N17 - Claremorris / Knock bypass

marno21 · 19-09-2018 2:48am #1

Whilst this is a fantastic stretch of road, it has a major Achilles heal. Two grade separated junctions provide access to the bypassed town of Claremorris and village of Knock, however all other minor roads along the route front directly onto the N17 mainline. This stretch of road is high speed and quite busy, and an accident involving one of these minor roads (old N17 at the southern terminus of the scheme) took the lives of 3 people last year

At the inquest, the coroner described accessing the N17 via these roads as "almost like Russian roulette". In my opinion, some of these roads should be closed up as they are used as ray runs for accessing the towns, which are accessible via the official junctions, and right turns across busy lanes are quite dangerous.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0918/994564-inquest-mayo-crash/

19-09-2018 9:41am

marno21 wrote: »

Whilst this is a fantastic stretch of road, it has a major Achilles heal. Two grade separated junctions provide access to the bypassed town of Claremorris and village of Knock, however all other minor roads along the route front directly onto the N17 mainline. This stretch of road is high speed and quite busy, and an accident involving one of these minor roads (old N17 at the southern terminus of the scheme) took the lives of 3 people last year

At the inquest, the coroner described accessing the N17 via these roads as "almost like Russian roulette". In my opinion, some of these roads should be closed up as they are used as ray runs for accessing the towns, which are accessible via the official junctions, and right turns across busy lanes are quite dangerous.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0918/994564-inquest-mayo-crash/

Only Dublin and Cork had higher road deaths than Mayo last year. Our roads are all single lane, with all junctions leading into traffic.

The N5 between Bohola and Swinford, while been a wide two lane road and ony several km long is one of the worst stretches for road deaths in the country, with two more this year. The T junctions are turning onto 100km/hr traffic. If main roads are improved to allow traffic to drive faster, then the junctions accessing those faster roads should be made safer.

hans aus dtschl · 19-09-2018 11:11am

I agree with all of the above.

There's a large number of side roads, and the traffic is rat-running between all the towns using these roads.
The lack of a direct road between Claremorris and Ballina, or, say Knock and Ballina leads to a plethora of different route possibilities for end-to-end traffic too.

Not an easy thing to fix AFTER the N17 and N5 have been upgraded.

Donegal Storm · 19-09-2018 11:21am

Another issue with this stretch of road and others like it is that it leads to a free-for-all when it comes to overtaking. Slow cars drive half way into the shoulder and people overtake despite incoming traffic. Generally there's enough space but I've seen a few close calls with cars on both sides overtaking at the same time or where the car in the shoulder needs to suddenly pull out.

Not sure what they could really do about combating it though..

BelfastVanMan · 19-09-2018 11:36am

Donegal Storm wrote: »

Another issue with this stretch of road and others like it is that it leads to a free-for-all when it comes to overtaking. Slow cars drive half way into the shoulder and people overtake despite incoming traffic. Generally there's enough space but I've seen a few close calls with cars on both sides overtaking at the same time or where the car in the shoulder needs to suddenly pull out.

Not sure what they could really do about combating it though..

2+2 Conversion.

salonfire · 19-09-2018 1:30pm

Just another legacy of having too many roads and one off housing buttered all over the place.

These minor roads should be closed off from the N17 and accessed locally only.

yew_tree · 14-10-2018 4:28pm

In light of that terrible accident I see that the recommendation is for the Ballinrobe Rd turn off to be turned into a flyover. Same with knock airport

marno21 · 14-10-2018 4:51pm

yew_tree wrote: »

In light of that terrible accident I see that the recommendation is for the Ballinrobe Rd turn off to be turned into a flyover. Same with knock airport

Is there a published source for this?

yew_tree · 14-10-2018 8:23pm

marno21 wrote: »

Is there a published source for this?

https://www.midwestradio.ie/index.php/news/26610-tii-recommends-overbridge-at-dangerous-lisduff-junction-on-the-n17-near-claremorris

marno21 · 15-10-2018 12:54am

Thank you

I think an N17 Knock-Claremorris scheme including GSJs, widening to 2+2 and closure of accesses is a meritorious project, especially with Knock-Sligo on the way too.

yew_tree · 15-10-2018 6:43pm

marno21 wrote: »

Thank you

I think an N17 Knock-Claremorris scheme including GSJs, widening to 2+2 and closure of accesses is a meritorious project, especially with Knock-Sligo on the way too.

Claremorris to Charlestown upgrade won’t be done for many years in my view. Many other projects need attention first.

marno21 · 14-04-2019 12:31am

TII are proceeding with an overbridge at the junction of the N17 Claremorris bypass and the old detrunked N17 south of Claremorris.

https://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/107031/dangerous-n17-junctions-to-be-addressed

The proposed GSJ at Knock Airport will not go ahead. This section of N17 is to be bypassed by a new dual carriageway over the coming years anyway.

marno21 · 21-11-2019 2:45am

https://www.mayo.ie/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Appendix-A-Part-8-Drawings.pdf

Junction with old N17 south of Claremorris to be grade seperated.

Includes sufficient space under the bridge to allow for a future Type 2 DC underneath.

DumbBrunette · 14-11-2020 12:10pm

Update on new N17 GSJ in Mayo:

It is anticipated that the N17/R320 Junction at Lisduff construction contract will proceed to tender during Q1/Q2 2021, subject to TII approval. If approval is given it is anticipated that a contractor will be on site by mid-2021. Negotiations with landowners will commence in Q1 2021.

marno21 · 10-01-2021 6:21pm

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/180787/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Tender out for construction of the N17/R320 interchange.

DumbBrunette · 10-01-2021 8:41pm

It's amazing how quickly these projects can get done if the will is there. There is a strong incentive to fix this junction due to a horrific accident in 2017, so this project was conceived, designed and brought to construction in 3-4 years (which should be the norm for small projects).

On the other hand, there are 3 'bad bend' schemes on the N60 between Castlebar and Claremorris, all of which were first funded in 2011. Two got planning in 2014 and one of these was built in 2019 (Lagnamuck), the other has still not been tendered (Heathlawn).

The third project, at Manulla, hasn't even gone to Bord Pleanala yet, 10 years after it was first funded.

marno21 wrote: »

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/180787/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Tender out for construction of the N17/R320 interchange.

11-01-2021 4:20am

DumbBrunette wrote: »

It's amazing how quickly these projects can get done if the will is there. There is a strong incentive to fix this junction due to a horrific accident in 2017, so this project was conceived, designed and brought to construction in 3-4 years (which should be the norm for small projects).

On the other hand, there are 3 'bad bend' schemes on the N60 between Castlebar and Claremorris, all of which were first funded in 2011. Two got planning in 2014 and one of these was built in 2019 (Lagnamuck), the other has still not been tendered (Heathlawn).

The third project, at Manulla, hasn't even gone to Bord Pleanala yet, 10 years after it was first funded.

Funding is done in stages so it's unlikely all 3 received full funding for all stages back then

DumbBrunette · 11-01-2021 2:38pm

That's fair enough, but all three projects have been funded every year since 2011. It makes me wonder what the money has been spent on, given the lack of progress.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Funding is done in stages so it's unlikely all 3 received full funding for all stages back then

11-01-2021 2:49pm

DumbBrunette wrote: »

That's fair enough, but all three projects have been funded every year since 2011. It makes me wonder what the money has been spent on, given the lack of progress.

Did you ask the local councillors or the council themselves? They would be best positioned to clarify

DumbBrunette · 11-01-2021 7:01pm

I have a request in with TII so we'll have to wait and see what they come back with.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Did you ask the local councillors or the council themselves? They would be best positioned to clarify

marno21 · 30-11-2021 8:19pm

BAM appointed as contractor. 2022 start, 2023 opening.

https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2021/11/30/contract-awarded-for-bridge-on-n17-at-claremorris/

Future proofed for when the Claremorris/Knock bypasses are dualled, at this rate likely in the latter half of this century.

DumbBrunette · 04-12-2021 1:58pm

More info here, construction to be completed by February 2023:

https://www.mayo.ie/en-ie/news/bam-civil-ltd-awarded-construction-of-the-n17-r320

And a map of the new scheme, nearly 1km of connecting roads:

yannakis · 10-12-2021 5:15pm

A bit more detailed view from the planning files.

DumbBrunette · 17-12-2021 3:42pm

€6m allocated to the new GSJ in Claremorris for 2022 in the TII allocations.

spacetweek · 20-12-2021 9:37pm

https://twitter.com/CISireland/status/1471827522144727050?s=20

marno21 · 24-12-2021 3:19pm

Contract award

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders/ViewNotice/253621

€5.19m is the contract value.

serfboard · 05-01-2022 3:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301962#Comment_118301962

That junction seems very complicated to me. A junction like this one on the N17, would surely be simpler and cheaper, and would work just as effectively?