M17/M18 - Gort to Tuam [open to traffic]

jenningso

marno21 wrote: »

Should be (M6-M18) N17 at the bottom rather than the blue patches.

Seems as though the old N17 will indeed become the N83. A national road for no other reason other than that it used to be a national road. Even Tuam - Claregalway traffic should use the M17 to J2 and then what will be the R381 to access Claregalway. Ridiculous stuff with the state now having to fund a national road of zero national importance.

The N83 will continue to be of national importance to those of us living in the region! I'm also sure Galway County Council and their budget believes the same!

marno21

jenningso wrote: »

The N83 will continue to be of national importance to those of us living in the region! I'm also sure Galway County Council and their budget believes the same!

By the way, I'm on about the existing N17 from Tuam past Claregalway to Galway City.

"National importance to those of us living in the region" makes no sense. National importance means importance to those nationally, important to those of us living in the region, means local importance. All national journeys currently using the N17/N18 from Gort-Galway, Galway-Tuam, or Tuam-Gort will be accomplished by the M17, M18 and M6. The existing route ceases to be important when the motorway opens, and should be a regional road like the old N6 and N18 in Galway which are now the R446 and R458 respectively.

spacetweek

Until the new bypass is done, and possibly even after, Galway-Claregalway traffic will use the old road for sure. You'd be mad to negotiate Doughiska when you could just go as the crow flies.

marno21

spacetweek wrote: »

Until the new bypass is done, and possibly even after, Galway-Claregalway traffic will use the old road for sure. You'd be mad to negotiate Doughiska when you could just go as the crow flies.

Surely that completely negates the point of building the M17 if 80-90% of the traffic intended for it "would be mad to use it"?

kingcon28

Any idea how much this will reduce the journey time from Gort to Galway?

kippy

kingcon28 wrote: »

Any idea how much this will reduce the journey time from Gort to Galway?

It depends.

kingcon28

kippy wrote: »

It depends.

Go on.........

kippy

kingcon28 wrote: »

Go on.........

Where in Gort you are coming from - to where in Galway you are going to and time of day/year to outline just two of many variables.

kingcon28

kippy wrote: »

Where in Gort you are coming from - to where in Galway you are going to and time of day/year to outline just two of many variables.

I mean in general. At the moment Gort to Galway takes 37 mins as per Google maps.

kippy

kingcon28 wrote: »

I mean in general. At the moment Gort to Galway takes 37 mins as per Google maps.

Ah, you mean "in general"
In general, if you want to use that exact method of measuring the time period then you'd have to wait for a fair comparison when the route is available on Google maps.

kingcon28

kippy wrote: »

Ah, you mean "in general"
In general, if you want to use that exact method of measuring the time period then you'd have to wait for a fair comparison when the route is available on Google maps.

Thanks Kippy. You could have just said you don't know.

kippy

kingcon28 wrote: »

Thanks Kippy. You could have just said you don't know.

How is anyone supposed to give an accurate answer to a badly defined question?

marno21

kingcon, please be more specific. Your question is fierce general and the Google Maps figure doesn't mean much without context

UsBus

marno21 wrote: »

Surely that completely negates the point of building the M17 if 80-90% of the traffic intended for it "would be mad to use it"?

Everyone locally knows traffic coming into parkmore/ballybrit from the south oranmore/gort direction can be chronic. All traffic coming off the motorway at doughiska makes it even worse. Add in traffic from tuam & further north to rathmorrissey & doughiska and it will be a nightmare. People will revert back to n17 through claregalway. It's not a problem with the motorway, strategic planning in galway city has been a mess for decades...

jenningso

marno21 wrote: »

By the way, I'm on about the existing N17 from Tuam past Claregalway to Galway City.

"National importance to those of us living in the region" makes no sense. National importance means importance to those nationally, important to those of us living in the region, means local importance. All national journeys currently using the N17/N18 from Gort-Galway, Galway-Tuam, or Tuam-Gort will be accomplished by the M17, M18 and M6. The existing route ceases to be important when the motorway opens, and should be a regional road like the old N6 and N18 in Galway which are now the R446 and R458 respectively.

I know exactly what you mean, no worries! I actually agree with you. My reply was part tongue in cheek. The fact is, political lobbying by Galway Co Co has kept that portion of the old n17 a national secondary road, so they don't have to maintain it. I understand that the predicted volumes that will continue to use the road locally meant that they won their argument.

m17

The m17 at Bauilphuil corofin 09/08/1511/12/1509/04/17

m17

Irish_rat wrote: »

This has got to be the most exciting road scheme for a long time, probably since the inter-urban network was completed. The coverage on here so far is very meagre to say the least. I was expecting a bit more in pictorial updates.

56km of motorway will open the west right up to unbelievable access from North-South.

What do you think of the updates now

serfboard

UsBus wrote: »

Everyone locally knows traffic coming into parkmore/ballybrit from the south oranmore/gort direction can be chronic. All traffic coming off the motorway at doughiska makes it even worse. Add in traffic from tuam & further north to rathmorrissey & doughiska and it will be a nightmare. People will revert back to n17 through claregalway. It's not a problem with the motorway, strategic planning in galway city has been a mess for decades...

Three motorways converging onto a single roundabout east of Galway City (Doughiska) is going to be a complete disaster as anyone can rightly predict.

Expect our local politicians though, to be shocked - shocked - at this development, with every local politician calling for "something" to be done.

joedomvince

serfboard wrote: »

Expect our local politicians though, to be shocked - shocked - at this development, with every local politician calling for "something" to be done.

Galway West TD Sean Kyne has highlighted this many times, is pro bypass and looking for a solution to Dougiska/Parkmore for once and for all. Meanwhile, Catherine Connolly is against it

Edit: typo

Pereplyotchik

joedomvince wrote: »

Galway West TD Sean Kyne has highlighted this many times, is pro bypass and looking for a solution to Dougiska/Parkmore for once and for all. Meanwhile, Catherine Connolly is against it

Edit: typo

The M17 traffic chaos that some are predicting may be seen by some as a cynical lever to push through the Galway Bypass despite opposition.
Some local politicians are dancing on a pin head about wanting a solution to traffic problems just not any of the solutions being provided... the attitude may be "if the M6-17-18 dump a load of traffic into the city outskirts hey-ho.." Traffic chaos in Galway could be damaging to the M17...
or maybe I'm just jaded and cynical... now back on topic....
:rolleyes:

Sam Russell

Having roundabouts at the end of a busy motorway is just asking for traffic jams. Have they learnt nothing from the Mad Cow fiasco?

Make the Douiska roundabout freeflow with a li-lo type solution and the problem will be halved. Continue the solution all the way to the Corrib and the problem will be eased. Of course, park and ride and proper PT might make the problem go away entirely.

Of course, more roads will be the proposed solution, which will get the ear of the politicians.

m17

The accommodation flyover at cloonkeen north on the m17 10/04/1610/04/17

Irish_rat

jvan wrote: »

Can't believe they're still using the cheese wire style of barrier.

Agreed. Armco barrier all the way.

kippy

Sam Russell wrote: »

Having roundabouts at the end of a busy motorway is just asking for traffic jams. Have they learnt nothing from the Mad Cow fiasco?

Make the Douiska roundabout freeflow with a li-lo type solution and the problem will be halved. Continue the solution all the way to the Corrib and the problem will be eased. Of course, park and ride and proper PT might make the problem go away entirely.

Of course, more roads will be the proposed solution, which will get the ear of the politicians.

In fairness, no matter WHAT type of junction that goes in there, be it existing roundabout or freeflow, at the busy times it's gonna be completely snarled up.

More, well planned roads, with safe access for cyclists and public transport around the city are the answer.

m17

The tuam bypass the ballygaddy road flyover looking towards kilcloghans 10/04/17looking towards the kilmore roundabout they started on the paint worknew signthe flyover and junction

Sam Russell

kippy wrote: »

In fairness, no matter WHAT type of junction that goes in there, be it existing roundabout or freeflow, at the busy times it's gonna be completely snarled up.

More, well planned roads, with safe access for cyclists and public transport around the city are the answer.

Well, freeflow will get more traffic through the junction, so the 'busy' time will be shorter as will the queues. Bothar na dTreabh needs to be free flow over its whole length and needs to cross the Corrib on a new bridge.

More roads means more cars. More PT means more passengers and less cars. Get with the programme.

Anyway, this is off topic.

spacetweek

marno21 wrote: »

Surely that completely negates the point of building the M17 if 80-90% of the traffic intended for it "would be mad to use it"?

It doesn't negate it at all! Only traffic in certain parts of the city and heading to areas between Tuam and Galway (not Tuam itself) will continue in the old road. That's not most traffic.

marno21

spacetweek wrote: »

It doesn't negate it at all! Only traffic in certain parts of the city and heading to areas between Tuam and Galway (not Tuam itself) will continue in the old road. That's not most traffic.

If the old road is exclusively for local traffic then it shouldn't be a national secondary road. That's the only point I'm trying to make.

spacetweek

marno21 wrote: »

If the old road is exclusively for local traffic then it shouldn't be a national secondary road. That's the only point I'm trying to make.

I would agree.

As for Doughiska, without the new bypass a grade separation is pointless.

marno21

spacetweek wrote: »

I would agree.

As for Doughiska, without the new bypass a grade separation is pointless.

Agreed there. There are far too many bottlenecks further on, most of which can't be grade seperated. It's a pity cos there's a decent stretch of DC between Ballybrit and the Monivea road junction and then it just becomes a mess

Anyway, I'll leave this discussion for another thread.