N6 - Athlone Bypass Upgrade works

billbond4

They have the road down to one lane at the Coosan exit (11) westbound until exit (13) this morning dont really understand why, its just going to push the traffic jams away from the work

veryangryman

billbond4 wrote: »

They have the road down to one lane at the Coosan exit (11) westbound until exit (13) this morning dont really understand why, its just going to push the traffic jams away from the work

Force people to slow down i guess. nobody obeying the 50kph limit. One lane of traffic will do it. In their defence i guess workers are worried about it as a safety risk - ive seen quite a few running from one side of road to another. Big H&S risk

That said, fukc them - im going as fast as my foot/the car in front will allow :cool:

billbond4

The 50kph on the whole length of the bypass is a daft idea, they should have a reducing speed limit when you coming towards the current work works, at least people might have obeyed those signs.
And then a gradual increasing speed limit when your leaving works.
Now they are just forcing everyone to go the speed of the slowest car in the single lane.

I have no problem doing 50kph when im in an area that they are currently working on, but I do have a problem being forced to do 50kph on a road with no roadworks! :mad:
Bloody H&S
I think I need to wrap my car in highly reflective material and stick a strobe light on the roof so it can be seen by a pedestrian 2 miles away, but H&S probably say its a health risk as the pedestrian might have epilepsy !

KevR

Totally crazy right now on the BP.

EDIT: meant to say Westbound; Eastbound is fine

PS - people are using both lanes and merging in turn

veryangryman

KevR wrote: »

Totally crazy right now on the BP.

EDIT: meant to say Westbound; Eastbound is fine

PS - people are using both lanes and merging in turn

Got screwed on it today myself.

Next week will be exiting@J10, drive past Arcadia and get back on at Coosan slip

Will still be brutal but only ~25% as.... Seemed to be very few (myself included) with the cop to do that today

KevR

KevR wrote: »

PS - people are using both lanes and merging in turn

Are there any signs up, or have people just copped on!

KevR

Yesterday evening heading West between junctions 10 and 11:
(Click for fullsize image)

KevR

Deleted User wrote: »

Are there any signs up, or have people just copped on!

Didn't see any signs but then again I wasn't really looking out for them. I think it might have just been sheer volume yesterday evening which forced people to queue in both lanes.

whyulittle

Bad traffic in town yesterday as well, from the Cresent to the bridge. Couldn't see any reason for it though. You might think people avoiding the bypass, but the traffic coming in the Ballymahon Road wasn't heavy.

breakin_ball

What Junctions are closing on the BP on the 25th Feb?

whyulittle

I haven't been on it to see if they are keeping to schedule, but it they are, J12 Eastbound on-ramp, and J11 Eastbound off-ramp will be closed.

Maps should be online tomorrow.

billbond4

not looking good as they are already 3 days behind on phase 1. I have gotten onto wcc about the lack of info about the new lane closures and why the works are behind schedule already. Also asked them why they didnt give info that works would be carried out at night time.as parts of bypass go through residental areas(like where i live)↲Will post here when/if i hear back

veryangryman

If J13 eastbound (currently closed) remains closed tomorrow when J12 eastbound closes....

Town is gonna grind to a halt as only 1 road bridge will remain accessible. I may rent a boat

billbond4

i would hope that they will only close j12 when the works allow j13 to be opened.i think they are ready for the next contra flow but they have to finish off road surface between j13 and j12

whyulittle

I emailed them the other day looking for maps of the next closures, got back to me within a few minutes. They were back in touch again today to say the website should be updated, which it now is.

http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/news/name,8852,en.html

veryangryman

Thanks - thats fine for long distance comuters but what about Monksland - do we have to go through town?

whyulittle

To go from where to where? Monksland on-ramp will open once the Roscommon one closes. They are only allowed have one closed at a time.

veryangryman

whyulittle wrote: »

To go from where to where? Monksland on-ramp will open once the Roscommon one closes. They are only allowed have one closed at a time.

Monksland to East Athlone

Though they were behind on the works. Are we safe to take the J13 east on ramp tomorrow then?

whyulittle

No, from Monday according to the update.

Westmeath Co. Co. wrote:

Due to ongoing road maintenance on the N6 Athlone Relief Road the following traffic restrictions will be in place from Monday 28th February to Monday 14th March 2011


The N6 Athlone Relief Road will be down to one lane in each direction between junction 11 (Coosan) and junction 12 (Roscommon) from Monday 28th February until Monday 14th March 2011.

The eastbound exit at junction 11 and the eastbound entry at junction 12 will also be closed during this period.

KevR

billbond4 wrote: »

not looking good as they are already 3 days behind on phase 1. I have gotten onto wcc about the lack of info about the new lane closures and why the works are behind schedule already. Also asked them why they didnt give info that works would be carried out at night time.as parts of bypass go through residental areas(like where i live)↲Will post here when/if i hear back

What's the extent of the work that is being carried out at night?

I agree that they should have publicised the night works. The noise might be annoying but working at night might greatly reduce disruption (i.e. - works get done quicker and a lot less traffic chaos).

Two short sections of the N6 were resurfaced in Galway City in the last 2/3 years. One was done at night - I'm sure the noise was annoying for the local residents but there was pretty much no disruption apart from a minor detour and the works only last a few nights (because they were able to close the road). The other section was done during the day only with one lane in each direction at all times - absolute chaos, Galway was at a standstill for almost 2 weeks (despite this section being shorter than the one which only took a few nights); the local residents didn't have their sleep disturbed but it was a living nightmare for them if they tried to travel anywhere by day.

billbond4

Thats looking bad, 7 days longer than they planned for the first phase!!
if it keeps going like that it could be 2012 before the works are completed.

They are carrying out the same work as they do during the day,road surface removal etc. and it doesnt seem to be speeding up the work as they are already 7 days behind. The noise wasnt too bad but they should have made that information available.

whyulittle

I was across town tonight so I said I'd come home via the bypass to have a look.

There is a VMS at J12 on and J11 off, saying each will be closed for two weeks from Friday March 4th, so I give up at this stage!

billbond4

so which dates are correct? Its hard to believe that a private company are a week late and their info is all over the shop. You would think that the council were building it!

veryangryman

What i dont get is..

Were the works really needed? Bypass (a few potholes aside) pretty ok as roads go. the motorway either side shows it up but im pretty hapy with it.

Money should have gone on a proper junction for N62 IMO. The current arrangement of U-ing is daft

veryangryman

veryangryman wrote: »

What i dont get is..

Were the works really needed? Bypass (a few potholes aside) pretty ok as roads go. the motorway either side shows it up but im pretty hapy with it.

Money should have gone on a proper junction for N62 IMO. The current arrangement of U-ing is daft

A few potholes, the first signs of the surface breaking up.

If it was left alone, it would revert to gravel within a few years and would need constant patching. It's best to do it all in one go and be good for another 20 years or so.

Zubeneschamali

veryangryman wrote: »

Were the works really needed? Bypass (a few potholes aside) pretty ok as roads go.

Surface was bad and getting worse, catseyes were useless, markings worn off, signage invisible under 20 years of gunge, crash barriers in bits...

I think it needs more than this little patch job, it needs remediation at every junction, but I'm not encouraged to hear talk of traffic lights at the BallyMahon and Blyry exits...

KevR

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Surface was bad and getting worse, catseyes were useless, markings worn off, signage invisible under 20 years of gunge, crash barriers in bits...

I think it needs more than this little patch job, it needs remediation at every junction, but I'm not encouraged to hear talk of traffic lights at the BallyMahon and Blyry exits...

Yeah, the armco median barrier on the bend to the East of the Shannon is a disgrace - a crossover accident waiting to happen.

billbond4

problem with bypass is that the underlying surface was of poor quality. This will be the third time the road is surfaced. The surface was degrading very badly especially since the bad weather last year.↲wonder will contractors get a fine for being a week late on first phase?↲Have the proposed traffic lights at blyry exit been approved or are they waiting for approval ?

billbond4

just looking on the willis bros website and it says that they will be doing pavement overlay.any idea where they might be laying the new pavement? I saw them laying utility pipes next to hard shoulder on eastbound carriageway between j13 and j12 the last few weeks

whyulittle

I took pavement to mean road surface?

billbond4

yeah your right.Works seems to have slowed down a good bit on bypass.i wonder is it because willis bros are finishing off the new tuam road in monksland and spreading workforce between two jobs?

billbond4

the aa said that they have started work on j11 and j12 today but have they reopened j13 to j12?

absorbentmind

Just wodering does anyone on this thread commute from Galway to Athlone. Looking to carpool to save on the cost of travel, Ive started using the train with the price of fuel but would gladly change back to driving if I could carpool. I don't mind driving the whole time if necessary.
I travel Monday-Friday.

billbond4

just seen on aa roadwatch that j13 to j12 will be closed until this friday.Making it nearly two weeks late!any one got info on the delay? Work seems to have slowed down a lot on the bypass

Zubeneschamali

absorbentmind wrote: »

Just wodering does anyone on this thread commute from Galway to Athlone.

Sorry, I commute the other way, Athlone to Galway.

But if you tell me what you drive, I'll wave!

whyulittle

Westmeath Co. Co. wrote:

Due to ongoing road maintenance on the N6 Athlone Relief Road the following traffic restrictions will be in place from
Thursday 3rd March to Sunday 20th March 2011


The N6 Athlone Relief Road will be down to one lane in each direction between junction 11 (Coosan) and junction 12 (Roscommon) from Thursday 3rd March until Sunday 20th March 2011.

The eastbound exit at junction 11 and the eastbound entry at junction 12 will also be closed during this period.

Regular updates and diversion drawings will be posted on this website www.westmeathcoco.ie and announced on local radio.
Westmeath County Council wishes to thank you for your co-operation and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/news/name,8865,en.html

billbond4

lets just hope they will keep to closing the junctions on these dates and not change them again.↲just checked online and dates have changed (again) its now the 6th to 22nd

giveth

billbond4 wrote: »

lets just hope they will keep to closing the junctions on these dates and not change them again.↲just checked online and dates have changed (again) its now the 6th to 22nd

The electronic signs are now saying Wednesday 9th March for the new closures! (which means J13 on ramp / J12 off ramp won't open until then) Oh how I miss the J13 on ramp.

billbond4

wcc have plans for up for the junctions now.they must have gotten a deal on traffic lights from somewhere.↲
http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/news/name,8882,en.html

whyulittle

Westbound H/S coned off from Garrycastle and ducting going down.

billbond4

billbond4 wrote: »

wcc have plans for up for the junctions now.they must have gotten a deal on traffic lights from somewhere.↲
http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/news/name,8882,en.html

That's a lot of lights, what a high maintenance solution - really the last thing we need when the country is experiencing an economic slowdown & reduced income!

Mini roundabouts are a much better solution.

billbond4

Yeah mini roundabouts would have been a better idea alright, and for some reason they are putting one at the Cove shop, where there is very little traffic, whats that about?
I think if they reduced the speed limit in the Garrycastle area to around Ericsson to 50kph it would negatate the need for traffic lights as traffic would be going slower.
The only way the garrycastle and ballymahon lights arrangement could work if they are radar sensing.
The lights at Roscommon arent too bad but again why isnt there a roundabout there? there is plenty of room for one there.
Me thinks I will be sending in a long letter to WCC..

billbond4

billbond4 wrote: »

Yeah mini roundabouts would have been a better idea alright, and for some reason they are putting one at the Cove shop, where there is very little traffic, whats that about?
I think if they reduced the speed limit in the Garrycastle area to around Ericsson to 50kph it would negatate the need for traffic lights as traffic would be going slower.
The only way the garrycastle and ballymahon lights arrangement could work if they are radar sensing.
The lights at Roscommon arent too bad but again why isnt there a roundabout there? there is plenty of room for one there.
Me thinks I will be sending in a long letter to WCC..

Same here!

whyulittle

Hey, leave the roundabout at the Cova alone! It can be a nightmare turning right down into Arcadia from there. I go left half the time to the RSC roundabout and spin around.

JupiterKid

Given that the Athlone bypass forms such a pivotal function in not just the east to west N6 but also the N55, the N61 the N62 and some Regional roads in the Midlands, would it have been prudent (and possible) to have widened it to to D3 for future traffic levels?

A good bit of traffic heading from the midlands and the South east to the Northwest and from the West to Cavan/Monaghan and Northern Ireland must use the Athlone BP as part of their journey.

L1011

D3 would need work on or replacement of the Shannon Bridge as far as I can tell. Doesn't appear to be the width for a third lane either on the median or the shoulder.

whyulittle

Westmeath Co. Co. wrote:

N6 Athlone Relief Road Update 4th March 1:00pm

Due to ongoing road maintenance on the N6 Athlone Relief Road the following traffic restrictions will be in place from Wednesday 9th March to Sunday 27th March 2011.

The N6 Athlone Relief Road will be down to one lane in each direction between junction 11 (Coosan) and junction 12 (Roscommon) from Wednesday 9th March to Sunday 27th March 2011.

The eastbound exit at junction 11 and the eastbound entry at junction 12 will also be closed during this period.

http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/news/name,8865,en.html

whyulittle

I just looked at the original master-plan, and this stretch was supposed to be closed, and opened again by March 10th. So they are now a whole stretch behind schedule.

whyulittle

whyulittle wrote: »

I just looked at the original master-plan, and this stretch was supposed to be closed, and opened again by March 10th. So they are now a whole stretch behind schedule.

Realistically, they have little chance of catching up with the schedule, the best we can hope for now is they now get back to a schedule of two week a section.

KevR

The railings on the J10 overbridge were being painted earlier today.

Looks good!