N6 - avoiding Ballinasloe

Celery_shtick

I drive Mon-Fri from Kilcock to Galway and back, N4, N6, passing through Ballinasloe at about 8am and 7pm.

Got through this morning before the roadworks started. Sounds like (from AA updates) I'll need to avoid Ballinasloe at least today and tomorrow (and maybe until mid-Dec?)

Can anyone advise on the best way of avoiding Ballinasloe to complete my journey, please?

L1011

There isn't one that worth using, from experience of trying. The Suck isn't bridged south at all, the next bridge north of Ballinasloe needs to be access from and leads you back in to the town.

If you're insane, go via Banagher. Google Maps claims its 16 minutes longer, but realistically it'll be closer to 30 mins longer - and you won't spend 30 mins in Ballinasloe!

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=kilcock&daddr=53.199452,-8.025513+to:galway&hl=en&geocode=FVrTLgMd2UCa_yljBwNiH2VnSDGgfzGXqccACg%3B%3BFcXkLAMdfOF1_ykVSUdw8ZZbSDFQczGXqccACg&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=9&via=1&sll=53.399707,-7.621765&sspn=0.808976,2.477417&ie=UTF8&z=9 is what route you'd take to cross the Shannon in Banagher and avoid the Suck entirely.

Celery_shtick

Thanks MYOB.
I think I'll try that route in the morning, in daylight, and then assess if it's worth taking again tomorrow night.
Which of course means ploughing through whatever traffic there is tonight. Heyho.

PS - found the N6 thread on the Ballinasloe - Galway motorway progress very useful, saw you there as a valued contributor. Thanks.

Chris_533976

Kilcock to Galway daily? Are you mad?

Celery_shtick

Very.
And I have four hungry mouths to feed.

Rulmeq

Celery_shtick wrote: »

Very.
And I have four hungry mouths to feed.

Since it's motorway as far as Athlone, you might prefer to stay on the M6 until just before Athlone, and use the N62 to get to Banagher. Please take care on those back roads though, they can be very narrow, and particularly dangerous if they are wet.

According to Google Maps, it's about 15minutes longer, but in my experience it's quicker
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=kilcock&daddr=53.199452,-8.025513+to:galway&hl=en&geocode=FVrTLgMd2UCa_yljBwNiH2VnSDGgfzGXqccACg%3B%3BFcXkLAMdfOF1_ykVSUdw8ZZbSDFQczGXqccACg&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=9&via=1&sll=53.399707,-7.621765&sspn=0.808976,2.477417&ie=UTF8&z=9

veryangryman

n17 past Claregalway, N63 to Moylough, R362 to West Athlone, N/M6 to Kinnegad, M4 to Kilcock

Happy days, crappy roads, quickest way

Banagher? Ah guys, please... Be nice to the guy

L1011

Claregalway is going to be far worse than Ballinasloe, roadworks or not!

Some of those back roads between Mountbellew and Athlone are lethal also, Galway County Council has an, erm, interesting method of surfacing I've found...

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=kilcock&daddr=R363+to:53.482938,-8.512001+to:galway&hl=en&geocode=FVrTLgMd2UCa_yljBwNiH2VnSDGgfzGXqccACg%3BFdA0MAMdGUGA_w%3B%3BFcXkLAMdfOF1_ykVSUdw8ZZbSDFQczGXqccACg&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=12&via=1,2&sll=53.48682,-8.414154&sspn=0.100914,0.309677&ie=UTF8&ll=53.468635,-8.407288&spn=0.100957,0.309677&z=12 is the route I assume you mean, the road degrages horribly for the section between Ballyforan and Newbridge.

Sponge Bob

East Galway is all flooded now and the back routes are closed, Ballinasloe or nothing for you tomorrow

Carawaystick

The road from Banagher to Kilimor is desperate. I'd never go that way again.

GerardKeating

Celery_shtick wrote: »

I drive Mon-Fri from Kilcock to Galway and back, N4, N6, passing through Ballinasloe at about 8am and 7pm.

Got through this morning before the roadworks started. Sounds like (from AA updates) I'll need to avoid Ballinasloe at least today and tomorrow (and maybe until mid-Dec?)

Can anyone advise on the best way of avoiding Ballinasloe to complete my journey, please?

Can you get the train ???

Well, as a Ballinasloe local, i'd advise heading north around the town via backroads. There is a small bridge over the Suck river north of the town, and if you can get to that you can easily make your way back to the N6, or alternatively a local way...

...which would be to in to Galway via ahascragh, caltra, clarenbridge, moylough, monivea, popping out at Carnmore Cross. I also remember a bridge that you can get to if you head north after the last athlone exit. I'll put up a google map when i get home.

Ok, here's directions east-bound:
just past aughrim.
Take 1st left at crossroads just after new overpass.
Drive to crossroads, turn right.
Drive past 1st junction, past mart, until you get to 2nd left junction with petrol station just beyond it.
Cont.

...take junction left.
Drive past the rail station, out of town, until you get to a Y junction, at the end of long straight stretch.
Take the branch to the right, continue over Suck bridge to T junction.
Turn right to T junction with N6.
Rejoin eastbound

Sorry for the multiple posts, I'm on a mobile. Without google maps to hand, i can't be clearer. I'll deff try to get to a computer to put there directions there.

Edit:

Linky to the Google maps route:

kaizersoze

There's a detour in place, and signposted, for the roadworks in Brackernagh. Turn left at the new Tesco roundabout. Follow the signs around Beachlawn and you come back out on the N6 at Garbally gates on the Galway side of the hospital.

Stay off the back roads in this weather. They're lethal.

Celery_shtick

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

FYI : I proved there's value in the Trapper Toni method - stick to what you know.

I stuck to my normal route, N6, N4, main roads, and guess what - sailed through Ballinasloe - traffic non existent at 19:30 last night and 08:00 this morning.

Maybe a good sign for tonight?
C'MON IRELAND!

kaizersoze

Celery_shtick wrote: »

Maybe a good sign for tonight?
C'MON IRELAND!

I'd say you were disappointed.:(

Woeful traffic delays this evening on both sides of town and terrible rain along with it. Most of the local rat-runs were flooded, so no escape.

Celery_shtick

Gutted, like the rest of the Nation.

But as for journey - again, sailed through Ballinasloe last night at 18:40 and again at 08:10 this morning.

And I say 'sailed' figuratively.

I literally 'sailed' through Craughwell and various other points along the N6 this morning, a lot of the 'lakes' in the fields from yesterday are now rivers on the road.