M18 motorway (Ireland)

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This motorway forms part of the N18 road.

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M18 motorway shield}}

M18 motorway
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Route information
Part of 100px
Length: 44 km (27 mi)
Planned length 70.8 km (44.0 mi)
Existed: 26 January 2007 – present
History: Expected completion in late 2018
Major junctions
From: Shannon
  Motorway Exit 9 Ireland.PNGN19 national IE.png
Motorway Exit 12 Ireland.PNGN85 National IE.png
Motorway Exit 16 Ireland.PNGN66 National IE.png
Motorway Exit 18 Ireland.PNGM6 reduced motorway IE.png
(Upon completion in 2018)
Motorway Exit 18 Ireland.PNGM17 reduced motorway IE.png
(Upon completion in 2018)
To: Junction 16 with N66, north of Gort
Location
Primary
destinations:		 Ennis, Shannon, Gort
Road network

The M18 motorway (Irish: Mótarbhealach M18) is an inter-urban motorway in Ireland, forming part of the Limerick, Ennis to Galway national primary road, which, in turn, forms part of the Atlantic Corridor called for as part of the Transport 21 project.

Route

The motorway starts at junction 9 on the Shannon bypass and heads in a north direction where it bypasses the town of Newmarket-on-Fergus via the townlands of Killulla, Knocksaggart and Ballyconneely. After Newmarket-on-Fergus the motorway runs alongside Dromoland, where significant historical features can be seen from the mainline.

As the route gets further north it develops into a more modern style of road: the Ennis Bypass. The median was constructed with a H2 concrete barrier rather than the wide grassy median seen in the earlier stretch to the south and features a lower noise wearing course. Bypassing the notorious bottlenecks of Ennis town and Clarecastle village, this section was completed in 2007 and significantly reduces travel times between Galway, Ennis, and Limerick. After passing to the east of Ennis the motorway enters the townlands of Killow and Knockanean.

The latest 22 km stretch, bypassing Crusheen village and the town of Gort, was opened in November 2010. The motorway currently ends at junction 16, on the northern side of Gort.

History

  • Ennis Bypass (January 2007, as dual carriageway, now redesignated as a Motorway)
  • Newmarket-on-Fergus Bypass (December 2002, as dual carriageway)
  • Crusheen to Gort (November 2010, Motorway)

Ennis Bypass

The 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) Ennis Bypass opened to traffic as a standard dual carriageway section of the N18 on 26 January 2007, after a construction period of almost three years.[1] In July 2009 it was redesignated as a motorway section of the M18 as from 28 August 2009.[2] In addition to Ennis, the road also bypasses the village of Clarecastle. The scheme was built by Gama Strabeg JV.

Newmarket-on-Fergus Bypass

The Newmarket-on-Fergus Bypass opened as a 5.7 km (3.5 mi) dual carriageway on 30 September 2002, routing around the town of Newmarket-on-Fergus. The scheme alleviated one of the worst congestion black spots in the country. It includes two grade separated junctions at Carrigoran and Dromoland, and was redesignated as motorway on 28 August 2009.[2]

Ennis (Crusheen) to Gort

Construction of a 22 km (14 mi) section of the M18 between Crusheen and Gort commenced in October, 2008 and was opened to traffic on 12 November 2010. This scheme, known as 'Gort to Crusheen', connects to the northern end of the Ennis bypass and provides continuous motorway to just north of Gort in County Galway.[3] The scheme was built by SIAC Willis JV. [1]

Junctions

File:N18 looking south from the Ennis junction.jpg
A section of the Ennis Bypass before the motorway changeover.
File:J13SouthboundM18.JPG
M18 southbound J13 1km ADS Signage taken before redesignation on the Ennis bypass
File:Junction13M18 southbound.JPG
This taken on the Ennis bypass section junction 13 southbound and gantry for junction 13
70px
(Junctions numbered south to north)
Northbound exit Junction Southbound exit
Dual carriageway continues from M7 (Motorway Exit 30 Ireland.PNG)
(M7 Motorway Exit 30 Ireland.PNG) Rossbrien, Cork (M20 Motorway Exit 1 Ireland.png)
Motorway Exit 1 Ireland.png
 Rossbrien, Limerick (city centre) (R509), Cork (M20 Motorway Exit 1 Ireland.png)
Dock Road (N69)
Motorway Exit 2 Ireland.png
 Dock Road (N69)
Shannon Tunnel
Coonagh West Ireland Road Toll Symbol.png
Motorway Exit 3 Ireland.PNG
Ireland Road Toll Symbol.png
Ennis Road (former N18)
Motorway Exit 4 Ireland.PNG
 Ennis Road (former N18)
Cratloe, Sixmilebridge (R462)
Motorway Exit 5 Ireland.PNG
 Cratloe, (Sixmilebridge) (R462)
Bunratty
Motorway Exit 6 Ireland.PNG
 Bunratty
Hurler's Cross, Shannon Town, (Sixmilebridge) (R471)
Motorway Exit 7 Ireland.PNG
 Hurler's Cross, Sixmilebridge, Shannon Town (R471)
Shannon Town Centre (R471)
Motorway Exit 8 Ireland.PNG
 no access
70px
Northbound exit Junction Southbound exit
Shannon (N19)
Motorway Exit 9 Ireland.PNG
 Shannon (N19)
Newmarket-on-Fergus (R472)
Motorway Exit 10 Ireland.PNG
 Newmarket-on-Fergus (R472)
Clarecastle (R458)
Motorway Exit 11 Ireland.PNG
 Clarecastle (R458)
Ennis (N85)
Motorway Exit 12 Ireland.PNG
 Ennis (N85)
Ennis, Scarriff, Tulla (R352)
Motorway Exit 13 Ireland.PNG
 Ennis, Scarriff, Tulla (R352)
Ennis (R458)
Motorway Exit 14 Ireland.PNG
 Ennis (R458)
Crusheen (R458)
Motorway Exit 15 Ireland.PNG
 Crusheen (R458)
Gort (R458)
Motorway Exit 16 Ireland.PNG
 Gort (R458)
70px (Under Construction)
Northbound exit Junction Southbound exit Completion
Kiltiernan
Motorway Exit 17 Ireland.PNG
 Kiltiernan
Late
2018
Galway, Athlone, Dublin (M6 Motorway Exit 19 Ireland.PNG)
Motorway Exit 18 Ireland.PNG
 Galway, Athlone, Dublin (M6 Motorway Exit 19 Ireland.PNG)
Motorway continues as M17

Future

File:M18 Gort GSJ.jpg
Gort-Crusheen under construction (June 2009): The grade-separated junction at Gort.
File:MainlineNorthoftheR460overbridge.jpg
CBM being laid down on the mainline of the Gort to Crusheen scheme looking north from the R460 overbridge

Motorway redesignations affecting the M18

Initially, none of the proposed dual carriageway between Limerick and Galway outlined in the Transport 21 programme was to operate under motorway restrictions. However, the Irish National Roads Authority (NRA) decided late in 2008 to include all sections of grade separated N18 – whether built, under construction, or still at the planning stage – in its second tranche of motorway redesignation proposals.[4] These were approved by the Irish minister for transport in July 2009, and the changes came into effect on 28 August 2009.[2]

Planned

The Gort to Tuam (M18/M17) route is 58 km (36 mi.) long. The project will involve the construction of motorway from Gort to Athenry, extending in the process the total length of the M18 by 27 km (17 mi). It will connect to the M17 Motorway where they cross the Dublin to Galway M6 motorway, which opened in December 2009. This has also been included in the second tranche of motorway redesignations and will open as motorway. In April 2014, it was confirmed that the project will go ahead and will be completed by late 2018.[4][5]

Work on the project began on Jan 15, 2015 and is managed by Direct Route.[6]

References

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  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/GalwayCountyCouncil/N18GorttoCrusheen/Map,16516,en.pdf
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ http://www.tuamherald.ie/news/roundup/articles/2014/11/26/4034112-work-to-start-on-the-tuambypass-in-january/
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