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M9 motorway (general thread)

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  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,098 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Bards wrote: »
    if all cars are travelling at close to the speed limit and nothing to slow cars down then it is really hard to catch up with other cars and hence pass

    How many cars did you pass in the North Bound lane comming against you?

    When I'm on the M8 from Cahir to Mitchelstown a distance far greater than 25 Km's I would normally pass around the same amount of cars/trucks as I travel at 120 Km/h . So are we to conclude that the M8 is also over-prioritised?

    I'd like to make it clear that I was travelling nowhere close to the speed limit...


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,588 ✭✭✭STIG83


    Could they not have built the service areas when the M9 was been built? Was driving from Waterford to Kildare last friday evening, such a pain having to pull into a village or town to find a toilet :mad:


  • Registered Users Posts: 320 ✭✭redtelephone


    I live close to the old N10 Paulstown-Kilkenny road and lately I've noticed traffic volumes increasing after a drop-off between September (when the local stretch of the M9 opened) and December. There now seem to be a lot of cars and HGVs using the old route between Carlow and Kilkenny, and while it is not yet up to pre M9 levels, I would guess it's at least 50-60% of what it was before the motorway opened. Anyone got any ideas as to why this should be?


  • Registered Users Posts: 874 ✭✭✭alentejo


    I live close to the old N10 Paulstown-Kilkenny road and lately I've noticed traffic volumes increasing after a drop-off between September (when the local stretch of the M9 opened) and December. There now seem to be a lot of cars and HGVs using the old route between Carlow and Kilkenny, and while it is not yet up to pre M9 levels, I would guess it's at least 50-60% of what it was before the motorway opened. Anyone got any ideas as to why this should be?

    I suspect that local traffic going between Kilkenny and Carlow finds it is easier and nearly as quick to use the old road. The new N10 spur outside Kilkenny adds a little distance to ones journey. Also, if going to KK city, the old road seems quicker to get to the centre or south side of the city.

    The old road is also less boreing. I get so bored going on some of the new m-way network and going the old route is in many cases nearly as quick for going short distances


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,369 ✭✭✭✭road_high


    The old road hasn'y dropped to 80 kmh either nor should it as it's a good wide two lane so that does negate the motorway advantage somewhat. Some people just don't like driving on motorway. I don't find a massive time difference between the new road and what it used to be between KK and Carlow town.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,032 ✭✭✭DWCommuter


    Took my first drive on the entire M9 today (Saturday 26th). From my door in Naas, Co. Kildare to the Tower Hotel in Waterford City - 1 hr 16 mins. Never went over 120kph and most of the time sat on 100/110kph. Departed at 10am.

    The return journey departing at 22.43 took 1 hr 06 mins. Stayed on 120kph most of the time and often drifted to 130kph.

    Incredible stuff. The same journey along the old N9 frequently took 1 hr 45 mins minimum and longer if you got caught behind a very slow vehicle.

    The train will never even come close to competing. I now officially love this motorway.:D


  • Registered Users Posts: 168 ✭✭skodacb


    I truly love this motorway, like to have motorway all the way from waterford to the border is truly a fantastic and this along with the M6, M7, M8, M18(slowly coming along), is probably the one of a handful of things the fianna failers did right during there time in power. however i do agree though, i have done it myself, pulled off 1/2-3/4's the way down from dublin using the old N9, jus to use me brakes or turn the wheel more than 40 degrees, just to have some excitement, even though I can 'cough' only do 50mph on the old rd


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    It looks like a lot of additional planting was carried out on the southern half of the M9 over the pas winter. Thousands of saplings are coming into leaf along the verges and embankments of both carriageways. Also, phone foundations have been installed along the route.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Tremelo wrote: »
    It looks like a lot of additional planting was carried out on the southern half of the M9 over the pas winter. Thousands of saplings are coming into leaf along the verges and embankments of both carriageways. Also, phone foundations have been installed along the route.

    Think those phone foundations have always been there, no?


  • Registered Users Posts: 368 ✭✭Roryhy


    One of the phones was wiped out a few weeks ago in an accident between a lorry and a car. Just south of the Kilcullen junction on the southbound side.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 320 ✭✭redtelephone


    M8 fine...

    M9 no - id like this guy to count the cars in opposite lane next go just for the record. Complete waste of money - Waterford is barely a city (even combined with Kilkennys population isnt that big)

    The 2011 traffic count statisitcs on the NRA website are interesting

    http://nraextra.nra.ie/CurrentTrafficCounterData/index.html

    THe M9 at Castledermot has average of about 15000 vehicles per day for Jan/Feb/March. At Kilcullen it's over 18000.

    The M8 at Thurles South has 10,000 per day for the same peiod, at Cashel North it's 14,000 and at Springfield (just after the M7-M8 split) it's only 8,500.

    There appear to be more vehicles using the M9 than people think.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    and of course 14000 is never enough to justify a Dual Carriageway if you are an An Taisce loon!


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,517 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    The 2011 traffic count statisitcs on the NRA website are interesting

    http://nraextra.nra.ie/CurrentTrafficCounterData/index.html

    THe M9 at Castledermot has average of about 15000 vehicles per day for Jan/Feb/March. At Kilcullen it's over 18000.

    Castledermot is nowhere near Waterford - in fact you could argue that it is commuter territiory for Dublin. Of course build arterial Motorways to within an hour of the capital. That is (begrudgingly) a reason why M3 was built.

    Can you get traffic counts for (say) Danesfort to give more meat to your argument.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Tremelo wrote: »
    It looks like a lot of additional planting was carried out on the southern half of the M9 over the pas winter. Thousands of saplings are coming into leaf along the verges and embankments of both carriageways. Also, phone foundations have been installed along the route.

    Just on this, I got a reply from the NRA about installation.
    Thank you for your email regarding the provision of emergency telephones on the M9.

    Emergency roadside telephones have been procured for the M9 and it is anticipated that they will be installed shortly.

    Wrote back and asked for a bit more info in terms of a date.
    Testing is underway and it is hoped that they will be installed within the next few months - June / July.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Castledermot is nowhere near Waterford - in fact you could argue that it is commuter territiory for Dublin. Of course build arterial Motorways to within an hour of the capital. That is (begrudgingly) a reason why M3 was built.

    Can you get traffic counts for (say) Danesfort to give more meat to your argument.

    According to Google Maps, there isn't a huge difference travel time wise. There not miles apart in terms of distance between Dublin or Waterford.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,811 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    The 2011 traffic count statisitcs on the NRA website are interesting

    http://nraextra.nra.ie/CurrentTrafficCounterData/index.html

    THe M9 at Castledermot has average of about 15000 vehicles per day for Jan/Feb/March. At Kilcullen it's over 18000.

    The M8 at Thurles South has 10,000 per day for the same peiod, at Cashel North it's 14,000 and at Springfield (just after the M7-M8 split) it's only 8,500.

    There appear to be more vehicles using the M9 than people think.

    That is surprising.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    came back from Co. Waterford last Monday. The merge with the M7 is shocking, there's hardly any notice of the road narrowing to 1 lane and the sign giving notice is the end of dual carriageway sign, not a road narrows or other more applicable sign.
    there's also very short notice of this.

    After coming on D2 the whole way from Kilmeaden, it's poor.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 624 ✭✭✭Aidan1


    Castledermot is nowhere near Waterford - in fact you could argue that it is commuter territiory for Dublin. Of course build arterial Motorways to within an hour of the capital. That is (begrudgingly) a reason why M3 was built.

    Castledermot became part of the Dublin commuter belt in 2000-1 (that's when the houses started to go up - same as Carlow), but it has also historically been far more associated with Dublin than Waterford (simple economic geography - larger higher order settlements have greater economic range). From a practical perspective, Dublin has until recently been far closer in terms of time (particularly since the early 1980s and the opening of the Naas dualler). It's different now, of course, with the M9.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,797 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    indeed.

    on google maps you can clearly see that the sign errected is this:
    70px-Diamond_road_sign_dual_carriageway_end.svg.png
    which means you'd be expecting 2 way traffic pretty sharpish, rather than here where you are dropping a lane and merging onto a new motorway!
    (google maps on the ground view: http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kilcullen&aq=&sll=53.147182,-6.740971&sspn=0.067539,0.188999&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kilcullen,+County+Kildare,+Ireland&ll=53.172781,-6.751437&spn=0.016875,0.04725&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.172781,-6.751437&panoid=q4RflzJEiWY1IdBgEAjLtQ&cbp=12,66.08,,1,13.73)

    The correct sign for dropping a lane is actually this :
    70px-Diamond_road_sign_merge_to_single_lane.svg.png

    If you ask me, the second is much clearer than the first if you dont know what the signs mean.
    Also.... The first means that the dual carraigeway (separated highway) is ending. IT doesnt mean that you are dropping a lane because at the end of the separated section you could have 2+1 or 2+2 or other non separated, non dual carraigeway yet multi lane road ahead instead.


  • Registered Users Posts: 721 ✭✭✭mk6705


    indeed.

    on google maps you can clearly see that the sign errected is this:
    70px-Diamond_road_sign_dual_carriageway_end.svg.png
    which means you'd be expecting 2 way traffic pretty sharpish, rather than here where you are dropping a lane and merging onto a new motorway!
    (google maps on the ground view: http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kilcullen&aq=&sll=53.147182,-6.740971&sspn=0.067539,0.188999&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kilcullen,+County+Kildare,+Ireland&ll=53.172781,-6.751437&spn=0.016875,0.04725&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.172781,-6.751437&panoid=q4RflzJEiWY1IdBgEAjLtQ&cbp=12,66.08,,1,13.73)

    The correct sign for dropping a lane is actually this :
    70px-Diamond_road_sign_merge_to_single_lane.svg.png

    If you ask me, the second is much clearer than the first if you dont know what the signs mean.
    Also.... The first means that the dual carraigeway (separated highway) is ending. IT doesnt mean that you are dropping a lane because at the end of the separated section you could have 2+1 or 2+2 or other non separated, non dual carraigeway yet multi lane road ahead instead.

    A 2+2 road and a 2+1 road are dual carriageways. A "1+1" road would also be a dual carriageway. The "+" effectively means the central dividing barrier. Any road with a central barrier is a dual carriageway. A road with two lanes in either direction but without a central barrier is not a dual carriageway. S4 would be the correct designation.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,797 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    Adro947 wrote: »
    A 2+2 road and a 2+1 road are dual carriageways. A "1+1" road would also be a dual carriageway. The "+" effectively means the central dividing barrier. Any road with a central barrier is a dual carriageway. A road with two lanes in either direction but without a central barrier is not a dual carriageway. S4 would be the correct designation.
    I meant a road with multiple lanes each way but no central divider and maybe shoulnt have used those terms commonly used only for divided highways.
    I plead Guilty for offenses aginst the "+" sign!!

    Either way, as you say yourself, a dual carraigeway is to do with the division of lanes not the number of them and the divided highway doesn't end at that point on the m9


  • Registered Users Posts: 740 ✭✭✭Jayuu


    The problem with the merge signage at the end of the M9 is that its been there for years because this section was built way before the rest of the M9. There's been no remedial work on the signage here.

    Its a similar situation further in on the M7 at Naas where it transitions to the N7. I could be wrong but I don't think there are any "End of Motorway" signs and the advance signage is a mishmash of green and blue patching which doesn't make the situation any clearer. Actually a lot the signage on the Nass by-pass could do with be upgraded.

    Intestingly enough from what I can see from Google Street View the situation with the merge between the M4 and the M6 is equally as bad. There doesn't seem to be any signage on the M4 to indicate that lanes to the right are joining the motorway and on the M6 it seems that you just get a standard "Traffic merging on left" warning sign just before the merge. Maybe the signage has improved since Google took these pictures. Its hard to see exactly what sort of advance warning is on the M6 as for some reason Street View has a gap at the end of the M6 from Junction 2 to after the merge with the M4. Very strange really.

    Compare both of those merges with the M50/N11 merge which has full blue lane merge signage on both roads. It irritates me to see such inconsistency in our signage when we are supposed to clear rules laid out for signage in the Transport Manual.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,811 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    There is end of motorway signage as the M7 becomes N7 into the Naas Road but there is a mess of blue/green/white signage still. Also the 100kmh speed limits are nowhere near big enough.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,588 ✭✭✭STIG83


    I drove from Waterford to Kildare today on the M9, i couldnt believe the amount of shreds of tyres on the side of it!! looked like blow outs from trucks i guess.
    Who is responsible for the clean up of that? a private company or the NRA?


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    STIG83 wrote: »
    I drove from Waterford to Kildare today on the M9, i couldnt believe the amount of shreds of tyres on the side of it!! looked like blow outs from trucks i guess.
    Who is responsible for the clean up of that? a private company or the NRA?

    Asked this before and was told the council for that area you are in.

    Unreal amount of tyres eh?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,588 ✭✭✭STIG83


    Sully wrote: »
    Asked this before and was told the council for that area you are in.

    Unreal amount of tyres eh?

    Its unreal!! hate to be behind a truck if it gets a blow out though.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Sully wrote: »
    Just on this, I got a reply from the NRA about installation.



    Wrote back and asked for a bit more info in terms of a date.

    I asked for an update from the NRA last week about above.
    It is anticipated that the emergency phones on the M9 will be installed and operational by the end of August.

    So a month late, assuming it goes quickly as it doesn't seem to have started yet.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,857 ✭✭✭patrickc


    they're doing the sos phone at the moment, well between Carlow and KK have been all week both sides


  • Registered Users Posts: 229 ✭✭Silverado


    When oh when are the NRA going to put lighting on the start of the M9 at Kilcullen.

    This is at the M7 Junction 11 or if you like M9 Junction 1. I nearly missed it again last night coming back from Dublin. The overhead signs are so warped and wobbly that they are hardly legible in the headlights of your car.

    There are so many junctions of a lesser importance with full lighting all the way to Waterford but a main intersection is left out. What type of planning is this?

    Come on NRA - this has to be sorted out since it is a traffic hazard of your own making.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,105 ✭✭✭hi5


    It looks like theres a problem with the surface just south of Paulstown.
    a dip has formed at one of the underpasses.
    I noticed this about a week ago myself but it seems to have got progressively
    worse since.
    Warning signs are now up.
    Will it mean closing the road?


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