M9 Kilcullen to Carlow motorway to open 21 December 2009

Victor

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1216/1224260761179.html

Kilcullen to Carlow motorway to open

The €300 million motorway from Kilcullen, Co Kildare, to Carlow is to open next Monday, some nine months ahead of schedule.

The 27km stretch of motorway will provide a bypass of Castledermot and a new national secondary road to Athy town via the junction at Mullamast in Co Kildare.

The motorway forms part of the M9 Dublin to Waterford route which is due to be completed in 2010.

http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/traffic/story.asp?id=106702

Kildare - Expect long delays on the N9 Dublin/Carlow Rd at Castledermot due to roadworks taking place until Weds 16th Dec
Updated: 15/12/2009 13:40:17

Allow at least 60mins extra for your journey.

http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/traffic/story.asp?id=106694

Carlow - Traffic is down to one lane on the M9 Dublin / Carlow Rd for 3km’s at Kilcullen until approx 24th December
Updated: 15/12/2009 08:02:45

This is part of the ongoing roadworks and the traffic layout has been changed recently. All traffic was using the southbound carriageway and will now use the northbound carriageway. Motorists should approach this new layout with caution

DO'Carlo/Wex

Unreal. Will now mean both Carlow AND Castledermot are Bypassed.
Carlow has been freed-up from the traffic that's choked it in the past.
Will also mean Coach Services SHOULD be quicker as not as much traffic will be passing through Castledermot from Monday Onwards.
Excellent also to see it being completed NINE Months Ahead of Schedule.

Irish and Proud

DO'Carlo/Wex wrote: »

Unreal. Will now mean both Carlow AND Castledermot are Bypassed.
Carlow has been freed-up from the traffic that's choked it in the past.
Will also mean Coach Services SHOULD be quicker as not as much traffic will be passing through Castledermot from Monday Onwards.
Excellent also to see it being completed NINE Months Ahead of Schedule.

One big downside is that the opening of very large sections of both the M9 and M6 motorways will mean large job losses - and just before Christmas! As others say, the government should really be pushing other road schemes through in times of recession, like the M11 and M18 motorways (for 2010 start-ups) with the M20 and M6 GORR also in the pipeline - but for 2011 maybe!

The new roads will be very welcome though - will hopefully help to stimulate economic activity - but then there are the banksters! :mad:

Regards!

alpha2zulu

Bad news on this from the guys on the M9 thread in the infrastructure forum. Apparently Noel Dempsey has halted its opening until January. No explanation why.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055372962&page=89

Amtmann

Delayed four weeks by a gombeen man to save a petrol station. If the NRA signed off on the road then it's ready to open regardless of what the cute hoors say: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1217/1224260838848.html

I strongly urge EVERYONE here to get in contact with their TDs and the Minister for Transport and demand that this completed road be opened rather than have it lie idle for the next four weeks. In the run up to Christmas and on these darkest of days and nights, this motorway has the capacity to avert tragedy and save lives.

Matt Cooper - thelastword@todayfm.com
Mary Wilson - drivetime@rte.ie
George Hook - therighthook@newstalk.ie
Eamonn Keane - lunchtime@newstalk.ie

bobby.aylward@oireachtas.ie
ministersoffice@dast.gov.ie
john.deasy@oireachtas.ie
philip.hogan@oireachtas.ie
bwk@eircom.net
john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie
mj.nolan@oireachtas.ie
sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie
boshea@eircom.net
sean.power@oireachtas.ie
jack.wall@oireachtas.ie
mary.white@oireachtas.ie

morningireland@rte.ie breakfast@newstalk.ie todaypk@rte.ie

jd

Sean Power was the guy that made the representations to kill this opening, the little gombeen sh*t

mysterious

If the world just cant get madder! madder I tell you...

What is this world coming too.

Davidth88

So let me get this right........

The state is losing 1.8 M euro , lives are being put at risk ( using the old road ) , and all because some local business's MAY lose some money !


Jeez, now I have heard it all

JupiterKid

What difference wil it make in the medium term? If this Sean Power's business won't last when the new M9 opens, then when it opens will not be the point, since it would go under anyway.

Sounds like a idiotic gombeen too often found in this country of ours.:mad:Major complaints to all and sundry over this disgraceful intervention that may cost lives is needed now.

Kashkai

I thought the stupid "the bypass will kill local businesses" bs had been put to bed by now. Any town that I know of that was previously bypassed has found a new lease of life in that they are no longer choked with through traffic and then they become nicer places to live, work and shop in. Example would be Maynooth in Kildare that was a nightmare but after the bypass opened in 1994, it became a lovely place to live and shop in.

As for Dempsey caving in to this local gombeenism, he should be sacked immediately - oh don't worry as I know that would never happen in this excuse of a banana republic. I only hope no one is killed on the existing sub standard road prior to the opening of the new bypass, though I'm sure it wouldn't weigh on Dempsey's conscience if a tragic accident did occur.

testicle

Here's the mobile numbers of all the FF councillors on Kildare County Council. I suggest you text them all.

http://www.michaelfitzpatrick.ie/ffteam.html

Pat Black - Tel.00353 087 2598506

Willie Callaghan - Tel 00353 086 2341009

Geraldine Conway - Tel 00353 086 8032538

Mark Dalton - Tel 00353 086 4099723

Liam Doyle - Tel 00353 086 3849424

Suzanne Doyle - Tel 00353 045 521046

Daragh Fitzptrick - Tel 00353 087 2538184

Martin Miley Jnr - Tel 00353 087 3998478

Fiona O’Loughlin - Tel 00353 087 2345160

Paul Kelly - Tel 00353 086 2560548

CountingCrows

I've texted everyone of the above - a complete disgrace.

Patrickof

Whats to stop a local guy with a teleporter opening the road?

There's only three concrete bollards/barriers blocking the road at present......

Cookie_Monster

Seemingly on Today FM just now they have announced it will open on Monday

Redsoxfan

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Seemingly on Today FM just now they have announced it will open on Monday

Newstalk saying the same thing.

Fair play to everyone who contacted local representatives etc.

We may have to do something similar for the M50 soon....

mambo

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/ireland/uturn-on-motorway-opening-date-438654.html

U-turn on motorway opening date

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has made a u-turn on his decision to defer the opening of the €300m extension to the M9 motorway.

Minister Dempsey had requested the National Roads Authority to delay the opening of the route until the New Year.

The 27km stretch between Kilcullen in Co Kildare and the Carlow town bypass will now be opened to traffic on Monday as had been previously planned.

Reports said the decision to defer the opening was made following representations to the minister by Kildare South TD Sean Power on behalf of a number of local businesses.

Chris_533976

Good. Daft decision to delay it till after Christmas.

mysterious

testicle wrote: »

Here's the mobile numbers of all the FF councillors on Kildare County Council. I suggest you text them all.

http://www.michaelfitzpatrick.ie/ffteam.html

Pat Black - Tel.00353 087 2598506

Willie Callaghan - Tel 00353 086 2341009

Geraldine Conway - Tel 00353 086 8032538

Mark Dalton - Tel 00353 086 4099723

Liam Doyle - Tel 00353 086 3849424

Suzanne Doyle - Tel 00353 045 521046

Daragh Fitzptrick - Tel 00353 087 2538184

Martin Miley Jnr - Tel 00353 087 3998478

Fiona O’Loughlin - Tel 00353 087 2345160

Paul Kelly - Tel 00353 086 2560548

"feck em" politicans are useless. I think that should be the most valid point of this whole thread.

Maybe the politicans should deduct their wages to inflation levels and give the money to the business man who wants his coppers.

In other words dont be wasting your time with these lot. i'd say somone out there go and cut the ribbon and drive on it ffs. People need to start taking responsibility and management in their own lives and get some self authority back. Not looking this looking others and these corrupt politicans.

corktina

I'm pretty sure U turns on Motorways are not permitted....but what the heck, if noone is going to take any notice of all the L drivers on there, lets not worry about the odd manoevre on the M9

Victor

http://www.transport.ie/pressRelease.aspx?Id=150

Statement from the Department of Transport:

After consultation with all parties, the National Roads Authority can give the go-ahead to the opening of the M9 Kilcullen-Carlow Bypass on Monday 21 December 2009. The official opening of this road will take place some time in January 2010.

ENDS

Cookie_Monster

Why does it need a separate "official" opening other than to make the politicians feel important?

Irish and Proud

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Why does it need a separate "official" opening other than to make the politicians feel important?

...well Christmas is the main thing on people's minds as of now, so the politicians wouldn't get enough attention in their photo-op - or admiration for their shiny new suits that they'll probably buy specially for the occasion. :rolleyes:

I for one would just pull away the barriers with no fuss on sectional openings (like the M9 K-C) - a bit like what happens during the M50 upgrade. There's no need for such pomp until an entire city to city motorway is complete, like the M6 today!

Regards!

JupiterKid

I have a question:

Do priests and bishops still "bless" new sections of road in this country? It used to be very commonplace for new road schemes in Ireland and quite a sad and silly spectacle IMO.

Cookie_Monster

Irish and Proud wrote: »

There's no need for such pomp until an entire city to city motorway is complete, like the M6 today!

Regards!

expect for Athlone;)

Amtmann

JupiterKid wrote: »

I have a question:

Do priests and bishops still "bless" new sections of road in this country? It used to be very commonplace for new road schemes in Ireland and quite a sad and silly spectacle IMO.

They do. The M6 was blessed today.

Cookie_Monster

Furet wrote: »

They do. The M6 was blessed today.

:rolleyes:

Lets start sacrificing goats to it too just in case

corktina

just as well to do it now, there will be a shortage of bishops soon....

Amtmann

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Lets start sacrificing goats to it too just in case

We've already sacrificed a few greedy businessmen to it. To a heathen like me, that's good enough.

Irish and Proud

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

expect for Athlone;)

...well a motorway with a Cumberland Gap thrown in for good measure!

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1221/m9.html

M9 Kilcullen to Carlow road opens
watch Monday, 21 December 2009 20:03

The M9 Kilcullen to Carlow motorway project, which cost more than €300m to build, has been opened without Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey or a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The 28km motorway opened to traffic this afternoon 10 months ahead of schedule but the official opening will not take place until January.

There was controversy last week when it was announced the road would not be opening until January even though the National Roads Authority had said the road was ready to be opened.

A decision was made to have it opened today and the official opening will take place with the Minister and senior officials from the National Roads Authority in January.

The scheme is providing a bypass of Castledermot and is part of the M9 Major Inter-Urban Route between Dublin and Waterford.

It is the second section of the new M9 to be completed; the Carlow bypass was the first section, which opened in May 2008.

The two remaining sections to be completed are Carlow to Knocktopher and Knocktopher to Waterford.

The entire M9 is on schedule to be finished by the end of 2010.

It is expected the road will save approximately 15 minutes or more for average daily commuters on the route.

Our man in Havana

Of course RTÉ get it wrong again. It is the third section of the M9 to open. They all seem to forget about the first section which is a spur off the M7 to Killcullen.