Government Capital Spending on Roads: 2016-2022

Kevwoody

fernrock wrote: »

Clare Co Co have just spent what I believe is €90,000 renovating an existing roundabout in Kilkee. While the surface did need resurfacing , it now resembles a skateboard ramp with a lump of metal on top.
Local gossip is that the cost of this came from the "Culture " budget.

At the other end of the town there is a four road offset junction which is crying out for a roundabout . There is a mexican standoff here if more than two cars arrive at this junction together.

I am sure a max of €3000/5000 would provide a basic roundabout at this junction.

Since when does culture take precedence over road safaty and saving lives?

Considering that an average Local Authority road crew of 4 men driving around filling potholes / drinking tea costs in the region of €1500 - €2000 per day, €3000 wouldn't go to far in providing a small roundabout. In fact, it probably wouldn't even cover the design drawing.

Totally agree though, that junction is an absolute joke, especially in tourist season.

marno21

Latest update on roads schemes nationwide: August 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

An announcement on the winning tender for this scheme is expected to be announced shortly. Start within next 3 months.

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. The detailed route of this scheme has been released with junctions planned north of Adare, at Croagh and with the existing N21/new Foynes link at Rathkeale. The mainline is planned as Type 1 DC with the Foynes link planned as Type 1 SC with no local access.

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. The window for submissions from the public closes shortly, and a decision will be made in 2018 after an Orla Hearing occurs.

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. Early data collection activity has begun which will take place until Q1 2018.

N52 Ardee bypass

This scheme is shovel ready, and according to reports locally has now been given the green light to proceed to construction.

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. The two current sections are nearing the completion of earthworks and should be open for the summer 2018 season.

Pipeline schemes:

TII have indicated to DTTAS that they would like to proceed with planning on pipeline projects to be advanced when the above are completed. So far we have heard of 1:

N24 Cahir to Limerick Junction

marno21

Here is what the queue (national roads) is like at the minute, in accordance with the TII's Project Management Guidelines. I've left out a few smaller schemes but I can add them if you have the info.

Complete:
N56 Cloghbolie-Boyoughter (2013)
N56 Boyoughter-Kilkenny (01/2017)

Phase 7 - Completion and handover
N17 - Tuam Bypass

Phase 6 - Construction
M11/N30/N80 Gorey-Enniscorthy
M17/M18 Gort-Tuam
N25/N30 New Ross bypass
N76 Tennypark-Brownstown
N86 Lispole-Ballynasare
N86 Ballygarret-Camp

Phase 5 - Tender
M7/R409 Naas/Newbridge bypass upgrade & Sallins bypass
N8/N25/N40 Dunkettle Interchange
N56 Coolboy-Kilmacrennan
N61 Coolteige
N70 Kilderry bends

Phase 5 - Advance works
N2 Monaghan-Emyvale (tender due shortly)
N4 Collooney-Castlebaldwin (tender due shortly)
N5 Westport-Turlough (tender due shortly)
N22 Macroom-Ballyvourney (advance works ongoing)
N52 Ardee bypass (advance works)*
N56 Kilkenny-Letterilly (tender due shortly)
N56 Letterilly-Glenties (advance works)
N56 Mountcharles-Drumbeigh (tender due shortly)
N59 Moycullen bypass (advance works)
N86 Dingle-Annascaul & Gortbreagoge-Camp

Phase 4 - Planning submitted - decision due
N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge*
N6 Galway City Ring Road
M28 Cork-Ringaskiddy
N69 Listowel bypass*

Phase 3/4 - EIS/MO/design ongoing
N21/N69 Limerick-Foynes

Phase 2 - Route selection
N2 Slane bypass

Phase 1 - Feasibility study
N13/N56 Letterkenny-Manorcunningham
N14 Letterkenny-Lifford
N15 Ballybofey/Stranorlar bypass
N72 Mallow Relief Road

Early activities

M20 Cork-Limerick

Phase 0 - yet to be started (firm plans indicated officially)
N24 Cahir-Limerick Junction

In addition to these schemes, TII would like to add a number of schemes to the end of the queue to be progressed as funding becomes available. So far the only confirmed scheme is the N24 scheme as above. Others which have been mentioned with the N24 scheme are:

* N2 Ardee-Castleblaney*
* N2 Monaghan-NI border
* N4 Mullingar-Longford
* N17 Tuam-Claremorris*
* N17 Tobercurry bypass
* M20 Cork-Limerick
* N21 Abbeyfeale bypass
* N21 Newcastlewest bypass
* N25 Carrigtwohill-Midleton
* N25 Waterford-Glenmore
* N11/N25 Oilgate-Rosslare
* N52 Tullamore-Kilbeggan
* N71 Inishannon bypass
* N81 Blessington bypass

(* unconfirmed by TII - newspaper rumours)

road_high

If we could get that lot done it would be transformative. Few key schemes on the N24 and N80 I'd like to add.

marno21

Varadkar gave a speech in Belfast during the week when he said this:

Leo Varadkar wrote:

As part of this, we are working on our ambitious multi-annual 10-year capital plan to be finalised by the end of 2017. This will outline investment in roads, in public transport, in energy, in water, in schools, in higher education and in hospitals and health facilities. This capital plan will include detailed funded plans to complete the national road network, including links between Dublin and Derry-Londonderry and Donegal. We remain committed to contributing £75 million to the construction of the A5. In this context the Irish Government will also give consideration to other infrastructure commitments including the Ulster Canal, the concept of the Narrow Water Bridge, and improving line speeds on the Dublin to Belfast rail line. This 10 year capital plan will also accelerate delivery of Ireland's critical public transport infrastructure and will include substantial investment in the ports and airports that Ireland will need as a successful, global trading nation – infrastructure of benefit to the people and businesses of both parts of this island.

Read more at: http://www.derryjournal.com/news/in-full-taoiseach-leo-varadkar-s-belfast-speech-on-north-south-relations-1-8088100

Looks like we may see the current Capital Plan replaced with a new 10 year one?

In fairness, none of the projects in the current Capital Plan have even started, bar the starting of the M7 scheme within the next few months. Most of the schemes in the current plan will go ahead regardless because they are the only ones shovel ready (N4 Sligo, N5 Mayo, M7, Dunkettle, N22 Macroom, 2x N56 and N59 Moycullen) and all are heavily funded for 2017 or at tender.

Of the ones needing planning, the M21 and M28 schemes are EU bound so will be going ahead, M28 is with ABP. N6 Galway will likely be kept and the N2 Slane will probably be kept for safety purposes if it gets planning.

That leaves the N72 Mallow relief road, which I believe will be canned and the original plan for an N72 link north of Mallow as part of a wider M20 Cork-Limerick scheme.

In this new Capital plan, which goes til 2027 instead of the current one which goes to 2021, I believe the M20 and A5/N2 will be the cornerstone of the plan. I'd expect heavy funding of pipeline schemes on the N4, N5, N14, N17, N21, N24 and more.

We have money now and the days of no projects going ahead ala 2012-now will be heavily questioned. It was fully understandable that there was no schemes being built in the austerity and unemployment days but now that we have more employment and many roads and towns are at breaking point (Adare, Macroom, Claregalway, Tuam, Carrick-on-Shannon, New Ross, Dunkettle, Inishannon, Macroom, Killeagh, Castlemartyr, Ballybofey, Letterkenny, Moycullen, Ballinrobe, Newcastlewest, Abbeyfeale, Killarney, Bandon, Clonmel, Tipperary) action will have to be taken. We had a massive infrastructure deficit at the turn of the millenium and we managed to solve a fair chunk of it in 2000-2010 (Port Tunnel, M50, M1, M6, M7, M8, M9, Limerick Tunnel, Waterford bypass, Tullamore, Charlestown, Castleisland, Kinsale Road Roundabout, Gorey, M18 Shannon-Gort etc.), however we have a long way to go yet.

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

marno21

jacksie66 wrote: »

Any news on the new Killaloe bridge and bypass?

Latest update on funding for 2017 from Shane Ross:

The Shannon Bridge Crossing at Killaloe is one of a number of schemes included in the Capital Plan 2016-2021 designed to address bottlenecks on the road network. ​ The bridge is the 1st phase of the Killaloe Bypass/R494 upgrade scheme. In planning the construction schedule for individual projects included in the Plan, account has to be taken of the annual budgets in the Capital Plan and the need to phase projects to manage the available budgets.

Following the conclusion of the judicial review relating to the the Killaloe Bypass/R494 scheme, it is now a matter for the local authority (Clare County Council) to progress the scheme. Clare County Council has been provided with an allocation of €500,000 in 2017.

Scheme thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056342260

road_high

Yes, in my opinion now what we need is an MIU's Mark II Plan like what went on from mid 90s to 2010 when we replaced so much poor single carriageway with Motorways. And thankfully it's looking more like that, something coherent.
Varadkar can see the value of spending on infrastructure, Kenny was so small minded that once the N5 to Mayo was getting funded, he couldn't care less. A breath of fresh air.

roadmaster

I drove from The M50 to belturbet yesterday and i was shocked at the level of traffic on the road between the end of the N3 Dual carriageway and cavan town. Is there any update on this upgrade progressing or is it dead in the water? On my way back i drove down the Type 2 from whitegate to kells as it was closed on the way up which had me completely changing my mind on Type 2 . I certainly would be in favor of them now there not as bad i remembered. So i was thinking between Cavan and whitegate apart from a few pinch points i think a Type 2 could fit on the existing road instead of greenfield project, would doing this be worthwhile?

road_high

roadmaster wrote: »

I drove from The M50 to belturbet yesterday and i was shocked at the level of traffic on the road between the end of the N3 Dual carriageway and cavan town. Is there any update on this upgrade progressing or is it dead in the water? On my way back i drove down the Type 2 from whitegate to kells as it was closed on the way up which had me completely changing my mind on Type 2 . I certainly would be in favor of them now there not as bad i remembered. So i was thinking between Cavan and whitegate apart from a few pinch points i think a Type 2 could fit on the existing road instead of greenfield project, would doing this be worthwhile?

The N3 is a very busy route, it's the main road in/out of Cavan and much of the North west. A bypass of Virginia and a scheme to link it with the M3 at Kells would be on my to-do list.
Aren't there too many houses and junctions to retrofit the existing N3?

marno21

An N3 North of Kells-Cavan town was in planning before but was scrapped in 2011. No scheme has appeared since.

We may get something in Varadkar's 10 year Capital plan.

roadmaster

road_high wrote: »

The N3 is a very busy route, it's the main road in/out of Cavan and much of the North west. A bypass of Virginia and a scheme to link it with the M3 at Kells would be on my to-do list.
Aren't there too many houses and junctions to retrofit the existing N3?

I taught maybe building access roads parallel to the N3 would cover that but the cost of doing that would probably make greenfield cheaper

Aontachtoir

Has anyone heard anything new about when we can expect the updated capital plan? Is sometime in October still the best info we have?

marno21

Here is what the queue (national roads) is like at the minute, in accordance with the TII's Project Management Guidelines. I've left out a few smaller schemes but I can add them if you have the info.

Complete:
N56 Cloghbolie-Boyoughter (2013)
N56 Boyoughter-Kilkenny (01/2017)

Phase 7 - Completion and handover
N17 - Tuam Bypass (27/09/2017)
M17/M18 Gort-Tuam (27/09/2017)

Phase 6 - Construction
M7/R409 Naas/Newbridge bypass upgrade & Sallins bypass
M11/N30/N80 Gorey-Enniscorthy
N25/N30 New Ross bypass
N55 Corduff-South of Killydoon
N63 Abbeyknockmoy-Annagh Hill
N76 Tennypark-Brownstown
N86 Lispole-Ballynasare
N86 Ballygarret-Camp

Phase 5 - Tender
N2 Monaghan-Emyvale realignment
N8/N25/N40 Dunkettle Interchange
N56 Coolboy-Kilmacrennan
N61 Coolteige
N70 Kilderry bends

Phase 5 - Advance works
N4 Collooney-Castlebaldwin (tender due shortly)
N5 Westport-Turlough (tender due shortly)
N22 Macroom-Ballyvourney (advance works ongoing)
N52 Ardee bypass (advance works)*
N56 Kilkenny-Letterilly (tender due shortly)
N56 Letterilly-Glenties (advance works)
N56 Mountcharles-Drumbeigh (tender due shortly)
N59 Moycullen bypass (advance works)
N86 Dingle-Annascaul & Gortbreagoge-Camp

Phase 4 - Planning submitted - decision due
N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge*

M28 Cork-Ringaskiddy
N69 Listowel bypass*
N78 Athy Distributor Street

Phase 3/4 - EIS/MO/design ongoing
N3 Snugborough Interchange Upgrade
N6 Galway City Ring Road
N15 Corcam Bends realignment
N16 Lugatober (Drumkilsellagh-Lugnagall)
N21/N69 Limerick-Foynes
N61 Ballymurray-Knockcroghery
N61 Tulsk-Clashganney
M3 Motorway Service Area (Dunshaughlin)
M6/M17/M18 Motorway Service Area (Oranmore)
M18 Motorway Service Area (Newmarket-on-Fergus)

Phase 2 - Route selection
N2 Slane bypass

Phase 1 - Feasibility study
N13/N56 Letterkenny-Manorcunningham
N14 Letterkenny-Lifford
N15 Ballybofey/Stranorlar bypass
N72 Mallow Relief Road

Early activities

M20 Cork-Limerick

Phase 0 - yet to be started (firm plans indicated officially)
N24 Cahir-Limerick Junction

In addition to these schemes, TII would like to add a number of schemes to the end of the queue to be progressed as funding becomes available. So far the only confirmed scheme is the N24 scheme as above. Others which have been mentioned with the N24 scheme are:

* N2 Ardee-Castleblaney*
* N2 Monaghan-NI border
* N4 Mullingar-Longford
* N17 Tuam-Claremorris*
* N17 Tobercurry bypass
* M20 Cork-Limerick
* N21 Abbeyfeale bypass
* N21 Newcastlewest bypass
* N25 Carrigtwohill-Midleton
* N25 Waterford-Glenmore
* N11/N25 Oilgate-Rosslare
* N40 Cork North Ring Road
* N52 Tullamore-Kilbeggan
* N71 Inishannon bypass
* N81 Blessington bypass

(* unconfirmed by TII - newspaper rumours)

marno21

Aontachtoir wrote: »

Has anyone heard anything new about when we can expect the updated capital plan? Is sometime in October still the best info we have?

Likely in conjunction with Budget 2018 and the first draft publications of the new National Planning Framework.

Dail is back Monday 2 weeks so a lot of chatter from then on.

marno21

€4.1bn additional capital funding available from now til 2022.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/business/capital-review-will-identify-where-spending-best-allocated-minister-806057.html

That should cover the Ardee bypass, Listowel bypass, M11/M50 widening, planning for the M20, and the initial phases of several new projects, 2 of which we know (N2 Ardee-Castleblayney & N24 Limerick Junction-Cahir).

L1011

Expect to see all N4/N15 projects prioritised if there continues to be zero certainty on the border situation; particularly the Carrick-on-Shannon and Ballybofey/Stranorlar bypasses and possibly the Sligo outer route (although the new bridge may help sufficiently there, for now).

road_high

L1011 wrote: »

Expect to see all N4/N15 projects prioritised if there continues to be zero certainty on the border situation; particularly the Carrick-on-Shannon and Ballybofey/Stranorlar bypasses and possibly the Sligo outer route (although the new bridge may help sufficiently there, for now).

Where are these schemes at at present? I've never seen or read much about them so I'm assuming barely on the drawing board (if at all).

marno21

road_high wrote: »

Where are these schemes at at present? I've never seen or read much about them so I'm assuming barely on the drawing board (if at all).

Carrack-on-Shannon was suspended and will have to start from scratch. Ballybofey/Stranorlar is at feasibility study/route selection/initial design.

L1011

road_high wrote: »

Where are these schemes at at present? I've never seen or read much about them so I'm assuming barely on the drawing board (if at all).

Ballybofey/Stranorlar was refused planning permission due to poor safety design. It was going to be 2+1 so possibly just as well; the new scheme will probably be 2+2

Sligo Outer Ring Road hasn't gone beyond notional concepts; the current plan is widening the road from the existing inner relief road further north and a fourth road bridge in the town to remove some local traffic from the relief road.

marno21

Varadkar has published his Vision for Ireland and has a paragraph on Infrastructure, in which he namedrops: (link)

The M20/Cork-Limerick motorway
The N6 Galway bypass
New roads to Mayo, Sligo and Donegal (N4/N5/N15/N17/N2-A5)

Whilst cynicism has become the order of the day after the last 5/6 years of deadness in the Roads area, we opened over 800km of motorway between 2000 and 2010.

We opened 14km between 2011 and now. There is a middle ground, and we have gone beyond the days of a short term Taoiseach with only the N5 on his mind. Hopefully this change comes to fruition.

MayoSalmon

marno21 wrote:

We opened 14km between 2011 and now. There is a middle ground, and we have gone beyond the days of a short term Taoiseach with only the N5 on his mind. Hopefully this change comes to fruition.

Ah come on you can't be comparing road building during the greatest economic expansion in the history of the state while also starting from virtually zero motorway in the country. When your country is bankrupt your not gonna be in investing in roads..unless your living in some socialist dystopia

marno21

MayoSalmon wrote: »

Ah come on you can't be comparing road building during the greatest economic expansion in the history of the state while also starting from virtually zero motorway in the country. When your country is bankrupt your not gonna be in investing in roads..unless your living in some socialist dystopia

Of course you do. Job creation &a economic stimulus. Not starting major projects during a construction bubble and as such paying a premium. But we don't do it that way in Ireland

There is no excuse as to why 0km of major road projects (bar the PPPs which are on the cards since 2009) have started since 2015. None

Edit: I was also making the point that no roadbuilding has been the status quo but things can't get any worse; so some positivity wouldn't go astray

MayoSalmon

marno21 wrote:

Of course you do. Job creation &a economic stimulus. Not starting major projects during a construction bubble and as such paying a premium. But we don't do it that way in Ireland

When you have no money you have no money! It's that simple and that's why there has been zero road building. You can see now as the economy continues to improve they will continue to invest.

Aontachtoir

MayoSalmon wrote: »

marno21 wrote:

Of course you do. Job creation &a economic stimulus. Not starting major projects during a construction bubble and as such paying a premium. But we don't do it that way in Ireland

When you have no money you have no money! It's that simple and that's why there has been zero road building. You can see now as the economy continues to improve they will continue to invest.

I agree! For most of the past decade we not only had no cash, we were locked out of the international markets which would let us sell debt. There was simply no cash available to build or plan for these roads. There's no magic money tree when you're broke and locked into an IMF bailout program, and our engineers can't work for free. The N5 improvements were small, somewhat affordable, and desperately needed for basic safety reasons. Not saying the Cork-Limerick road is much better, but when you don't have cash there's very little you can do.

marno21

The money spent on Deenihan & Kenny's pet projects was seemingly available so I don't see how the €1m required to restart the M20 wasn't.

It was a complete lack of interest on the part of the Government - Belturbet, Tralee, Longford & Ballaghaderren in addition to the N25 interchanges in Cork all started during 2011/12, when we were in the deepest of the deep.

road_high

MayoSalmon wrote: »

Ah come on you can't be comparing road building during the greatest economic expansion in the history of the state while also starting from virtually zero motorway in the country. When your country is bankrupt your not gonna be in investing in roads..unless your living in some socialist dystopia

It's the perfect time...economic stimuli through better infrastructure and the jobs/investment in building the roads themselves and more cheaply. It's a no brainer.

MayoSalmon

road_high wrote:

It's the perfect time...economic stimuli through better infrastructure and the jobs/investment in building the roads themselves and more cheaply. It's a no brainer.

How exactly is this "perfect time" supposed to be financed exactly? In 2012 Irelands debt to GDP ratio was 120%. In monetary terms we were €225 billion in debt!! And were still one of the most indebted countries in the world.

road_high

MayoSalmon wrote: »

How exactly is this "perfect time" supposed to be financed exactly? In 2012 Irelands debt to GDP ratio was 120%. In monetary terms we were €225 billion in debt!! And were still one of the most indebted countries in the world.

Things improved sharply in 2011. Borrowing rates and interest dropped fast. This would have been the opportune time to ramp up Infrastructural spending, especially in favour of the vast amounts spent on welfare for example. But this being Ireland, most people can't see beyond the next election and so we end up where we are now, massive infrastructural deficit with a token effort to catch up.

Aontachtoir

road_high wrote: »

MayoSalmon wrote: »

How exactly is this "perfect time" supposed to be financed exactly? In 2012 Irelands debt to GDP ratio was 120%. In monetary terms we were €225 billion in debt!! And were still one of the most indebted countries in the world.

Things improved sharply in 2011. Borrowing rates and interest dropped fast. This would have been the opportune time to ramp up Infrastructural spending, especially in favour of the vast amounts spent on welfare for example. But this being Ireland, most people can't see beyond the next election and so we end up where we are now, massive infrastructural deficit with a token effort to catch up.

In 2011 we were still locked into the bailout and could neither borrow on the international markets nor spend the French, German and Dutch taxpayers' money we were propping ourselves up with as we liked. Those years of recession were really, really bad. The government didn't miss an opportunity to build. Building (and planning!) takes money, money, money. We never had that money, so we never had the opportunity in the first place.

Things, happily, are very different now. After Leo balances the books, we become much freer to spend as we see fit (as long as the books stay balanced, of course).