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M8 - Cashel to Cullahill

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    #182
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Let's discuss the service areas on this thread instead:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055410101


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    #183
    G_R
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 5,023 Mod ✭✭✭✭G_R


    sorry,

    gone way off topic there


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    #184
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    Ok, the slip road:


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    #185
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    More photos


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    #186
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    Junction 4


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    #187
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    I took a good look at Junction 5 today. This leads to Two-Mile-Borris and, a few kilometres further on, Thurles. In fact, Thurles is only about five minutes away from the Junction, which is fantastic. As I said upthread, Junction 5 will not lead onto the old N8/R639. Instead a new 1km link road will connect to the N75 at Two-Mile-Borris. This isn't actually built yet - but is under construction. Today (a Sunday!) the contractors had a fleet of massive vehicles working on it.

    Now, with regard to the terminus of the scheme at Oldtown south of Cullahill. It's obvious that they'll need to build a large roundabout right in the middle of the current N8 sometime in the next three weeks. They haven't started this yet, but that doesn't worry me: they built the new roundabout north of Urlingford in just 5 days.

    I've no worries that the scheme will open later than December 8. Yesterday (Saturday) they had crews paving the ramps with that yellow extra grip grit, and, as I said above, today (Sunday) they were doing massive construction works on the about-to-be realigned N75 at Junction 5.


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    #188
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Thanks for the photos Furet...

    These have finally shed some light on the Cullahill terminus that had me baffled for so long...

    Just a minor point: why are the cantilevers being made with signage that doesn't fit the assembly?


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    #189
    Chris_533976
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    Thx for the pics :D

    For some reason I imagined that there was a wall of hedge in the way of seeing it from the road.

    So whos the first person gonna drive it before it opens :D


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    #190
    ipodrocker
    Registered Users Posts: 1,002 ✭✭✭ipodrocker


    great set of pics!


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    #191
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    So, I now have NRA and site management confirmation that the scheme will open on 8 December.

    Another new roundabout will be constructed on the old new N8 late next week.

    These roundabouts are temporary.

    Wireless emergency phones will be added to all former HQDC stretches in due course.

    Because I didn't tell the NRA spokesperson that I'd be putting this information up on boards.ie it wouldn't be fair to mention his name, but there you go folks.


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    #192
    Irish and Proud
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,735 ✭✭✭Irish and Proud


    Furet wrote: »
    Ok, the slip road:

    Hi Furet,

    Once again, great pics mate!!! :)

    Now, about the slip road itself... :confused:

    ...from the images, it appears that the slip will take 2 way traffic on/off the motorway, but it also appears very narrow for 2 lanes, given that the N8/M8 traffic will be using it for at least 2 years (in my estimation). Also, if the slip is happens to be very narrow, it would be baffling that yet, the engineers seem to have gone to great lengths to put in a large roundabout which I presume is also temporary. Could you fill me in on this?

    Many thanks mate!


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    #193
    larryone
    Registered Users Posts: 1,105 ✭✭✭larryone


    I was too late in the evening again when I was driving by to take any photos, but Furet has certinly taken care of it and then some =0)
    As it turns out, I'll be driving Cork-Dublin every weekend till Christmas, including the night of the 7th. If they could open it that night it'd be sweet.
    I have my doubts about being able to take any pictures at all tho, as I tend to drive it too late in the evening or too early in the morning...
    Thanks Furet


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    #194
    FIRE
    Registered Users Posts: 363 ✭✭FIRE


    FIRE wrote: »
    It was to ring my brother ;)
    MYOB wrote: »
    Thats generally not what emergency telephones let you do, though...


    Yeah, he wouldnt be too pleased. lol :D


    Drove up that way last night and hit cullahill around 11pm, still couldnt see anything, so am gonna have a look at Furets pics.

    :)


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    #195
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Furet wrote:
    So, I now have NRA and site management confirmation that the scheme will open on 8 December.

    Excellent! Because I will most likely be driving down to Dublin that day. I just hope it opens early, because it will probably be around 6:00 am.
    Furet wrote:
    Another new roundabout will be constructed on the old new N8 late next week.

    Good. How many roundabouts is that btw?
    Furet wrote:
    These roundabouts are temporary.

    :( PPP motorway possibly extended 12 km... let's hope there are no toll gantries on the junction 3 (the EIS didn't have them but...)
    Furet wrote:
    Wireless emergency phones will be added to all former HQDC stretches in due course.

    Good to hear! :D

    But I fear it may just be a lie to get you off their back...

    And "due course" could mean anything...

    Still if this is a genuine response, it's certainly good to know that our latest motorways will soon be fitted with all the defining trimmings.
    Furet wrote:
    Because I didn't tell the NRA spokesperson that I'd be putting this information up on boards.ie it wouldn't be fair to mention his name, but there you go folks.

    Ahh go ahhn... :D

    Also, with regards to your junction 4 images. I know last night in the MSA thread we were doing a good bit of complaining about the crappy landscaping (:D) - well, what annoys me, is that that stretch of road would look fantastic with good landscaping, I'm getting used to narrow-median m-way now, and it's actually such a nice piece of road - the curve, the slips, every part of the actual road looks great (especially without any signage, you can appreciate the engineering of the road even more - rather than just seeing it as "a road".)

    Throwing down a few bits of grass isn't landscaping. They should take their inspiration from the M7 and M1 motorways and come up with something attractive. Anyway, I don't wish to de-rail this thread (I may actually start another thread on this to see what people think of the landscaping on new MUIs).


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    #196
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    Irish and Proud wrote: »
    Now, about the slip road itself... :confused:

    ...from the images, it appears that the slip will take 2 way traffic on/off the motorway, but it also appears very narrow for 2 lanes, given that the N8/M8 traffic will be using it for at least 2 years (in my estimation). Also, if the slip is happens to be very narrow, it would be baffling that yet, the engineers seem to have gone to great lengths to put in a large roundabout which I presume is also temporary. Could you fill me in on this?

    It's hard to tell, but the slip road is actually about as wide as the carriageway on a standard overbridge (like the new one that currently carries all M8 traffic at junction 13 south of Mitchelstown). That said, it does look very narrow and they should have widened it. It's possible, I suppose, that they'll yet bulldoze another slip road for outgoing traffic sometime in the next three weeks, but there's no sign of it yet.


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    #197
    JupiterKid
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,575 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    This is nothing short of fantastic progress. I'll be travelling down to Cork twice in December, before Christmas and for a New Year's bash in Bandon so I'm looking forward to this new stretch of road.

    How much of the Dublin-Cork road is now dualled? It must be well over half the length at this stage, maybe two thirds?

    I am a little concerned, though, that with the breakneck speed of construction, some corners in quality control may be cut - could there be subsidence/surface problems a few years down the line due to the hasty nature of the construction of our newest road projects?:confused:


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    #198
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    BluntGuy wrote: »

    Good. How many roundabouts is that btw?

    Two I think.

    But I fear it may just be a lie to get you off their back...

    And "due course" could mean anything...

    Still if this is a genuine response, it's certainly good to know that our latest motorways will soon be fitted with all the defining trimmings.

    I think it is genuine. The question elicited a very quick and enthusiastic response. He mentioned that they are required by law, and that a few pilot units of these wireless phones had been rolled out recently on the M7 with some success.


    Ahh go ahhn... :D

    Nope! ;)
    Also, with regards to your junction 4 images. I know last night in the MSA thread we were doing a good bit of complaining about the crappy landscaping (:D) - well, what annoys me, is that that stretch of road would look fantastic with good landscaping, I'm getting used to narrow-median m-way now, and it's actually such a nice piece of road - the curve, the slips, every part of the actual road looks great (especially without any signage, you can appreciate the engineering of the road even more - rather than just seeing it as "a road".)

    Throwing down a few bits of grass isn't landscaping. They should take their inspiration from the M7 and M1 motorways and come up with something attractive. Anyway, I don't wish to de-rail this thread (I may actually start another thread on this to see what people think of the landscaping on new MUIs).

    Don't get me started!


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    #199
    Danno
    Registered Users Posts: 8,913 ✭✭✭Danno


    That slip road is VERY narrow - 2 lanes of traffic to go through there?


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    #200
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    Danno wrote: »
    That slip road is VERY narrow - 2 lanes of traffic to go through there?

    As of last Sunday, it was the only sliproad to be seen. I agree that it's too narrow; but they are building a new roundabout on the existing N8 sometime in the next two weeks and I would not be surprised if another sliproad gets added. As I said though, no sign yet. December 8 is the day though, regardless.


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    #201
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Furet wrote: »
    As of last Sunday, it was the only sliproad to be seen. I agree that it's too narrow; but they are building a new roundabout on the existing N8 sometime in the next two weeks and I would not be surprised if another sliproad gets added. As I said though, no sign yet. December 8 is the day though, regardless.

    Even if they don't have it finished on December 8th, I'll still drive it... it's been too long! :D

    Anyway, in seriousness, for two lanes of 120 km/h motorway traffic to enter/exit on/off that slip-road does seem a tad too much... I think there will be another slip. But everything is at-grade which will make the Cullahill PPP tie-in a bit of a mess when it gets down to it (although I doubt that'll be for a while anyway). In retrospect, they really should've built some form of GSJ here... but too late to change that now.
    Furet wrote:
    I think it is genuine. The question elicited a very quick and enthusiastic response. He mentioned that they are required by law, and that a few pilot units of these wireless phones had been rolled out recently on the M7 with some success.

    Four points...

    "very quick and enthusiastic response" - not what I'm used to when dealing with the NRA. Usually I get back the same drivel from their website (as if I haven't checked it) :D

    "required by law" - I'm glad that someone with some kind of official status has acknowledged it.

    "wireless phones" - how do they work? Does that mean they don't need any cabling...

    "recently on the M7 with some success" - What do you/he mean by "some". Do you mean "enormous", or do you mean "limited"? How would the success of a phone be measured... number of calls?

    Anyway the word "recently" certainly gives me some hope, because the motorways don't feel complete without an orange phone flashing by every so often... as someone mentioned before on this thread, it's kind of a comfort to know that you're not too far from help.

    Anyway, getting back to the M8 Cullahill. Good to know that it's coming along well and great to know that the phones are back. :D


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    #202
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,697 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    wireless = they use solar + batteries and they use GSM rather than standard telephone network or a private system. Ensures they don't need to cut up the entire side of the enbankment to install or fit them.

    I believe they've been fitted to the M4 also?


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    #203
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    MYOB wrote: »
    wireless = they use solar + batteries and they use GSM rather than standard telephone network or a private system. Ensures they don't need to cut up the entire side of the enbankment to install or fit them.

    I believe they've been fitted to the M4 also?

    I know that the M4 phones were actually replaced a number of months ago, perhaps they were replaced with wireless ones... :cool:


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    #204
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    BluntGuy wrote: »
    But everything is at-grade which will make the Cullahill PPP tie-in a bit of a mess when it gets down to it (although I doubt that'll be for a while anyway). In retrospect, they really should've built some form of GSJ here... but too late to change that now.

    No, the merger of the two schemes will be seamless; they're both at the same grade. I've one photo above where part of the caption reads "note no sign of M7M8 PPP". As you can see in that photo, there will be no problem when the time eventually comes with fusing them neatly together.

    With regard to the phones, those words are mine, not the NRA's. The thrust of his statement was that the wireless phones are successful.


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    #205
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    JupiterKid wrote: »
    This is nothing short of fantastic progress. I'll be travelling down to Cork twice in December, before Christmas and for a New Year's bash in Bandon so I'm looking forward to this new stretch of road.

    How much of the Dublin-Cork road is now dualled? It must be well over half the length at this stage, maybe two thirds?

    Hm... 83.5km of motorway between Cullahill and Mitchelstown from December 8th plus the 17km bypass of Fermoy and Rathcormac - that's 100km - plus dual carriageway from from Watergrasshill to the Dunkettle Interchange at Cork, so that's about 115km or a bit more out of a total length of about 156km (at least I think that's the total length of the N8; is that right, BluntGuy?).

    I am a little concerned, though, that with the breakneck speed of construction, some corners in quality control may be cut - could there be subsidence/surface problems a few years down the line due to the hasty nature of the construction of our newest road projects?:confused:

    I'm certain the pavement is fully up to standard at all points. The only corners cut relate to landscaping and the provision of emergency phones.**

    I think the road will feel a little humpy for the first few months but this seems to be normal. The Cashel to Mitchelstown scheme was quite humpy when it first opened but has 'settled' a lot since then, and is now as even as can be.

    ** I don't mean to suggest by this that the contractors have cut corners - far from it. Merely that the road was designed to be as cheap as possible, i.e. limited planting, and an absense of emergency phones even though the road was reclassified last July.


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    #206
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    The old N8 was 155 km...

    But the M8 is (or will be) 144 km AFAIK... (due to it being a lot more direct)...

    13.3 km - Dunkettle - Watergrasshill
    17.5 km - Watergrasshill - Fermoy
    16 km - Fermoy - Mitchelstown*
    25 km - Mitchelstown - Cahir
    12 km - Cahir - Cashel
    6.7 km - Cashel bypass
    40 km - Cashel - Cullahill
    13 km - Cullahill - Portlaoise junction

    * Several websites have this as 18km or 22km. But the mainline is 16 km.

    Apologies for giving the 155 km figure. The Cork Roads website had this figure :mad:, which is what led me off track.

    The large majority of the M8 will be complete by June next year anyway, with a lovely continous mainline of 131 km from Cullahill all the way to Dunkettle (assuming the redesignation goes ahead, which I expect it will).


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    #207
    Zoney
    Registered Users Posts: 1,639 ✭✭✭Zoney


    I think the Kildare or Monasterevin bypass (not sure which one) on the M7 had the wireless emergency phones from the get-go. Certainly well used to seeing them on that route, the solar panel and aerial are a bit of a giveaway that they are not wired installations.


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    #208
    Danno
    Registered Users Posts: 8,913 ✭✭✭Danno


    "13km Cullohill -> Portlaoise Junction"

    That should be much more. Approx 32km I think.

    Abbeyleix is 14km from Portlaoise - allowing for the roundabout being 2km outside of town then it is 12km.


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    #209
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Danno wrote: »
    "13km Cullohill -> Portlaoise Junction"

    That should be much more. Approx 32km I think.

    Abbeyleix is 14km from Portlaoise - allowing for the roundabout being 2km outside of town then it is 12km.

    No... you're probably thinking of portlaoise to Cullahill, which is about 28 km. But the majority of that is M7 motorway. The M8 portion is roughly 13 km...


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    #210
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Furet wrote: »
    No, the merger of the two schemes will be seamless; they're both at the same grade. I've one photo above where part of the caption reads "note no sign of M7M8 PPP". As you can see in that photo, there will be no problem when the time eventually comes with fusing them neatly together.

    But where would the second slip-road be? I would've thought they would've located it on the other side...


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    #211
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    BluntGuy wrote: »
    But where would the second slip-road be? I would've thought they would've located it on the other side...

    Apologies; I misunderstood you. The merger or Cashel to Cullahill with the M7/M8 PPP will be seamless, but yes, the construction of another slip road wouldn't be. I think they'll put it on the same side as the first one, oddly enough.


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