M7/M8 Portlaoise-Castletown-Cullahill Motorway (incl. Abbeyleix Bypass)

Jayuu

emfifty wrote: »

could be to do with the high fencing and barriers at the side contributing to a narrow alignment.

I think this is a good point. I assume the road is the standard width. There are sections where the fencing does seem to close right in to the road.

Here are two pictures, one with the fencing and one without that were taken not that far apart distance wise. Its easy to see why it might feel narrower. That said I wasn't too worried by it.

lottpaul

trellheim wrote: »

Just did Curragh-Cork via M8. The new section is most visible to me for its narrowness southbound, after the toll. feels very constricted.

Have just travelled north on the M7 from Borris and the hard shoulder seems dangerously narrow. If anything bigger than a wheelbarrow breaks down it'll be sticking way out into the main carriageway. Noticed further north on the Portlaoise section that the shoulder looked far wider.

Chris_5339762

FWIW I did Cork - Dublin today and the northbound route isnt anything like as bumpy as southbound. Check that suspension before and after a southbound trip tho!

kman

Drove it this weekend, yes very bumpy heading south approaching the toll, would have expected better from a new motorway. Concrete barrier very close to the edge the overtaking lane in places too heading north, no room for any mistakes there ! Seemed less bumpy northbound alright. Might try and take some video next time if not already up by then.

Danno

Drove from Portlaoise to J3 Southbound today. Bumpy up to the toll and less so after it. It seems that the final layer was laid down in sections with the seams/joints being the cause of most of the bumps. A fine road nonetheless though and it feels a long trek compared to what the map shows. Anyone travelling Dub-Cork must think Laois is a large county!

HurlyBurly

Plenty of toll-dodgers coming off at J3, going through Ballacolla and Abbeyleix. then back on at Portlaoise or vice versa.
And most of them think the they're still on the motorway as they do well over 100 on an 80 road.

It was very busy on friday evening, way more so than normal.

Makes it much more dangerous for locals.

Our man in Havana

The Gardaí from Abbeyleix target the R433 between Ballacolla and Abbeyleix regularly. They should be having a bonanza these days.

MidlandsM

Haddockman wrote: »

The Gardaí from Abbeyleix target the R433 between Ballacolla and Abbeyleix regularly. They should be having a bonanza these days.

News to me Haddockman, I've been on that road for more years than I care to remember and never once came accorss a checkpoint or speed trap....or maybe i've been lucky.:)
They (the gardai) however, are already up on the M8 creaming in some dosh, saw a few people getting done from J3 in towards the Toll - I guess the Super's under orders to get them out there making some revenue.:rolleyes:

Our man in Havana

I know quite a few people from Rathdowney that have been busted early mornings just outside of Ballacolla on the straights. But as you say they have diverted their attention to the easy pickings that the M8 offers.

recyclebin

There used to be Gardai with speed guns on the staights between Ballacolla and Abbeyleixa a lot last year. I don't think i've seen them once this year and i'd be on that road twice a day.

HurlyBurly

Had been hitting 90-100 myself between Ballacolla and Abbeyleix.
Have never seen a speed check on it.
May have to row back to 80 so, - I'd expect them to start making more of a presence there once they get wind of it.
Bloody toll-dodgers, ruining the local roads for us. :mad:

MidlandsM

On a seperate note, I note the OLD TRUCK TRAILER advertising has started in adjacent fields to the M8.

What the legality on there here in Ireland? These's lots of it going on near Motorway Networks in the UK?

markfla

recyclebin wrote: »

There used to be Gardai with speed guns on the staights between Ballacolla and Abbeyleixa a lot last year. I don't think i've seen them once this year and i'd be on that road twice a day.

It was probably my old man doing the speed checks, more so on the other side of the village. The Garda station is on the straight into the village from Rathdowney. He was dead right too catching people bombing it down that road as the local primary school is on that road across from the station. It's ridiculous how fast trucks come down that road sometimes, all you need is one kid to run after a football on to the road.

Amtmann

MidlandsM wrote: »

On a seperate note, I note the OLD TRUCK TRAILER advertising has started in adjacent fields to the M8.

What the legality on there here in Ireland? These's lots of it going on near Motorway Networks in the UK?

Classy. In all fairness, an cheaply created ad stuck onto a horrible old trailer in a forlorn field won't attract anyone.

MidlandsM

Furet wrote: »

Classy. In all fairness, an cheaply created ad stuck onto a horrible old trailer in a forlorn field won't attract anyone.

Are they legal?

foxirl

When heading back to Wexford from Limerick my old route would have been through BorrisOnOssary and then Ballycolla, then Abbyleix and on to Carlow.
Can I take advantage of any of this new motorway or do I need to still take my old route?
Thanks

MidlandsM

foxirl wrote: »

When heading back to Wexford from Limerick my old route would have been through BorrisOnOssary and then Ballycolla, then Abbyleix and on to Carlow.
Can I take advantage of any of this new motorway or do I need to still take my old route?
Thanks

No, its of little use to you unless you go up the M7 to portlaoise (pay the toll) and head for carlow from there.

HurlyBurly

Furet wrote: »

Classy. In all fairness, an cheaply created ad stuck onto a horrible old trailer in a forlorn field won't attract anyone.

You'd be surprised. All you need to do is get the name out there and into people's minds. A certain M.Stone have done that, both sides of the motorway, loads of eyeballs hitting it,..
and I'd say no one cares too much about the looks of the ad when they're looking for stone!

Amtmann

HurlyBurly wrote: »

You'd be surprised. All you need to do is get the name out there and into people's minds. A certain M.Stone have done that, both sides of the motorway, loads of eyeballs hitting it,..
and I'd say no one cares too much about the looks of the ad when they're looking for stone!

I wouldn't give a visual polluter my custom, but maybe that's just me. Kilcoran Lodge has a trailer stuck in some field at the foot of the Galtees. Looks awful. As for the legality, I don't know. The Fermoy Farmers' Market ads are much tidier to look at along the M8.

Our man in Havana

They need planning permission for such advertisements. I doubt any of them bothered.

Clare Bear

Is it making much of a difference to anyone else's journey? Only seems to be taking 10 minutes off mine from North Dublin to North Cork the few times I've taken it. Can't see where they're getting this 2.5 hours from South Dublin to South Cork from, has anyone managed that without breaking the law?

MidlandsM

Haddockman wrote: »

They need planning permission for such advertisements. I doubt any of them bothered.

+1 ,

The loophole I think is that they (the ADS) are on trailers, so the argument is that they are parked up, so they are not permanent etc, so no planning reqd alledgedly.

Danno

recyclebin wrote:

I don't think i've seen them once this year and i'd be on that road twice a day.

markfla wrote: »

It was probably my old man doing the speed checks, more so on the other side of the village.

He's retired now - hence there are no speed checks anymore! Know him well, nice bloke. I hope he's enjoying retirement.

nordydan

Clare Bear wrote: »

Is it making much of a difference to anyone else's journey? Only seems to be taking 10 minutes off mine from North Dublin to North Cork the few times I've taken it. Can't see where they're getting this 2.5 hours from South Dublin to South Cork from, has anyone managed that without breaking the law?

Yep, it's easily done. I'd say 10-15min off peak and probably 30-35 min on busier times (e.g Bank holidays)

spacetweek

Clare Bear wrote: »

Is it making much of a difference to anyone else's journey? Only seems to be taking 10 minutes off mine from North Dublin to North Cork the few times I've taken it. Can't see where they're getting this 2.5 hours from South Dublin to South Cork from, has anyone managed that without breaking the law?

250 km / 120 km/h = 2h05 + congestion at either end = 2h30 easy.

Our man in Havana

The speedlimit is only 100km/h between Newlands Cross and J9 and 80km/h between the M50 and Newlands Cross.

HurlyBurly

Plus you have to slow down or stop for the tolls!

I love the express lane though, great to be able to fly through it (well at 80 anyway)

markfla

Danno wrote: »

He's retired now - hence there are no speed checks anymore! Know him well, nice bloke. I hope he's enjoying retirement.

He's officially retired now, he's been "retired" a long time:)

bridestream

invinciblePRSTV wrote: »

Letters and stamps are for OAPs who know no better.

Excuse yourself invinciblePRSTV.
I'm an OAP and do NOT write a postal letter unless I have no choice.

OAP's out there, arise and do unto 'invinciblePRSTV' where it hurts most!

Stark

bridestream wrote: »

OAP's out there, arise and do unto 'invinciblePRSTV' where it hurts most!

Good luck finding them on the internet.