M8 - Cashel to Mitchelstown

AugustusMaximus · 20-07-2008 10:52pm

Are they doing any of the signage on the Cahir - Cashel section yet ?

Added to that they'll have to put a solid yellow line down for the hard shoulder to replace the dashed yellow line.

childoforpheus · 21-07-2008 12:06am

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Are they doing any of the signage on the Cahir - Cashel section yet ?*Added to that they'll have to put a solid yellow line down for the hard shoulder to replace the dashed yellow line.

I'd say they'll leave the green signs up on the Cahir - Cashel section until September some time.
The line for the hard shoulder is solid since that section opened.

AugustusMaximus · 21-07-2008 12:26am

childoforpheus wrote: »

I'd say they'll leave the green signs up on the Cahir - Cashel section until September some time.
The line for the hard shoulder is solid since that section opened.

Interesting cause that section has been open quite some time.

Is everyone sure that, that section will open as motorway with a 100kph speed limit. Anytime I've driven it I thought it looked fine for 120kph and more

Stark · 21-07-2008 1:26pm

Definitely opening as 100km/hr and will be until the motorway orders come into force. Opening it as 120km/hr would require a special speed limit order to be issued by the council and everyone knows that councillors don't do any work that they don't have to!

ipodrocker · 21-07-2008 1:54pm

so when is the date for the phase to be open?

Stark · 21-07-2008 1:58pm

The date is mentioned a few posts up.

AugustusMaximus · 21-07-2008 1:59pm

Stark wrote: »

Definitely opening as 100km/hr and will be until the motorway orders come into force. Opening it as 120km/hr would require a special speed limit order to be issued by the council and everyone knows that councillors don't do any work that they don't have to!

No the Cashel bypass section.

By all accounts, a few people here believe that the road has some sharp bends which may mean when the motorway order goes through, it will still be restricted to 100kph.

I on the other hand think 120kph is perfectly reasonable on that stretch of road.

ipodrocker · 21-07-2008 1:59pm

so 25th july is the confirmed date?

xabi · 21-07-2008 2:03pm

ipodrocker wrote: »

so 25th july is the confirmed date?

You answered your own question.

Stark · 21-07-2008 2:08pm

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

No the Cashel bypass section.

By all accounts, a few people here believe that the road has some sharp bends which may mean when the motorway order goes through, it will still be restricted to 100kph.

I on the other hand think 120kph is perfectly reasonable on that stretch of road.

Ah right. I remember someone mentioning here before that they asked a councillor about this and the councillor replied that the Cashel bypass section would have a permanent 100km/hr section. Bit silly I know. It's a better road than the Fermoy bypass in my opinion.

WithCheesePlease · 21-07-2008 2:24pm

1huge1 wrote: »

I dont really understand why the did all that big job with the mitchelstown ring road (for the fermoy bypass) and now there gonna make a motorway bypassing it, why did they build both

Biggest waste of money ever. I hate that stretch of road. I never take it, I prefer to drive through Sh!tchelstown...

Amtmann · 21-07-2008 2:28pm

childoforpheus wrote: »

I'd say they'll leave the green signs up on the Cahir - Cashel section until September some time.
The line for the hard shoulder is solid since that section opened.

This is correct. They won't take the green signs down before September for some reason. More wasted money and foolishness.

AugustusMaximus · 21-07-2008 3:20pm

gearoid_healy wrote: »

Biggest waste of money ever. I hate that stretch of road. I never take it, I prefer to drive through Sh!tchelstown...

No its not.

It will take a considerable number of vehicle out of the centre of Mitchelstown who are coming in from several regional roads from the west and north of mitchelstown.

It was opened before the main bypass as unlike the main bypass, the relief road can act as both the N8 bypass aswell as a ring road to take traffic from the other attaching regional roads.

WithCheesePlease · 21-07-2008 3:23pm

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

No its not.

It will take a considerable number of vehicle out of the centre of Mitchelstown who are coming in from several regional roads from the west and north of mitchelstown.

It was opened before the main bypass as unlike the main bypass, the relief road can act as both the N8 bypass aswell as a ring road to take traffic from the other attaching regional roads.

Ah, I see....

Bards · 21-07-2008 3:55pm

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

No its not.

It will take a considerable number of vehicle out of the centre of Mitchelstown who are coming in from several regional roads from the west and north of mitchelstown.

It was opened before the main bypass as unlike the main bypass, the relief road can act as both the N8 bypass aswell as a ring road to take traffic from the other attaching regional roads.

Exactly, I use it to get onto the Mallow road when coming from Cahir

Colm R · 21-07-2008 3:58pm

gearoid_healy wrote: »

Biggest waste of money ever. I hate that stretch of road. I never take it, I prefer to drive through Sh!tchelstown...

Indeed most people do travel through the town however the current Mitchelstown relief road will take on a new life after the motorway is complete. It will become the N73 connecting the M8 to to Mallow. You have to remember that this was built in anticipation of the motorway, not despite of it.

The M3 around Kells will have similar roads built around it to ensure traffic on the N52 does not have to go through the town.

The street through Mitchelstown will undergo a bit upgrade to make it more pedestrian friendly. This wouldn't be possible of all traffic coming from Dublin going to North Cork had to continue through it.

corktina · 21-07-2008 4:36pm

thats what I thought BUT its got brand new signs on the N8 section saying R439 (or somesuch number....) thats at the new roundabout north of M'town...

Stark · 21-07-2008 4:40pm

corktina wrote: »

thats what I thought BUT its got brand new signs on the N8 section saying R439 (or somesuch number....) thats at the new roundabout north of M'town...

R639? That's what old sections of the N8 get designated as when new sections get built.

corktina · 21-07-2008 4:51pm

but what about the link from the N73 to the M8? does it just stop at the roundabout? I had assumed a section of the old bypass and the N8 would become N73...not the case it seems...

Colm R · 21-07-2008 5:33pm

It wouldn't be the first time that signs are wrong during or after contruction.

From the enigneer I have talked to, my understanding is (please don't hold me to this):

The N73 will come from Mallow onto the roundabout about midway on the Mitchelstown Relief Road and proceed North along the existing N8 to the Junction with the M8 and terminate at this point.

That section of road from the point where the N73 joins the Mitchesltown Relief road to the M8 Junction north of Mitchelstown will also be designated (R639). There is precedent for this. N52 piggy backs on the N6 for about 5Km near Tullamore.

The R639 will continue from the roundabout midway on the Relief Road (current N8 Mitchestown bybass) south to the existing N8 at the roundabout south of Mitchestown and continue to Fermoy once the M8 Mitchelstown Fermoy section is complete in Q1 2010.

The road going through Mitchelstown itself will be then designated an LXXXX, or local road, thus allowing Mitchesltown to develop as a street and not a through road.

This is not the only place that the R639 will piggy back on another road. The section of road from the roundabout on the old Cahir bypass to the new Junction north of Cahir will be redesignated the N24 Limerick - Waterford route. In fact the signs here already reflect this, and this road will also be the (R639).

My biggest fear about all this is that the Signs will be all wrong.

corktina · 21-07-2008 5:44pm

yes, I had assumed that the N24 would be extended over what was the N8 to the M8 roundabout....maybe its because the current R sections are not yet the fincancial responsibility of the NRA (Im assuming that the old M'town bypass is not offically an N road as it has an 80k speed limit....

iwudluvit · 22-07-2008 3:58pm

ok then - pop pickers, leaving from killorglin, kerry - will it be quicker to go thru limerick / N7 to Dublin or via mallow and N8?

in terms of miles it's presumably limerick route, but with roadworks and the timing of various bits of roads in between, would there be a chance that mallow / N8 would be quicker?

corktina · 22-07-2008 4:05pm

iwudluvit wrote: »

ok then - pop pickers, leaving from killorglin, kerry - will it be quicker to go thru limerick / N7 to Dublin or via mallow and N8?

in terms of miles it's presumably limerick route, but with roadworks and the timing of various bits of roads in between, would there be a chance that mallow / N8 would be quicker?

go Limerick...theroad is not great around Mallow...if perchance you hit huge tailbacks at Nenagh, turn off for Tullamore on the N52 and then hit the M6 around Kilbeggan..... we did Kanturk to Trim in around 3 hours...maybe a shade less last Sunday...

dmeehan · 22-07-2008 4:08pm

when i go between killarney and dublin I always go the limerick way, esp if you can skip peak times in castleisland. going via mallow, some sections of the N72/N73 are ****e. i did the mallow route once and I am not too inclined to use it again, well maybe we can get an update from someone once the M8 opens fully

iwudluvit · 22-07-2008 4:10pm

ok thanks - I'm just so sick of the roscrea route that i'm willing to drive via mallow and the n8 for a change of scenery. if it wasn't too much longer and the road was better in patches, then I'd risk it.

iwudluvit · 22-07-2008 4:15pm

dmeehan wrote: »

when i go between killarney and dublin I always go the limerick way, esp if you can skip peak times in castleisland. going via mallow, some sections of the N72/N73 are ****e. i did the mallow route once and I am not too inclined to use it again, well maybe we can get an update from someone once the M8 opens fully

and when would this be? there'll come a point, even for a few months or so and it'll be quciker to go this way. just wondering when it might be.

as regards n72/73 being less than top notch, i presume it's a two lane highway thing? it can't be too much worse than going thru abbeyfeale, adare, castleisland etc.

corktina · 22-07-2008 5:40pm

it is MUCH worse particularly just east of Mallow....

it is 10 miles futher for me via Limerick but i often go that way as the road is far supierior...Until the next M8 section opens of course...but when the M7 opens, it will be limerick for me every time.

serfboard · 22-07-2008 7:03pm

iwudluvit wrote: »

as regards n72/73 being less than top notch, i presume it's a two lane highway thing? it can't be too much worse than going thru abbeyfeale, adare, castleisland etc.

When you say you presume, that means that you've never traveled on it. Don't let the N rating fool you ... it's a dog, particularly between Killarney and Rathmore:eek:. The N21 is a far superior road (as it should be) IMO.

Amtmann · 22-07-2008 7:21pm

iwudluvit wrote:

and when would this be? there'll come a point, even for a few months or so and it'll be quciker to go this way. just wondering when it might be.

Officially, Q4 2010. Unofficially (and this is purely a guess), I'd say Q1/Q2 2010.

ipodrocker · 23-07-2008 9:18am

hey are we going off the topic here, supposed to be about the n8/m8 !

dmeehan · 23-07-2008 10:55am

serfboard wrote: »

When you say you presume, that means that you've never traveled on it. Don't let the N rating fool you ... it's a dog, particularly between Killarney and Rathmore:eek:. The N21 is a far superior road (as it should be) IMO.

especially between rathmore and barrabuff, and that bridge outside barraduff is a death trap :eek:

Reenascreena · 23-07-2008 3:35pm

The N8 Cashel / Mitchelstown will be officially opened by Dr Martin Mansergh at 11am on Friday, July 25 at Tincurry near Cahir.

Amtmann · 23-07-2008 5:42pm

Reenascreena wrote: »

The N8 Cashel / Mitchelstown will be officially opened by Dr Martin Mansergh at 11am on Friday, July 25 at Tincurry near Cahir.

Where did you hear that? I've been looking on the NRA and South Tipp website, but can't find anything.

Reenascreena · 23-07-2008 6:30pm

Furet wrote: »

Where did you hear that? I've been looking on the NRA and South Tipp website, but can't find anything.

I got an invite today.

Amtmann · 24-07-2008 11:05pm

So, tomorrow's the big day. Anyone planning on driving it? I am, at least twice.

AugustusMaximus · 24-07-2008 11:39pm

Heading up to the match on Sunday so will get to see it then.

ipodrocker · 25-07-2008 8:41am

yeah driving it this afternoon, opens 2pm.

Amtmann · 25-07-2008 8:44am

Does anyone want to drive it just because? I do. I've no pressing need to be on the m8 at all today, but after watching it 'gestate' so to speak, for so long, I'm tired of waiting!

murphaph · 25-07-2008 2:44pm

Any pics?

ipodrocker · 25-07-2008 2:48pm

im driving it later and I want to drive it too, see the new road in action will speed up the journey no more relief road!

Amtmann · 25-07-2008 5:05pm

I just drove it thrice. It's savage. A little bendier than I thought it would be, but actually it improves the experience.

I notice there is a wide median section close between exits 10 and 11, and that a an impressive amount of rock was blasted out for one section.

I was also impressed with the amount of traffic on the road: there were HGVs galore. If anyone had any doubts about the necessity of an M8, they should have been dispelled today.

Unfortunately, I think I was caught speeding (doing about 111km/h) by a Garda with a hairdryer about 6km south of the Cashel exit

AugustusMaximus · 25-07-2008 5:06pm

ipodrocker wrote: »

im driving it later and I want to drive it too, see the new road in action will speed up the journey no more relief road!

The new road stops on the Dublin side of Mitchelstown so you'll still have to use the relief road until the full bypass is complete early in 2009.

Amtmann · 25-07-2008 5:37pm

One thing that really annoys me along new stretches on the M8 is the proliferation of what my neighbours call "savanah". The grass simply never gets cut; it grows long and stringy and brown and looks, in a word, ugly. The NRA should cut the verges and banks regularly from May to September.

L1011 · 25-07-2008 6:44pm

Furet wrote: »

Unfortunately, I think I was caught speeding (doing about 111km/h) by a Garda with a hairdryer about 6km south of the Cashel exit

111 on your speedo would probably be lower, and usually the hairdryer guards have you pulled to get details - they've no photo evidence.

Shooting fish in a barrel, as a senior Guard said they weren't going to do, though
- particularly as the road will be 120 in 8 weeks!

Amtmann · 25-07-2008 9:39pm

MYOB wrote: »

111 on your speedo would probably be lower, and usually the hairdryer guards have you pulled to get details - they've no photo evidence.

Shooting fish in a barrel, as a senior Guard said they weren't going to do, though
- particularly as the road will be 120 in 8 weeks!

Cheers for the ray of hope! But why would he just stand there with his hairdryer, if it's no good to him and he can neither take photos nor pursue people? (He wasn't in a car, but standing.)

murphaph · 25-07-2008 10:03pm

Furet wrote: »

Cheers for the ray of hope! But why would he just stand there with his hairdryer, if it's no good to him and he can neither take photos nor pursue people? (He wasn't in a car, but standing.)

Guard standing on the R136 today with speed gun on tripod. He was just stepping out flagging people down if he caught them. He was stood in the junction with the R134 Nangor Road for information. You've nothing to worry about if he didn't pull you in I'd say.

L1011 · 25-07-2008 10:06pm

Furet wrote: »

Cheers for the ray of hope! But why would he just stand there with his hairdryer, if it's no good to him and he can neither take photos nor pursue people? (He wasn't in a car, but standing.)

As murpaph says, he flags you down. They have you from a mad distance away.

The single time I've got caught I noticed the guard stepping out in the road in front of me before I'd noticed he was there checking (and wondered what I'd done, as I thought the road was 20km/h higher than it was

)

Dkettle · 26-07-2008 9:16am

Brilliant road, as Furet said the bends enhance it, with some great views.

There is a massive "pit lane" southbound near junction 11, looks like the Gardai will be doing some serious revenue collection there in time to come.

The real benefit will come when the Mitchelstown bypass is complete though. Driving from Dunkettle to Kilsheelan (on the N24 east of Clonmel) yesterday I negotiated 23 roundabouts in 70 miles, on the way home with the road open, 22, this will be down to 14 when the last leg opens.

I know this thread is about the fantastic progress on the N/M8 but if the plans for upgrade of the N24 ever see the light of the day it will probably make the Guinness Book of records for the number of roundabouts!

Lennoxschips · 26-07-2008 11:54am

Are the yellow lines solid or broken?

childoforpheus · 26-07-2008 3:23pm

Lennoxschips wrote: »

Are the yellow lines solid or broken?

Solid.

M8 - Cashel to Mitchelstown

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