M8 - Cashel to Cullahill

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.

BluntGuy · 16-09-2008 7:52pm

I agree with many of the posts here.

Our motorway network is much better planned then britain's. It will ultimately offer a wide choice of high-quality routes between all the major towns and cities.

The only problem is that there will be 'under-used' stretches. But you can't just build a chunk of motorway, stop and then build another chunk five miles down just because you think it'll get used more. That makes no sense. Routes have to be consistent, and having partially finished motorway routes isn't what I'd call consistent.

murphaph · 16-09-2008 8:35pm

marmurr1916 wrote: »

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.

No chance. SDCC will not be caught dead building that road anywhere near their 'eco-town' (Clonburris) which is where it would need to go. The NRA I believe are also opposed to adding J8 to the M50 as one of the primary congestion causes is weaving at junctions and this stretch is one of the heaviest already.

The decision was made to upgrade the N7 rather than build the M7 offline along that reservation.

As mentioned elsewhere, the thing to do is widen the M7 from Naas North to the M9 diverge and leave the M7 at that. They need to try to remove non-dublin bound traffic from the M50 and to do this the N33/N51/N52/N80 need looking at for upgrade to 2+2.

Having said that, comparing the N7 from the M50 to Naas South to either the M1 or M6 in England is a bit OTT. Dublin has direct links fanning out in a much more balanced way than London mostly due to pure luck-Dublin is nicely positioned midway along the east coast.

I drove Dublin-Belfast for the second time in a week today and I'll tell you, that northern bit, even the A1 dual carriageway sections is very tiring and irritating-constantly watching out for vehicles popping out from behind signs for everything from fireworks to mobile homes-compared to the cluuter free joy of the M1 (both of them!).

BluntGuy · 16-09-2008 8:57pm

The evil A1 needs to be sorted out.

Getting back on topic...

Err... umm... the Cullahill-Cashel stretch is coming along nicely. Should be ready very soon.

marmurr1916 · 16-09-2008 9:15pm

murphaph wrote: »

No chance. SDCC will not be caught dead building that road anywhere near their 'eco-town' (Clonburris) which is where it would need to go. The NRA I believe are also opposed to adding J8 to the M50 as one of the primary congestion causes is weaving at junctions and this stretch is one of the heaviest already.

The decision was made to upgrade the N7 rather than build the M7 offline along that reservation.

Oh well. Maybe a 2+2 road along the reservation with a terminal junction at the R113 would do the trick?

murphaph wrote: »

As mentioned elsewhere, the thing to do is widen the M7 from Naas North to the M9 diverge and leave the M7 at that. They need to try to remove non-dublin bound traffic from the M50 and to do this the N33/N51/N52/N80 need looking at for upgrade to 2+2.

One of my pet projects! Motorway would be even better. I've attached a rough map of my suggested route.

I vote to call it the M1916! :cool:

BluntGuy · 16-09-2008 10:15pm

marmurr1916 wrote: »

Oh well. Maybe a 2+2 road along the reservation with a terminal junction at the R113 would do the trick?

One of my pet projects! Motorway would be even better. I've attached a rough map of my suggested route.

I vote to call it the M1916! :cool:

The route needs to be closer to Dublin to get the AADT to justify the MASSIVE expense that road would incur. But good idea, we certainly need a route like that to take pressure off the M50.

But NOT before the other road projects in the T21 plan are delivered.

marmurr1916 · 16-09-2008 11:58pm

Putting it closer to Dublin would defeat the purpose of the road - to provide a clear run for long-distance traffic to bypass Dublin. If it was closer to Dublin it would end up as just another commuter route.

Look at the towns that would be connected by the route: Dundalk, Drogheda, Navan, Mullingar, Tullamore, Portlaoise, Carlow, Enniscorthy.

Aside from Enniscorthy all of these towns are substantial and growing centres with a combined total population of 120,000 currently and a projected population of closer to 250,000 by 2050.

Combined with the smaller centres along the route and the long-distance traffic which will use it, there should be enough traffic to justify its existence.

Of course it shouldn't even be begun before Transport 21 is completed. As another poster has said we should at least mark out the routes of roads that'll be needed in the future and buy up the land now while it's dropped in price.

ipodrocker · 17-09-2008 8:29am

lads with is going off the topic of the m8! please just updates on the m8 the board is getting mixed up!

Typewriter · 17-09-2008 11:04pm

I see that the M8 (toll) Fermoy bypass, after a two year delay, is finally on google maps.:D
Although its still labelled as N8 it is highlighted in blue.

I cant wate to see what that map will look like on the 24th (That's this day next week!!!:D:D:D)

Stark · 17-09-2008 11:19pm

Finally. That whole part of the country seems to be very slow getting updates. The N6 Kilbeggan-Athlone sections and N11 Gorey Bypass both appeared immediately on Google Maps. Still no sign of the N8 Cashel-Mitchelstown HQDC on Gmaps though. And the Cashel-Cahir section has been opened for months.

green_jesus wrote:

I cant wate to see what that map will look like on the 24th (That's this day next week!!!)

There'll probably be a river linking Cork and Dublin knowing Google Maps and some of their stupid inaccuracies.

L1011 · 17-09-2008 11:20pm

Hugely inaccurate still?

It had the Kilbeggan->Athlone scheme in before it opened. It had the Carlow bypass in before it opened. It still hasn't got the Parkwest Distributor (three? four? years old) or the second (2 years) or 3rd (months) stages of the outer ring road...

G_R · 17-09-2008 11:48pm

marmurr1916 wrote: »

Oh well. Maybe a 2+2 road along the reservation with a terminal junction at the R113 would do the trick?

One of my pet projects! Motorway would be even better. I've attached a rough map of my suggested route.

I vote to call it the M1916! :cool:

i think it would need to b closer to dublin aswell... maybe nearer to naas...

BluntGuy · 17-09-2008 11:53pm

green_jesus wrote: »

I see that the M8 (toll) Fermoy bypass, after a two year delay, is finally on google maps.:D
Although its still labelled as N8 it is highlighted in blue.

I cant wate to see what that map will look like on the 24th (That's this day next week!!!:D:D:D)

It'll look exactly the same for the next 300 years and THEN they'll change the lines to thaat lovely blue colour...

L1011 · 17-09-2008 11:53pm

murphaph wrote: »

I drove Dublin-Belfast for the second time in a week today and I'll tell you, that northern bit, even the A1 dual carriageway sections is very tiring and irritating-constantly watching out for vehicles popping out from behind signs for everything from fireworks to mobile homes-compared to the cluuter free joy of the M1 (both of them!).

Admittedly, those signs rarely last long. Last trip up I saw the Roads Service cutting down for sale signs along the A1! This is why there's trucks parked in every adjacent hilly field covered in ads...

Amtmann · 27-09-2008 6:35pm

On the infrastructure forum, someone has posted that this scheme will open on December 5th - a good time to have it open by, what with Christmas rushes, etc.

I had been hoping, in vain it now seems, for a late October/November opening. Much of the southbound carriageway is being lined at the moment (if it hasn't already been), while the northbound carriageway is receiving its final coat of asphalt between Cashel and Turnpike. At least two overbridges are yet to be finished, and there's a bit of tidying to be done yet, as well as signing.

Amtmann · 04-10-2008 6:15pm

Rapid progress is now being made. It seems as though the builders are making a bust at it now.

The tie in with the Cashel Bypass is all but complete: both carriageways are in the process of being lined and have cats eyes put down. So, we should see the unsightly sandbags and cones being removed from the northern end of the Cashel Bypass very soon.

The scheme is lined (pretty much) up as far the Horse and Jockey/Thurles junction (Exit 6). From here to the next junction is not lined, nor has the final coat of asphalt been applied. That is being done next week.

From Junction 5 (Two-mile-borris) to Junction 4 (Urlingford) the scheme is complete, except for the actual Junction 4 itself. Rapid progress is being made here, however. From there the scheme is finished right up to the Laois border, where a temporary slip road and roundabout have been placed.

BluntGuy · 04-10-2008 6:23pm

I think they're really determined to have this done in time for Christmas, when there will be a lot of traffic on the route.

The classic sign that a new road is reaching completion is when they start erecting signposts. When they start doing that, the opening is usually only two or three weeks away.

trellheim · 04-10-2008 6:38pm

correct me if I'm missing any bits but when this bit is done does that mean the only non dual carriageway stretch left between Dublin and Cork will be the bit between Portlaoise and just south of Abbeyleix ?

Lennoxschips · 04-10-2008 6:41pm

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.

England has the highest population density in Europe, I don't think it's fair to compare it to Ireland.

Lennoxschips · 04-10-2008 6:42pm

trellheim wrote: »

correct me if I'm missing any bits but when this bit is done does that mean the only non dual carriageway stretch left between Dublin and Cork will be the bit between Portlaoise and just south of Abbeyleix ?

There's a small bit between Mitchelstown and Fermoy to be done yet, but I think they're building that as well at the moment.

Amtmann · 04-10-2008 6:46pm

Lennoxschips wrote: »

There's a small bit between Mitchelstown and Fermoy to be done yet, but I think they're building that as well at the moment.

Hello ... great big thread on it below this one lads!

AugustusMaximus · 04-10-2008 7:08pm

Lennoxschips wrote: »

England has the highest population density in Europe, I don't think it's fair to compare it to Ireland.

Netherlands has a far higher population density.

murphaph · 04-10-2008 8:12pm

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Netherlands has a far higher population density.

Actually they are almost the same.

AugustusMaximus · 04-10-2008 8:54pm

murphaph wrote: »

Actually they are almost the same.

Netherlands: 395 per sq Km
UK: 246 per sq Km.

Amtmann · 04-10-2008 9:35pm

Stay on topic lads!

amacachi · 04-10-2008 9:47pm

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Netherlands: 395 per sq Km
UK: 246 per sq Km.

He said "England", not the UK.

England: 388.7 per sq km.

Now accept your mistake and move on.

BluntGuy · 04-10-2008 10:51pm

To bring this back on topic...

Would you say the Cashel-Cullahill stretch will be a nicer drive than, say, Cashel-Mitchelstown?

Lennoxschips · 04-10-2008 10:51pm

Yup, I was referring to England specifically. I think it was in the news a few weeks ago that they had overtaken the Netherlands. (that was big news here)

Amtmann · 04-10-2008 10:56pm

BluntGuy wrote: »

To bring this back on topic...

Would you say the Cashel-Cullahill stretch will be a nicer drive than, say, Cashel-Mitchelstown?

I think so. It's straighter, and it goes through some pretty diverse landscapes such as pasture, bogland, and woodland. There are some very impressive rocky areas too where the contractors had to blast down deep just north of Cashel and close to Johnstown.

I'm very disappointed with the landscaping and verge maintenance on the Cashel to Mitchelstown stretch.

BluntGuy · 04-10-2008 11:59pm

Furet wrote: »

I think so. It's straighter, and it goes through some pretty diverse landscapes such as pasture, bogland, and woodland. There are some very impressive rocky areas too where the contractors had to blast down deep just north of Cashel and close to Johnstown.

I'm very disappointed with the landscaping and verge maintenance on the Cashel to Mitchelstown stretch.

I agree.

There's not much to see on the Cashel-Mitchelstown stretch, especially between junctions 11 and 12. The road is cut so deeply into the ground in parts, so you don't get any nice views of the countryside.

I'm hoping that Cashel-Cullahill won't be as dissappointing in that regard.

Lennoxschips · 05-10-2008 1:24am

that was always the nicest bit on the old n8, along the galtees

Amtmann · 05-10-2008 4:04pm

Lennoxschips wrote: »

that was always the nicest bit on the old n8, along the galtees

I'm just after driving Cashel to Mitchelstown and, for the first time, the sky was blue and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. And do you know what? The countryside seemed beautiful. The Galtees on one side; the Knockmealdowns on the other. I think the reason Cashel to Mitchelstown looks so bleak is because there have been very few clear bright days since it opened. That said, the landscaping is still very bad and the weediness of the verges deplorable.

Amtmann · 05-10-2008 6:54pm

Good youtube clip here showing how quickly asphalt can be applied: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tPwloIeNtM&feature=related

L1011 · 05-10-2008 9:18pm

Lennoxschips wrote: »

England has the highest population density in Europe, I don't think it's fair to compare it to Ireland.

And its nearly all in a few select areas, with massive areas of nothingness in between, joined by two motorway corridors which are horrifically overloaded (M6/M40/42 and M1).

Amtmann · 26-10-2008 6:19pm

The blue signage is now being erected along the route. Between Exits 7 and 6 the scheme is largely complete (still a bit of landscaping to do though -- I hope!!). Between Exits 6 and 5 however, there's still a bit of surfacing to be done. I note too that the Transport 21 website says the scheme will open in Q4 2008.

BluntGuy · 26-10-2008 6:27pm

Good to see the authorities are no longer in denial about this...

When they started erecting signage on Cashel-Mitchelstown, the opening was only 3 weeks away. Perhaps we'll see a late November opening, but December 5th seems like the safest wager.

Lennoxschips · 27-10-2008 8:31pm

MYOB wrote: »

And its nearly all in a few select areas, with massive areas of nothingness in between, joined by two motorway corridors which are horrifically overloaded (M6/M40/42 and M1).

And?

L1011 · 27-10-2008 8:39pm

Lennoxschips wrote: »

And?

Your original point was trying to claim we can't compare our system to theirs - when, realistically, we can. They may have a far higher population density but its extremely spread out and their idea of having two motorway corridors + spurs has failed woefully.

ipodrocker · 28-10-2008 9:39am

BluntGuy wrote: »

Good to see the authorities are no longer in denial about this...

When they started erecting signage on Cashel-Mitchelstown, the opening was only 3 weeks away. Perhaps we'll see a late November opening, but December 5th seems like the safest wager.

if that is the same for the next bit of the m8 that would be savage!

Lennoxschips · 28-10-2008 12:28pm

MYOB wrote: »

Your original point was trying to claim we can't compare our system to theirs - when, realistically, we can. They may have a far higher population density but its extremely spread out and their idea of having two motorway corridors + spurs has failed woefully.

But Ireland doesn't have multiple massive urban conglomerate areas, we only have one. And it's nowhere near as big as the big three urban areas in England.

L1011 · 28-10-2008 12:34pm

Scale them all down and we're not that different. We're also not building 3 or 4 lane roads with the associated far higher land take; nor do we have a train network anything like Englands.

M8 - Cashel to Cullahill

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