M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

BluntGuy · 29-10-2008 12:05am

mfitzy wrote: »

I would reckon so. Would be stupidity not to. Ala the Carlow bypass. If anything else it's ahuge waste of money on signage not to do it right from the start.

Definately.

The Cashel-Mitchelstown stretch is a great example of this. The Cashel-Cahir section opened early with green signs and within LESS THAN A YEAR they had to be replaced with blue ones.

Also, the 'motorway end' and 'motorway ahead' signs on the Cahir-Mitchelstown straight were put in place during construction, then REMOVED, then put back only three months later. A waste of manpower, money and time.

Hopefully this won't happen here, but the Waterford-Knocktopher section is scheduled for Q2 2009 completion. The current tranch of redesignations is likely to see the S.I passed in January, coming into effect possibly in April or May. Will there be time to get this section redesignated?

mike65 · 29-10-2008 12:15am

Rennicks doesn't mind these 'errors'

'nuff said.

Mike

BluntGuy · 29-10-2008 12:18am

mike65 wrote: »

The signage company doesn't mind these 'errors'

'nuff said.

Mike

I guess not...

Which is why it's important as many eligible schemes as possible are motorways from the off...

kingjohn · 10-11-2008 1:25pm

Is the Waterford - Knocktopher section the next stretch to open on the M9. I had a look at the progress of some of the sections in the early summer and it appeared to be progressing well. What is the latest news on the opening time?

mike65 · 10-11-2008 1:31pm

Completion is officially due 3rd quarter 2009. I guess conditions this winter could either delay or speed up progress depending.

Mike

BluntGuy · 10-11-2008 8:03pm

I am sure it was Q2 2009...

road_high · 13-11-2008 10:17pm

Knocktopher-Kilkenny section is really taking shape now:

http://www.kilkennycoco.ie/eng/Services/Roads/Roads_General/Road_Closures_and_Road_Works_Information_Notices/TemporaryRoadN10fromDanesfortCrossEnnisnag.html

BluntGuy · 13-11-2008 10:27pm

Does anybody have any of the latest pictures?

cargo · 14-11-2008 11:17am

mfitzy wrote: »

Knocktopher-Kilkenny section is really taking shape now:

http://www.kilkennycoco.ie/eng/Services/Roads/Roads_General/Road_Closures_and_Road_Works_Information_Notices/TemporaryRoadN10fromDanesfortCrossEnnisnag.html

mmmmh did you read the notice? Can you spot any potential problems? I'll give you a hint

all HGV traffic (and most other as well) going / coming to / from Waterford now HAS to go through Thomastown

spot anything yet

Notice is Hereby Given of the decision of Kilkenny County Council to close to Public Traffic, the following road to facilitate essential roadworks at the tie-in of the N10 to the new Danesfort interchange.

Road to be Closed
N10, from Danesfort Cross to Ennisnag.

Alternative Routes
Dublin traffic travelling towards Waterford
to take N9 at Paulstown via Thomastown and Ballyhale.

Waterford traffic travelling towards Dublin
to take N9 at Ballyhale via Thomastown and Paulstown.

Kilkenny traffic travelling towards Waterford
to take R700 via Bennettsbridge and Thomastown and then N9 to Ballyhale. Local traffic, not including HGV's turn left at Danesfort Cross for Bennettsbridge, then take R700 to Thomastown and then N9 to Ballyhale.

Waterford traffic travelling towards Kilkenny
to take N9 at Ballyhale to Thomastown and R700 to Kilkenny via Bennettsbridge. Local traffic, not including HGV's turn left at Stoneyford for Kells, then take R697 to Kilkenny, turn right at Sevenhouses Cross for Danesfort,Or proceed on R67 to Kilkenny

Duration of Closure
From: 08.00 am on Monday 17th November 2008
For two weeks

This is going to be painful for the 2 weeks but still it'll be great to see it opening...

road_high · 14-11-2008 8:11pm

Short term pain, long term gain I guess. Personally if I was using that road I would head down cross country via Hugginstown or else down to Piltown and across to Fiddown. Going via Thomastown is asking for trouble..

BluntGuy · 30-11-2008 11:07pm

I know this picture was posted by johnbk two months ago, and I'm sure most of you have seen it, but doesn't the M9 just look huge in this shot in comparison to the old road?

I know it's only two lane DC, but for some reason this image just impresses me...

road_high · 30-11-2008 11:10pm

BluntGuy wrote: »

I know this picture was posted by johnbk two months ago, and I'm sure most of you have seen it, but doesn't the M9 just look huge in this shot in comparison to the old road?

I know it's only two lane DC, but for some reason this image just impresses me...

Sure does, and the sooner this road is history the better basically..
That's pretty much the standard of the whole N9 between Paulstown and Waterford.

fricatus · 01-12-2008 9:46am

Does anyone know if the N10 has reopened between Stonyford and Danesfort? It's a pain in the hole having to go through Thomastown or Kells to get to KK at the moment.

road_high · 01-12-2008 9:07pm

fricatus wrote: »

Does anyone know if the N10 has reopened between Stonyford and Danesfort? It's a pain in the hole having to go through Thomastown or Kells to get to KK at the moment.

Is it finished up tomorrow ? According to the following it should be;http://www.kilkennycoco.ie/eng/Services/Roads/Roads_General/Road_Closures_and_Road_Works_Information_Notices/Road%20Closure%20N10%20Danesfort%20Cross%20to%20Ennisnag%20-%20the%20road%20will%20not%20be%20open%20until%20Tuesday%202nd%20December%20at%20the%20latest.html

Will be interesting to see what they have been doing for the past two weeks.

fricatus · 02-12-2008 8:58am

Drove on the new stretch of road this morning. It's nice: straight and wide, and there are roundabouts either end of the bridge, presumably for the future M9/N10 junction.

There are still traffic lights up at the Danesfort end of the new stretch, but at least it's now open. Part of me will miss the old stretch though - it was a great bit of driver's road when there was nobody else around.

But let's face it, most of the time you were staring at the ar$e-end of a truck anyway, so you couldn't really have any fun along there!

Bards · 02-12-2008 2:03pm

fricatus wrote: »

Drove on the new stretch of road this morning. It's nice: straight and wide, and there are roundabouts either end of the bridge, presumably for the future M9/N10 junction.

There are still traffic lights up at the Danesfort end of the new stretch, but at least it's now open. Part of me will miss the old stretch though - it was a great bit of driver's road when there was nobody else around.

But let's face it, most of the time you were staring at the ar$e-end of a truck anyway, so you couldn't really have any fun along there!

below is a plan of the junction. how much of this is complete?
http://n9-n10kilcullen-waterford.ie/eiswp/chapters/Figure4-129_Danesfort_Junction_eis_wp.pdf

fricatus · 02-12-2008 6:10pm

Bards wrote: »

below is a plan of the junction. how much of this is complete?
http://n9-n10kilcullen-waterford.ie/eiswp/chapters/Figure4-129_Danesfort_Junction_eis_wp.pdf

That bit running left-right (north-south... confusing!) is the realignment of the N10, and that's the bit that's complete. The roundabouts are done, as is the bridge over what will be the M9.

The earthworks for the ramps on the Dublin side appear to be well advanced. The old road is on the Waterford side, so obviously the ramps on that side have yet to be built up. The actual motorway cutting underneath is probably complete in terms of its final shape.

road_high · 31-12-2008 7:14pm

Anybody observe the progress on Waterford-Knocktopher the past month or so? Has the flyover the current N9 nort of Waterford started?

fricatus · 04-01-2009 2:06pm

mfitzy wrote: »

Anybody observe the progress on Waterford-Knocktopher the past month or so? Has the flyover the current N9 nort of Waterford started?

Take a drive into Waterford from KK mfitzy, and you'll see most of the work ongoing in the Waterford area. This is what you'll see, starting from the KK side:

- At Dunkitt, you can see where the M9 will fly over the existing road
- Further in, after the railway overbridge, you are diverted to the right, up a temporary road, but straight on, you can see the big metal beams being put onto the concrete pillars as part of the N25/N9 junction.
- You pass a roundabout for Kilmacow, and then you're on one half of a dual carriageway section that will link the roundabout at the end of the M9 to the N9/N25 junction.
- You then make a left around the M9 roundabout (you can see where the M9 will start) and then you're on the new section of the N24.
- Left again at a tiny roundabout and then you get a good view of the new bridge, where they've started installing the cables to support the bridge deck. You can see some terrific pictures of the bridge and the new N25 here.
- Heading towards town on the old N24, you'll see where part of it has been realigned - you "dip" under the part where you can see supports for a future N25 flyover.
- You then pass the old N9/N24 mini roundabout. Left is where you would have headed for Dublin - you can see another flyover (this time for the N9) here - but you head straight on towards the city.
- You're now back on the old N9, but you can see construction for the new one on your left.
- The realigned N9 swings up to the left, so you no longer pass the Autoboland garage. There is a roundabout at the top of this section.
- At the roundabout, left would take you onto the new N9, but that isn't open yet!
- Straight on takes you onto a new stretch of road leading to Newrath and Ferrybank.
- Right takes you onto the new dual carriageway towards the city centre. It's not finished yet, but I can't imagine it will be long before both sides are open.

Amtmann · 07-01-2009 10:22pm

Some images of the M9 between Kilkenny and Waterford, courtesy of the poster Nielsie13 on the skyscrapercity discussion board.

Bridge over the new motorway:

Trotter · 07-01-2009 10:35pm

Its great to see it actually there and 'almost' driveable. Are we still looking at Q2 2010 before I can motorway it to Dublin?

BluntGuy · 07-01-2009 10:42pm

Is it just me or am I detecting a hint of Cahir-Mitchelstown-ism in that last picture?

The road looked grand, nice and straight, nearly ready for lining and then THAT image.

Trotter wrote: »

Its great to see it actually there and 'almost' driveable. Are we still looking at Q2 2010 before I can motorway it to Dublin?

Q4 2010 is the official date for the 40 km Carlow-Knocktopher and 27 km Carlow - Kilcullen stretches...

Amtmann · 07-01-2009 10:51pm

BluntGuy wrote: »

Is it just me or am I detecting a hint of Cahir-Mitchelstown-ism in that last picture?

The road looked grand, nice and straight, nearly ready for lining and then THAT image.

LOL. I know. It looks like a rollercoaster track. I don't know what the designers were thinking; but that last picture in particular is bizarre.

BluntGuy · 07-01-2009 10:59pm

Furet wrote: »

LOL. I know. It looks like a rollercoaster track. I don't know what the designers were thinking; but that last picture in particular is bizarre.

Well surely those steep gradients will have substandard sightlines for a motorway.

Ah sure... as with all Design and Build contracts quality isn't garunteed.

Also, I presume these images are of the Knocktopher stretch that'll be opening later this year. I still don't know if they'll be opening with blue or green signs. The issue regarding the redesignation of this stretch was "resolved", but I haven't seen any official documentation stating that this stretch has been declared motorway.

Perhaps the NRA will need a third tranche after all because it would be lunacy not to give this road the proper restrictions...

Trotter · 07-01-2009 11:13pm

BluntGuy wrote: »

Q4 2010 is the official date for the 40 km Carlow-Knocktopher and 27 km Carlow - Kilcullen stretches...

How about the Waterford to Knocktopher section?

BluntGuy · 07-01-2009 11:18pm

Trotter wrote: »

How about the Waterford to Knocktopher section?

The Waterford-Knocktopher section will be opening in Q3 of this year, presumably at the same time as the Waterford bypass seeing as how part of the M9 is being constructed with that.

Geogregor · 08-01-2009 1:34am

Furet wrote: »

LOL. I know. It looks like a rollercoaster track. I don't know what the designers were thinking; but that last picture in particular is bizarre.

I think it is looking that because picture it taken with big zoom. It is well known that such pictures shorten perspective. It means that vertical and horizontal distances are “preserved” but depth is shorten.
In this case curves or hills which are hundreds of meters apart looks like they are one after another.

We have problems on Polish forum with people's complains about curvy motorways based on similar pictures. But they are perfectly design motorways with 130km/h speed limits.
And it means you can safely rive 150km/h

spacetweek · 08-01-2009 6:21pm

Geogregor wrote: »

I think it is looking that because picture it taken with big zoom. It is well known that such pictures shorten perspective. It means that vertical and horizontal distances are “preserved” but depth is shorten.
In this case curves or hills which are hundreds of meters apart looks like they are one after another.

We have problems on Polish forum with people's complains about curvy motorways based on similar pictures. But they are perfectly design motorways with 130km/h speed limits.
And it means you can safely rive 150km/h

I'm also pretty confident that it's just a trick of perspective. You're looking at maybe 2 km into the distance, but edge on. If you were driving on it, those hills would be very gentle indeed.

road_high · 08-01-2009 10:56pm

Is it just me or does the site look half-abandoned

.
Could be finished so much quicker with a push on from the contractor.

Amtmann · 09-01-2009 11:43am

mfitzy wrote: »

Is it just me or does the site look half-abandoned.
Could be finished so much quicker with a push on from the contractor.

The photos were probably taken over Christmas. But yes, there'll be an awful lot of gentrification works to do. On most other schemes I've watched get built, the banks are covered with topsoil asap and hydroseeded asap, long before the median is erected even.

Amtmann · 19-01-2009 3:22pm

The section of HQDC N9 that didn't get redesignated in tranche 1 will be up for redesignation in tranche 2 when the minister signs in a few weeks. It will probably make it this time. I don't know what exactly the "issue" was the last time, but I do know it involved the Kilkenny road link.

spacetweek · 19-01-2009 8:09pm

Furet wrote: »

The section of HQDC N9 that didn't get redesignated in tranche 1 will be up for redesignation in tranche 2 when the minister signs in a few weeks. It will probably make it this time. I don't know what exactly the "issue" was the last time, but I do know it involved the Kilkenny road link.

Probably had something to do with it being M10 or N10. Remember a few people on here pointing out a while ago that according to the way they are building the N10/M9 interchange east of Kilkenny, that it will actually have to be the M10. Reckon the DOT didn't want that and had to figure out a way around it before they committed.

johnbk · 23-01-2009 1:11pm

I was out for drive at the weekend to see progress on this route. Ascon are constructing the section from Knocktopher to Waterford. They have completed large sections (including concrete barrier), however they have a lot of work to do junctions (Mullinavat, Knocktopher). They also have alot of work to do on the last 5 Km of road before Waterford. I predict that it will be at least another 15 months before this section is complete.

Roadbridge are constructing the rest of the M9. They are catching up on Ascon I think. Sisk construct the structures and as far as I can see all of them are substantially started already. Dansford junction is complete. The bridge pillars over the Kings river are up. There are large rock cuttings around Stoneyford with big rock breakers (Not explosives) which are worth a look at. At Powerstown there is substantial excavation taking place. They need to make access for the beams for the bridge over the Barrow.

I can see Dansford to Knocktopher opening along with the Ascon’s section onto Waterford but this is I think will be more than a year yet.

fricatus · 23-01-2009 2:00pm

johnbk wrote: »

I predict that it will be at least another 15 months before this section is complete.

Bugger! The signs up around Ballyhale say Spring 2009 and Bards, who posts on here, says August - although I don't know which of you is working with the better information.

Has anyone been communicated an estimated opening date by Ascon/BAM, or is it just speculation?

With my hopeful hat on, I've found that roads like the Kilkenny ring road and the Carlow bypass looked a long way from complete a month before opening.

Bards · 23-01-2009 2:59pm

fricatus wrote: »

Bugger! The signs up around Ballyhale say Spring 2009 and Bards, who posts on here, says August - although I don't know which of you is working with the better information.

Has anyone been communicated an estimated opening date by Ascon/BAM, or is it just speculation?

With my hopeful hat on, I've found that roads like the Kilkenny ring road and the Carlow bypass looked a long way from complete a month before opening.

I'm still willing to Bet Aug/Sep for both Waterford City Bypass & Waterford - Knocktopher Section.

I concur with the spped of pregress by RoadBridge Sisk JV. And maybe they will have as far as Knocktopher to Kilkenny Junction complete by then.

Remember it took Roadbridge 18 months to complete the Gorey bypass which is roughly the distance we are talking about

Amtmann · 23-01-2009 8:03pm

Roadbridge, from what I've seen, are without equal in this country.

alpha2zulu · 23-01-2009 9:25pm

If surfaces are anything to go by I would agree roadbridge are the bees knees. The Gorey bypass has to be the smoothest DC/Motorway in the country.

johnbk · 26-01-2009 2:36pm

I think by September alot of the Knocktopher to Waterford section will be complete. Its difficult to see it being open by then but we will see. I think its more likely to be the start of 2010.

I would be more confident that Dansford to Knocktopher will be ready before this even considering they started a year later.

From watching Roadbridge over the last couple of years they really are amazing to watch. I remember an article last year in Earthmovers magazine where a English tarmac contractor said that they have never gotten the output on a contract anywhere, than what they got with Roadbridge.

fricatus · 28-01-2009 11:59pm

Check out today's NRA press release.

156 km of new roads will be completed in 2009. The projects are; N4 Leixlip to M50 Junction; N6 Athlone to Ballinasloe; N7 Nenagh to Limerick; N8 Fermoy to Mitchelstown; N9 Waterford to Knocktopher; N9 Kilcullen to Carlow, N51 Navan Inner Relief Road and the N25 Waterford City By Pass

So both the city bypass and the section to Knocktopher are to open this year (seemed to be the case anyway), but the big news here is the bit from Kilcullen to Carlow is down for this year too! I would imagine it would be very late in the year, but it's fantastic news if it turns out to be the case!

BluntGuy · 29-01-2009 12:05am

fricatus wrote: »

Check out today's NRA press release.

So both the city bypass and the section to Knocktopher are to open this year (seemed to be the case anyway), but the big news here is the bit from Kilcullen to Carlow is down for this year too! I would imagine it would be very late in the year, but it's fantastic news if it turns out to be the case!

Yeah, I was surprised at that as well. I'm not complaining, it looks like you'll be getting a huge chunk of M9 opening next year.

But the Waterford City Bypass has been ruined by its non-motorway status. I was looking forward to it, but seeing it open with green signs, cyclists, tractors, learners... yuck...

And then the two massive roundabouts which have been carefully crafted to allow inappropiate developments to be tacked onto them, which will, of course, hamper any future efforts to upgrade the junction leading to more expense.

Bards · 29-01-2009 12:08am

.. I saw that too, but the geography of the land is pretty flat so should lend itself to rapid construction unlike the Waterford - Knocktopher section which is alomost two years into construction next month, and won't be complete until Q3 this year.

What is worrying is the continued classification of the southern section of the N9 as Dual Carriageway and not Motorway??

Until we hear something official on the re-classification I won't hold my breath

http://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/file,15954,en.pdf

BluntGuy · 29-01-2009 12:19am

Bards wrote: »

.. I saw that too, but the geography of the land is pretty flat so should lend itself to rapid construction unlike the Waterford - Knocktopher section which is alomost two years into construction next month, and won't be complete until Q3 this year.

What is worrying is the continued classification of the southern section of the N9 as Dual Carriageway and not Motorway??

Until we hear something official on the re-classification I won't hold my breath

http://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/file,15954,en.pdf

It has been included in the second tranche of motorway redesignations. They "resolved" the issue with the N10/N9 junction.

Trotter · 29-01-2009 12:20am

Sorry if this has been explained before but why are all of these projected road completions marked as Dual Carriageway?

Was it not originally the plan that we would have a motorway to Dublin, i.e. 120kmph?

Typewriter · 29-01-2009 12:39am

My guess is that even if Waterford-Knocktopher opens as dual carriageway it will still be 120kph. e.g. parts of N25, N8, N22 and N2 are dual carriageways with special motorway speed limits . Although maybe not straight away as it might take a few weeks for the council to up the speed limit.

Chris_533976 · 29-01-2009 6:35pm

Trotter wrote: »

Sorry if this has been explained before but why are all of these projected road completions marked as Dual Carriageway?

Was it not originally the plan that we would have a motorway to Dublin, i.e. 120kmph?

Officially they were planned as DC and then legally changed to motorway. As far as the NRA construction department is concerned, and legally, they're N roads. They have been legally upgraded to M roads, but in the legislation they're N roads. Complicated, but thats the deal.

I think the NRA only call something "motorway" in their documentation if it was made with a Motorway Order, and not something thats been reclassified under the Roads Act.

road_high · 01-02-2009 6:11pm

Beams for the flyover over the existing N10 near Kilkenny are to be raised into place tommorrow. This section is really powering ahead;

http://www.kilkennycoco.ie/eng/Services/Roads/Roads_General/Road_Closures_and_Road_Works_Information_Notices/Monday%202nd%20Feb%20-%20N10%20%20Blanchvillespark%20%20between%20R702%20Gowran%20Junction%20and%20Paulstown.html

johnbk · 03-02-2009 8:30pm

Had a drive over some back roads over the Kilcullen - Castledermot section today and I was amazed by how much progress is done on this section. Most of it has tarmac down but no concrete barrier yet. There is a large amount of work to do to connect into the Kilcullen section still Looks like they will finish this year.

ilovegermany · 17-02-2009 3:24pm

Hi, Anybody have any official confirmation as to when the Kilcullen - Carlow element might be opening in 2009?

Haven't been on the old N9 for a few weeks; has the bridge over the new motorway being opened at the pub (can't think of the name) a few miles on the Carlow side of Kilcullen?

Amtmann · 17-02-2009 4:31pm

Official confirmation is very rarely given until really close to the time. At a certain point in a road's construction, if it's been watched closely, it becomes possible to guestimate when a scheme might open, but the contractor will rarely confirm this (and the NRA never will). The classic indication that an opening is no more than six weeks away is when signage starts to go up.

However, you could ring the company constructing the road and ask to speak to the site manager. He might tell you the unofficial schedule.

marmurr1916 · 17-02-2009 6:10pm

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Officially they were planned as DC and then legally changed to motorway. As far as the NRA construction department is concerned, and legally, they're N roads. They have been legally upgraded to M roads, but in the legislation they're N roads. Complicated, but thats the deal.

I think the NRA only call something "motorway" in their documentation if it was made with a Motorway Order, and not something thats been reclassified under the Roads Act.

All motorways (to date) form part of national primary routes.

Part, or all, of a national primary route can be under standard motorway restrictions.

The part under motorway restrictions will generally have a speed limit of 120 km/h and be signposted with the prefix 'M'.

However, it's still a national primary route (or part of one) and may be referred to as such in legislation, official documents etc.

For example, the M50 is national primary route N50 but is under motorway regulations for its entire length.

Therefore, it is signposted with the 'M' prefix.

It's best to think of Irish roads as routes, parts of which may be under motorway regulations, parts of which may not be.

In theory, a regional route (or even a local route) could have a part-motorway section, although that's unlikely to happen for some time, if at all.

For example, if part of the R400 was placed under motorway restrictions it would be sign-posted as the M400.

M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

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