Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

M8 motorway (general thread)

2456738

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    Motorway redesignation has officially happened. All sections of the M8 currently under construction will offially open as motorways rather than as HQDCs, and a speed limit of 120 km/h will be in force from September 24, 2008. All green signage will be taken down and replaced from that date aswell.

    Some further developments: an official at the Dept of Transport just told me that the NRA will shortly apply to have the N8 redesignated a motorway all the way to Dunkettle. They expect this consultation process to take considerably less time than the current spate of redesignation consultation.

    So good news indeed for all the M 8'ers!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,006 ✭✭✭WithCheesePlease


    Anyone know when Abbeyleix will be bypassed??...


  • Registered Users Posts: 20,853 ✭✭✭✭Stark




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,006 ✭✭✭WithCheesePlease


    Stark wrote: »

    Jesus....

    Still though, it's coming along nicely in fairness.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭bill_ashmount


    Furet wrote: »
    Just back from Kilbeheny.

    The Cashel to Mitchelstown section is.......complete! All is lined, marked, and signed. July 25 is D-Day.

    Attached below is a photo of J12 - the southernmost start/endpoint of the scheme.

    Should be open for the match in Thurles on Sunday so, looking forward to seeing it.


  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,917 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    Furet wrote: »
    Motorway redesignation has officially happened. All sections of the M8 currently under construction will offially open as motorways rather than as HQDCs, and a speed limit of 120 km/h will be in force from September 24, 2008. All green signage will be taken down and replaced from that date aswell.

    Some further developments: an official at the Dept of Transport just told me that the NRA will shortly apply to have the N8 redesignated a motorway all the way to Dunkettle. They expect this consultation process to take considerably less time than the current spate of redesignation consultation.

    So good news indeed for all the M 8'ers!
    This is great news. There wasn't really anything stopping them redesignating this (Fermoy-Dunkettle) section anyway.

    In a few years' time they should look at trying the same on the Naas Dual Carriageway, though it'll need some reconstruction.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭bill_ashmount


    Officially opened now....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,147 ✭✭✭E92


    Furet wrote: »
    Some further developments: an official at the Dept of Transport just told me that the NRA will shortly apply to have the N8 redesignated a motorway all the way to Dunkettle. They expect this consultation process to take considerably less time than the current spate of redesignation consultation.

    So good news indeed for all the M 8'ers!
    Superb! I could never understand why they didn't bother trying to re-designate the N8 between Dunkettle and the Fermoy in the first place. Though I would have thought there was nothing stopping them going to the roundabout where Cork-Dublin/Waterford and the exit for Glanmire intersect?(sorry I don't know the name of that roundabout:o)

    Full marks to the NRA for taking full advantage of the Roads Act 2007.

    Have you any idea Furet if they're going to bother trying to get roads like the Ballincollig bypass, N25 between Cork and Midelton, Limerick tunnel, Southern Ring Road etc re-designated and upgraded to 120 km/h?


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭childoforpheus


    I presume you mean between Watergrasshill (Junction 17) to Dunkettle interchange (Junction 19). This is great news if it does happen. The stretch between Watergrasshill and Glanmire (Junction 18) is well able for 120km/h and the stretch between Glanmire and Dunkettle will probably be 100Km/h


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    To clarify, I meant all the way to the Dunkettle Roundabout (the big one before the Jack Lynch tunnel).

    In other news, the 37km Mitchelstown to Cashel section was officially opened yesterday. The road is savage!!


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    Some new photos taken this evening of the Cashel to Cullahill section.
    Unfortunately I don't think this part will be open until November at the earliest, which is what I've been hearing anyway. So we can definitely forget about a September opening. The terminus of the scheme is not that far advanced in terms of where it will fuse with the existing N8 just south of Cullahill. The roundabouts have only just been done, and there doesn't appear to be any southbound access at that particular point from what I can make out.

    Anyways, enjoy folks...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭bill_ashmount


    Was on it yesterday. Nice road, actually felt a bit narrow. Not much of a hard shoulder, still a vast improvement on the old N8. The road will really improve once the Fermoy to Micthelstown section is opened.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    E92 wrote: »
    Have you any idea Furet if they're going to bother trying to get roads like the Ballincollig bypass, N25 between Cork and Midelton, Limerick tunnel, Southern Ring Road etc re-designated and upgraded to 120 km/h?

    I'll try to find out. I'll give them a phone towards the end of the week. Any other stretches or questions when I'm at it?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭bill_ashmount


    E92 wrote: »
    Have you any idea Furet if they're going to bother trying to get roads like the Ballincollig bypass, N25 between Cork and Midelton, Limerick tunnel, Southern Ring Road etc re-designated and upgraded to 120 km/h?

    The N25 between Cork and Midelton must be one of the worst roads in the country at the moment (towards the Midelton side). It's like a rollercoaster.


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭childoforpheus


    The N25 between Cork and Midelton must be one of the worst roads in the country at the moment (towards the Midelton side). It's like a rollercoaster.

    The stretch between the Dunkettle Interchange and Carrigtwohill is the only bit that can be designated as a Motorway as it is built to the standard and even already has the continous yellow line on the hard shoulder. I presume the bit between Carrigtwohill and Midleton is what your on about. That is not up to standard as also does not have an alternative route.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    The N25 between Cork and Midelton must be one of the worst roads in the country at the moment (towards the Midelton side). It's like a rollercoaster.

    not even close to the worst national primary route let alone national secondary route. it's a Dual Carriageway there, parts of the n25 south of Kilmeaden are worse, and there are sections of the N6 at Cappataggle, parts of the N5, the road from Lifford to Letterkenny ( N13 or 14 I think) are all way worse. the N18 from Barefield to Gort is pretty poor too.

    actually to stray closer to the topic, some of the N8 between Portlaoise and Abbeyleix is pretty poor too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 598 ✭✭✭transylman


    If you don't want to wait to see the new stretch of road between Mitchelstown and Cashel you can check it on the excellent openstreetmap.

    http://www.openstreetmap.org/


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭bill_ashmount


    transylman wrote: »
    If you don't want to wait to see the new stretch of road between Mitchelstown and Cashel you can check it on the excellent openstreetmap.

    http://www.openstreetmap.org/

    How does this work?
    All I see is a standard map with a blue line for the M8, am I doing something wrong?


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭childoforpheus


    transylman wrote: »
    If you don't want to wait to see the new stretch of road between Mitchelstown and Cashel you can check it on the excellent openstreetmap.

    http://www.openstreetmap.org/

    Thanks for that transylman, I was waiting for them to update it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,275 ✭✭✭mackerski


    How does this work?
    All I see is a standard map with a blue line for the M8, am I doing something wrong?

    Try zooming in. It works very much like Google maps: drag to pan around, and use the zoom widget (or just double-click) to zoom in.
    Thanks for that transylman, I was waiting for them to update it.

    Keep in mind that "they" is a very inclusive concept in OpenStreetMap. In this particular case, I mapped the road with data collected by a friend, who happened to drive the stretch last weekend. But the data is sketchy in places, in particular on the southern junction, where I've had to leave the northbound carriageway tie-in hanging because I don't know how it's really plumbed.

    Therefore, a call out to those of you who are keen enough to drive new road schemes (or ones not yet mapped, or poorly mapped on OSM):

    * If you have a GPS receiver, switch it on an log where you've been.
    * Configure the device to log points as frequently as practical (your storage capacity will dictate how frequent this is)
    * By all means map the stuff yourself, but if you prefer not to I'll gratefully accept your traces and see that they get on the map.
    * If collecting traces, there are things you can do that will greatly assist in the subsequent mapping. Drive the full 360 around roundabouts and try to cover all carriageways and slip roads.
    * The National Road Network is almost fully mapped. If you've got this far, please consider whether you can gather traces for the remaining gaps.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 49 Reenascreena


    Cork County Council have approved increasing the speed limits on the Ballincollig city boundary - Ovens, N25 Dunkettle - Carrigtwohill and N8 Glanmire - Watergrasshill to 120 km/h.
    No dates set yet.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    Cork County Council have approved increasing the speed limits on the Ballincollig city boundary - Ovens, N25 Dunkettle - Carrigtwohill and N8 Glanmire - Watergrasshill to 120 km/h.
    No dates set yet.

    Excellent. Where did you hear that?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    I hope not. 120kmh on those roads without motorway restrictions is daft.

    As long as they apply for reclassification its good.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    I hope not. 120kmh on those roads without motorway restrictions is daft.

    As long as they apply for reclassification its good.

    It'll be redesignated soon. Not sure when, but soon. I agree that 120 without m/way restrictions would be bad btw.


  • Registered Users Posts: 49 Reenascreena


    Furet wrote: »
    Excellent. Where did you hear that?

    At Monday's council meeting


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,015 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    If I had a GPS receiver I'd contribute to OSM. It's a great collaboration. The mapping in places like Berlin is better in clarity than any professional or copyright maps I think.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,762 ✭✭✭turgon


    Cork County Council have approved increasing the speed limits on the Ballincollig city boundary - Ovens, N25 Dunkettle - Carrigtwohill and N8 Glanmire - Watergrasshill to 120 km/h.
    No dates set yet.

    I live near Ballincollig. My boy-racer friends will be delighted.

    They could not and would not upgrade the South Ring/Ballincollig Bypass to Motorway standards because of the restrictions involved. IMO, It would be unfair on slow motorists/ L-drivers as by its nature it is a ring road, which changes the matter considerably. People should not be forced to add 20 minutes to their journey by having to drive through the city.


  • Registered Users Posts: 20,853 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    turgon wrote: »
    They could not and would not upgrade the South Ring/Ballincollig Bypass to Motorway standards because of the restrictions involved. IMO, It would be unfair on slow motorists/ L-drivers as by its nature it is a ring road, which changes the matter considerably. People should not be forced to add 20 minutes to their journey by having to drive through the city.

    Well it's nowhere near motorway standard but I don't see why it being a ring road means you can't have restrictions. The L-drivers will learn more by driving through the city. As for the slow motorists, they're going to be just as much a hazard on the same road with green signs as with blue signs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,219 ✭✭✭invincibleirish


    The SR isnt near Motorway standards, it has no hard shoulders in parts, poor sightlines, sub standard junctions on others and lets not forget the two roundabouts plonked in the middle of it too!(which wont be replaced for many years to come).


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 20,853 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    sorry, typo, meant to say "nowhere near".


Advertisement