M6 - Athlone to Ballinasloe

Driving east this evening I see that the carriageways are still reduced to one lane at the Tuam Rd junction, I can see no reason for this at all!

As the workers have taken their hoildays, they could have least removed the lane restrictions until they return to complete the work.

Joining eastbound can be a bit hazardous at the moment!

veryangryman

Deleted User wrote: »

Driving east this evening I see that the carriageways are still reduced to one lane at the Tuam Rd junction, I can see no reason for this at all!

As the workers have taken their hoildays, they could have least removed the lane restrictions until they return to complete the work.

Joining eastbound can be a bit hazardous at the moment!

+1 The bump-bump you get as a result of having to cross the hard shoulder line further on is a pain too. I use that slip at least 12 times a week

Is this one for the NRA to give out to?

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Driving east this evening I see that the carriageways are still reduced to one lane at the Tuam Rd junction, I can see no reason for this at all!

As the workers have taken their hoildays, they could have least removed the lane restrictions until they return to complete the work.

Joining eastbound can be a bit hazardous at the moment!

Nearly three weeks since opening; these lane restrictions are still in place and not a stroke of work done since opening day! :mad:

Delta Kilo

They have the missing section of the median replaced... I can't fathom why they left the cones up. Really annoying and dangerous coming in to Athlone.

Deleted User wrote:

Nearly three weeks since opening; these lane restrictions are still in place and not a stroke of work done since opening day!

Guess it's too late to cancel the Cheque?

biffoman

there isnt any advanced warning that these cones are there.was nerly a pile up a few days ago.the new section is a smooth drive.No rush job ,hope the rest [bal to gal] is as good.

KevR

Westbound there has been a lane closure near the R446 overbridge for the last couple of days, not sure what for.

The lane drop Westbound approaching the Ballinasloe junction has been extended to roughly 3km from the junction. This has been in place for the last couple of days but it was only this morning that I actually saw why - they're putting some steel barrier up on the emergency lane side to prevent anyone ever going into the ditch. I was a bit surprised about a few stretches like this where you would normally see a barrier but they didn't put them in. Maybe they will install them on the other strecthes too so we might have some lane closures in both directions over the coming weeks.

I was heading Eastbound this morning and the Google Streetview car passed me heading Westbound.

Delta Kilo

Delta Kilo wrote: »

They have the missing section of the median replaced... I can't fathom why they left the cones up. Really annoying and dangerous coming in to Athlone.



Guess it's too late to cancel the Cheque?

Even dafter is the fact that eastbound, the cones stop 50metres short of the actual point where the crossover was (at the point where old surface starts), it's as if a different contractor was employed to close the crossover. :rolleyes:

KevR

A lorry was on it's side in the verge of the Westbound carriageway this morning. It was on a straight stretch so nothing to do with the curves or the road itself. He must have just veered off the carriageway and onto the uneven sloped verge which caused him to go over on his side.

Recovery vehicles were there when I passed, getting ready to remove the lorry. There was no lane closure/disruption to traffic when I was passing.

Was the rain particularly heavy last night?

KevR

Forgot to mention, a small bit of graffiti has appeared already on a couple of bridges. Punk ass country kids ! Do their parents not know where they are?! They certainly shoudn't be playing or hanging out near a motorway.

Nothing major but you know how it goes - kids/teens get away with putting graffiti on the bridges today, tomorrow they will be throwing stuff off the bridges, the day after tomorrow they will be heroin addicts mugging people to feed their nasty habit.

Amtmann

KevR wrote: »

Forgot to mention, a small bit of graffiti has appeared already on a couple of bridges. Punk ass country kids ! Do their parents not know where they are?! They certainly shoudn't be playing or hanging out near a motorway.

Nothing major but you know how it goes - kids/teens get away with putting graffiti on the bridges today, tomorrow they will be throwing stuff off the bridges, the day after tomorrow they will be heroin addicts mugging people to feed their nasty habit.

I've often thrown a sort of quizzical glance towards motorway graffiti. I've never seen anyone actually with a spray can anywhere near an overbridge. It must be a strictly nocturnal activity, well past the witching hour.

ohnoigotsick

Furet wrote: »

I've often thrown a sort of quizzical glance towards motorway graffiti. I've never seen anyone actually with a spray can anywhere near an overbridge. It must be a strictly nocturnal activity, well past the witching hour.

ah while graffiti is an eye sore , if it is a small bit witty or unusual i don't mind it

KevR

Furet wrote: »

I've often thrown a sort of quizzical glance towards motorway graffiti. I've never seen anyone actually with a spray can anywhere near an overbridge. It must be a strictly nocturnal activity, well past the witching hour.

I would also guess that it's strictly done at night.

Another thing I noticed on the Athlone-Ballinasloe motorway was skid marks from someone who was clearly doing 'doughnuts' on the Eastbound carriageway not far from the Ballinasloe end. This was definitely done at night when the road was quiet. Noticed similar doughnut skid marks on the Ennis Bypass a few months back.

ohnoigotsick wrote: »

ah while graffiti is an eye sore , if it is a small bit witty or unusual i don't mind it

Yeah, sometimes it's ok. On both of the bridges in question, it's not witty or unusual, it's just an eyesore.

Off-topic: I have noticed some 'tagging' appearing on road signage in Galway recently. Not a huge amount but it does annoy me a lot when it's obscuring a road sign (even partially).

Tech3

KevR wrote: »

I would also guess that it's strictly done at night.

Another thing I noticed on the Athlone-Ballinasloe motorway was skid marks from someone who was clearly doing 'doughnuts' on the Eastbound carriageway not far from the Ballinasloe end. This was definitely done at night when the road was quiet. Noticed similar doughnut skid marks on the Ennis Bypass a few months back.

Yeah, sometimes it's ok. On both of the bridges in question, it's not witty or unusual, it's just an eyesore.

Off-topic: I have noticed some 'tagging' appearing on road signage in Galway recently. Not a huge amount but it does annoy me a lot when it's obscuring a road sign (even partially).

It shows that we need highway patrol very soon, serious accidents could happen if this kind of rubbish is still going on.

I don't like graffiti put on bridges either which will look horrible when driving along the motorway.

Fozzie Bear

tech2 wrote: »

I don't like graffiti put on bridges either which will look horrible when driving along the motorway.

Same as that, I absolutely hate it too. Regardless of it being on bridges, walls or road signs its horrible and cretinous behaviour usually perpetrated by emo twats trying to, like express their tortured inner souls through these "creative" outbursts or else just scrotes telling us "Anto woz ere". I was in Budapest 2 years ago and it is absolutely everywhere. Its a crying shame to see such a beautiful city and buildings defaced like it is. I'd hate to think we are headed that way too.

If I were in charge (and some day please God I will) I'd make the idiots who do it lick the graffiti off. No brushes or powerful chemical cleaning agents, oh no. I'd make them use their tongue to lick every last fleck of paint off. Lets see them do it again after they have spent 6 months with a red raw tongue tasting of nothing but paint.

KevR

Deleted User wrote: »

Nearly three weeks since opening; these lane restrictions are still in place and not a stroke of work done since opening day! :mad:

They were doing some work there this morning. Hopefully they will get it done quickly and then the lane drop can be removed.

KevR

KevR wrote: »

They were doing some work there this morning. Hopefully they will get it done quickly and then the lane drop can be removed.

It looks like they cocked up the barriers under the Tuam Rd bridge, can't believe it takes a month to sort out! :mad:

freyners

might be some teething problems with the road, like the fact that to get on or off at ballinasloe you go through stupid trafffic cones but how handy is this road, kinda disappointed there is no sliproad between athlone and ballinasloe though

freyners

freyners wrote: »

kinda disappointed there is no sliproad between athlone and ballinasloe though

Can't justify another slip road along there as there alread two slip roads connecting the old Athlone - Ballinasloe road to the M6.

veryangryman

Without a doubt, the most poor section on the current M6.

2 fricking exits they had to make and they make a mess of them. That Motorway Exit sign on Tuam Westbound Exit is a farce and also not indicative of the sharp left the drivers need to make.

And the cones...oh lord why still the fukcing cones.

veryangryman

veryangryman wrote: »

And the cones...oh lord why still the fukcing cones.

Because it appears that they fucked up when they constructed the barriers around the centeral pier of the Tuam Rd over bridge.

They are now replacing them! :mad:

veryangryman

Deleted User wrote: »

Because it appears that they fucked up when they constructed the barriers around the centeral pier of the Tuam Rd over bridge.

They are now replacing them! :mad:

Looks like im not the only very angry man today

veryangryman

veryangryman wrote: »

Looks like im not the only very angry man today

Well, it's taking nearly as long to fix the barriers as it took to realign the entire section of road. :rolleyes:

billbond4

yeah I saw a mini digger around the pillar this morning

Amtmann

Question: is this thread basically about the Athlone to Ballinasloe scheme? I'd just like to re-name it a bit as it's got a very similar title to the other M6 thread and might confuse people.

Joey Joe-Joe Jr

Hi Furet,

I've been following this thread for a while and you're right, it is about Athlone to Ballinasloe.
I for one would be in favour of renaming it to distinguish it from discussions relating to the Galway to Ballinasloe (or Ballinasloe to Galway) scheme!

Amtmann

Cheers, done. Would be great to see some new photos of the road in operation.

Joey Joe-Joe Jr

I might be down that way tomorrow or Friday, if I am I'll try take a few shots.

I might even bring my camera and get a few photos too!

serfboard

Furet wrote: »

Cheers, done. Would be great to see some new photos of the road in operation.

Thank you for doing that ... it makes it clear from the thread title what it's about.

Given that the road is now built (bar some tidying-up) and in use, is it now time to move it into C&T forum?

serfboard

serfboard wrote: »

Thank you for doing that ... it makes it clear from the thread title what it's about.

Given that the road is now built (bar some tidying-up) and in use, is it now time to move it into C&T forum?

There's already a thread on the M6 there!

KevR

Furet wrote: »

Cheers, done. Would be great to see some new photos of the road in operation.

I have been meaning to get a few pictures of the road with traffic on it but I was without a camera for a while and I just haven't had a chance since I got my camera back.

Might get a few on Friday. It's my last day working in Athlone and I probably won't be up this direction for a while after I finish work so Friday will be my last chance to get some pictures.