TII Motorway Service Areas (MSA) Progress Thread

14-08-2010 3:23pm

cameramonkey wrote: »

i would prefer a Us style system with better sign posting. Uk is in Europe by the way.

I know, just that some try to separate it away!

cameramonkey · 14-08-2010 3:27pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I know, just that some try to separate it away!

they can try but geography dosnt lie:).

csd · 15-08-2010 5:50pm

Folks,

I had a chance to take some shots of the M4 MSAs today, both on and off the motorway. It appears that the M4 areas are a bit behind their M1 cousins.

1. The westbound MSA, taken from the M4 mainline.

2. Another one of the westbound MSA.

3. Eastbound MSA, taken from the M4 mainline westbound.

4. Eastbound MSA, taken from a nearby bridge over the M4.

5. Eastbound diverge and westbound merge (looking east).

6. Detail of the pump area, eastbound MSA.

7. Car park of the eastbound area.

8. A final overall site view of the eastbound MSA.

/csd

Tech3 · 15-08-2010 11:56pm

Those photos are brilliant. When is this MSA due to be completed?

csd · 16-08-2010 7:38am

tech2 wrote: »

Those photos are brilliant. When is this MSA due to be completed?

Thanks!

The three MSAs (two M1 and M4) are all supposed to be finished in October, but it looks like the M1 ones might come in a little earlier.

/csd

Bluetonic · 16-08-2010 7:55am

csd wrote: »

Thanks!

The three MSAs (two M1 and M4) are all supposed to be finished in October, but it looks like the M1 ones might come in a little earlier.

/csd

There is a staggered opening with the M1 (@ Ballough) opening a few weeks before the others.

Bluetonic · 17-08-2010 3:26pm

A northbound sign at Ballough.

A southbound sign at Ballough.

cargo · 18-08-2010 3:22pm

csd wrote: »

Thanks!

The three MSAs (two M1 and M4) are all supposed to be finished in October, but it looks like the M1 ones might come in a little earlier.

/csd

Bluetonic wrote: »

There is a staggered opening with the M1 (@ Ballough) opening a few weeks before the others.

Yeah the M1 sites started a little earlier than the M4 so that probably accounts for the time difference.

KevR · 19-08-2010 12:42am

Was watching 'Police, Camera, Action' on ITV earlier and the episode was called 'when lorries become lethal' (i.e. - lorry drivers falling asleep at the wheel). Apparently, 20% of lorry drivers questioned admitted falling asleep at the wheel.

Was really shocking viewing and it further highlights the urgent need for MSAs that will reduce the risk of all drivers (not just lorry driver) falling asleep behind the wheel.

marmurr1916 · 19-08-2010 2:30am

Bluetonic wrote: »

A northbound sign at Ballough.

A southbound sign at Ballough.

Begod, the country's first motorway services signs!

They should have a wheelchair symbol if the facilities (incl. toilets) are accessible.

Also distance to next services (maybe not so relevant on the M4!) should be underneath, like this:

Germany-Motorway-Services-Sign.aspx

Bluetonic · 19-08-2010 5:19pm

There also other signs up around 1km from the turn off which will have the petrol and diesel prices on them similar to forecourt signs.

All in all I think it's three side of the road signs before at 1,500m 1,000m and 500m and the one overhead at the turn off.

L1011 · 19-08-2010 5:36pm

I notice there still hasn't been a bit of work on the private M8 services at Cashel since the road laying was done...

Bluetonic · 22-08-2010 9:23am

A few more recent photo's here.

cargo · 22-08-2010 3:43pm

Bluetonic wrote: »

There also other signs up around 1km from the turn off which will have the petrol and diesel prices on them similar to forecourt signs.

All in all I think it's three side of the road signs before at 1,500m 1,000m and 500m and the one overhead at the turn off.

Was it just me or was there 2 holes in the new signs already? Saw them going SB on Friday am and all looked fine but coming NB past the Lusk site I thought the 2 lED fuel price signs looked like they had 2 hols in them from either stones or possibly bullets. I only saw it at the last minute so can't be 100% sure. Anyone else notice this Friday pm?

whyulittle · 27-08-2010 12:03pm

3 big signs up for the M4 service area this morning on the westbound carraigeway. They were working on the eastbound carraigeway when I passed.

No great advance notice though, I'd say all 3 were within 500 metres of the entrance. Most of them weren't grayed out either. 4x4 in front of me drove in, not sure if he was working there or thought it was open!

cargo · 27-08-2010 1:13pm

cargo wrote: »

Was it just me or was there 2 holes in the new signs already? Saw them going SB on Friday am and all looked fine but coming NB past the Lusk site I thought the 2 lED fuel price signs looked like they had 2 hols in them from either stones or possibly bullets. I only saw it at the last minute so can't be 100% sure. Anyone else notice this Friday pm?

Have had a chance to look at them again a few times since and I'd say it was only a concentraion of condensation around a particular spot in the middle of both signs. There's still a small spot on them as they probably "acclimatise " to life on the side of the M1.

M1 North sigs now up as well and loasd of landscaping, car park marking going on at the sites. Must be an opening coming up soon. Anyone hear a date?

skinnyboy · 28-08-2010 7:10pm

Hello lads i work for applegreen,the first motorway site is opening the 6th of september which is lusk,last one opening up will be enfield in october.finishing touches are happening in lusk at the moment,there goin to be fantastic sites.

csd · 29-08-2010 11:56pm

Folks,

As noted above, signage has been erected on the M4 westbound -- see pics below (including the electronic price signage).

There's a tree planted right in front of this one:

thetonynator · 29-08-2010 11:59pm

Anyone know where the service areas on the M9 will be and who has the contracts for them??

L1011 · 30-08-2010 12:27am

thetonynator wrote: »

Anyone know where the service areas on the M9 will be and who has the contracts for them??

Nowhere and nobody.

There are no contracts issued for any further service areas at the moment. One will be issued for the M11 at Gorey to the concessionaire for the Arklow-Rathnew & Newlands Cross scheme and one is planned to be included in the M20 PPP if that even goes ahead.

Amtmann · 30-08-2010 12:34am

thetonynator wrote: »

Anyone know where the service areas on the M9 will be and who has the contracts for them??

There will be a service area on the M9 near Kilcullen but it won't be built any time soon.

thetonynator · 30-08-2010 1:35am

MYOB wrote: »

Nowhere and nobody.

There are no contracts issued for any further service areas at the moment. One will be issued for the M11 at Gorey to the concessionaire for the Arklow-Rathnew & Newlands Cross scheme and one is planned to be included in the M20 PPP if that even goes ahead.

Furet wrote: »

There will be a service area on the M9 near Kilcullen but it won't be built any time soon.

Thanks.

Disgraceful really - Naas to Waterford without a service area near the motorway . . .

cargo · 30-08-2010 9:40am

thetonynator wrote: »

Thanks.

Disgraceful really - Naas to Waterford without a service area near the motorway . . .

Crookstown and Castledermot are not far from an exit if you needed fuel or a pit(ss) stop!! Or come off at Crookstown and travel downthrough Kilcullen to avoid having to double-back. You wont starve dont worry.

Don't know about the MSA at Kilcullen but I know the NRA were looking to take land south of Powerstown (end of current motorway) for a MSA but all the builds have been put on-hold for now so I'm not sure if they followed through and aquired the land.

Amtmann · 30-08-2010 10:10am

Kilcullen Service Area Main Report: http://www.nra.ie/Publications/EISPublications/file,15905,en.pdf

See here for further documentation (scroll down): http://www.nra.ie/Publications/EISPublications/

Amtmann · 31-08-2010 10:40pm

This appeared in today's paper and is welcome.

Chris_5339762 · 31-08-2010 11:20pm

Very welcome, if it gets anywhere. Very VERY welcome.

We can get away with one MSA about halfway along each route for the time being, then build more later.

L1011 · 31-08-2010 11:29pm

Bye bye Mother Hubbards there if that gets built, methinks. But it is needed.

31-08-2010 11:49pm

MYOB wrote: »

Bye bye Mother Hubbards there if that gets built, methinks. But it is needed.

The one near Enfield may be OK as many trucks already toll dodge.

I don't know the M8 but is the service station on the tolled section

Geogregor · 01-09-2010 2:48am

Furet wrote: »

Kilcullen Service Area Main Report: http://www.nra.ie/Publications/EISPublications/file,15905,en.pdf

See here for further documentation (scroll down): http://www.nra.ie/Publications/EISPublications/

How about the time frame? When the Cashel MSA is going to be build? What is the next step? Is location approved on 100% ?
How about the other MSA? (like Kilcullen)

I looked at the drawings. I have to say I like design of the Irish MSA. They look quite spacious and are logically planned. Hope they will build them soon.

pat13wx · 01-09-2010 7:04am

Furet wrote: »

This appeared in today's paper and is welcome.

Very welcome, indeed. Thanks Furet for posting the above.

Looking at the map I see that as the crow flies it is only about a mile from our house.

@dolanbaker...This is an untolled section of the M8.

TII Motorway Service Areas (MSA) Progress Thread

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