What should a dedicated Irish motorway website look like?

Amtmann

I'm not giving serious consideration to launching such a website myself, but hypothetically, if one were to create a privately-run high-quality website on the motorway network, what categories should it include, and what should its primary focus be? I think such a website is necessary by the way, and I think (given the relative availability of good domain names) it could become an important resource for people at home and abroad if it were set up and operated at a very high standard.

Road-Hog

Furet wrote: »

I'm not giving serious consideration to launching such a website myself, but hypothetically, if one were to create a privately-run high-quality website on the motorway network, what categories should it include, and what should its primary focus be? I think such a website is necessary by the way, and I think (given the relative availability of good domain names) it could become an important resource for people at home and abroad if it were set up and operated at a very high standard.

No need for such a site, sat nav etc type gizmo's are getting more and more sophisticated all the time and more widely used so I wouldn't be wasting my time setting up such a site

invinciblePRSTV

Like SABRE but with green instead of blue.

L1011

Leave the services off it, cause I need some traffic for my nearly-developed site

NedNew2

I liked Zoneys site but it was never updated which is a pity...

http://www.skynet.ie/~zoney/roads/index.html

Chris_5339762

Impressive how that map has changed since 2007 though.

Zoney

NedNew2 wrote: »

I liked Zoneys site but it was never updated which is a pity...

Yeah - sorry about that! I've not really had enough free time to put into it, or I've had higher priorities for use of free time. I guess I'm not *that* much of a road geek!

It would be nice at some stage to do something a bit more straightforward that covers the basics, and then build on that. Probably using blog software or wiki - easy to modify/update. Also junction strip maps would be nice.

However, in any case, someone with plenty of photos of the motorway network is better placed to properly document the state of things.

Roryhy

I find Joomla easy to use + i have software to create great templates in a matter of minutes.

Victor

What is the objective of this site?

CerebralCortex

Victor wrote: »

What is the objective of this site?

I'd love to see real time visual information/updates on the state of the road networks especially considering the number of roads projects currently underway. Information presented on the current state of the roads in visual format is far easier to understand and learn from than having to trawl through poorly updated and infrequent newsletters and forum text.

Amtmann

Advice about the best places to pull off for pit stops, fuel, etc. would also be important.

Information about the availability of emergency phones would also be important, just in case.

I think the site could also play a role in getting people to switch from old routes to the motorways. Example: In south Tipp, around the Cahir area and beyond, most people still think the best way to get to Kilkenny is the N24 to Clonmel and the N76 to Kilkenny. The best way now, however, is the M8 to the Urlingford exit and cut across into Kilkenny that way.

For geeks there should be a history and construction photos section.

A forum would also be in order (I suppose).

marmurr1916

Furet wrote: »

Advice about the best places to pull off for pit stops, fuel, etc. would also be important.

Information about the availability of emergency phones would also be important, just in case.

I think the site could also play a role in getting people to switch from old routes to the motorways. Example: In south Tipp, around the Cahir area and beyond, most people still think the best way to get to Kilkenny is the N24 to Clonmel and the N76 to Kilkenny. The best way now, however, is the M8 to the Urlingford exit and cut across into Kilkenny that way.

For geeks there should be a history and construction photos section.

A forum would also be in order (I suppose).

Sounds good.

The information about fuel and pit-stops is the most important since there isn't going to be a proper network of MSAs for the foreseeable future.

It could also do with a 'report litter, dodgy signposting, broken emergency phones, people doing stupid/illegal things on the motorway' section.

Plus a section on how to drive correctly on motorways.

spacetweek

My site is like that, but was primarily aimed at the geek end of things. I never intended it to be for casual road users trying to figure out how to get from one town to another

Victor

CerebralCortex wrote: »

I'd love to see real time visual information/updates on the state of the road networks especially considering the number of roads projects currently underway.

Do you mean the staus of construction projects or "ice on the N11 at Wicklow"?

Furet wrote: »

I think the site could also play a role in getting people to switch from old routes to the motorways. Example: In south Tipp, around the Cahir area and beyond, most people still think the best way to get to Kilkenny is the N24 to Clonmel and the N76 to Kilkenny. The best way now, however, is the M8 to the Urlingford exit and cut across into Kilkenny that way.

I think it will depend on where you are going. I can't imagine getting an articulated truck trough Ballyraggart is fun.

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

Tech3

Yeah the Northern Ireland roads site is probably the best site on roads I've seen and one to look up to. It is well run and up to date on the construction schemes. It has it all even road schemes going back 20-30 years ago listed on it with future planned ones.

A similar format to that one would be ideal.

-Corkie-

If you are doing it dont forget the interpretative centre of the sinking road on the m7:D:D