Galway - Dublin Motorway Open Tomorrow (Fri)

[cgcsb2]

Projects have 3 basic items upon which they should be judged - time, cost and quality. FF showed their project management credentials with the Port tunnel which failed all 3 criteria spectacularily.

They didn't like the bad PR so they came up with an Irish solution to an Irish problem namely to increase the time and budget and then we'll look great when it's finished early.You have obviosly bought into it hook line and sinker. Some of the rest of us though can see through the spin and actually think less of them for their cynicism.

in fairness, in to FF the port tunnel, although over time and over budget, is doing what it was designed to do. Therefore I would have to say it achieved a one out of three on the cost, time and quality principles.

[alonso]

cg, unfortunately what you describe is not against planning "law" just all proper planning principles.

With regard to infrastructure the process has sped up recently and the Strategic Infratructure Act has yet to truly take effect. The decision was made in the 1950's not to build our national road network but to tar over every lane and dirttrack in the land to facilitate tractors. That was a policy decision and we have been playing catch up ever since.

However had we followed the UK model as alluded to earlier, we would be in a far bigger mess now. For example, most of Dublin's heritage would have been mullered to an even greater extent than it was - as would many other towns and cities.

This was the plan in the 70's

[dub14]

in fairness, in to FF the port tunnel, although over time and over budget, is doing what it was designed to do. Therefore I would have to say it achieved a one out of three on the cost, time and quality principles.

It leaked and that cost more time and money to fix. yes - it does do it's job but that's not really my point. If the targets aren't that tough in the first place then it's hardly a massive achievement to come in ahead of scheudle.

[odie1kanobe]

At what price to local roads? How many non-DoE tested trucks were involved? How much Green Diesel was used? How many trucks loaded to twice the legal limit put lives at risk?

"On time and under budget" is code for every law pissed on.

You would be complaining were it not open, not ready and over budget.

IF you feel that the laws were broken then standing by and not highlighting the details to Garda makes you as culpable.

[odie1kanobe]

A similar acheivement took place in Britain in the 1950's. Well done FF, we're now only 50 years behind British infrastructure.

Er no as 1st UK motorway only completed in 1959 and 50 years later they still working and changing it.

Then again if you wish to compare ypurself against UK low standards thats up to you.

[odie1kanobe]

It leaked and that cost more time and money to fix. yes - it does do it's job but that's not really my point. If the targets aren't that tough in the first place then it's hardly a massive achievement to come in ahead of scheudle.

It cost nothing to the state to fix it it cost the builders.

Additionally the cost to construct the Tunnel was €457M or €7M (1.5% higher) than original budget of €450M which is well within tolerance for a project that size.

[cgcsb2]

Er no as 1st UK motorway only completed in 1959 and 50 years later they still working and changing it.

Then again if you wish to compare ypurself against UK low standards thats up to you.

er... no. Actually the first motorway in the UK was the Preston Bypass 1958. The first interurban motorway connected the city of Coventry to London via the M1 and it's M45 spur motorway, both of which opened in 1959.

[odie1kanobe]

er... no. Actually the first motorway in the UK was the Preston Bypass 1958. The first interurban motorway connected the city of Coventry to London via the M1 and it's M45 spur motorway, both of which opened in 1959.

I'm well away of this BUT the suggestion that the UK had its road network sorted then is a fallacy as they have spend Billions on the M1 since and still its not right.

[Gimpanzee]

Ahead of time, and on budget, the M6 opens tomorrow morning - Galway Advertiser - December 17, 2009.

The 194 kilometre stretch of seamless tarmac indulgence will be officially opened tomorrow at 11am by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey. It is expected that the first motorists to travel on the road will be able to do so from 2pm.

The much anticipated motorway will allow motorists to bypass bottlenecks such as Ballinasloe, Loughrea, Craughwell, and Oranmore.

With a speed limit of 120km/hr, journey times to the capital will plummet to two hours.
.......
The cost of cars passing through the toll will be €1.90, bringing the total cost of a one way trip along the motorway to €3.80. Additional tolls at Maynooth and at the Westlink bridge could push the cost of a trip from Galway to Dublin airport up to nearer €14.

The toll is expected to bring 120 new jobs to the area, with 60 full-time daily operations staff, and an additional 60 contract jobs for external support.
.....
It is a non-stop, unserviced, route with no shops, restaurants, or petrol stations. One service stop has bee planned for the route, but it is not due to open until late next year. Trips to the capital will now have to be as well organised as the road itself, ensuring every vehicle has enough fuel to last the journey.

Its going to be a bizarre experience for people to manage to drive from one city to the another without having to go through town centres or around tractors. I know it is normal everywhere else, but it will feel pretty odd to do it at home. Its like the Apollo program for Ireland. The whole thing should be televised and the first visitors from 'the other side' should be welcomed by a massive greeting party.

[Bi ciuin]

Wow, so finally in the 21st century Ireland now has 4 cities finally connected by motorway. However in order to drive to Cork on a motorway from Galway you will be required to go via Dublin!

As the new saying goes, all roads lead to Dublin.