M8 - Mitchelstown to Fermoy

Amtmann

BluntGuy wrote: »

In all honesty, judging from your image from the J14 overbridge, much of the scheme seems to be ready for the final layer of tar. I really didn't expect them to have the median done. It really is remarkable progress in the space of a year. Every week something significant is done on that scheme (compare that to Cullahill-Portlaoise scheme where comparing pictures taken months apart is akin to playing the world's most difficult game of "spot the difference".)

Yes. It has simply rocketed past the PPP scheme that was started fully 6 months ahead of it. You can even see from my photo of J13 northbound that they already have the second last layer of asphalt on the southbound carriageway.

To guage how speedily the project is progressing see the pictures attached below. The scheme is clearly as far advanced as Cashel to Cullahill was late last June, if not further.

Steviemak

Thanks for the photos Furet. Great work by both yourself and the contractors.

That is some progress in just over 5 months. I'm thinking Apr for at least part of the Mitchelstown scheme to be open.

Driving to Cork next weekend and looking forward to seeing the progress for myself.

Now its just the Cullahill Portlaoise section that is really letting the side down.

old boy

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

The Culahill to Cashel section should open up within 2 or 3 months. If this opens early next year, then it will only be Culahill to Portlaoise left.

I believe that last one may be finished late in 2009.

culla hill to cashel is supposed to open on monday afternoon, according a family member who works there

BluntGuy

Steviemak wrote: »

That is some progress in just over 5 months. I'm thinking Apr for at least part of the Mitchelstown scheme to be open.

A sectional opening seems unlikely at this stage, I'm thinking it will open in the period June - August next year.

Hopefully at that stage Dunkettle-Watergrasshill will be motorway as well. That'll be a fantastic 131 km of 120 km/h bliss, making it not only the longest single-number stretch of motorway in the country (which it will be as of Monday), but the longest stretch of motorway in the country, full stop.

marmurr1916

Furet wrote: »

I took advantage of the nice weather today and decided to go for a stroll on the mainline. I walked to just about one kilometre north of the J14 overbridge.

This section of the scheme cuts through some beautiful countryside and, unfortunately, some fairly precious habitat. It's being built on what seems to have been a mid- to late eighteenth-century Protestant Ascendency demesne landscape, so, as you'd expect, there are lots of individual trees (mostly lime and oak), plenty of woodland (of larch, Scots' Pine, alder, ash and willow), copses, dells and glades, as well as a beautiful river running through a wooded hollow. I was glad to see that mitigation works have been added: I noticed an otter pass incorporated beneath the mainline, and there were numerous fences and signs indicating ecologically sensitive areas.

I then went for a short drive to Junction 13 and managed to get some pictures - so BluntGuy should be happy.

Thanks. Looks quite scenic.

The progress in those pics must mean it's going to open by March/April surely?

BluntGuy

marmurr1916 wrote: »

Thanks. Looks quite scenic.

The progress in those pics must mean it's going to open by March/April surely?

Possibly, but let's not get our hopes up.

According to Furet's source, tie-in work at Moorepark (Fermoy junction) is due to begin in January. Let's say they get that done in March. In the interim they will have probably finished tarring and lining the J13-J14 section. If that is the case, there could be a sectional opening.

If however, they decide to do the whole thing at once, expect a June/July/August opening date.

1huge1

Ya ive been expecting a summer 2009 opening for some time now.

And hopefully a few months after that the M7 will open.

G_R

BluntGuy wrote: »

If however, they decide to do the whole thing at once, expect a June/July/August opening date.

which they more than likely will, the NRA is good but not that good:D!!

BluntGuy

By the way, just to let you know, every single one of the overbridges on the scheme has opened... that's SIX of the them.

Compare and contrast with Cullahill to Cashel which has yet to open one... (despite being started a good 6 or 7 months earlier).

For some reason Roadbridge (Or Roadbridge Sisk JV) seem to be very quick a building roads compared to how sluggish CRG are with the Cullahill-Portlaoise scheme.

marmurr1916

dannym08 wrote: »

which they more than likely will, the NRA is good but not that good:D!!

But there was a sectional opening on the Cashel-Mitchelstown section.

Cashel-Cahir was opened long before the rest of it.

If the section from Moorepark (just north of Fermoy) to south of Mitchelstown is ready to be opened by March/April, then I reckon it will be opened.

Colm R

Regarding the Culahill - Portlaois section, is there something thats causing the slow pace. I heard (from the top of a barstool), that there is a breed of protected snails there which is causing the slow contstruction.

BluntGuy

marmurr1916 wrote: »

But there was a sectional opening on the Cashel-Mitchelstown section.

Cashel-Cahir was opened long before the rest of it.

If the section from Moorepark (just north of Fermoy) to south of Mitchelstown is ready to be opened by March/April, then I reckon it will be opened.[/quote

It possibly won't be. Tie-in work at the Fermoy end begins in January, and the majority of works will be put into the construction of the pavement on the northbound stretch.

Besides, the scheme is relatively short. For some reason I doubt they'll open part of it early, I think they'd rather do it all in one chunk.

However, if they do decide to open the J13-J14 section first, hey, I'm not complaining!

FIRE

Colm R wrote: »

Regarding the Culahill - Portlaois section, is there something thats causing the slow pace. I heard (from the top of a barstool), that there is a breed of protected snails there which is causing the slow contstruction.

Are the snails doing the construction?

Stark

The same snails that held up the Kildare bypass? They seem to be quite common for a so called "protected species".

marmurr1916

Colm R wrote: »

Regarding the Culahill - Portlaois section, is there something thats causing the slow pace. I heard (from the top of a barstool), that there is a breed of protected snails there which is causing the slow contstruction.

I think we all know what's talked from the tops of barstools.

Amtmann

Scoop!!

I have on very good authority (about the best authority one could hope to get), that we're looking at an end-of-May opening.

Stark

For the entire scheme?

Amtmann

Stark wrote: »

For the entire scheme?

Yes, the entire scheme to open at once. No sectional opening. There'll be a prolonged traffic management arrangement at the tie-in to the Fermoy bypass, which will be quite tricky, but by the end of May we'll have the M8 from Dunkettle to Cullahill.

trellheim

excellent news

Steviemak

Furet wrote: »

There'll be a prolonged traffic management arrangement at the tie-in to the Fermoy bypass, which will be quite tricky, but by the end of May we'll have the M8 from Dunkettle to Cullahill.

I would have thought the Fermoy tie-in would be quite simple as the traffic can be just moved off the mainline before the tie-in using the current left hand slip. It is far enough back from the tie-in works to not need much traffic management.

Blunder

The south bound tie in would be the awkward one here I would imagine. I was surprised though that previous works on the M8 didnt pretty much do the Tie in works in its construction. There would have been no reason why they couldnt have continued the black top out underneath the bridge and leave it at that until mitchelstown - fermoy was done and use the slip roads as they do on most other roadways. Money would have been saved now on traffic management and it would have had no effect on the current road usage.

BluntGuy

Blunder wrote: »

The south bound tie in would be the awkward one here I would imagine. I was surprised though that previous works on the M8 didnt pretty much do the Tie in works in its construction. There would have been no reason why they couldnt have continued the black top out underneath the bridge and leave it at that until mitchelstown - fermoy was done and use the slip roads as they do on most other roadways. Money would have been saved now on traffic management and it would have had no effect on the current road usage.

Yes. Tie-in work at junction 14 is going to be a nightmare compared to the relatively simple job they have to do a junction 12. But it will get done none-the-less...

I really hope your source is correct Furet!

Amtmann

Junction 13 of the M8 under construction, December 2008.


The M8 between Junctions 13 and 14, looking south ~ December 2008.


M8 looking north, 4km south of Mitchelstown in County Cork, Dec. 2008.


The M8 looking south just south of Junction 12, December 2008.

BluntGuy

Looking well advanced on the southern stretch...

But yes it's looking like it will all be opening as one big chunk...

No Ennis-Bypass style opening without exits (J13 is fundamentally finished - especially southbound).

No N1/M1 style temporary opening of one carriageway...

No Cahir-Mitchelstown style sectional opening...

Looking forward to this. :cool:

Amtmann

I got handed this leaflet at the toll booth today.

Amtmann

Video of northern half under construction:

Chris_533976

Good pics as always

AugustusMaximus

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Good pics as always

2nd that. Your simply the best source of information on all of the M8 schemes that exists.

Steviemak

Thanks again Furet.

Disappointed to see the tie in works may take 6 months. I was hoping for a late May opening. I wonder are they being over conservative with the 6 month time frame?

Amtmann

Steviemak wrote: »

Thanks again Furet.

Disappointed to see the tie in works may take 6 months. I was hoping for a late May opening. I wonder are they being over conservative with the 6 month time frame?

I think that's conservative. I don't think it'll take more than 4 months maximum. But suppose it does take six months. The northern half will be ready before that, meaning that ironically it could open before the southern half. I'll supply pictures when the works start so we'll be able to guage progress. Quite looking forward to it actually.