M8 - Cashel to Cullahill

Amtmann · 25-08-2008 12:30am

Gantry frames (for exits) were erected along the route last week. It'll definitely be open by the end of this year, methinks; lots of activity along the entire stretch this past week.

AugustusMaximus · 25-08-2008 12:45am

Furet wrote: »

Gantry frames (for exits) were erected along the route last week. It'll definitely be open by the end of this year, methinks; lots of activity along the entire stretch this past week.

Gantries or Cantilevers Furet ?

Stark · 25-08-2008 12:16pm

I wonder will people be able to use the road to bypass Johnstown when it does open? From the maps on the NRA website, it looks like there's going to be no interchange joining the old N8 between Johnstown and Cullahill in order to funnel people into the M8/M7 toll bridge. (http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/KilkennyCountyCouncil/M8N8CullahilltoCashel/Map,15475,en.pdf). However, I have heard someone say that they'll have a temporary interchange at the end of the Cashel-Cullahill section until the Portlaoise-Cullahill section opens.

Amtmann · 25-08-2008 12:24pm

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Gantries or Cantilevers Furet ?

Cantilevers. My bad.

Amtmann · 25-08-2008 12:27pm

Stark wrote: »

I wonder will people be able to use the road to bypass Johnstown when it does open? From the maps on the NRA website, it looks like there's going to be no interchange joining the old N8 between Johnstown and Cullahill in order to funnel people into the M8/M7 toll bridge. (http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/KilkennyCountyCouncil/M8N8CullahilltoCashel/Map,15475,en.pdf). However, I have heard someone say that they'll have a temporary interchange at the end of the Cashel-Cullahill section until the Portlaoise-Cullahill section opens.

There's something strange going on up at the northern end alright. I was up there a month ago, and they were building what looked to be a very unusual entrance onto the northern end of the scheme -- but no exit for traffic heading northbound. The site was very new, so it was hard to make out what was what exactly. I think I'll head up there again soon for a gawk.

Chris_533976 · 25-08-2008 5:24pm

AFAIK there will be no GSJ at Johnstown, to stop people coming off there and forcing them to use the toll. Until the M7/M8 toll scheme is done there'll just be a temporary junction here.

Thats kinda guesswork tho, could be wrong

BluntGuy · 25-08-2008 9:57pm

I think that if an interchange at Cullahill is constructed, it should be left there after the M8/M7 scheme opens. There should at least be an exit there for people who want to avoid the toll. It's only fair considering that the section between Urlingford and Cullahill isn't part of a toll motorway. By not providing an exit at Cullahill, in effect, the PPP section of motorway is being extended to Urlingford - Junction 4. This is because when the M8 is complete: Junction 1 will lead you straight into the M7 toll, Junction 2 will be local access only and Junction 3 will be tolled at both the northbound exit and southbound entry (similar to how the Fermoy Bypass is tolled at Junction 15).

Stark · 26-08-2008 12:41pm

It also looks like the case that people travelling to Cullahill, Durrow or Abbeyleix from Cork will have one of two options: Come off the motorway before Johnstown or continue on, pay the toll, then double back at Portlaoise. There should be an interchange to facilitate these people, especially as the new motorway comes within a hair's width of the old road.

There is a junction near Rathdowney before the toll plaza alright that leads into an R-road to Abbeyleix, but they could easily stick toll gantries on it...

serfboard · 26-08-2008 2:53pm

BluntGuy wrote: »

in effect, the PPP section of motorway is being extended to Urlingford - Junction 4.

Spot on. So the private company will collect a toll for the publicly-paid-for section of the road? :mad:

It's very different at the M7 end. The private road-public road connection is a junction where you'll be able to turn off from. Why is it not the case on the M8?

Something stinketh ...

BluntGuy · 26-08-2008 4:37pm

serfboard wrote: »

Spot on. So the private company will collect a toll for the publicly-paid-for section of the road? :mad:

Yep. To be honest, I'm not suprised, looking at the NRA maps that seemed to be the intention from the very beginning. I can't believe they were allowed to go through with it though. If they wanted to do it like this, they should have extended the PPP scheme to Cullahill and forced the private company to build that stretch of motorway as well.

serfboard wrote: »

It's very different at the M7 end. The private road-public road connection is a junction where you'll be able to turn off from. Why is it not the case on the M8?

If think they did it like this because they wanted to trap people onto the toll road with no escape. I am sure it will be signposted as 'M8' rather than 'M8 (Toll)' (like at Fermoy). I think they were afraid if people were allowed to leave at Cullahill, they'd sacrifice a bit of journey time by taking the old roads in order to avoid the toll. The way they've set it up makes it very inconvenient for people who want to be avoid the toll motorway.

They're devious people. :mad:

Amtmann · 28-08-2008 7:21pm

Plenty of new photos today. Also, the section from south of Urlingford to just south of Turnpike has been lined and has cats eyes put down as well. I was very surprised at the amount of work done over the past month. It'll definitely be open by late October.

A single carriageway road is being constructed just north or Urlingford that looks like a bypass that might link up with the Kilkenny road -- does anyone know what that's about?

Anyways, enjoy the photos...

Amtmann · 28-08-2008 7:24pm

And a few more...

Amtmann · 28-08-2008 7:25pm

One more...

Also, see the thread on the Mitchelstown to Fermoy Scheme for photos taken today as well.

Amtmann · 28-08-2008 7:53pm

Actually I've three more. I'll head up again a month from now.

Again, if anyone is in a position to take a few shots of Cullahill to Portlaoise, please do so.

BluntGuy · 28-08-2008 8:04pm

It's looking pretty good now...

Steviemak · 28-08-2008 8:12pm

Furet - once again great work! Thanks for those.

I wasn't sure whether or not the road would be ready by Oct but it looks really likely now.

Amtmann · 28-08-2008 11:52pm

Furet wrote: »

A single carriageway road is being constructed just north or Urlingford that looks like a bypass that might link up with the Kilkenny road -- does anyone know what that's about?

Just to answer my own question, that single carriageway road is visible on the NRA map here http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/KilkennyCountyCouncil/M8N8CullahilltoCashel/Map,15475,en.pdf as a small spur heading east from Junction 4. It does bypass Urlingford and will link the M8 with the Kilkenny road. Also, the area between Exits 4 and 5 is all lined and marked with cats eyes.

D.L.R. · 29-08-2008 9:11am

Furet, seems like you're the one to ask round here... have you passed the M7/M8 Portlaoise-Castletown/Culahill site? I haven't seen a single picture of it yet and it would be nice to know how its coming along. Good pics of the future M8 there, cheers.

Amtmann · 29-08-2008 10:37am

D.L.R. wrote: »

Furet, seems like you're the one to ask round here... have you passed the M7/M8 Portlaoise-Castletown/Culahill site? I haven't seen a single picture of it yet and it would be nice to know how its coming along. Good pics of the future M8 there, cheers.

I have. It's by far and away the least developed from what I've seen. I wanted to take a photo or two, but all I could see were stacks of earth and rock -- nothing that really resembled a motorway yet, unfortunately. I think a view from the air would be revealing, but from ground level, nothing much to report.

Amtmann · 30-08-2008 10:13pm

See attached image:

Amtmann · 08-09-2008 2:54pm

I rarely drive between Cashel and Portlaoise on weekdays but Jesus, it's lethal. Dangers include convoys of huge juggernauts, the odd combine harvester, busses galore, wreckless speedsters and fossilised white-haired turtles, not to mention sinister junctions like the one at Horse and Jockey, which is very busy.

They're putting the final coat of tar on the road up at the Cashel end this week, and up at Urlingford they're putting in place a roundabout that'll link to the Kilkenny road.

I don't know: a good deal is fully lined and cats-eyed. Most of it is getting the final treatment of asphalt.

But bits of it are a good bit behind. Close to Littleton the median hasn't even been built, and there's one section at Urlingford where an overbridge is being built only now over a very rudimentary surface (that's a very small area, however, perhaps 300m in length).

I heard December being mentioned again today. December. Hmph. My fingers are crossed for late October still, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's November.

Colm R · 15-09-2008 9:49am

Travelled up the M/N8 yesterday. Delighted to see all the signs on the Cashel to Cahir section have been changed to Blue and the Hard Shoulder on the Cashel Bybass has been changed to a continuous yellow line. I assume, as already said here, that the speed limit will go up to 120, except for the Cashel bypass itself although it will be named the M8.

From what I could see yesterday, the section from Cashel to the Klikenny Laois border should be ready soon and there seems to be an exit planned right on the border. Hopefully very soon, as its very difficult as a Cork man to travel through Kilkenny at the moment, with all their flags and bunting

road_high · 15-09-2008 10:52pm

Colm R wrote: »

From what I could see yesterday, the section from Cashel to the Klikenny Laois border should be ready soon and there seems to be an exit planned right on the border. Hopefully very soon, as its very difficult as a Cork man to travel through Kilkenny at the moment, with all their flags and bunting

Ah don't worry...ye'll still get to see the black and amber on the flyovers and bridges lol

noobie · 16-09-2008 1:34am

Construction of motorways in Ireland is a bit obscene by European standards. So much, so long, for so little people. And we have Greens in government. Meh:)

G_R · 16-09-2008 6:08pm

noobie wrote: »

Construction of motorways in Ireland is a bit obscene by European standards. So much, so long, for so little people. And we have Greens in government. Meh:)

well bypasses are needed round all the towns and where there isnt enough traffic to warrant a full motorway, there is no point leaving out those bits cos they would just have to be upgraded in the future

L1011 · 16-09-2008 6:40pm

noobie wrote: »

Construction of motorways in Ireland is a bit obscene by European standards. So much, so long, for so little people. And we have Greens in government. Meh:)

By British standards, perhaps. Our network is better planned then theirs - less funnelling of traffic in to overladen backbones, which requires more length of road. Plus our strange population densities requires high capacity roads through rural areas to link our cities.

AugustusMaximus · 16-09-2008 7:03pm

I still don't see why the Cashel Bypass will only be 120kph.

From what I can tell, the road surface, dips in the road and bend radius are the equal of if not better than the Fermoy bypass which is Motorway.

D.L.R. · 16-09-2008 7:31pm

MYOB wrote: »

By British standards, perhaps. Our network is better planned then theirs - less funnelling of traffic in to overladen backbones, which requires more length of road. Plus our strange population densities requires high capacity roads through rural areas to link our cities.

Naas Road, anyone? Linking half the country with Dublin...

Nah I agree with you for the most part. Just that particular section of N is hardly well planned. And its a cornerstone of our 'motorway' network.

G_R · 16-09-2008 7:42pm

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

I still don't see why the Cashel Bypass will only be 120kph.

From what I can tell, the road surface, dips in the road and bend radius are the equal of if not better than the Fermoy bypass which is Motorway.

did u mean only 100km/h???

as far as i know, no road can have a speed limit higher than 120, regardledd of how good it is

marmurr1916 · 16-09-2008 7:42pm

Ah but the reservation for the M50 to Naas section of the M7 still exists. If the Naas dual-carriagaway gets overloaded we can build that bit of the M7.

M8 - Cashel to Cullahill

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