N25 - Waterford City Bypass

Bards · 30-09-2009 11:16AM

1st official date from the contractor is October 20th for Contract Handover. Will it actually open on this date is anyone's guess?

http://www.bamppp.com/index.php?language_id=1&page_id=125&subpage_id=0&

fricatus · 30-09-2009 02:18PM

Bards wrote: »

1st official date from the contractor is October 20th for Contract Handover. Will it actually open on this date is anyone's guess?

http://www.bamppp.com/index.php?language_id=1&page_id=125&subpage_id=0&

I note that the concession is due to run until 2036. Does this mean that I'll be able to drive across it for free in my hydrogen/fuel cell-powered hover car when I'm 63?

Came in the Limerick side yesterday and it was great to see blue signs (albeit with the destinations of Dublin and Kilkenny covered over with grey goo) at long last!

I noticed that the big sign approaching the Grannagh Interchange from that side directs hospital and airport traffic (with little icons) over the new bridge, but I'm surprised that there's nothing there telling traffic going to the west of the city to take the new bridge. They have that sort of thing on the approaches to Galway and Cork, and it makes sense to do the same in Waterford, since traffic for Ballybeg, Lisduggan, Cleaboy, WIT etc. would be much better off going across the new bridge.

There's another big sign too, a brown one with a schematic of the junction, pointing straight on for Waterford Treasures and Waterford Crystal. I can't put my finger on why, but it just looks odd.

Maybe if someone is passing by that way today with a camera, they could take a picture and post it?

BluntGuy · 30-09-2009 02:45PM

fricatus wrote: »

I note that the concession is due to run until 2036. Does this mean that I'll be able to drive across it for free in my hydrogen/fuel cell-powered hover car when I'm 63?

You're probably making other forum members feel incredibly old now.

And probably not... the FF government of the future will find a way to screw that up.

Came in the Limerick side yesterday and it was great to see blue signs (albeit with the destinations of Dublin and Kilkenny covered over with grey goo) at long last!

I imagine it was. 'Twoud've been even sweeter to see blue "M25" signs as well though.

fricatus · 30-09-2009 03:56PM

BluntGuy wrote: »

You're probably making other forum members feel incredibly old now.

Hey now! Read the bit in the forum charter about "ageism"! Damn it! You young whippersnappers deleted it! Now where are my false teeth...?

BluntGuy wrote: »

I imagine it was. 'Twoud've been even sweeter to see blue "M25" signs as well though.

You said it... although maybe the reason they didn't redesignate it motorway is that it would confuse the English lads coming off the ferry - "oi mate, I fought we wuz in Ireland, but it sez 'ere, "M25"... Dasen't look loike Lahndan though..."

alpha2zulu · 01-10-2009 07:19PM

Just coming into Waterford on the Newrath/Sallypark new Dual carraigeway this evening, I noticed that the new "Welcome to Waterford City" sign which had been up for the past couple of weeks has been blanked out with that gray spary paint they have used on the other new signs in the area.

Would it be unfair to suggest it has anything to do with Kilkenny CoCo getting upset since the sign technically is about a mile inside Co.Kilkenny...anything is possible in that neck of the woods.:D

fricatus · 01-10-2009 08:54PM

alpha2zulu wrote: »

Just coming into Waterford on the Newrath/Sallypark new Dual carraigeway this evening, I noticed that the new "Welcome to Waterford City" sign which had been up for the past couple of weeks has been blanked out with that gray spary paint they have used on the other new signs in the area.

Would it be unfair to suggest it has anything to do with Kilkenny CoCo getting upset since the sign technically is about a mile inside Co.Kilkenny...anything is possible in that neck of the woods.:D

Oh I betcha it has everything to do with some beetroot-faced, Guinness-swilling councillor getting his knickers in a twist and making an angry phone call to the project office.

I swear, cross the river and they're bloody worse than the Unionists! :mad:

I'll save my rant for when somebody confirms our suspicions, but there's no smoke without fire!

Road-Hog · 01-10-2009 09:30PM

fricatus wrote: »

Oh I betcha it has everything to do with some beetroot-faced, Guinness-swilling councillor getting his knickers in a twist and making an angry phone call to the project office.

I swear, cross the river and they're bloody worse than the Unionists! :mad:

I'll save my rant for when somebody confirms our suspicions, but there's no smoke without fire!

From my ever reliable source on the bypass project the blanking out of the sign with the spray paint has everything to do with angry complaints from locals and kk councillors, sign is approximately 750m within the KK boundary I'm told, I wonder would a welcome to KK sign just across the existing Rice bridge result in a similar result from the Waterford folks?

mike65 · 01-10-2009 09:35PM

Nope, the sign would say

County Kilkenny ahead
You are Leaving Civilisation, please lock your doors

alpha2zulu · 01-10-2009 09:44PM

Well i'm not

some beetroot-faced, Guinness-swilling councillor getting his knickers in a twist

but I can kind of seen where my fellow countymen (and women) are coming from.

It is a little bit cheeky having the sign there aswell as the "City Centre" sign on the Newrath roundabout while were on the subject! Kilkenny City is in the totally opposite direction.

Nope, the sign would say

County Kilkenny ahead
You are Leaving Civilisation, please lock your doors

I was thinking more like :

County Kilkenny ahead
You are now leaving East Germany...
or something to that effect:p

Amtmann · 01-10-2009 09:48PM

Counties schmounties. They're the most ridiculous polities in the country. Why anyone has any allegiance to any of them outside of the GAA I'll never know.

fricatus · 01-10-2009 09:52PM

Road-Hog wrote: »

From my ever reliable source on the bypass project the blanking out of the sign with the spray paint has everything to do with angry complaints from locals and kk councillors, sign is approximately 750m within the KK boundary I'm told, I wonder would a welcome to KK sign just across the existing Rice bridge result in a similar result from the Waterford folks?

Oh for God's sake, who gives a toss where the boundary is??? The road is an approach road to Waterford city and after you pass the sign, 10 seconds and you round the bend and the city is in front of you.

These stupid, parochial two-bit councillors - they're not so bleeding quick into action when anything actually useful needs to be done, are they? And the locals? They're born, educated, live, work, socialise and die in Waterford for crying out loud! I frankly don't care what county they shout for on the hurling field, but giving out about a sign welcoming people to the city? They're not too pigging black-and-amber to refuse a job across the river though, are they?

Fcuking idiots! The country is going to hell in a handcart and they're getting their knickers in a knot over a stupid sign! I bet not one of them complained about NAMA and the government wasting €54bn of our money, but when someone dares erect a sign in the wrong place, they're on "dat sign shudden't be dere, cos dat's Kilkenny boy, not Wauerford..."

Fools! :mad:

mike65 · 01-10-2009 09:55PM

Jebus! I can see the day when the order goes out -

"BLOW THE BRIDGES!" :pac:

fricatus · 01-10-2009 09:56PM

alpha2zulu wrote: »

It is a little bit cheeky having the sign there aswell as the "City Centre" sign on the Newrath roundabout while were on the subject! Kilkenny City is in the totally opposite direction.

I'm out in my shed, making a "Town Centre - 30 km" sign for you at the moment. :P

Bards · 01-10-2009 09:59PM

....saw it too and it reminded me of the Waterford sign that used to be at the old grannagh flat pancake of a roundabout. lasted less then two weeks before it was replaced with Granny after complaints by a certain Cllr who lives in Newrath but works as a school teacher in Waterford

fricatus · 01-10-2009 10:16PM

Furet wrote: »

Counties schmounties. They're the most ridiculous polities in the country. Why anyone has any allegiance to any of them outside of the GAA I'll never know.

Couldn't agree more. We should create council areas that reflect the hinterlands of our 12 or so main towns and cities. Their boundaries should run through rural areas and through mountain ranges and so on.

Having two and three councils in relatively small urban areas such as Waterford, Limerick, Athlone, Carlow, etc., because some British royal servant 300 years ago decreed that some river should form a boundary, is just pure ridiculous.

I enjoy the GAA related banter as much as the next fella, but having council areas that coincide with sporting rivalries is just a recipe for disaster.

road_high · 01-10-2009 11:30PM

Road-Hog wrote: »

From my ever reliable source on the bypass project the blanking out of the sign with the spray paint has everything to do with angry complaints from locals and kk councillors, sign is approximately 750m within the KK boundary I'm told, I wonder would a welcome to KK sign just across the existing Rice bridge result in a similar result from the Waterford folks?

Are you serious? i never heard such non-sense. Pure logic would suggest that the City Centre signed be placed at strategic points on the new road. A few gombeens should not dictate National road signage imo.

road_high · 01-10-2009 11:38PM

fricatus wrote: »

I enjoy the GAA related banter as much as the next fella, but having council areas that coincide with sporting rivalries is just a recipe for disaster.

I have to agree with you but it is very hard to go against the system we have had. County boundaries are ingrained in people's subconciousness (myself included btw) and as you the sporting rivalries (Kilkenny vs Waterford for instance) reinforce these no end.

serfboard · 02-10-2009 03:33PM

fricatus wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. We should create council areas that reflect the hinterlands of our 12 or so main towns and cities. Their boundaries should run through rural areas and through mountain ranges and so on.

Wow ... not even McCarthy went that far

He just wants to amalgamate city and county councils in places like Waterford, Limerick and Galway and, naturally, the councillors are up in arms over that one!

alpha2zulu · 04-10-2009 03:56PM

Out on the South Kilkenny side of the project,it looks like Limerick-Waterford N24 traffic is going to be directed up on to the new raised DC between the Newrath and Grannagh Junction roundabouts within the next few days,presumeably to allow that short 10metre link onto the Kilmacow Road to be blocked off

The Lagan guys were busy line painting this section this morning and the signs approaching the Grannagh Juction roundabout on the Limerick side are indicating this also.

Hopefully it will at least relieve the pressure on that awful awful blind roundabout where the Dublin and Limerick traffic meets currently.

Sully · 04-10-2009 11:25PM

Was out that way today. Found it odd the signs indicated Waterford Crystal still, considering that seems on the way out (what little we have left). Also, the old Waterford - Limerick road, is that being re-opened at some stage? The green sign has a location that direction blanked out.

alpha2zulu · 05-10-2009 01:48PM

There removeing the cones from the new Sallypark-Newrath DC at the moment so it looks like we have the two lanes there at last! Hopefully will speed up the flow inbound in the mornings.

Also, the old Waterford - Limerick road, is that being re-opened at some stage? The green sign has a location that direction blanked out.

I put this pic up on the M9 thread a few weeks ago,given that they have seemed to narrow the road significantly and the clearance with the N25 overhead looks only suitable for vans, I'd hazard a guess the road will just be for local access only from now on.

Sully · 05-10-2009 02:22PM

alpha2zulu wrote: »

There removeing the cones from the new Sallypark-Newrath DC at the moment so it looks like we have the two lanes there at last! Hopefully will speed up the flow inbound in the mornings.

Amount of cars who race up the two lines to the traffic lights and not realise, despite warnings, that the lane stops short is scary. Glad to see it re-open, fingers crossed. Wonder when the section for Limerick/Waterford area will open - hopefully in the next few days.

I put this pic up on the M9 thread a few weeks ago,given that they have seemed to narrow the road significantly and the cleaance with the N25 overhead looks only suitable for vans, I'd hazard a guess the road will just be for local access only from now on.

Saw that alright, seems tight even for a van tho.

fricatus · 05-10-2009 02:47PM

Sully wrote: »

Amount of cars who race up the two lines to the traffic lights and not realise, despite warnings, that the lane stops short is scary.

The reason people race along there is to get past slow movers. It's the last overtaking opportunity until that big hill outside Ballyhale.

Great to hear that the cones are going!

Sully · 05-10-2009 03:09PM

fricatus wrote: »

The reason people race along there is to get past slow movers. It's the last overtaking opportunity until that big hill outside Ballyhale.

They do it even with a line of traffic you have no hope of passing and tend to break suddenly when the lane closes off. Seems to be a bit of both tbh

alpha2zulu · 05-10-2009 03:27PM

The reason people race along there is to get past slow movers. It's the last overtaking opportunity until that big hill outside Ballyhale.

They need to watch themselves,the Gatso van and hairdryer Garda bikers are very often there by the Irish Rail depot entrance!!

They do it even with a line of traffic you have no hope of passing

I seemed to find it was the BMW/Audi/Volvo/Pre 99 Civic lane...it just seems to attract a certain type of clientele:D

fricatus · 05-10-2009 09:34PM

alpha2zulu wrote: »

There removeing the cones from the new Sallypark-Newrath DC at the moment so it looks like we have the two lanes there at last! Hopefully will speed up the flow inbound in the mornings.

Great not to have to do the slalom course coming into the city this evening!

fricatus · 05-10-2009 09:39PM

The new bridge and motorway will massively change the traffic patterns in and around Waterford. Here's how I reckon the Grannagh area will look on a regular October morning a year from now. Colours are self explanatory (free flowing, crawling and queueing). Thanks to Munurty for the original pic.

Roryhy · 05-10-2009 09:49PM

fricatus wrote: »

The new bridge and motorway will massively change the traffic patterns in and around Waterford. Here's how I reckon the Grannagh area will look on a regular October morning a year from now. Colours are self explanatory (free flowing, crawling and queueing). Thanks to Munurty for the original pic.

Have to disagree with some of this especially the queue across the bridge to the toll, the traffic wont be that heavy going across. Also, coming from the city approaching the grade seperated roundabout, i'd make that yellow all the way. Good contributing though, really got me thinking.

alpha2zulu · 05-10-2009 09:57PM

fricatus wrote: »

The new bridge and motorway will massively change the traffic patterns in and around Waterford. Here's how I reckon the Grannagh area will look on a regular October morning a year from now.

Excellent pic and graphics, the design of the M9/N24 roundbout does seem like it will be a bit of a own-goal to some extent. It will be very interesting to see how much patronage the bridge actually does get in the mornings.I still think the Sallypark approach will see only a negliable improvement. The chances of all the students heading in that way coughing up 1.90 for each trip is rather small I would guess. The chances of having a WITcard discount for example is slim to none I'd say.

I know its extremely immature of me but each time I pass under those amazeing bridge overpass structures across the Grannagh valley, the name Matlock expressway comes to mind!:D

fricatus · 05-10-2009 10:25PM

Roryhy wrote: »

Have to disagree with some of this especially the queue across the bridge to the toll, the traffic wont be that heavy going across.

Yeah, we're not really going to know until it's been open for a while, but I reckon there'll be a queue for the toll in the morning - remember 2-3 km tailbacks into Ferrybank are commonplace.

Roryhy wrote: »

Also, coming from the city approaching the grade seperated roundabout, i'd make that yellow all the way. Good contributing though, really got me thinking.

That's my route in the morning (going from Waterford to Kilkenny), and what sparked this whole idea of mine was when I was imagining how each stretch would be. What I reckon will happen though, is that there will be a lot of inbound traffic coming from the N9 and M24, and a lot of this will be turning right on the Grannagh Interchange towards the bridge. Because this traffic has priority over outbound N9 traffic, I reckon this section will move slowly.

Also, local traffic from Kilmacow and areas between Mullinavat and Waterford that are not served by the M9 will come in towards the Newrath roundabout, and instead of making a right turn towards the city, will turn left to head to the Grannagh Interchange and the new bridge. This will increase the pressure on the N9 outbound between Newrath and the Grannagh Interchange.

alpha2zulu wrote: »

It will be very interesting to see how much patronage the bridge actually does get in the mornings.

Plenty, I would say. The city is very congested, and people want a hassle-free life. When you think about it, €10 a week is not a lot to pay for 20 minutes extra in bed each morning.

alpha2zulu wrote: »

I still think the Sallypark approach will see only a negliable improvement. The chances of all the students heading in that way coughing up 1.90 for each trip is rather small I would guess. The chances of having a WITcard discount for example is slim to none I'd say.

Hehe, how times have changed! In my day (early '90s), no students had cars, so I didn't even think of the impact of WIT!

alpha2zulu wrote: »

I know its extremely immature of me but each time I pass under those amazeing bridge overpass structures across the Grannagh valley, the name Matlock expressway comes to mind!:D

Nah, not immature at all! I do an American accent, "it's ninety degrees in the shade here in Houston this morning..."

N25 - Waterford City Bypass

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