N6 - Athlone Bypass Upgrade works

flazio

flazio wrote: »

If theoretically the resurface of the west bound lane took the same time as the east bound works, when would the surfacing finish up?

Looking back through this thread, the first traffic restrictions were on the 29th January, about 16 weeks for the eastbound carriageway.

16 weeks from now is late September, going west has the additional job of rebuilding the central median as well.

Then the work on the junctions start!

flazio

So those VMS's proclaiming an October finish seem to be accurate.
Which reminds me, I'm very surprised that the contractors were allowed to put the VMS that explains which junctions are closed ahead right up on the GARDA mount. I would presume they would have had to clear that with the Gardaí first.

billbond4

Yeah it's going to be bad when they start working on junctions but exit 13 and 12 will remain as is so bypass traffic shouldn't be that badly effected.
They have the extra Work of ripping out the median and laying cables on the eastbound Work so westbound should be faster and as Dolan Baker says October is still on track for completion. I have never seen a guard parked up on one of those on any road in ireland.

Carawaystick

What reason is there for the works on the newly built M6 near élan? Surely the new section was built right when it was built?!

veryangryman

Carawaystick wrote: »

What reason is there for the works on the newly built M6 near élan? Surely the new section was built right when it was built?!

The towns obsession with traffic cones of course. God i hate the things. Between them and the tractors, the bypass is becoming more and more dangerous by the day. And dont get me started on the 50 limit as a safety measure. Its a safety measure if its enforced (it clearly is not)

Carawaystick

Carawaystick wrote: »

What reason is there for the works on the newly built M6 near élan? Surely the new section was built right when it was built?!

Central median works, it appears that the plan is to try and two separate jobs at the same time but on different sections of road.

Doing it this way means that when the road surfacing team get to the westbound section at Monkslands the median is already complete.

Carawaystick

Deleted User wrote: »

Central median works, it appears that the plan is to try and two separate jobs at the same time but on different sections of road.

Doing it this way means that when the road surfacing team get to the westbound section at Monkslands the median is already complete.

This is on the section of M6 for several hundred metres west of the last bridge on the old bypass, i.e. the bit just built in the Balinaslooww scheme

what was wrong with the median there?

billbond4

Maybe it has something to do with the cables under the bypass?

Carawaystick

Carawaystick wrote: »

This is on the section of M6 for several hundred metres west of the last bridge on the old bypass, i.e. the bit just built in the Balinaslooww scheme

what was wrong with the median there?

I was referring to the works between the Monkslands and Roscommon junctions.

Might be tie-in works between new and refurbished median, or as billbond says cable works.

antoobrien

Deleted User wrote: »

Cam't say I've noticed, it could be the camber of the curve that you've noticed now the greenery from the central reservation has gone.

It's very noticeable at J9 that the westbound carriageway is several feet higher than than the eastbound

whyulittle

They have started to 'pour' the concrete central median barrier at the J8 end. I wonder will they leave gaps for possible contra-flows in the future.

Meanwhile the next current contra-flow is in operation, and already seeing loads of car trying to get on westbound at the Cova, only to find it all blocked up. Probably would have been better closing off the whole turn to the Cova for local access only, save people driving into a dead end.

whyulittle

whyulittle wrote: »

They have started to 'pour' the concrete central median barrier at the J8 end. I wonder will they leave gaps for possible contra-flows in the future.

Meanwhile the next current contra-flow is in operation, and already seeing loads of car trying to get on westbound at the Cova, only to find it all blocked up. Probably would have been better closing off the whole turn to the Cova for local access only, save people driving into a dead end.

Are there not enough diversion signs or is it a simple case of "drone drivers" doing the usual route.

whyulittle

A good idea is a good idea - the road is now closed off, and there is a VMS at the junction.

whyulittle

J10 Looking East




J10 Looking West

KevR

Concrete barrier had almost reached J9 (it started at J8) when I last passed by.

antoobrien wrote: »

It's very noticeable at J9 that the westbound carriageway is several feet higher than than the eastbound

Indeed. Really noticeable between J9 and J8.

KevR

KevR wrote: »

Concrete barrier had almost reached J9 (it started at J8) when I last passed by.



Indeed. Really noticeable between J9 and J8.

It's the camber for the curve, the road is level and both carriageways are angled for the curve to reduce the risk of accidents.

Sully

What are the odds the speed will be 120km/hr, without motorway classification, just like the Cork Midelton Road?

antoobrien

Sully wrote: »

What are the odds the speed will be 120km/hr, without motorway classification, just like the Cork Midelton Road?

can't imagine them doing it - too good a revenue generator

L1011

Sully wrote: »

What are the odds the speed will be 120km/hr, without motorway classification, just like the Cork Midelton Road?

Very unlikely. The N25 there isn't designated as a motorway because there's problems with alternative routes (and the N22 at Ballincollig which is 120 also isn't because its very short). If this became 120 they'd really have to make it Motorway also.

Sully

MYOB wrote: »

Very unlikely. The N25 there isn't designated as a motorway because there's problems with alternative routes (and the N22 at Ballincollig which is 120 also isn't because its very short). If this became 120 they'd really have to make it Motorway also.

I thought the same problem applied on this stretch of road?

The thing about the N6 is the fact that it was only decided a couple of years ago that it would remain an N road and that the speed limit would remain at 100 because of the large number of junctions in such a short distance.

Unlikely to be revised in the near future.

L1011

Sully wrote: »

I thought the same problem applied on this stretch of road?

There is an alternative route (through Athlone) whereas some of the N25 has eaten the original route East.

munchkin_utd

Deleted User wrote: »

The thing about the N6 is the fact that it was only decided a couple of years ago that it would remain an N road and that the speed limit would remain at 100 because of the large number of junctions in such a short distance.

Unlikely to be revised in the near future.

but has this been documented anywhere?

Because my personal suspicion is that it really remains non motorway so tractors can trundle along it as a rat run across the river seeing as its much more preferable to have the lethal situation of vehicles coming off a 120kmh motorway to encounter barely moving vehicles on the by pass than to route these vehicles through the town centre - where traffic is moving at tractor pace anyhow!

back on topic though, is it in the plans to install auxilary lanes between these numerous junctions like on the M50 or is this a straight repaving job?

L1011

No auxillary lanes other than the one that already existed.

munchkin_utd

munchkin_utd wrote: »

but has this been documented anywhere?

Because my personal suspicion is that it really remains non motorway so tractors can trundle along it as a rat run across the river seeing as its much more preferable to have the lethal situation of vehicles coming off a 120kmh motorway to encounter barely moving vehicles on the by pass than to route these vehicles through the town centre - where traffic is moving at tractor pace anyhow!

Discussed to death in this (and others) thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=61125203
But yes, it is because this section of road was designed to take all traffic from the town.

veryangryman

Deleted User wrote: »

Discussed to death in this (and others) thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=61125203
But yes, it is because this section of road was designed to take all traffic from the town.

The best argument i can see for letting farmers* use the bypass is that the size of them makes turning (especially near the bridge) difficult.


* I say farmers because these should be barred altogether, regardless of vehicle, once caught being such spanners using the bypass. Apologies to the few who have common sense and go through town - i salute

munchkin_utd

I don't think it was mentioned elsewhere, but the athlone bypass is no longer a teenager!
It was opened twenty years ago last month!
So happy belated birthday to the athlone by pass!!

http://www.ideasforcheapstuff.com/inex/roads/m6/m6.html

It also makes sense why it is getting a resurfacing now at the round 20 years old.
Ireland is in for some bill in 15 years when all the new motorways need the same treatment all at once!!

whyulittle

Is this not about the third resurfacing it has had?

shinikins

veryangryman wrote: »

The best argument i can see for letting farmers* use the bypass is that the size of them makes turning (especially near the bridge) difficult.


* I say farmers because these should be barred altogether, regardless of vehicle, once caught being such spanners using the bypass. Apologies to the few who have common sense and go through town - i salute

Of course this raises other problems, such as the death of that pedestrian back in March, who was run over by a tractor on the town bridge. I for one would much rather see them using the bypass.

whyulittle

The town council are looking at banning HGV's from the town centre, no mention of tractors.