N6 - Athlone Bypass Upgrade works

veryangryman

veryangryman wrote: »

Who puts these signs together?

Black on white for some, white on green for others

Not saying the upgrades a bad thing but a bit of uniformity would have been too much to ask. together with the disastrous blue signage for Exit 13(Tuam/Monksland), we now have 3 different systems, making the bypass a National Road, a Motorway and a Regional road all in one.

Athlone - Where anything is possible. Get there, go anywhere! :cool:

All we need now are the yellow ones for Chinatown.

Sponge Bob

Its official name is 他妈的我 .......which is what I understand the advance party called it :cool:

whyulittle

I've noticed they are installing / replacing signs offline as well around the junctions.

whyulittle

whyulittle wrote: »

I've noticed they are installing / replacing signs offline as well around the junctions.

Good! Some of those were well past their "sell by date"

Wild Bill

whyulittle wrote: »

I've noticed they are installing / replacing signs offline as well around the junctions.

And not just on the Athlone bypass; ditto Mullingar bypass, Bray bypass (N11), Portlaoise bypass (M7) and Kilcullen on the M9.

And these are only the places I've personally noticed.

KevR

What's with all the white signs?! Shouldn't they be green..

KevR

KevR wrote: »

What's with all the white signs?! Shouldn't they be green..

They should be all green, it's the same on the N4 between Lucan and the M50.
It's the "pick-n-mix" approach the NRA have to signage standards. :rolleyes:

veryangryman

Deleted User wrote: »

They should, it's the same on the N4 between Lucan and the M50.
It's the "pick-n-mix" approach the NRA have to signage standards. :rolleyes:

I disagree. Its the morons they subcontract to do the signage. Poor spelling, wrong colours, stupidly signing the (N55) without the actual road R916 that Exit 9 leads onto.

Yes its all cosmetics etc but why cant they get this right? And i mean anywhere, just using my local place as an example

veryangryman

veryangryman wrote: »

I disagree. Its the morons they subcontract to do the signage. Poor spelling, wrong colours, stupidly signing the (N55) without the actual road R916 that Exit 9 leads onto.

Yes its all cosmetics etc but why cant they get this right? And i mean anywhere, just using my local place as an example

I meant to say they should be green.

veryangryman

Deleted User wrote: »

I meant to say they should be green.

Wild Bill

Deleted User wrote: »

I meant to say they should be green.

No. They put white signs on N-road exit cantilevers unless the exit leads to another N-road.

The alternative would be a daft green sign patched white.

NRA......1; Boards....0.

:cool:

Wild Bill

Wild Bill wrote: »

No. They put white signs on N-road exit cantilevers unless the exit leads to another N-road.

The alternative would be a daft green sign patched white.

NRA......1; Boards....0.

:cool:

No, the background colour should denote the classification of the road you are on, not the one the exit leads to, the patching is for ongoing routes to a "higher" classification of road.

Otherwise every sign on the motorways would be green or white!
As I said Ireland has a "pick-n-mix" standard! :rolleyes:

L1011

The all-signs-are-blue-except-at-terminal-junctions rule for motorways is copied from the UK.

As is the signs on N (A) roads being the colour of the road they lead to.

MYOB

MYOB wrote: »

The all-signs-are-blue-except-at-terminal-junctions rule for motorways is copied from the UK.

As is the signs on N (A) roads being the colour of the road they lead to.

Not quite http://www.driving-test-success.com/uk-road-signs-directions.htm

As you can see from these examples, the background is the same for all signs, so that it matches the classification of the road.


SIGNS ON MOTORWAYS - GENERALLY RECTANGULAR WITH A BLUE BACKGROUND



At a junction leading directly into a motorway (junction number may be shown on a black background)


On approaches to junctions (junction number may be shown on a black background)

Route confirmatory sign after junction

Downward pointing arrows mean "Get In Lane"

The panel with the inclined arrow indicates the destination which can be reached by leaving the motorway at the next junction


SIGNS ON A PRIMARY ROUTE - GREEN BACKGROUND

Seen on approaches to Junctions

Seen at the junction

Seen on approaches to junctions

Route confirmatory sign after junction

Primary route forming part of a ring road


SIGNS ON NON-PRIMARY AND LOCAL ROUTES - BLACK BORDER


Seen on approaches to junctions

Seen at the junction

etchyed

Deleted User wrote: »

Not quite http://www.driving-test-success.com/uk-road-signs-directions.htm

As you can see from these examples, the background is the same for all signs, so that it matches the classification of the road.

Although I haven't seen these new signs on the Athlone bypass, if they're anything like other recent schemes the NRA have signed, then they should be fine. None of those UK examples are the same as our gore "EXIT X" signs or our cantilever-at-exit signs. The cantilevers have an arrow pointing clearly downwards-left, so I think it's clear their colours refer to the classification of the road the exit leads to rather than the road you're currently on. In this case I think patching is unnecessary.

The ADS, however, should use patching for exits to R roads. I hope they've got that right. And as I've said before, the NRA's approach to full gantry signs when there's a change in status of the road leaves a lot to be desired. They really should be using patching in those cases.

Wild Bill

Deleted User wrote: »

No, the background colour should denote the classification of the road you are on, not the one the exit leads to, the patching is for ongoing routes to a "higher" classification of road.

Otherwise every sign on the motorways would be green or white!
As I said Ireland has a "pick-n-mix" standard! :rolleyes:

M-way signs are not patched, others are - that's pic'n'mix to start with!

Not sure what the traffic sign manuals say in relation to Ireland (really don't give a proverbial what the code in the UK is).

The design of cantilever exit signs (which don't exist in the UK) would look daft if they were patched. So the practice on the N-roads of background colour of these signs indicating the stature of the exit road is way superior to the notion of patching them.

They have these cantilevers in Spain & France (and probably everywhere else) and they are not patched.

There might be an argument to make then all green for consistency, as the M-way signs are all blue, but then they'd be inconsistent with the non-cantilevered exit signs as other signs on N-roads in Ireland which are patched if the exit road is non-N.

Look at the overhead signs on the Naas road for example to see the clear visual superiority of the NRA system. Not pick'n' mix at all..the NRA have doscovered consistency and they are visually superior to the signs in the neighbouring jurisdiction. :cool:

Now if only they could learn to have 99% of the streetlights working as is the case in every other European country rather than the 50% they score on the N/M7.

etchyed

Wild Bill wrote: »

M-way signs are not patched, others are - that's pic'n'mix to start with!

Not sure what the traffic sign manuals say in relation to Ireland (really don't give a proverbial what the code in the UK is).

Much as I agree with you about the cantilevers not needing to be patched, I think we've had this discussion before and I really don't understand your complex about following UK practice. Although heavily modified at this stage, the Irish directional signage system is still based on the UK's. That's a fact, regardless of some misplaced sense of patriotism you seem to have. Referring back to UK practice makes complete sense, a lot more sense than making things up as you go along.

In this case, as the UK doesn't use these cantilevers, a commonsense approach can be taken. These signs needn't be patched IMO, not because it "looks daft" but because they only point at one thing, essentially acting as glorified fingerposts. And fingerposts aren't patched in any country.

whyulittle

The section of N62 from Kilmartins to N/M6 being ripped up this afternoon. Has the madness started?

Wild Bill

etchyed wrote: »

Much as I agree with you about the cantilevers not needing to be patched, I think we've had this discussion before and I really don't understand your complex about following UK practice. Although heavily modified at this stage, the Irish directional signage system is still based on the UK's. That's a fact, regardless of some misplaced sense of patriotism you seem to have. Referring back to UK practice makes complete sense, a lot more sense than making things up as you go along.

In this case, as the UK doesn't use these cantilevers, a commonsense approach can be taken. These signs needn't be patched IMO, not because it "looks daft" but because they only point at one thing, essentially acting as glorified fingerposts. And fingerposts aren't patched in any country.

Well I haven't had this discussion before!:D

And my dislike of knee-jerk adherence to UK standards has nothing to do with "patriotism", misplaced or otherwise. It is merely a strong dislike of the mindset that reckons UK standards are uber alles.

Nor are my views on road signage a "complex". They are my views on what is good and bad signage. Simple as. Uncomplicated by genuflection to the practice in a neighbouring jurisdiction. That would be a complex. :cool:

"Based on" is no basis for slavish adherence; a base is something you build on. "Making things up" is usually called innovation. In this case it is also improvement.

Agree with you on the cantilevers, if nothing else.

whyulittle

The large sign has now gone up westbound approaching J10, which would be the main junction for getting into Athlone town centre. It's signed

-Cavan
-Longford

and then as if it's an after thought

-Athlone.

The smaller sign near the slip is signed

-Cavan
-Athlone.

There are also new brown signs for services at Kilmartins and Applegreen (offline as well, not that either are far from the junctions).

Amtmann

Do none of you have cameras?? This thread is getting annoying without photos.

Empire o de Sun

As regarding patching. People seem to be worked up about it.

the rule is, terminal interchanges of motorways are patched, i.e. the last interchange. So green and white, or national and regional road patching is required for terminal signage on motorways.

Wild Bill

Furet wrote: »

Do none of you have cameras?? This thread is getting annoying without photos.

Tomorrow I go to Galway - I promise to bring the camera.

Where do you want photos of? Athlone BP? Check.

Anywhere else?

Amtmann

Wild Bill wrote: »

Tomorrow I go to Galway - I promise to bring the camera.

Where do you want photos of? Athlone BP? Check.

Anywhere else?

Athlone Bypass plus this new signage that's so contentious. Cheers!

veryangryman

Heres a few lads - sorry about quality

veryangryman

Some more.

veryangryman

And finally...

etchyed

Wild Bill wrote: »

Well I haven't had this discussion before!:D

And my dislike of knee-jerk adherence to UK standards has nothing to do with "patriotism", misplaced or otherwise. It is merely a strong dislike of the mindset that reckons UK standards are uber alles.

Nor are my views on road signage a "complex". They are my views on what is good and bad signage. Simple as. Uncomplicated by genuflection to the practice in a neighbouring jurisdiction. That would be a complex. :cool:

"Based on" is no basis for slavish adherence; a base is something you build on. "Making things up" is usually called innovation. In this case it is also improvement.

Agree with you on the cantilevers, if nothing else.

Having seen the photos now, it appears there are no cantilevers, but those small signs just before the exit which are broadly equivalent. I would be of the opinion that they also needn't be patched. The ADS seems to be patched in accordance with the rules.

Yes, making things up can be classed as innovation but it can sometimes also sometimes be called reinventing the wheel. But that's all just semantics in any case. I still believe that taking cues from the people who invented patching (which is quite a brilliant idea) in the first place makes a lot more sense than "innovating". I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree on this point.

For the record, there are lots of aspects of UK signage that I really don't like. Their motorway gantry signage is atrocious and with the exception of (you guessed it!) patching I think the NRA have stolen a march on them in that regard.

The lack of cantelevers is probably down to them not being installed yet
Anyway we've drifted enough off topic, when are they going to start making a mess on the road.

Wild Bill

Given the crucial importance of sign-posting to us folk here, I have taken an exhaustive series of photos of the signs from just past J13 eastbound (where the M6 ends and the Athlone bypass N6 starts) to where it trurns into the M6 again past J8.

I'll post them tomorrow, but here is a teaser: past J13 (Monksland Exit) on the N6 the first sign we encounter is this.

Ooops! It appears to be the wrong colour. NRA jumped the gun assuming the re-designation of the by-pass as motorway.



btw - many of these duplicate the work of Very Angry Man - apologies to His Furiousness.