North West motorway on agenda

xabi

Why not tie it into the already planned DC from Derry to Dungiven, one decent DC comming from Derry is enough, i could take all the Dublin and Belfast traffic and split it near Dungiven.

X.

aquascrotum

xabi wrote: »

Why not tie it into the already planned DC from Derry to Dungiven, one decent DC comming from Derry is enough, i could take all the Dublin and Belfast traffic and split it near Dungiven.

X.

Small matter of the Sperrins would have something to do with that......

I honestly don't see a NW motorway as a serious proposition. Existing N2 upgrades have been carried out as part of the same strategic infrastructure plans as the other inter-urban motorways, and with the exception of M50 - Ashbourne (commuter traffic), all upgrades on the route are HQSC or 2+1. Why would the need suddenly arise to upgrade the upgrade?? The traffic volumes arent there to justify it.

The A5 dualling scheme is required as it takes into account significant Belfast-Omagh traffic and Omagh-Derry traffic.

D.L.R.

aquascrotum wrote: »

Small matter of the Sperrins would have something to do with that......

I honestly don't see a NW motorway as a serious proposition. Existing N2 upgrades have been carried out as part of the same strategic infrastructure plans as the other inter-urban motorways, and with the exception of M50 - Ashbourne (commuter traffic), all upgrades on the route are HQSC or 2+1. Why would the need suddenly arise to upgrade the upgrade?? The traffic volumes arent there to justify it.

You have a point, and I agree its a lower priority than other motorways. But the other side of that arguement is that the traffic isn't there because of the poor quality of the route. Come 2010, Derry will be undisputed as the most isolated city in Ireland.

The lack of decent road connections to Dublin/Belfast stifles the city's development. Look at similar sized Limerick and then look at Derry, and see the difference in development and growth. I guarantee you if there was DC all the way Derry-Dublin, there would be increased traffic, and increased prosperity. Chicken/Egg.

aquascrotum

D.L.R. wrote: »

The lack of decent road connections to Dublin/Belfast stifles the city's development. Look at similar sized Limerick and then look at Derry, and see the difference in development and growth. I guarantee you if there was DC all the way Derry-Dublin, there would be increased traffic, and increased prosperity. Chicken/Egg.

That assumes a Dublin-centric mentality for the NW though - you have to take into account that Derry and Donegal would be largely Belfast-centric, if there is such a word. The only times I've witnessed traffic that warrants a DC/motorway from the NW to Dublin is when Tyrone or Derry make a game in Croker (which in Derry's case isn't that often......::p)

There is room for 2 major hub cities on the island, regardless of politics.

D.L.R.

aquascrotum wrote: »

That assumes a Dublin-centric mentality for the NW though

Not really. Derry should have good links to Ireland's largest city, thats it really. If Derry had DC to both Dublin and Belfast, that would be great. But right now it doesn't have either. Belfast's only advantage right now is that its closer to Derry. Don't forget, Ireland is not very big. With decent roads, distance becomes increasingly meaningless.

smashey

aquascrotum wrote: »

Donegal would be largely Belfast-centric, if there is such a word.

Donegal would certainly not be "Belfast-centric". Most Donegal people would know their way around Dublin better than Belfast, me included.

johnbk

I see that this project has received another allocation of €9 million to continue the route selection process. The route is due to be announced before the end of the summer. You can see details on the following website. www.a5wtc.com

johnbk

I've just checked the website myself and the route will be annouced on the 21st of July. Very exciting for me.... coming from east Donegal!

The public dates are
Monday 27th July 2009
Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh
From 12:00pm to 9:00pm

Tuesday 28th July 2009
Fir Trees Hotel, Strabane
From 12:00pm to 9:00pm

Wednesday 29th July 2009
Everglades Hotel, Londonderry
From 12:00pm to 9:00pm

Thursday 30th July 2009
St Ciaran's College, Ballygawley
From 12:00pm to 9:00pm

johnbk

I was looking forward to gong to see the route next Monday, thanks to Dempsey a lot of the surprise is now gone as he has a map of the route on his website before it has been officially lauched.

http://www.noeldempsey.ie/index.php?option=com_igallery&view=gallery&id=307

It looks like the pink route from New Buildings and past Strabane. From here it looks like the Green route or maybe brown to Omagh and back to the pink route around Omagh and back to the Green route to Ballygawley then the Pink route around Aughnacloy.

It’s difficult to be certain but if I’m right then interestingly, how will the Strabane bypass be upgraded as the pinkroute uses the exiting bypass at this point? Newtownstewart will be re-bypassed, and the current realignment work around Ballygawley won’t be used al all.

I suppose Ill have still have to wait till next week to get these questions answered.

Harps

Any bigger pic than that? I cant see a thing on it..

smashey

johnbk wrote: »

how will the Strabane bypass be upgraded as the pinkroute uses the exiting bypass at this point?

It was reported locally that a housing development near the existing bypass in Strabane might have to go to accommodate this.

johnbk

The route will officially be annouced next week where proper detailed maps will be given out. Also keep an eye on the A5 upgrade web site www.a5wtc.com/

johnbk

Here is an interesting aticle on the contractors interested in this road

http://www.cnplus.co.uk/sectors/transport/big-names-team-up-for-a5-upgrade-in-northern-ireland/5204656.article

I would imagine that this project will be some value if the funding can be raised.

sdanseo

I notice here http://www.a5wtc.com/Leaflets.aspx (see Feb 2009 publications) that the NI Roads people are using OSI maps and crediting the crown copyright. How thoughtful of them.

serfboard

serfboard wrote: »

And as I suggested, if you want to see it being built at all in the current economic climate, then co-funding the second option (Newry->Aughnacloy incorporating an Armagh bypass) would be much likely to get off the ground, since there already is a motorway/DC as far as Newry anyway (and the Newry bypass is currently being built).

Sorry to quote meself, guys , but the fact that the A5 Aughnacloy bypass is going to the East of Aughnacloy, suggests that someone else may be thinking along the same lines.

spacetweek

serfboard wrote: »

Sorry to quote meself, guys , but the fact that the A5 Aughnacloy bypass is going to the East of Aughnacloy, suggests that someone else may be thinking along the same lines.

Indeed this would be a great idea. Older ideas concerning an N33/N2 upgrade aren't great because of the amount of DC you would have to build along the N2 which is really just a duplication of the M1. Also it just creates pressure to dual the remainder as far as Ashbourne - a waste in my opinion.

Better is just to continue the program of provisions of single carriageway bypasses of N2 towns, and to aim to redirect all Dublin-Derry traffic onto the M1. The branch off for Derry can take place at Dundalk or Newry then. Newry results in all the road upgrade needing to take place in NI (dependent on NI funding which is out of our control) while Dundalk means it runs from Castleblayney-Border (within our control).

marmurr1916

Whatever the merits of that, the most likely outcome for the N2 in the long-term is that the existing HQDC/motorway will be extended to the north of Slane and that there'll be 2+2 from there, bypassing Ardee, to the border, probably with online upgrades to the Carrickmacross and Castleblayney bypasses.

The NRA's plans for upgrading the national primary network are now much more ambitious than in previous years, despite the fact that current finances won't allow many projects to go ahead for the foreseeable future.

I think the NRA will be reluctant to cut back on the scale and nature of its plans, preferrring to put projects on the long-finger instead of having them scaled back.