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

Carawaystick

boosabum wrote: »

slightly off topic, but did anyone see BBC4 last night and a documentary about the Brititsh motorway system.
The M1 has 55 miles of motorway (110 of road in total) and 200 bridges. It was constructed in just 19 months back in the late 1950's.
Amazing to think that some 60 years later these projects cannot be completed as efficently.

It depends on how you measure efficiency.
The Mitchelstown bypass was built in 18 months, only 10 miles, but shows roads can be built quickly if needed.
It would take a lot of resources and management overhead to line everything up and cost more to build a road quickly, so it might not be efficient from an cost perspective.

Did the BBC programme show the widening works going on on the English M1? and mention the rate of progress there?

m17

Carawaystick wrote: »

It depends on how you measure efficiency.
The Mitchelstown bypass was built in 18 months, only 10 miles, but shows roads can be built quickly if needed.
It would take a lot of resources and management overhead to line everything up and cost more to build a road quickly, so it might not be efficient from an cost perspective.

Did the BBC programme show the widening works going on on the English M1? and mention the rate of progress there?

So if that is the case the could do the than by pass in 9 months

m17

I mean the tuam bypass

spacetweek

boosabum wrote: »

slightly off topic, but did anyone see BBC4 last night and a documentary about the Brititsh motorway system.
The M1 has 55 miles of motorway (110 of road in total) and 200 bridges. It was constructed in just 19 months back in the late 1950's.
Amazing to think that some 60 years later these projects cannot be completed as efficently.

No, they are built to a much higher standard nowadays so I'd expect them to take longer now.

spacetweek

m17 wrote: »

So if that is the case the could do the than by pass in 9 months

It's likely the Tuam bit will open early alright. I'd be surprised if it took longer than 2 years.

L1011

boosabum wrote: »

slightly off topic, but did anyone see BBC4 last night and a documentary about the Brititsh motorway system.
The M1 has 55 miles of motorway (110 of road in total) and 200 bridges. It was constructed in just 19 months back in the late 1950's.
Amazing to think that some 60 years later these projects cannot be completed as efficently.

Looser planning systems, legal systems, safety requirements and indeed construction standards.

boosabum

L1011 wrote: »

Looser planning systems, legal systems, safety requirements and indeed construction standards.

True, but upgrades in equipment, skills and project planning should offset some of the issues you mention.

Now, to counter what i have been saying, it took them 7 years to complete a section of motorway in the pennines although the weather conditions and amount of peat which had to be excavated was unreal

Carawaystick

m17 wrote: »

So if that is the case the could do the than by pass in 9 months

At what cost? and who'd pay?
If it were realistic at all.

There's a minimum time needed for settling and concrete to cure, even if you could throw massive resources at it.

m17

I have more pics just outside corofin taken 26/04/15

glineli

Updated newsletter here

http://www.directroutegorttotuam.ie/Newsletter.aspx

m17

I got the 2015 road map free with Irish daily mail and it doesn't have the m17/m18 on it

Mrs Dempsey

I guess it is not built yet & having it both ways I suggest the Irish Mail is far from reliable with regard to reality.

veryangryman

m17 wrote: »

I got the 2015 road map free with Irish daily mail and it doesn't have the m17/m18 on it

Its got Junction 18, but no roads on the junction! The Mail are a class paper, no doubt about it.

barneygumble99

If i went to a foreign country and got a map with a motorway on it that's not even built, id be fairly confused.

L1011

barneygumble99 wrote: »

If i went to a foreign country and got a map with a motorway on it that's not even built, id be fairly confused.

Marking them as hatched is common enough. However, I've an AA map from a decade ago with schemes as yet unstarted (New Ross bypass, etc) marked as hatched...

Deedsie

m17 wrote: »

I got the 2015 road map free with Irish daily mail and it doesn't have the m17/m18 on it

It's the 2015 road map? The road isn't due to open till 2018.

marno21

This years Collins Road Atlas has the M17/M18 scheme on it but not the M11 Arklow/Rathnew due to open later this year, surprisingly

m17

Deedsie wrote: »

It's the 2015 road map? The road isn't due to open till 2018.

Yes but it should have motorway under construction

Geogregor

Geogregor wrote: »

Any sign of works on the future junction with the M6? That will be complex and interesting site to watch.

Perhaps they could try one of these, maybe not - it would probably freak out the average Irish driver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DujenRtd8_A

Schadenfreudia

Deleted User wrote: »

Perhaps they could try one of these, maybe not - it would probably freak out the average Irish driver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DujenRtd8_A

Brilliant innovation. Was it invented in America or France?

Schadenfreudia

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

Brilliant innovation. Was it invented in America or France?

A quick google produces this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diverging_diamond_interchange#History

Prior to 2009 the only known diverging diamond interchanges were in France in the communities of Versailles, Le Perreux-sur-Marne and Seclin, all built in the 1970s.[4] (The ramps of the first two have been reconfigured to accommodate ramps of other interchanges, but they continue to function as diverging diamond interchanges.)
Despite the fact that such interchanges already existed, the idea for the DDI was "reinvented" around 2000, inspired by the former "synchronized split-phasing" type freeway-to-freeway interchange between Interstate 95 and I-695 north of Baltimore.[5]

mackerski

Deleted User wrote: »

Perhaps they could try one of these, maybe not - it would probably freak out the average Irish driver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DujenRtd8_A

It's not a freeflow interchange, though, because of the traffic signals. A criticism you could make of the planned roundabout, of course, but IMO a design like this doesn't belong on a motorway-motorway interchange.

mackerski

mackerski wrote: »

It's not a freeflow interchange, though, because of the traffic signals. A criticism you could make of the planned roundabout, of course, but IMO a design like this doesn't belong on a motorway-motorway interchange.

Can't disagree, a simple cloverleaf would be sufficient here, but in reality in most other countries this new road wouldn't even be classed as a motorway.

m17

f2 wrote: »

They are putting the plant in place for the big dig, getting access route through bog outside Tuam in place, I am led to believe the council will only allow access from N17 for heavy plant. Dump for peat for Tuam bypass still awaiting planning, no point in digging and nowhere to tip it, I guess plant will be wanted in 6 to 8 weeks. Noticed some temporary bridges left beside Grange river, blasting of rock to commence next month/

Temporary bridges are now in place over thé grange river

busyatwork

Well there wont be much activity now with the rain but crushing and blasting of rock will continue

Schadenfreudia

mackerski wrote: »

It's not a freeflow interchange, though, because of the traffic signals. A criticism you could make of the planned roundabout, of course, but IMO a design like this doesn't belong on a motorway-motorway interchange.

I don't think it is an a "autobhankrueze" !

The top road in the video doesn't appear to be a motorway, more like the Ballymount junction on the M50.

mackerski

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

I don't think it is an a "autobhankrueze" !

The top road in the video doesn't appear to be a motorway, more like the Ballymount junction on the M50.

Yes, only one of the mainlines is freeflowing in this design, making it even worse than the planned layout.

Geogregor

Guys, why do you even discuss junction type which has nothing to do with motorway to motorway junctions. It is just regular exit from freeway to some local (even if busy) surface street.

Situation on the junction between M18/M17/M6 is completely different

Chris_5339762

And I've always said the 3 level stack proposed is a bit of a poor choice. But Cloverleafs aren't really built anymore as they're terrible for weaving. Next level up is a Whirlpool which is way in excess of the traffic this interchange will carry for years.

Sadly, it is a logical option.

f2

Seen a couple of hand written signs on two locations around Tuam, Corofin " TOP SOIL SALVAGE AREA" What is planned for these areas?