200kms of road reclassified motorway except Athlone bypass

BluntGuy · 15-07-2009 11:10am

Colm R wrote: »

The start of the N2 dual carriageway north of Ashbourne had M2 confirmation signs up this morning. No other signs up yet.

I'm a road enthusiast, so I like to see some pictures.

If you get the chance, take a few snaps.

Also, when those horrible gantry signs are gone make sure to let us know.

EDIT: Anybody have any kinda clue how the M18, M20 and M3 junction numberign schemes will work? Seeing as how few other people are probably gonna do it, I took the liberty of updating some wikipedia pages last night. But I'm not gonna bother trying to do out junction tables and stuff unless I actually know where junctions lead to etc.

This page has been updated with the new info (if that interests you):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N20_road_(Ireland)

If somebody can tell me how the junction numbers work, I can fill them in when I have the time.

KevR · 15-07-2009 12:10pm

What will happen with junction lighting on some of the redesignated stretches? The N/M18 for example has some junctions with no lighting..

D.L.R. · 15-07-2009 1:52pm

BluntGuy wrote: »

I'm a road enthusiast, so I like to see some pictures.

If you get the chance, take a few snaps.

Also, when those horrible gantry signs are gone make sure to let us know.

EDIT: Anybody have any kinda clue how the M18, M20 and M3 junction numberign schemes will work? Seeing as how few other people are probably gonna do it, I took the liberty of updating some wikipedia pages last night. But I'm not gonna bother trying to do out junction tables and stuff unless I actually know where junctions lead to etc.

This page has been updated with the new info (if that interests you):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N20_road_(Ireland)

If somebody can tell me how the junction numbers work, I can fill them in when I have the time.

Plot the M20 route into google maps and its 9.5km.

BluntGuy · 15-07-2009 2:07pm

The DoT documentation says 5 km so that's what I used.

You're correct though, the overall N21/N20 DC scheme was around 11 km in length.

I would guess the N21 segment of that is around 1 km.

Chris_533976 · 15-07-2009 5:53pm

Do we seriously have three threads full of argument about the Athlone bypass

Bobeagleburger · 15-07-2009 6:08pm

BluntGuy wrote: »

The N6 from Dublin to Galway will be almost a full motorway, apart from the 8km stretch of the Athlone bypass which is still under consideration for motorway designation.

I thought Athlone-Galway was dual carrageway and not motorway ?

L1011 · 15-07-2009 8:32pm

rarnes1 wrote: »

I thought Athlone-Galway was dual carrageway and not motorway ?

Ballinsloe to Galway was always going to be motorway, and the remaining segment (Athlone to Ballinasloe) was redesignated already.

JayeL · 15-07-2009 9:02pm

***Stuck this up on another thread, relevant to this one too, sorry if I'm out of order, mods***

I headed up to the northern end of the soon-to-be-M2 an hour or so ago and found that they pretty much have everything in place today for 28 August, the workmen were just finishing up by the looks of it.

This is the first sign, near Ashbourne Retail Park on the R135 northbound:

Sign just before the junction with the N2:

Confirmation sign, end of motorway restrictions sign and sign for Dublin, just west of the roundabout junction of the N2 and R135:

Little clearer image of the same scene:

M2 route confirmation sign, southbound at the start of the Ashbourne bypass:

Close-up of same M2 sign:

I don't think they've done anything with the much-maligned gantry signs as yet, I'll keep an eye out though.

mysterious · 15-07-2009 9:02pm

KevR wrote: »

So what if 20,000 vehicles are local traffic and 10,000 are long distance. 99% of those 20,000 vehicles will still be eligable to use the bypass if it changes to motorway. A very small amount of vehicles (which shouldn't be on the bypass at all) will have to use the town - no big deal.

Putting extra traffic on the towns streets is not something we want obviously but I would put pedestrians/cyclists getting killed or a tractor causing a pile up as things I would like to happen less than a few extra vehicles in the town.

It cant go ahead until a study is done as to how much it will afftect the town.

The Athlone bypass is NOT a motorway.Deal with it. If you think its so minor why does the alternative traffic have to go through the town of Athlone.

It's not going ahead as motorway I can assure you of that. The alternative route is not up to spec. We are talking of 4 arterial routes that use the town. All tractors and slow vehicles use the bypass bridge to cross over the Shannon.

The speed limit is 100KMH. So its not built to the high speeds of the rest of the inter urban

" I want a blue coloured road on my map, to hell what logics states its abut the looks"

L1011 · 15-07-2009 9:09pm

mysterious wrote: »

" I want a blue coloured road on my map, to hell what logics states its abut the looks"

"I want my green DC! WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"

Logic states that a strategic route should not have slow moving traffic on it. Logic states that pedestrians, cyclists, animal drawn vehicles and low-CC scooters should not be mixing with high speed traffic on a type of road which is designed for safety.

mysterious · 15-07-2009 9:13pm

MYOB wrote: »

"I want my green DC! WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"

Logic states that a strategic route should not have slow moving traffic on it. Logic states that pedestrians, cyclists, animal drawn vehicles and low-CC scooters should not be mixing with high speed traffic on a type of road which is designed for safety.

I dont care that its green.

I care that the Athlone bypass is used to cater all types of traffic, as there is no adequate network there to provid alternative traffic.

It is NOT a high speed road.

Stop the horse****e.

L1011 · 15-07-2009 9:15pm

mysterious wrote: »

It is NOT a high speed road.

Stop the horse****e.

In what alternate universe is a 100km/h DC not a high speed road?

Colm R · 15-07-2009 9:20pm

Cheers JayeL for the photos on the M2. That saves me the bother of doing them for Bluntguy

BluntGuy · 15-07-2009 9:25pm

Colm R wrote: »

Cheers JayeL for the photos on the M2. That saves me the bother of doing them for Bluntguy

Indeed it does.

Those are great pictures and it's encouraging to see the NRA aren't wasting time on this.

Next time I'm on the M8 to Cork, I'll take a few snaps myself. There are two signs near Dunkettle that are kinda attached to a solid block structure and are panelled that look like they'll be difficult to replace. I'm betting the NRA will just leave 'em there rather than correctly installing appropiate blue signage with green patches.

L1011 · 15-07-2009 9:27pm

A lot of the signs around Dunkettle are partially automated rotating flap signs cause of the tunnel aren't they? They'll get patches if anything I suspect.

Chris_533976 · 15-07-2009 9:28pm

MYOB wrote: »

Ballinsloe to Galway was always going to be motorway, and the remaining segment (Athlone to Ballinasloe) was redesignated already.

Common misconception

Ballinasloe to Galway was never motorway. Always N

L1011 · 15-07-2009 9:32pm

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Common misconception Ballinasloe to Galway was never motorway. Always N

Tolled N road? While not a first (Waterford... and the East Link is a tolled R road!) its surprising.

Its going to be M now, anyway.

BluntGuy · 15-07-2009 9:39pm

MYOB wrote: »

A lot of the signs around Dunkettle are partially automated rotating flap signs cause of the tunnel aren't they? They'll get patches if anything I suspect.

Patches might work approaching the M8, but on the mainline itself we both know that'd be against the TSM.

I'll wait and see what the NRA do, I'd be very suprised if they correctly replaced the signage, but kudos to them if they do.

Also, I know I've mentioned it before, but there are new poles erected on the N8 going into the city for a large ADS as well as several new poles approaching the Jack Lynch tunnel from Mahon. I'm guessing they're related to the redesignation.

road_high · 15-07-2009 10:02pm

Am I correct in presuming here the N/M9 south of Carlow will not open this year/2010 now as fully fledged M-way with all the restrictions that apply?
I don't see it mentioned here at all and pretty sure it was not redesignated previously?

BluntGuy · 15-07-2009 10:06pm

mfitzy wrote: »

Am I correct in presuming here the N/M9 south of Carlow will not open this year/2010 now as fully fledged M-way with all the restrictions that apply?
I don't see it mentioned here at all and pretty sure it was not redesignated previously?

It was redesignated with this tranche.

Check out the official S.I. statement:

http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/10978-SI_255_OF_2009-0.pdf

road_high · 15-07-2009 10:12pm

BluntGuy wrote: »

It was redesignated with this tranche.

Check out the official S.I. statement:

http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/10978-SI_255_OF_2009-0.pdf

Thanks BluntGuy I should have checked it out fully before posting. That is a relief, because I remember the fiasco with the first bit of M9 i.e Carlow bypass had a ridiculous 100 kmh limit for 3 or 4 months; did not want that again!

15-07-2009 11:11pm

The new signs erected at the Tuam Road junction are BLUE for the athlone bypass!

L1011 · 15-07-2009 11:13pm

Deleted User wrote: »

The new signs erected at the Tuam Road junction are BLUE for the athlone bypass!

Beat you to pointing that out aaaages ago

I'd expect the NRA not to replace any of the signs on the Athlone BP at all now; and 'forget' that its still N on any other new signs.

15-07-2009 11:15pm

MYOB wrote: »

Beat you to pointing that out aaaages ago

I'd expect the NRA not to replace any of the signs on the Athlone BP at all now; and 'forget' that its still N on any other new signs.

Not the ones that were erected in the past two days.

L1011 · 15-07-2009 11:17pm

Touché. There were signs erected months ago which had blue boxes with presumably M6 painted out on them for both directions, though.

BluntGuy · 15-07-2009 11:17pm

When the minister comes to his senses and does redesignate the Athlone Bypass in the future guess what we'll have to do with these new signs?

That's right!

REPLACE THEM WITH BLUE SIGNS WASTING YET MORE MONEY. :mad:

15-07-2009 11:19pm

MYOB wrote: »

Touché. There were signs erected months ago which had blue boxes with presumably M6 painted out on them for both directions, though.

They're still up, could be interesting how they play this one for the eastbound signs at the junction.

billbond4 · 16-07-2009 10:41am

There's just my thoughts:-
The Athlone bypass cant have vehicles on it doing 120kph as it wasnt designed for that, simple. They will keep it as a 100kph zone until ....
They build the southern ring road around Athlone from Kilmartins to the new N/M6 in Monksland as Dolanbaker mentioned in a previous post this will be designed to be a 120kph road, but this is probably years away.
This makes most sense to me.

KevR · 16-07-2009 11:15am

Deleted User wrote: »

Not the ones that were erected in the past two days.

3 days ago?! I never noticed them, can't believe it!!

Saw them this morning though.

glineli · 16-07-2009 11:16am

Will the ennis by pass speed limit be changed at the end of august or do we have to wait until the gort and oranmore sections are finished?

I thought it would be august but clare FM are saying it is not until after the completion of the other sections.

200kms of road reclassified motorway except Athlone bypass

Comments