173646-n5-ballaghaderreenscramoge-road-approval-good-news-for-mayo-motorists/

So looking like guts of 2 years before it starts?

marno21 · 08-05-2019 6:17pm

paulbok wrote: »

So looking like guts of 2 years before it starts?

Around 18-21 months I'd imagine. 3 year construction timeline according to the article.

paulbok · 08-05-2019 6:41pm

marno21 wrote: »

Around 18-21 months I'd imagine. 3 year construction timeline according to the article.

Seems a long construction time. Then again the first few km from Scramogue is through bog.

marno21 · 08-05-2019 6:42pm

paulbok wrote: »

Seems a long construction time. Then again the first few km from Scramogue is through bog.

35km of single carriageway with potential for having to work around a sensitive archaeological area would likely be the reason for the length of time taken.

marno21 · 08-05-2019 11:10pm

Press release on the scheme:

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr. Shane Ross T.D. is happy to announce that the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road Project has obtained planning approval and is to progress to construction.

Minister Ross said:

“This new national road will provide essential links between communities. As well as a new carriageway the project will include an additional 13km of side roads and existing road improvements, 17 at-grade T-junctions and 5 roundabouts. Good roads mean safe roads for all who use them. This new project improves safety for all road users including pedestrians and cyclists and supports the Government’s Road Safety Strategy. It will also eliminate sections of the N5 that have a collision rate twice above the national average.

The road network is the workhorse of our social and economic infrastructure. All of our bus services rely on our road network, the bulk of our freight is carried by road, and crucially, our road network links towns, cities and villages together boosting employment and investment.”

The project comprises the construction of 34km of new single carriageway road that will extend from the western end of the existing N5 Ballaghaderreen Bypass to the townland of Scramoge in County Roscommon, bypassing the towns and villages of Frenchpark, Bellanagare, Tulsk and Strokestown.
During the economic downturn Roscommon County Council continued to develop a plan to improve the N5 corridor. As a result, a business case was produced and it concluded that the construction of a new road to replace the existing N5 route was required.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland approved the business case for the project in December 2017 following technical appraisal reviews carried out by both the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport (DTTaS) and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER). Approval was also given to Roscommon County Council to commence the statutory planning process and the scheme was submitted to An Bord Pleanála (ABP) in December 2017, along with the associated Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).
An oral hearing into the proposed road development was convened by ABP on the 9th & 10th October 2018 in Strokestown and the Board confirmed approval for the scheme on 16th January 2019.
After concluding statutory public notifications process Roscommon County Council notified all affected landowners of the CPO becoming operative on 21st of March 2019. Roscommon County Council will continue to liaise with land and property owners as the road project proceeds.
Following the expiry of the period in which a party may apply for leave to seek a judicial review of ABP’s decision under the provision of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended (latest date being 23rd April 2019), Roscommon County Council are now in a position to proceed with the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road Project.
Currently, technical consultancy services are being procured to assist the Roscommon National Roads Office with the preparation of the main construction contract documents, the procurement process and the administration and monitoring of the main construction contract. During 2019, a series of advance works contracts will commence including archaeological investigations, ground investigations, boundary fencing, tree felling and additional clearance works. TII will support Roscommon County Council to achieve contract award before the end of 2020. Following receipt of tenders and subject to Government Approval to proceed the main construction contract will take three years to complete.
The total estimated investment value of the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road Project is approximately €200million.
This project is a key deliverable identified in Project Ireland 2040, improving access to the North West region of the country. When completed it will replace one of Ireland’s more deficient sections of national primary road.

Benefits of the Project
The anticipated benefits of this road project include: -
• Provides a safe and modern road to meet the requirement of the EU Regulations relating to the TEN-T network;
• Improves the environment of Strokestown, Tulsk, Bellanagare and Frenchpark by the removal of through traffic and in particular HGVs;
• Improves safety for all road users including pedestrians and cyclists and support the Government’s Road Safety Strategy;
• Eliminates sections of the N5 that have a collision rate twice above the national average.
• Reduces the cost of travel for business and improve journey times and journey time reliability along the N5;
• Provides a consistent high quality road along the N5 corridor to encourage and support investment and employment in County Roscommon and the west and north-west regions; and
• Avoids adverse impact on the existing internationally important archaeological site of Rathcroghan.

Aontachtoir · 09-05-2019 12:07am

Fab. Hard to beat road schemes moving along. They're so slow...but when they move there's few things better.

plodder · 09-05-2019 9:01am

Some sleepy little towns are about to get a lot sleepier I think. It's good news though particularly for anyone living on that bad section of the N5 and I can think of one school in particular that is in a very perilous situation on the side of the road. After it's built, could the speed limit on these old roads be reduced to 80 or less, and make them suitable for cycling and walking? Rathcroghan in particular will be a more pleasant place to visit without all that traffic whizzing past.

The high horse brigade · 09-05-2019 9:07am

plodder wrote: »

Some sleepy little towns are about to get a lot sleepier I think. It's good news though particularly for anyone living on that bad section of the N5 and I can think of one school in particular that is in a very perilous situation on the side of the road. After it's built, could the speed limit on these old roads be reduced to 80 or less, and make them suitable for cycling and walking? Rathcroghan in particular will be a more pleasant place to visit without all that traffic whizzing past.

Yes any road that's bypassed gets reduced to 80kmph.

Tigerandahalf · 09-05-2019 10:22am

There is some sort of trail in the Rathcroghan area is there? Suitable for a good walk?

BelfastVanMan · 09-05-2019 1:59pm

The high horse brigade wrote: »

plodder wrote: »

Some sleepy little towns are about to get a lot sleepier I think. It's good news though particularly for anyone living on that bad section of the N5 and I can think of one school in particular that is in a very perilous situation on the side of the road. After it's built, could the speed limit on these old roads be reduced to 80 or less, and make them suitable for cycling and walking? Rathcroghan in particular will be a more pleasant place to visit without all that traffic whizzing past.

Yes any road that's bypassed gets reduced to 80kmph.

Well, specifically, the default speed limit on R and L roads is 80kph.

plodder · 12-05-2019 11:16pm

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

There is some sort of trail in the Rathcroghan area is there? Suitable for a good walk?

Not aware of a trail for walking. There's a visitor centre and at least one prehistoric mound you can visit. Sliabh Bán windfarm isn't far though and that's a nice place for a walk.

mayo.mick · 17-05-2019 6:01pm

marno21 wrote: »

Bohola is to be rebypassed as part of the N5/N26/N58 project

Huh?

Tigerandahalf · 17-05-2019 6:52pm

plodder wrote: »

Not aware of a trail for walking. There's a visitor centre and at least one prehistoric mound you can visit. Sliabh Bán windfarm isn't far though and that's a nice place for a walk.

Is there not a Táin trail there somewhere (an old historic cattle trail).
Just googled there and there is some info about Queen Maeve, Rathcroghan and the Cattle raid of the Cooley Peninsula.

I have driven through that area and there are picnic benches and some trail marked I think.

http://hikingwalkingireland.com/thetainway/

plodder · 17-05-2019 7:52pm

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Is there not a Táin trail there somewhere (an old historic cattle trail).
Just googled there and there is some info about Queen Maeve, Rathcroghan and the Cattle raid of the Cooley Peninsula.

I have driven through that area and there are picnic benches and some trail marked I think.

http://hikingwalkingireland.com/thetainway/

I've seen the signs you mentioned, but the link above is for a walk around Cooley not this part of Roscommon. I've looked for evidence of a trail around there before, but not found it.

Tigerandahalf · 17-05-2019 7:57pm

Something mentioned here about it.
https://www.tainmarch.ie/route/

Click on the Day by Day routes (in red writing).
It lists the first day (wrongly states Day 2) as a route from Rathcroghan to Lissonuffy (23.8km long).

plodder · 17-05-2019 10:17pm

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Something mentioned here about it.
https://www.tainmarch.ie/route/

Click on the Day by Day routes (in red writing).
It lists the first day (wrongly states Day 2) as a route from Rathcroghan to Lissonuffy (23.8km long).

Interesting. Sounds a bit like a long distance version of the Tóchar Phadraig in Mayo. Could be wrong but it might be tricky to do outside of the official dates, because I'd say there is little enough marked "trail" as such, but it looks like it's on this weekend. Would be a good thing to do if you were in the area.

marno21 · 17-05-2019 10:28pm

mayo.mick wrote: »

Huh?

Bohola is to be properly bypassed as part of the N5/N26/N58 project

http://www.regdesign.com/?page_id=590

mayo.mick · 18-05-2019 11:30am

marno21 wrote: »

Bohola is to be properly bypassed as part of the N5/N26/N58 project

http://www.regdesign.com/?page_id=590

Ahh right, sorry I forgot about that

marno21 · 18-05-2019 2:13pm

mayo.mick wrote: »

Ahh right, sorry I forgot about that

Its been so long since it was announced you'd be doing well to remember it

marno21 · 24-05-2019 6:25pm

Tender now out for fencing and hedgerow removal along the route

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=147750&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

Once this starts the route should become very clear with it fenced off.

Very impressive rate of progress on this scheme since ABP approval.

paulbok · 24-05-2019 6:39pm

marno21 wrote: »

Tender now out for fencing and hedgerow removal along the route

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=147750&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

Once this starts the route should become very clear with it fenced off.

Very impressive rate of progress on this scheme since ABP approval.

Officials out speaking with landowners today.

DumbBrunette · 24-05-2019 10:41pm

They really are motoring along on this, to think Westport to Turlough was approved 5 years ago and going to construction this year. This project might go from approval to construction in just 2 years.

marno21 wrote: »

Tender now out for fencing and hedgerow removal along the route

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=147750&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

Once this starts the route should become very clear with it fenced off.

Very impressive rate of progress on this scheme since ABP approval.

spacetweek · 25-05-2019 4:25pm

DumbBrunette wrote: »

They really are motoring along on this, to think Westport to Turlough was approved 5 years ago and going to construction this year. This project might go from approval to construction in just 2 years.

Shows how fast things can move when the will's there.

marno21 · 25-05-2019 5:06pm

spacetweek wrote: »

Shows how fast things can move when the will's there.

It also gives a good omen for the M6, M21 and M28 projects when their legal hoops have been jumped.

By the time this N5 project and the three above are ready to go, they can't be held up by Shane Ross stonewalling thanks to Section 33 of the Electoral Act 1992.

marno21 · 04-06-2019 11:55am

marno21 wrote: »

Now tendered in full.

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders/ViewNotice/212882

€12.7m for archaeology.

Awarded to Archaelogical Management Solutions, €9.82m

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders/ViewNotice/215913

spacetweek · 04-06-2019 6:07pm

Genuinely glad this is going ahead so soon and it'll only be a few years before this one and Westport-Turlough are done.
For the main access road to Mayo from Dublin and the midlands, the N5 is shocking, a glorified cattle track not worthy of its prominent number.

N5 - Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge [underway]

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