N71 - Cork to Bandon

marno21

Another scheme proposed a few years back that is badly needed.

Type 1 DC is planned from the existing low standard DC to the N40, with road type TBA from there to Bandon. It's assumed that the grade seperated S3/S4 section around Ballinhassig/Halfway will be used as part of this project.

AugustusMinimus

What's the plan to deal with all the private access issues?

marno21

http://www.southernstar.ie/news/roundup/articles/2016/12/15/4131637-n71-into-west-cork--is-like-the-drive-into-damascus/

Must be the busiest national road in Ireland with no firm upgrade plan (that's feasible - this is still a legacy cattle track in places)

marno21

http://www.southernstar.ie/news/roundup/articles/2017/01/15/4133079-councillors-upset-at-snub-over-meeting-with-ross/

Unsurprised at Ross here. Funding being sought for Inishannon BP, and also for work to be done on the Bandon relief road.

TII are going ahead with a realignment east of Rosscarbery.

KCAccidental

always though 2+2 from South Ring to Halfway is a cheap and easy win for N71.

marno21

KCAccidental wrote: »

always though 2+2 from South Ring to Halfway is a cheap and easy win for N71.

This stretch of road is already above the peak traffic volumes for a 2+2, it's Type 1 or nothing.

Vex Willems

marno21 wrote: »

http://www.southernstar.ie/news/roundup/articles/2017/01/15/4133079-councillors-upset-at-snub-over-meeting-with-ross/

Unsurprised at Ross here. Funding being sought for Inishannon BP, and also for work to be done on the Bandon relief road.

TII are going ahead with a realignment east of Rosscarbery.

It's amazing that Bandon bypass has remained the same state for so long, the Clon side is ridiculous. It must be like that nearly 20 years now!

marno21

Vex Willems wrote: »

It's amazing that Bandon bypass has remained the same state for so long, the Clon side is ridiculous. It must be like that nearly 20 years now!

A simple reconfiguration of the junction between the relief road and the Kilbrittain road would make things much smoother. Surprising it hasn't been done yet.

boardsuser1

What are they going doing by the chip van? could that stretch be straightened? I hate driving to west Cork for personal or professional reasons. the bloody train would have been better on that death trap of a road.

marno21

KC161 wrote: »

What are they going doing by the chip van? could that stretch be straightened? I hate driving to west Cork for personal or professional reasons. the bloody train would have been better on that death trap of a road.

The only firm plans for the N71 at the minute is a short realignment east of Rosscarbery. A major scheme will have to be done closer to Cork but not on FGs watch

Chris_5339762

I love the way its now officially being referred to as Chip Van corner.

boardsuser1

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

I love the way its now officially being referred to as Chip Van corner.

Is there an official name for it?
It should be called memorial corner after all the people that have died there over the years.

boardsuser1

marno21 wrote: »

The only firm plans for the N71 at the minute is a short realignment east of Rosscarbery. A major scheme will have to be done closer to Cork but not on FGs watch

That's not the road to Leap is it?

marno21

KC161 wrote: »

That's not the road to Leap is it?

No between Rosscarbery and Lissavaird as far as I know. East of where the current climbing lane is approaching the Owenahincha turnoff. The road east of there is a shambles in fairness.

The road from Ross towards Leap bar the climbing lane section could do with work too especially on approach to Ross

mickmmc

marno21 wrote: »

A simple reconfiguration of the junction between the relief road and the Kilbrittain road would make things much smoother. Surprising it hasn't been done yet.

The problem with the Bandon Relief is that the hill on the approach to the Kilbrittan Road is too high. Re-configuring the junction would be of limited benefit.

I wouldn't like to be going westbound going down that hill with a truck with a load; it could take off. Going eastbound, the truck would have to be revved to the limit to climb the hill.

As far as I am aware very few trucks use the relief road for the above reasons.

Phase II was to extend the relief road to Bandon Grammar School on the Clonakilty Road.

marno21

mickmmc wrote: »

The problem with the Bandon Relief is that the hill on the approach to the Kilbrittan Road is too high. Re-configuring the junction would be of limited benefit.

I wouldn't like to be going westbound going down that hill with a truck with a load; it could take off. Going eastbound, the truck would have to be revved to the limit to climb the hill.

As far as I am aware very few trucks use the relief road for the above reasons.

Phase II was to extend the relief road to Bandon Grammar School on the Clonakilty Road.

Been a while since I've driven though Bandon so forgot about the gradient there. There's often a queue of cars going west on the N71 at that junction at peak times all the same.

At this stage it's nearly be best to plan an outer bypass of sorts as the existing one has a lot of development on it and is very close to the town to effectively be a bypass. It's effectively an inner relief road at this stage it's been swallowed by the tiwn

KCAccidental

marno21 wrote: »

This stretch of road is already above the peak traffic volumes for a 2+2, it's Type 1 or nothing.

post-viaduct to halfway is already grade separated, i'm pretty sure.

boardsuser1

KCAccidental wrote: »

post-viaduct to halfway is already grade separated, i'm pretty sure.

About 2 miles of it roughly is it?

marno21

KC161 wrote: »

About 2 miles of it roughly is it?

The new road built in the 1990s between the end of the "dual carraigeway" and Halfway is reasonably good with only 2/3 accesses onto it and also has a GSJ for Ballinhassig. The only single carriaigeway I have seen that has 3 lanes, citybound at the GSJ with the merge lane and the climbing lane.

Here to the city, as well as joining the N40 is the issue due to the lack of space and the inability to use the current roadway.

boardsuser1

marno21 wrote: »

The new road built in the 1990s between the end of the "dual carraigeway" and Halfway is reasonably good with only 2/3 accesses onto it and also has a GSJ for Ballinhassig. The only single carriaigeway I have seen that has 3 lanes, citybound at the GSJ with the merge lane and the climbing lane.

Here to the city, as well as joining the N40 is the issue due to the lack of space and the inability to use the current roadway.

Was on this road today actually, only now have i taken notice of the works that were done on the exit to from Ballinhhassig coming from halfway,it looks like it was widened with a new merge lane added. I see so many things on the roads these days i hardly bat an eyelid but this did catch my eye.

How long ago it was done i don't know exactly, but in recent years definitely. I try and avoid 'going west' as much as possible.

marno21

KC161 wrote: »

Was on this road today actually, only now have i taken notice of the works that were done on the exit to from Ballinhhassig coming from halfway,it looks like it was widened with a new merge lane added. I see so many things on the roads these days i hardly bat an eyelid but this did catch my eye.

How long ago it was done i don't know exactly, but in recent years definitely. I try and avoid 'going west' as much as possible.

I've only been driving the N71 with 2 years so I can't say I've noticed.

Surely the traffic is the only reason you don't "go west"? Much more to see than going east

boardsuser1

marno21 wrote: »

I've only been driving the N71 with 2 years so I can't say I've noticed.

Surely the traffic is the only reason you don't "go west"? Much more to see than going east

It would have been that, maybe longer since i was last down that way.

Hopefully someone else can give a time lime on when that was done.

As for going east, i blame the O/H, she likes it

I'm going north now tomorrow along the dreaded N20, then the N72 and back via the M8.

Interesting day ahead.

marno21

KC161 wrote: »

It would have been that, maybe longer since i was last down that way.

Hopefully someone else can give a time lime on when that was done.

As for going east, i blame the O/H, she likes it

I'm going north now tomorrow along the dreaded N20, then the N72 and back via the M8.

Interesting day ahead.

Driving that road on a sunny day is torture with the volume of traffic. It's so busy on a Sunday afternoon, along with peak commuting times. The heavy traffic in both directions makes overtaking quite difficult.

Each to their own I suppose, although driving east may be easier without the 20,000 cars on the N71!

We might meet each other on the road, I've to do an N20 trip tomorrow too. No doubt we'll both be looking out the windscreen with reckless impatient faces.

marno21

Just a reminder that the N71 is closed from the Bandon Road Roundabout to Ballinhassig for the weekend, until Monday morning. Diversion via N27 Airport Road & R600/R613 through Ballinhassig.

Expect long, long, long delays. Busiest time of the year for the N71 and it's closed. The diversion route is also very busy as its peak time for flights from Cork Airport and would be busy heading towards Kinsale too.

boardsuser1

marno21 wrote: »

Just a reminder that the N71 is closed from the Bandon Road Roundabout to Ballinhassig for the weekend, until Monday morning. Diversion via N27 Airport Road & R600/R613 through Ballinhassig.

Expect long, long, long delays. Busiest time of the year for the N71 and it's closed. The diversion route is also very busy as its peak time for flights from Cork Airport and would be busy heading towards Kinsale too.

What's the purpose of the closure?

I've heard it's drainage or something?

KCAccidental

If people are heading beyond Clonakilty probably better to head out the N22 and on to the R585/6/7 and vice versa.

marno21

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

What's the purpose of the closure?

I've heard it's drainage or something?

Emergency works to a culvert near the Viaduct.

KCAccidental wrote: »

If people are heading beyond Clonakilty probably better to head out the N22 and on to the R585/6/7 and vice versa.

Or use Sarsfield Rd Roundabout and head out by Spur Hill

KCAccidental

Not closing after all according to Cork Safety Alerts on twitter

marno21

KCAccidental wrote: »

Not closing after all according to Cork Safety Alerts on twitter

Job was done in full last weekend

marno21

https://www.thecork.ie/2017/12/09/west-cork-further-investment-for-n71-but-timelines-need-to-be-improved-daly/

Daly needs to stick the boot in here and realise that pavement is not sufficient for the N71 anymore. The N71 all the way from Cork to Rosscarbery is overcapacity and there is 0km of improvements planned this side of 2021 at present which will soon be 2028.

boardsuser1

marno21 wrote: »

https://www.thecork.ie/2017/12/09/west-cork-further-investment-for-n71-but-timelines-need-to-be-improved-daly/

Daly needs to stick the boot in here and realise that pavement is not sufficient for the N71 anymore. The N71 all the way from Cork to Rosscarbery is overcapacity and there is 0km of improvements planned this side of 2021 at present which will soon be 2028.

The N71 from The Viaduct to Skibbereen could do with being HQDC the entire way.

I don't think it warrants becoming the M71 though.

As for Jim Daly, i can't say i hear very much of him in the media in general bar bits and pieces here and there.

While of course pavements are of importance, i would have been of the impression that the bad bend between Inishannon and Bandon by 'the chipper van' would have been a higher priority.

Now, i am no engineer by no means,but is straightening that stretch of road to go over rather than beside the river even possible by way of a bridge of some sort?

I recall the works done on the N22 some years ago to at least improve the road and bad bends between Macroom and Ballymakeera/Ballyvourney.

While those bends still aren't great, they are an improvement.