M6 - Athlone to Ballinasloe

darc

ohnoigotsick wrote: »

thats the reason i don't vote , some **** head of a politican is pissing and moaning that the 100Km/k signs will be out of date next month, they won't be, they will be taken down and used as spares or put into some storage as the 120km/k go up , what a pointless excercise of pissing and moaning , fair enough if they were putting up mph signs and they were in the bin in 37 days time. :mad:

Its even simpler than that. The middle "zero" will simple be replaced by a "2". Takes about 5 minutes per pole. Heat gun the zero off and apply the new "2".

That's why I would never vote fine gael. - They open their mouths without engaging their brains first.

Tech3

Furet wrote: »

Thanks very much to Kaiser and KevR for all the informative updates. I look forward to reading all the reviews!

I second that and thanks also to dolanbaker for updates on the tie in with the Athlone bypass.

KevR

I don't know if I'll get a chance to drive on it today but will tomorrow for sure.

Have no camera with me but will bring one on Monday for some pictures.

marmurr1916

KevR wrote: »

Why the hell are they protesting?

Against proposed cuts to REPS (Rural Environmental Protection Scheme).

-K2-

Will the Athlone Bypass be re-designated as M6 as well, or will it remain as (non-motorway) N6?

veryangryman

ElectronEng wrote: »

Will the Athlone Bypass be re-designated as M6 as well, or will it remain as (non-motorway) N6?

:rolleyes:

Oh god..my head

-K2-

Judging by the lack of competience in the designation of the Athlone-Ballinsloe section, I think my question has some validity!

veryangryman

ElectronEng wrote: »

Judging by the lack of competience in the designation of the Athlone-Ballinsloe section, I think my question has some validity!

You spelled Competence wrong.

No its not going to be Motorway. Meandering discussions of this on another thread in this forum as to the pros cons. Please dont ruin this unspoilt one

Tech3

veryangryman wrote: »

No its not going to be Motorway. Meandering discussions of this on another thread in this forum as to the pros cons. Please dont ruin this unspoilt one

It hasnt been decided yet though, the minister still has to make a decision on it. Anyway way off topic!

veryangryman

AA says the roads now open. Any witnesses to confirm?

Just went along the "old" road and can only assume it's open as the traffic is much lighter than usual.

kaizersoze

veryangryman wrote: »

AA says the roads now open. Any witnesses to confirm?

Opened at 1.45 from the Athlone end first. Then as that traffic came through they opened the Ballinasloe end.

Just back from a drive on it. Impressive piece of road and very well finished. Nice curves and good sight lines. Have to say the Armco gives it a very open feel. The plaque unveiled at the opening has vanished.

Work on the site of the batching plant continues.

Met 2 cyclists on it near the Athlone end.:rolleyes:
One going east in the eastbound hard shoulder and one heading east in the west bound carriageway.:eek::rolleyes:

kaizersoze

kaizersoze wrote: »

Opened at 1.45 from the Athlone end first. Then as that traffic came through they opened the Ballinasloe end.

That explains the eastbound queue my wife saw as she left town just before two, can only assume they stopped the traffic for a few minutes while the crossover was removed.

dubhthach

kaizersoze wrote: »

Opened at 1.45 from the Athlone end first. Then as that traffic came through they opened the Ballinasloe end.

Just back from a drive on it. Impressive piece of road and very well finished. Nice curves and good sight lines. Have to say the Armco gives it a very open feel. The plaque unveiled at the opening has vanished.

Work on the site of the batching plant continues.

Met 2 cyclists on it near the Athlone end.:rolleyes:
One going east in the eastbound hard shoulder and one heading east in the west bound carriageway.:eek::rolleyes:

Given the tie in with Athlone bypass though how many tractors were there?

serfboard

Furet wrote: »

Thanks very much to Kaizer and KevR for all the informative updates. I look forward to reading all the reviews!

Agreed, and thanks for all the photos as well. Take a bow, guys.

dubhthach

dubhthach wrote: »

Given the tie in with Athlone bypass though how many tractors were there?

Lots! there was a farmers protest at the same time!;)

kaizersoze

kaizersoze wrote: »

The plaque unveiled at the opening has vanished.

Is it due to be relocated?

Tech3

kaizersoze wrote: »

Have to say the Armco gives it a very open feel.

Is that a good thing? Does it feel nicer to drive on it with the Armco than the crash barrier?

I'm just curious as theres been rumours that Gort-Crusheen will have Armco as well.

Amtmann

tech2 wrote: »

Is that a good thing? Does it feel nicer to drive on it with the Armco than the crash barrier?

I'm just curious as theres been rumours that Gort-Crusheen will have Armco as well.

Many of the autobahns here in Germany have them I have to admit; but they also have some plants in the centre so it makes it feel more segregated.

On a separate note, interesting videos of the opening. The monotonous and fumbling diction of the speechmaker coupled with the boorish bellowing of the farmers made the event seem...a little farcical, in my opinion.

cormthechippy

uh oh...i see they used orange stick on studs on the shoulders instead of embedded catseyes... give it a few months and half of them will have gone walking. i drove the N1\A1 last week, and as soon as i crossed the border into the north, nearly all of the stick on studs on the shoulders had gone missing..

Patrickhegart

kaizersoze wrote: »

Met 2 cyclists on it near the Athlone end.:rolleyes:
One going east in the eastbound hard shoulder and one heading east in the west bound carriageway.:eek::rolleyes:

as its not a motorway its not illegal

I drove it in my tractor too again not illegal

L1011

Patrickhegart wrote: »

as its not a motorway its not illegal

I drove it in my tractor too again not illegal

Enjoy your four weeks... as it is motorway from then.

veryangryman

Drove it last night in torrential rain.

Maybe it was the dark and the weather and maybe it was the couple of women drivers who decided to brake suddenly (ill let them off as they getting used to the new stretch etc), but i find that road alot more dangerous than the rest of the M6 sections

Alot of curves, slopes etc. In these sort of conditions, 120KMPH speed limit would be pushing it.

kaizersoze

Patrickhegart wrote: »

as its not a motorway its not illegal

I drove it in my tractor too again not illegal

Never said it was, just brainless, particularly the guy cycling in the wrong direction in the westbound carriageway.

So you drove the 19kms to Ballinasloe in a tractor?

Patrickhegart

kaizersoze wrote: »

Never said it was, just brainless, particularly the guy cycling in the wrong direction in the westbound carriageway.

So you drove the 19kms to Ballinasloe in a tractor?

and back, its a JD 6930 so it it aint a slouch

veryangryman

Patrickhegart wrote: »

and back, its a JD 6930 so it it aint a slouch

Why..why..why would you even bother going on that motorway. The old road is perfectly good for your tractor. Slouch or not, you wont be going over 80KMPH. And its not as if the new road makes your journey any faster

1000 tractors drivin on the M6..
You take one down and pass it around...:pac:

KevR

Driving on it shortly - giddy!!

veryangryman

KevR wrote: »

Driving on it shortly - giggidy!!

Fixed

Patrickhegart

veryangryman wrote: »

Why..why..why would you even bother going on that DUALCARRIAGEWAY. The old road is perfectly good for your tractor. Slouch or not, you wont be going over 80KMPH. And its not as if the new road makes your journey any faster

1000 tractors drivin on the M6..
You take one down and pass it around...:pac:

corrected that there for you;)

veryangryman

Patrickhegart wrote: »

corrected that there for you;)

Probably missed my point. Not questioning the legality..questioned the sense