Government Capital Spending on Roads: 2016-2022

marno21

Michael Nolan of TII met with an Oireachtas Committee last week.

Main points:

* M50 VSLs to begin in 2019
* Outside of the Capital Plan, only two pipeline schemes are ready to submit to ABP: N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge and N69 Listowel BP. As a result, TII are appealing to DTTAS to provide money for funding pipeline projects due to the lack of projects ready to go after the Capital Plan schemes are implemented by 2022.
* N4 Collooney-Castlebaldwin to start construction in Q2 2019.
* TII's most urgent priorities at present are achieving steady state funding for pavement renewal and bringing pipeline projects to the shovel ready stage for the next Capital plan. As far as they are concerned the funding for the 8 programmed schemes (N4 C-C, N5 W-T, Dunkettle, M7 upgrade, N22 Macroom, N59 Moycullen & two N56 schemes) is secure and so is funding for getting the planning done on the other 5 (N6 Galway, M28, Limerick-Foynes, Mallow and Slane).
* 7 minor schemes/realignments being done this year. 2 next year. 50 schemes ready to bring to the next stage pending funding.
* TII had an ambition of doing 150 minor safety schemes between 2012 and 2018. 43/44 of these will get done.
* Limerick-Foynes to be submitted to ABP end 2017/early 2018.
* TII acknowledges that the N71 needs work due to traffic volume but no funding available. Passing lanes may be implemented.
* M28 to be sent to ABP before end of May.
* No money available for the N22 Killarney-Farranfore or the N71 Killarney Relief Road.



https://www.kildarestreet.com/committees/?id=2017-03-22a.9

marno21

Roads into Grangecastle Business Park, whose upgrade is being funded as part of the Capital Plan, are to start construction in 2017 as per Shane Ross.

Also confirms that funding is being provided on an ongoing basis for the planning of the new bridge in Sligo, relief roads in Athy, Portlaoise, Dingle and Laytown/Bettystown, and the upgrade of the road network around Killaloe/Ballina.

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2017-04-06a.922

€140m is being allocated over the duration of the Capital plan for these projects.

road_high

So in other words an already very unambitous plan is now even inadequate...great!

sondagefaux

Ross has to be the most useless Transport minister ever.

marno21

http://connachttribune.ie/critical-infrastructure-identified-future-west-090/

Interesting reading.

spacetweek

Access roads to the back of a business park and a tiny local road in Bettystown are touted as national infrastructure investment. It's mortifying.

marno21

TII review of the National Road network for 2016:

http://www.tii.ie/tii-library/strategic-planning/nra-road-network-indicators/TII-National-Road-Network-Indicators-2016.pdf

marno21

Shane Ross wrote:

My Department is seeking additional funding for a package of measures, including the development of a project pipeline for road schemes. While there is a strong case for additional funding for the transport sector, there are a multitude of possible national, regional and local projects around the country, the cost of which far exceed available funding and unfortunately, this means that only a limited number can be put forward for funding. The final decisions on allocations are, however, matters for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Government as a whole

DTTAS looking for cash to reactivate pipeline projects.

marno21

Part of the tax refund regarding motorway tolls of €100m is to be spent on 4 medium length realignments:

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/vat-savings-on-tolls-to-be-used-for-road-safety-schemes-1.3081377

N70 Kilderry Bends
N56 Coolboy-Kilmacrennan
N2 Monaghan-Emyvale Phase III
N61 Coolteige.

Further updates on the minor schemes thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057596339

spacetweek

Wrong Examiner link there...

marno21

spacetweek wrote: »

Wrong Examiner link there...

Apologies, corrected.

marno21

Latest update: 8 June 2017

Capital plan (schemes with planning):
N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin

This scheme is currently subject to advance works, with a tender for engineering consultants to take the scheme through the tender, construction and handover stages currently awaiting an award.

N5 Westport to Turlough

This scheme is currently at the advance works stage with a tender expected soon.

M7 Naas Newbridge bypass upgrade + R407 Sallins bypass

Tenders have been accepted for this scheme with an award expected & a start in Q3 is likely.

N8/N25/N40 Dunkettle Interchange

Construction tenders were issued in May, with construction to begin in Q1 2019. The concise detailed design and traffic management planning is the reason for the long delay between tender and construction.

N22 Macroom to Ballyvourney

This is at the advance works stage with a consultancy tender expected shortly and a construction tender soon after.

N56 Dungloe to Glenties

This scheme has been split into several stages:

* Phase 1: Cloghbolie to Boyoughter opened in 2013.
* Phase 2: Boyoughter to Kilkenny opened in January 2017.
* Phase 3: Kilkenny to Letterilly is expected to start in Q3 2017, with a Q1 2019 opening.
* Phase 4: Letterilly to Glenties is at the advance works stage with a 2019 start anticipated.

The remainder is being progressed with funding guaranteed as part of the Capital Plan.

N56 Mountcharles to Inver

This scheme has been split in 2:

Phase 1: Mountcharles to Drumbeigh (2.5km); this is to start in Q3 2017 with a Q1 2019 finish.
Phase 2: Drumbeigh to Inver Bridge (2.4km); will start after completion of Phase 1.

N59 Moycullen Bypass

In planning since the 1970s and shovel ready, but we've heard little on this recently. There is €2m allocated for 2017 so there should be movement.

Capital plan (schemes without planning):

N2 Slane bypass

This scheme was started afresh in February 2017, and has passed the feasibility study stage. It is currently at the route selection stage.

N6 Galway City Ring Road

This scheme was sent to An Bord Pleanala in May 2017, with a planning decision due. It is expected to be shovel ready by 2021.

N21/N69 Limerick to Foynes

A submission to An Bord Pleanala is expected in Q4 2017, with design and EIS preperation currently ongoing.

M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy

In light of heavy local objection, this scheme was sent to An Bord Pleanala in May 2017. A decision on planning is due before progression to the detailed design and tender stage.

N72 Mallow Relief Road

This scheme remains at the feasibility stage, and with no funding allocated for 2017, it is anticipated there will be no movement on the scheme in 2017.

N78 Athy Southern Distributor Road

This scheme was sent to ABP in April 2017, with the CPO published at the same time. If approved by ABP, a 2020 opening is anticipated.

Capital plan (others):

A5 Western Transport Corridor

If this makes it through the ongoing public hearing, this could start in late 2017, with the first stretch from Newbuildings to Strabane.

Other schemes (without central funding):

N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge

This scheme is to be submitted to An Bord Pleanala imminently, however it is not funded at present.

N13 / N14 / N15 Donegal schemes

Consultants are currently taking these three schemes through the feasbility study, route selection, design and environmental impact assessment stages.

M20 Cork to Limerick

This has been reactivated but there is currently no funding to take this through the planning stages. It will take until Q1 2018 for "initial data collection and model updates" to take place.

N52 Ardee bypass

This scheme is shovel ready and is expected to be included in the Capital Plan midterm review.

N69 Listowel bypass

This scheme was sent to An Bord Pleanala in May 2017, planning decision due.

N86 Tralee to Dingle

This scheme (bar the two ongoing realignments near Lispole and Camp) has planning approved and is going through the advance works stage at present.

road_high

To me that list is just all basic essential stuff, needed 10 years ago... Depressing to see such slow progress/will/interest.

Can forget about anything major with out of box strategic thinking like the DOOR etc.

marno21

Varadkar currently announcing his Cabinet, has mentioned a "new Capital plan" twice, in relation to Donohue at Public Expenditure and Ross at Transport.

With a bit of luck, given Varadkar's regular mention of increased capex, we may see some movement here.

spacetweek

Pity Ross is staying in Transport, he's useless.

D Trent

spacetweek wrote: »

Pity Ross is staying in Transport, he's useless.

He'll be more productive in his remit now that Reopen Stepaside Garda station campaign is over.

marno21

D Trent wrote: »

He'll be more productive in his remit now that Reopen Stepaside Garda station campaign is over.

The campaign to reopen Stepaside Garda Station hardly took up all his time in the past year, that is the time he had when he wasn't in Rio or engaging in photo ops.

https://twitter.com/RoisinShortall/status/874992493527539716

A photo op outside Stepaside Garda Station - highly exciting.

marno21

Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Kerry TD Brendan Griffin is the new Minister of State in DTTAS.

Given his long history of promises regarding the N22 Macroom bypass and other upgrades in the south west here's his chance to take action.

Departing Minister Patrick O'Donovan will be fondly remembered for his contribution of nothing to the transport issues in his constituency or nationwide.

Tedddy

marno21 wrote: »

Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Kerry TD Brendan Griffin is the new Minister of State in DTTAS.

Given his long history of promises regarding the N22 Macroom bypass and other upgrades in the south west here's his chance to take action.

Departing Minister Patrick O'Donovan will be fondly remembered for his contribution of nothing to the transport issues in his constituency or nationwide.

Brendan Griffin, as was Patrick O'Donovan, will be Minister for State with responsibility for Tourism and Sport, it should therefore be expected he will have little or any influence on Transport matters.

marno21

Tedddy wrote: »

Brendan Griffin, as was Patrick O'Donovan, will be Minister for State with responsibility for Tourism and Sport, it should therefore be expected he will have little or any influence on Transport matters.

Michael Ring was Minister of State there and managed to get an N5 scheme built in his time, got 2 N5 schemes a fair way through planning and also the N59 Westport-Mulranny scheme started.

D Trent

marno21 wrote: »

Michael Ring was Minister of State there and managed to get an N5 scheme built in his time, got 2 N5 schemes a fair way through planning and also the N59 Westport-Mulranny scheme started.

You don't think Castlebar man Enda Kenny had a hand in those N5 schemes no?

unit 1

Would'nt be surprised if the minister for small monies was promoted to ensure the smooth passage of the n5 to tender and construction stage.
EK most likely made sure the n5 was a "fait accompli" in a deal with leo before he left, with ring put in place to ensure it goes smoothly. Even though he might claim the credit everbody knows who the real driving force was.
Quite frankly Ring is not full minister material, and I feel that if he gets another go Leo will put in a signifigantly different cabinet to this one.

marno21

D Trent wrote: »

You don't think Castlebar man Enda Kenny had a hand in those N5 schemes no?

Of course Enda was involved, but it would be foolish to assume Ring had no involvement, especially since the 2 schemes furthest ahead in planning at the minute, Westport-Mulranny and Westport-Turlough are both Westport oriented and the N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge, which would be of much more benefit to Enda, is only at planning stage and is not funded.

Kevwoody

Tedddy wrote: »

Brendan Griffin, as was Patrick O'Donovan, will be Minister for State with responsibility for Tourism and Sport, it should therefore be expected he will have little or any influence on Transport matters.

With Kerry being the tourism capital of Ireland, he's going to want good roads leading to it.
If you can believe his claims, he was apparently the main reason the N86 Tralee to Dingle is being upgraded.

marno21

Kevwoody wrote: »

With Kerry being the tourism capital of Ireland, he's going to want good roads leading to it.
If you can believe his claims, he was apparently the main reason the N86 Tralee to Dingle is being upgraded.

It wouldn't surprise me. A lot of the schemes currently in planning have political connections:

N5 Westport-Turlough, N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge & N59 Westport-Mulranny: Enda/Ring
N69 Listowel bypass: Deenihan
M11 Enniscorthy bypass & N25 New Ross bypass: more so the start was to coincide with Howlin's election campaign
N72 Mallow relief road: used by Sherlock/Labour as a "we couldn't get the M20 so here's this"

spacetweek

marno21 wrote: »

the N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge, which would be of much more benefit to Enda, is only at planning stage and is not funded.

Just out of interest, I estimated that cost by looking up the cost of the 13.5 km Ballaghderreen bypass (€60M all in) and scaled up to the length of the Bd-Scramogue. I got a figure of €156 million. Expensive.

marno21

spacetweek wrote: »

Just out of interest, I estimated that cost by looking up the cost of the 13.5 km Ballaghderreen bypass (€33M) and scaled up to the length of the Bd-Scramogue. I got a figure of €86 million. Quite expensive.

The entire scheme is being built at grade as well. No bridges for local roads and the 3 junctions along the route are to be roundabouts, which will cut the cost a bit.

Given the lack of ready to go projects I can see this, the Ardee & Listowel bypasses and M20 planning funding (simply because of the sheer volume of submissions for it to be included) to be given the green light in the Capital Plan review.

spacetweek

marno21 wrote: »

The entire scheme is being built at grade as well. No bridges for local roads and the 3 junctions along the route are to be roundabouts, which will cut the cost a bit.

Didn't know that, thanks.

road_high

marno21 wrote: »

The entire scheme is being built at grade as well. No bridges for local roads and the 3 junctions along the route are to be roundabouts, which will cut the cost a bit.

Given the lack of ready to go projects I can see this, the Ardee & Listowel bypasses and M20 planning funding (simply because of the sheer volume of submissions for it to be included) to be given the green light in the Capital Plan review.

Know the N5 isn't all that busy but while they are it all, why not spend some extra money and make it higher spec

road_high

marno21 wrote: »

Michael Nolan of TII met with an Oireachtas Committee last week.

Main points:

* M50 VSLs to begin in 2019
* Outside of the Capital Plan, only two pipeline schemes are ready to submit to ABP: N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge and N69 Listowel BP. As a result, TII are appealing to DTTAS to provide money for funding pipeline projects due to the lack of projects ready to go after the Capital Plan schemes are implemented by 2022.
* N4 Collooney-Castlebaldwin to start construction in Q2 2019.
* TII's most urgent priorities at present are achieving steady state funding for pavement renewal and bringing pipeline projects to the shovel ready stage for the next Capital plan. As far as they are concerned the funding for the 8 programmed schemes (N4 C-C, N5 W-T, Dunkettle, M7 upgrade, N22 Macroom, N59 Moycullen & two N56 schemes) is secure and so is funding for getting the planning done on the other 5 (N6 Galway, M28, Limerick-Foynes, Mallow and Slane).
* 7 minor schemes/realignments being done this year. 2 next year. 50 schemes ready to bring to the next stage pending funding.
* TII had an ambition of doing 150 minor safety schemes between 2012 and 2018. 43/44 of these will get done.
* Limerick-Foynes to be submitted to ABP end 2017/early 2018.
* TII acknowledges that the N71 needs work due to traffic volume but no funding available. Passing lanes may be implemented.
* M28 to be sent to ABP before end of May.
* No money available for the N22 Killarney-Farranfore or the N71 Killarney Relief Road.



https://www.kildarestreet.com/committees/?id=2017-03-22a.9

If they did this on many existing National Primary and Secondary routes it would make such a difference in the interim for not a whole lot of money.
I'm thinking of routes like the N21, N24, N80, N25 etc. There's much hard shoulder virtually unused too. Would free up traffic flows greatly in my opinion.