M18 motorway (Ireland)

This motorway forms part of the N18 road.

For other uses, see M18 roads and N18.

M18 motorway
Route information
Part of
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
	(Upon completion in 2018) (Upon completion in 2018)
To:	Junction 16 with N66, north of Gort
Location
Primary destinations:	Ennis, Shannon, Gort
Road network
Roads in Ireland Motorways Primary Secondary Regional

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.

Junctions

A section of the Ennis Bypass before the motorway changeover.

M18 southbound J13 1km ADS Signage taken before redesignation on the Ennis bypass

This taken on the Ennis bypass section junction 13 southbound and gantry for junction 13


(Junctions numbered south to north)
Northbound exit	Junction	Southbound exit
Dual carriageway continues from M7 ()
(M7 ) Rossbrien, Cork (M20 )		Rossbrien, Limerick (city centre) (R509), Cork (M20 )
Dock Road (N69)		Dock Road (N69)
Shannon Tunnel
Coonagh West

Ennis Road (former N18)		Ennis Road (former N18)
Cratloe, Sixmilebridge (R462)		Cratloe, (Sixmilebridge) (R462)
Bunratty		Bunratty
Hurler's Cross, Shannon Town, (Sixmilebridge) (R471)		Hurler's Cross, Sixmilebridge, Shannon Town (R471)
Shannon Town Centre (R471)		no access

Northbound exit	Junction	Southbound exit
Shannon (N19)		Shannon (N19)
Newmarket-on-Fergus (R472)		Newmarket-on-Fergus (R472)
Clarecastle (R458)		Clarecastle (R458)
Ennis (N85), Ennis Services (in plannig)		Ennis (N85), Ennis Services (in plannig)
Ennis, Scarriff, Tulla (R352)		Ennis, Scarriff, Tulla (R352)
Ennis (R458)		Ennis (R458)
Crusheen (R458)		Crusheen (R458)
Gort (R458)		Gort (R458)
(Under Construction)
Northbound exit	Junction	Southbound exit	Completion
Kiltiernan		Kiltiernan	Late 2018
Galway, Athlone, Dublin (M6 )		Galway, Athlone, Dublin (M6 )
Motorway continues as M17

Future

Gort-Crusheen under construction (June 2009): The grade-separated junction at Gort.

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

↑ "N18 Ennis Bypass". National Roads Authority. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
1 2 3 "Statutory Instrument No. 255 of 2009 - Roads Act 2007 (Declaration Of Motorways) Order 2009" (pdf). Stationery Office. 2009-07-02.
↑ http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/GalwayCountyCouncil/N18GorttoCrusheen/Map,16516,en.pdf
1 2 "N3 LEAFLET rev2" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-08-05.
↑ "View Notice". E-tenders.gov.ie. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
↑ http://www.tuamherald.ie/news/roundup/articles/2014/11/26/4034112-work-to-start-on-the-tuambypass-in-january/

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See also: National Development Plan; National Roads Authority; Local roads; Toll roads; Trunk roads

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