N6 road
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The N6 road is a National Primary Route in the Republic of Ireland, connecting Dublin to Galway (by connecting from the M4 motorway at Kinnegad) across the midlands of Ireland. The route starts at Junction 11 on the M4 at Kinnegad. From there the road bypasses Rochfordbridge, and Tyrrellspass, and passes through Kilbeggan and Moate. The route follows a bypass around the central Irish town of Athlone, crossing the River Shannon, before passing through Ballinasloe and Loughrea. A section of dual carriageway brings the route into Galway, providing a link also for the N18 road from Limerick, which joins it near Oranmore.
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[edit] Route
The N6 route commences directly south of Kinnegad in County Meath. The road runs west into County Westmeath and passes Rochfordbridge, with the N52 joining the N6 east of Tyrrellspass. The N6 continues west, with the N52 leaving the route south of Kilbeggan. The route leaves Westmeath after Horseleap, continues west into County Offaly, and re-enters Westmeath just before Moate where the N80 commences, leaving the N6 to the south.
The N6 passes through Fardrum (where the N62 begins, leaving the N6 to the south) heading west towards Athlone. The route follows a dual carriageway bypass of Athlone around the northern side of the town, crossing the River Shannon into County Roscommon. Along the dual-carriageway there are local access junctions, as well as junctions for the N55 and N61.
At Ballinasloe the route crosses the River Suck into County Galway. The N6 passes west through Aughrim and Kilreekil. Further west at Kilmeen, the N65 commences, leaving the N6 to the south. Loughrea is bypassed to the north by a route opened in November 2005. The River Dunkellin is crossed by the N6 at Craughwell as it continues west towards Galway. Outside the city itself, Oranmore is bypassed to the west and north, where the N18 crosses the N6. This dual carriageway bypass brings the route into Galway itself, where it meets the N17 along Bóthar na dTreabh. The Headford Road, Quincentenary Bridge across the River Corrib and Quincentenary Bridge Approach Road bring the N6 through Galway itself to meet the N59 on the western side of the city.
[edit] M6 motorway and upgrades
The 2 km (1.2 mi) section of dual carriageway south of Kinnegad has motorway restrictions on it, though only eastbound, and is signposted in that direction as the M6 motorway(see thumbnail). This is to prevent non-motorway traffic from being trapped on a road leading to a motorway, the M4.
A dual carriageway under construction as of 2007 between Kinnegad and Athlone will be designated high quality dual carriageway, effectively a motorway without motorway restrictions on it. This is currently under construction as far as Athlone; the first section, from Kinnegad to Tyrrellspass opened on 5 December 2006. [1] The next section, a 9 km (6 mi) stretch from Tyrellspass to Kilbeggan opened on 16 May 2007 and the section connecting Kilbeggan to the eastern end of the Athlone by-pass is scheduled for completion in 2008. An application has been made by the National Roads Authority under the Roads Act 2007 for this dual carriageway to be redesignated motorway[1].
The bypassed road is now reclassified as a Regional road and designated the R446.
A second dual carriageway section between Ballinasloe and Galway will have motorway restrictions from the start, as it will be a toll road. This section was a matter of some controversy. The environmental agency An Taisce claimed that the National Roads Authority's planned M6 route would be "particularly destructive" in passing the site of the 17th century Battle of Aughrim [2]. The tolling of the route is also controversial, as the M4 motorway to/from Dublin which connects with the N6/M6 route is also tolled, which will mean two tolls when driving between Dublin and Galway. The authorities have indicated that there will be two tolls on each of the main interurban routes.
The new section of N6/M6 between Ballinasloe and Galway is unusual. Unlike most national road upgrade projects in the state, the new route will differ significantly from the original. The route will run roughly east-west between the two destinations, rather than dipping south to Loughrea as the current N6 does. This means that the town of Athenry will be located near to a national primary route for the first time.
The final upgrade of the Dublin to Galway route will be the 20 km (12 mi) in county Roscommon, between the towns of Ballinalsoe and Athlone, which will also be a fully grade separated dual carriageway. The tender process for a design and build contract has commenced (2007).
| N6 National Primary Route | ||
| Westbound | Junction |
Eastbound |
| M6 motorway | ||
| Start of motorway |  (M4  ) |
Road joins M4 eastbound at J11 for Dublin |
| Kinnegad R446 (End of motorway) |  |
Kinnegad R446, Sligo, Westport N4, Enfield R148 Start of motorway |
| Rochfordbridge, Milltownpass R446 |  |
Rochfordbridge, Milltownpass R446 |
| Tyrrellspass, Mullingar N52. |  |
Tyrrellspass, Mullingar N52 |
| Tullamore, Kilbeggan N52. N6 continues as regular highway |  |
Start of high quality dual carrigeway |
[edit] References
- ^ N6 Proposed Motorway declarations - Dept. of Transport
- ^ Dispute over M6 route through Aughrim - RTÉ News
[edit] External links
- Roads Act 1993 (Classification of National Roads) Order 2006 (PDF)- Department of Transport
- Scheme Activity 2006 - National Roads Authority (road projects under construction)
- N6 Galway to Ballinasloe - Galway County Council
- N6 Ballinasloe to Athlone Dual Carriageway - Roscommon County Council
- NRA map of the Athlone - Kilbeggan section
- N6 Galway City Outer Bypass
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