M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

Roryhy · 07-03-2010 1:07pm

Took a quick drive between j6+j7 this morning and took a few pics.
Heres a map to show picture locations.

Picture1- looking north

Picture2- looking south

Picture3- looking north

Picture4- looking south

Picture5- looking north

Picture6- looking south

Picture7- looking north

Picture8- looking south showing Paulstown junction and plenty of machinery parked up

The new roundabout on the short link to the n10 is now basically complete. The further link road across to the n9 is much less advanced and there has been no start to the roundabout on the n10(im presuming there is to be one).

All in all the scheme between these junctions is very advanced and wearing course and lines would go a long way towards finishing it.

Tech3 · 07-03-2010 4:42pm

Incredible photos, especially the last one of J7.

Thanks Roryhy!

lotie · 07-03-2010 5:52pm

I think I'm obsessing about BAM's performance but it's hard to get it out of my system when you look at Roodbridge's continued excellent construction management as seen in Roryhy's pictures.

If you take the Ballygearda rooad (between south Knocktopher and Newmarket - not via the main road) you'll pass under the new M9 and you'll be shocked how poor the road condition is almost two years after the overbridge was completed. The road was never good but BAM's complete disregard for local road users is astonishing - or maybe it's all explained by their incompentence.

Kilkenny CoCo's lack of willingless or ability to tackle this is frsutrating as is the absence of local media willing to get stuck into these failings and the impact on the people who live on the route or who need to use it.

I know it'll all be history in a few weeks but I think we owe it to all future infrastructure projects to ensure the press is made well aware of BAM's complete and abject failure delivering this project professionally or to schedule!

Trick of the Tail · 07-03-2010 6:45pm

Driving on the roundabout at the 'bottom' of the new M9 today, I thought, isn't it a bit strange, or if not unusual then perhaps not a good idea that a motorway ends at what is effectively a STOP sign?

I can foresee problems when doing 120km/h southwards, come round a bend and see a tail of traffic waiting to get onto the roundabout on a Friday evening.

I know the N25 and new bridge were a different project, but surely it would not have been impossible, and would have been sensible, to integrate the M9 with the N25 at the Grannagh Roundabout, with slipways etc, to help traffic flow?

Or is this yet another example of things in this country not quite being done 'right'?

A.

lukejr · 07-03-2010 7:06pm

alinton wrote: »

I know the N25 and new bridge were a different project, but surely it would not have been impossible, and would have been sensible, to integrate the M9 with the N25 at the Grannagh Roundabout, with slipways etc, to help traffic flow?

I have to agree, this will all have to be integrated at expense to the tax payer at a later date.

I would have liked a non stop sliproad onto the N25 (bridge). How busy is traffic travelling on the N24 towards Waterford?

Chris_5339762 · 07-03-2010 7:32pm

Dont get me started on the M9/N25 junction complex

hi5 · 07-03-2010 8:14pm

alinton wrote: »

Driving on the roundabout at the 'bottom' of the new M9 today, I thought, isn't it a bit strange, or if not unusual then perhaps not a good idea that a motorway ends at what is effectively a STOP sign?

I can foresee problems when doing 120km/h southwards, come round a bend and see a tail of traffic waiting to get onto the roundabout on a Friday evening.

A.

No rumble strips then?

smdweb · 07-03-2010 8:40pm

This new section of motorway from Waterford, where does it stop? Is it stopping at Danesfort or Kilkenny? (that's the section opening on 22nd March)

I was just thinking the same thing today. If it stops at Danesfort, you could have huge tailbacks in the mornings and rush hour. This area gets a lot of fog ...... queue, fog, 120kph road, Irish people not able to drive properly on motorways ... I wont say any more !

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MisterCrown · 07-03-2010 9:06pm

Another reason to believe that the 22nd March opening is going ahead. Kilkenny County Council are temporarily closing the Grannagh to Railway Bridge section of road now that people will be able to use the new motorway instead.

http://www.kilkennycoco.ie/eng/RSS_Roads_Notices/TempClosureofRoadsGrannaghtoRailwayBridgeandLP3401KilmacowRdatJunctionwithR448from19Apr10to9July10.shortcut.html

alpha2zulu · 07-03-2010 10:20pm

MisterCrown wrote: »

Another reason to believe that the 22nd March opening is going ahead. Kilkenny County Council are temporarily closing the Grannagh to Railway Bridge section of road now that people will be able to use the new motorway instead.

Thats an interesting find. The current layout is a mess at the moment so its good to she that area get a rebuild.

Also noticed on the KCC site that the roadworks on the N10 ring road in Kilkenny will end on March 19th which makes sense for a March 22nd M9 opening.

http://www.kilkennycoco.ie/eng/RSS_Roads_Notices/Ongoing_Road_Improvement_Works_Kilkenny_City.shortcut.html

alinton wrote: »

Driving on the roundabout at the 'bottom' of the new M9 today, I thought, isn't it a bit strange, or if not unusual then perhaps not a good idea that a motorway ends at what is effectively a STOP sign?

I can foresee problems when doing 120km/h southwards, come round a bend and see a tail of traffic waiting to get onto the roundabout on a Friday evening.

I know the N25 and new bridge were a different project, but surely it would not have been impossible, and would have been sensible, to integrate the M9 with the N25 at the Grannagh Roundabout, with slipways etc, to help traffic flow?

Or is this yet another example of things in this country not quite being done 'right'?

A.

It is a pity there was no free flow lane put in. However I have to say since the Waterford bypass opened, at the Newrath roundabout where the N9 currently meets the N24 there are few problems and thats a similarly sized roundabout. Even in the morning peak, queues are only about 4 or 5 car lengths long.

lotie · 08-03-2010 10:28am

22nd is a nailed on certainty now. Local info is that the Carolls hotel in Knocktopher is booked for that date for a reception. The opening will aparently take place at the Knocktopher junction.

Walked 5Km of the road yesterday - it seems ready now! However, the politicians and the NRA want their jolly! Just surprised they chose Carolls over Mount Juliet!

alpha2zulu · 08-03-2010 6:33pm

lotie wrote: »

22nd is a nailed on certainty now. Local info is that the Carolls hotel in Knocktopher is booked for that date for a reception. The opening will aparently take place at the Knocktopher junction.

Walked 5Km of the road yesterday - it seems ready now! However, the politicians and the NRA want their jolly! Just surprised they chose Carolls over Mount Juliet!

From the NRA today:

Thank you for your email. I confirm that the M9 Waterford Knocktopher scheme is opening on March 22nd 2010.

So exactly 2 weeks to go:D

JohnC. · 08-03-2010 8:06pm

Is this likely to be a morning or evening opening? I'm really just interested as I will be driving from Dublin to Waterford that day. It would be nice to use the new stretch of road for that.

Bards · 08-03-2010 8:26pm

Kahless wrote: »

Is this likely to be a morning or evening opening? I'm really just interested as I will be driving from Dublin to Waterford that day. It would be nice to use the new stretch of road for that.

Opening Cermony is being held at 12 noon - so I would imagine by 14:30ish it should be open

wellbutty · 08-03-2010 9:37pm

At long last.............24km...3 years and 1 month!

smdweb · 08-03-2010 9:45pm

lotie wrote: »

22nd is a nailed on certainty now. Local info is that the Carolls hotel in Knocktopher is booked for that date for a reception. The opening will aparently take place at the Knocktopher junction.

Walked 5Km of the road yesterday - it seems ready now! However, the politicians and the NRA want their jolly! Just surprised they chose Carolls over Mount Juliet!

I am delighted this road is to open. I was stuck behind a JCB from Lukeswell to Ballyhale this morning - top speed was 28KPH.

I'm also surprised they didn't choose Mount Juliet as it is so close and would make for more prestigious photo shoots - lets face it they love their photo shoots!

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M9 Blog

jonnycwh · 08-03-2010 9:58pm

can anyone tell me what the estimated travel time from waterford to end of the new section (knocktopher?) will take? just trying to see how long it'll take me to do my regular drive to athy.

smdweb · 08-03-2010 10:47pm

My estimation is 12 mins from the start of the scheme to the end.
24kms / 120kph = .2 *60 ... might be very rough calculation but certainly cheers me up considering this journey currently takes about 33 mins.

I recently drove from Dublin and worked out that on the old N9 from the end of the current Carlow scheme to Waterford, although it says 100kph, you only effectively do 73kph due to going through the small towns like Thomastown and Mullinavat as well as slow moving traffic.

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M9 Blog

Dummy · 08-03-2010 11:39pm

Lads - you're breaking my heart here. Going back to post 1891, I thought it was Waterford to Danesford that was supposed to be opening on the 22nd?

Please tell me that this is a bad dream, brought on by the plum pudding I had for my supper. It is Waterford to Danesford - please?????

Stark · 08-03-2010 11:53pm

I imagine the official opening is for the Waterford-Knocktopher scheme. But Roadbridge have had the Knocktopher-Danesfort section of their scheme ready for ages now, so they're going to open theirs as soon as Waterford-Knocktopher is opened from what I know.

jonnycwh · 08-03-2010 11:53pm

smdweb wrote: »

My estimation is 12 mins from the start of the scheme to the end.
24kms / 120kph = .2 *60 ... might be very rough calculation but certainly cheers me up considering this journey currently takes about 33 mins.

I recently drove from Dublin and worked out that on the old N9 from the end of the current Carlow scheme to Waterford, although it says 100kph, you only effectively do 73kph due to going through the small towns like Thomastown and Mullinavat as well as slow moving traffic.

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wow! 12mins! thats amazing. it'll almost be commutable daily

bodun · 09-03-2010 12:25pm

Pardon my ignorance,but is there to be a toll on this road?

BluntGuy · 09-03-2010 12:29pm

There will be no toll on the M9.

dougal · 09-03-2010 5:51pm

BluntGuy wrote: »

There will be no toll on the M9.

Sorry if this is OT but how was it decided that the M9 gets no Toll and other motorways have multiple Tolls?
Is it related to bottlenecks on the original N routes that are being bypassed?

Stark · 09-03-2010 5:54pm

Possibly a decision by the Minister for Waterford. The N25 Waterford bypass has a toll though.

wellbutty · 09-03-2010 5:56pm

Some stretches were built under PPP schemes (i.e Fermoy, Kinnegad, Waterford) before the Government created Transport 21 under which, the MIUs were allocated.

Stark · 09-03-2010 5:58pm

The M7/M8 section at Portlaoise is Transport 21 I believe and that has a toll.

Tech3 · 09-03-2010 6:09pm

I reckon the M9 wasnt tolled due to the low AADT on the whole route would not gather back enough profit over the 30 year lifespan of the PPP. So the NRA probably decided to fund this with taxpayers money. Other routes like the M18 and M20 wont be tolled either only shadow tolled as the AADT will not generate enough money for the PPP concessionaire.

Amtmann · 09-03-2010 6:30pm

Stark wrote: »

The M7/M8 section at Portlaoise is Transport 21 I believe and that has a toll.

Think that was planned as early as 2001 or 2002.

tramor · 09-03-2010 8:00pm

What a bit of luck, a new motorway that will have so little traffic on it, there is no toll. This road is going to be a dream to drive on. Hopefully it stays that way, even (as I expect) the traffic volumes build up.

M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

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