N18 - Limerick Tunnel & South Ring Road Phase II

Mc Love

yeah i see, plus i guess there wouldnt be too much room to put it there. Has anyone came up with a more sensible suggestion?

CerebralCortex

Wheelsonthebus wrote: »

So in other words there's no connection between the clonmacken roundabout and the new roundabout that will be at cratloemoyle?

So the exit at the clonmacken roundabout is purely to bring you into the tunnel and over to the cement factory?

Yep. You can't go from Cratloe to Clonmacken, via the bypass. Isn't the old road sufficient?

http://www.limericktunnel.com/RouteMapInteractive.html

Wheelsonthebus

CerebralCortex wrote: »

Yep. You can't go from Cratloe to Clonmacken, via the bypass. Isn't the old road sufficient?

http://www.limericktunnel.com/RouteMapInteractive.html

Probably is. Just wondering- someone told me that the two would be linked, wanted to see if it was true or not.

luohaoran

When this is all opened up, there is going to be a lot of traffic coming in the Dock Road toward the city center.

Are there any plans to make the Dock Road in-bound only?

Forcing any outbound (South bound) traffic out through the Rossbrien interchange via Carew Park.
So for Foynes you'd have to join the bypass to get to the Dock Road.

Its less than ideal , as it would make the bypass busier than it ought to be for that short section. But I don't see how else to solve an excessively busy Dock Road?

CerebralCortex

luohaoran wrote: »

When this is all opened up, there is going to be a lot of traffic coming in the Dock Road toward the city center.

From where? Besides the Dock road is always busy at peaks times and usually from people coming from the south.

luohaoran wrote: »

Are there any plans to make the Dock Road in-bound only?

No.

luohaoran wrote: »

Forcing any outbound (South bound) traffic out through the Rossbrien interchange via Carew Park.
So for Foynes you'd have to join the bypass to get to the Dock Road.

Thats the whole point of the southern bypass!? Taking 20 to 30 minutes of ones journey is incentive enough, no need to force anyone.

luohaoran wrote: »

Its less than ideal , as it would make the bypass busier than it ought to be for that short section. But I don't see how else to solve an excessively busy Dock Road?

It's called the Shannon Tunnel.

luohaoran

Fair enough, if you assume that most of the traffic coming from the South is going to Shannon, and not to Limerick city center.

But all the City Center bound traffic that currently uses the Carew Park road, will be using the Dock Road.
And I'd be willing to bet that if you live in West Limerick City, you'll continue to use the Dock Road. Plus, Dooradoyle traffic will be looking for a better alternative , in and out.

So I don't think its a big stretch of the imagination to foresee a very busy in bound Dock Road, (from the bypass in).
And at the same time the outbound Dock Road, will be reduced, by whatever proportion IS actually coming from Clare.

So its conceivable that outbound traffic might be "encouraged" to use Carew Park as the exit point, rather than the Dock Road. As I suggest above.

I hope I'm making myself clearer this time.
We won't really know, till it all shakes out, after the opening.

CerebralCortex

luohaoran wrote: »

Fair enough, if you assume that most of the traffic coming from the South is going to Shannon, and not to Limerick city center.

True but a huge amount of that traffic is heading to Shannon plus now trucks coming from the south need not go through the city center. You're assuming that the majority of the traffic is going to the city center. I'd love to know what the figures are either way.

luohaoran wrote: »

But all the City Center bound traffic that currently uses the Carew Park road, will be using the Dock Road.

That's okay right?

luohaoran wrote: »

And I'd be willing to bet that if you live in West Limerick City, you'll continue to use the Dock Road. Plus, Dooradoyle traffic will be looking for a better alternative , in and out.

I live in the west of the city and to get south I'd use the bypass at Clonmacken as intended

http://www.limericktunnel.com/RouteMapInteractive.html

luohaoran wrote: »

Fair enough, if you assume that most of the traffic coming from the South is going to Shannon, and not to Limerick city center.

True but a huge amount of that traffic is heading to Shannon plus now trucks coming from the south need not go through the city center. You're assuming that the majority of the traffic is going to the city center. I'd love to know what the figures are either way.

luohaoran wrote: »

But all the City Center bound traffic that currently uses the Carew Park road, will be using the Dock Road.

That's okay right?

luohaoran wrote: »

So I don't think its a big stretch of the imagination to foresee a very busy in bound Dock Road, (from the bypass in).
And at the same time the outbound Dock Road, will be reduced, by whatever proportion IS actually coming from Clare.

Not if people use the bypass from Clare and the west side of the city to get the south side of the city (see interactive map).

luohaoran wrote: »

So its conceivable that outbound traffic might be "encouraged" to use Carew Park as the exit point, rather than the Dock Road. As I suggest above.

West city = bypass.
City centre = dock road.

luohaoran wrote: »

I hope I'm making myself clearer this time.
We won't really know, till it all shakes out, after the opening.

Indeed it'll be interesting to see how all turns out.
But...
1) Unless the engineers are completely stupid I don't think the bypass will increase congestion.
2) People coming from Clare/Galway and the west side of the city have a way to get to the east, and south of the city with out going near the city center where the least of the industry and activity is anyway.
3) That people in the west, east or south of the city are more likely to chose bypass over city center to get to each of those respective locations.

Think about it anybody going east to west doesn't have to go through the city center so any body going to the city center from anywhere won't have to contend with that traffic.

luohaoran

I agree that the overall situation will be vastly improved.
And traffic numbers are already well down on where they had gotten to at the height of the boom.
I think that when the inner orbital route comes into being, we'll have the closest thing to a jam free town on the island.

All that, perhaps, makes a nonsense of me raising this point of discussion in the first place.

But , in the interests of achieving the most fluid and efficient flow of traffic , both on and off peak:

1) Unless the engineers are completely stupid I don't think the bypass will increase congestion.

I agree, the engineers would never create a system that makes the it worse, however the Carew Park access issue arose from locals getting their democratic wish. (Against the better judgement of the planners)

2) People coming from Clare/Galway and the west side of the city have a way to get to the east, and south of the city with out going near the city center where the least of the industry and activity is anyway.

This appears to support my argument, in that it agrees that the need for an outbound route from the city center along the dock road is greatly reduced. Thus gifting us the option of making it inbound only.

3) That people in the west, east or south of the city are more likely to chose bypass over city center to get to each of those respective locations.

I wouldn't count on it, where a toll is concerned.

I'd like to see a traffic flow map, like this one http://www.limericktunnel.com/RouteMapInteractive.html
But for the whole city, showing the proposed inner-orbital route, linking up with the ring road. (and the one way mechanism I'm suggesting) Including approximate traffic volumes. The planners must have one like this somewhere.

lukejr

The Limerick Tunnel website has been updated with the Spring newsletter. It also confirms the June 19th public day so people can walk the tunnel.

http://limericktunnel.com/


Just reading through now, no confirmed opening date but hopefully late June or early July.

clon

these pictures of the cratloe interchange taken on 3rd May by poster over on Limerick city forum.
Here is the link to the forum.He has other pictures from the Clare Hills where you can see the toll plaza and make out the new road in the distance.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055776353&page=13

freighter

lukejr wrote: »

The Limerick Tunnel website has been updated with the Spring newsletter. It also confirms the June 19th public day so people can walk the tunnel.

http://limericktunnel.com/


Just reading through now, no confirmed opening date but hopefully late June or early July.

I thought it was to open in may..Whats keeping them

Deedsie

freighter wrote: »

I thought it was to open in may..Whats keeping them

They are well ahead of schedule as far as I know.

Tech3

I got some photos lately near junction 2 of the N18(N69 interchange)

Looking towards the offramp of junction 2


Zoomed in to get a view of the ADS. Facepalm for the start of motorway sign!


Full view of the N18 heading eastbound from junction 2

Zoney

tech2 wrote: »

Zoomed in to get a view of the ADS. Facepalm for the start of motorway sign!

Actually if you look closely, it is one of those advance signs with e.g. "1 km" under it. The nearby M20 has end of motorway signs in this format at the start/midway on all offslips with the actual end of motorway signs at the top (or at the end of the spur in the case of the Raheen junction).

I would certainly argue the *destination* signs should not be blue at this point. For the main straight-on one, it should only be blue at the last sign before the junction/start of motorway IMO. The sign on the left should be white with blue patch, as the M20 slip is off the non-motorway slip from this road to the Carew Park Link (which will be an R/L road not N20 as present).

Tech3

Anyone else going to the open day on June 19th?

According the the NRA twitter website it will run from 10am-5pm and the meeting point is at the junction 2 for anyone thats interested. I presume there will be a shuttle bus to take anyone to the tunnel from there. I hope to take a few pictures as well all going well.

CerebralCortex

tech2 wrote: »

Anyone else going to the open day on June 19th?

According the the NRA twitter website it will run from 10am-5pm and the meeting point is at the junction 2 for anyone thats interested. I presume there will be a shuttle bus to take anyone to the tunnel from there. I hope to take a few pictures as well all going well.

I'd like to go so might see you there.

Zoney

tech2,

I might make an effort to go along if I'm not busy.

TestTransmission

Alot of work being done at the Clonmacken roundabout the last few days,signs up with all the toll prices are done actually

Tech3

TestTransmission wrote: »

Alot of work being done at the Clonmacken roundabout the last few days,signs up with all the toll prices are done actually

Yeah signage up approaching the roundabout also on the condell rd from the city side. It's patched out but it has the route numbered M7-M20

Deedsie

Has anyone notice the sign pylon on the N18 before the roadworks on the Shannon side? You can only see half of it with the trees

CerebralCortex

Deedsie wrote: »

Has anyone notice the sign pylon on the N18 before the roadworks on the Shannon side? You can only see half of it with the trees

One would hope they cut back those trees!

Deedsie

CerebralCortex wrote: »

One would hope they cut back those trees!

Im sure they will, it just looks funny at the moment.

Zoney

By the way, did anyone else notice a little débacle on the M20 northbound at Junction 2, in relation to the new gantries for the N18/M7/M20 interchange?

They installed foundations for the gantry directly *after* the bridge for J2. I was ready to contact them about it when they obviously realised their mistake and installed new foundations before the bridge.

I assume it must have arisen due to the gantry position being specified as a standard distance away from J1, and no-one noticing in the plans (or seemingly on the ground) that it would end up being metres away from the bridge (I think you would have seen it for maybe one second if you were looking up as you went under the bridge).

Anyway, someone paid for a pair of redundant gantry foundations.

bacon&cabbage

Zoney wrote: »

By the way, did anyone else notice a little débacle on the M20 northbound at Junction 2, in relation to the new gantries for the N18/M7/M20 interchange?

They installed foundations for the gantry directly *after* the bridge for J2. I was ready to contact them about it when they obviously realised their mistake and installed new foundations before the bridge.

I assume it must have arisen due to the gantry position being specified as a standard distance away from J1, and no-one noticing in the plans (or seemingly on the ground) that it would end up being metres away from the bridge (I think you would have seen it for maybe one second if you were looking up as you went under the bridge).

Anyway, someone paid for a pair of redundant gantry foundations.

Noticed that alright :rolleyes:

Tech2, I think, noticed the same mistake on SRR I approach to Rossbrien, but they went ahead with it, you only just see the gantry for the M20 at the last second.

Why don't they just attach the signs to the bridge ?

rainbowdash

Shannon is well signposted as being junction "9" but there are no numbers at Sixmilebridge (8?), Bunratty(7?) etc., are they planning to do these soon?

Its a pity the cratloe flyover was not pulled to one side a bit when they did it and put a local access road in front of the row of houses down from Setrights. Its a job that will have to be done eventually.

Is there any other dualer in the world that runs along the village street?:eek:

Jayuu

Looking at the photographs it seems that this section is not classified as a motorway. Is there a reason for this? It would seem to be built to motorway standard from what I can see from the photographs.

Zoney

Jayuu:

It's been suggested that it is because the N18 in Clare is not motorway until near Shannon.

However, I don't think this is a valid excuse as the original plans seemed like it was to be part of the M7 (would have been fine if they were concerned about an isolated stretch of M18).

It certainly seems silly to be allowing non-motorway traffic onto this route section.

rainbowdash

Deedsie wrote: »

Has anyone notice the sign pylon on the N18 before the roadworks on the Shannon side? You can only see half of it with the trees

They need to be careful cutting the trees.:(



AN INVESTIGATION was launched this Wednesday after a 27-year-old Limerick man was electrocuted in a work-place accident at Hurler's Cross near Bunratty.
The man, who was from the Adare area, was cutting trees for a contractor when his chainsaw came in contact with overhead power-lines.

He died instantly and his body was removed from the scene to the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick where a post mortem examination was conducted.

Gardai at Shannon, who are investigating the incident, say they are treating it as a "tragic industrial accident".

The Health and Safety Authority have also launched an investigation.

BluntGuy

Zoney wrote: »

It certainly seems silly to be allowing non-motorway traffic onto this route section.

How does non-motorway traffic escape at Rossbrien? I can't remember the exact layout of that interchange, but I was under the impression that city access was being cut off. Surely heading beyond J2 Eastbound would lead you inescapably to a motorway.

Tech3

No J1 eastbound allows you to access childers rd and it is only blocked off from M20N and M7W. Once exiting J1 eastbound you have 2 lanes one for city centre and the other for M20S