M9 motorway (general thread)

came extremely close to a flying obstacle last Tuesday on the M9.
Northbound on the M9 half way between junction 3 and junction 2.

the flying obstacle was a 1 foot by 1 foot slab of metal, something you would find on a jcb,
something jcb's use as feet when they are digging.

the car in front of me drove over the metal and it went flying up into the air.

the result was that it came through my windscreen, hitting me in the head, thus knocking me unconscious.
the below is where I woke up.





did anybody here see what happened or get any pics, I would like to know.
if you are here thanks to the people who stopped and helped me out of the car and who got me a blanket and who called for the ambulance and gardai.

So be very wary of flying objects on the motorway.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I wouldn't say you're lucky, but in that situation you were very fortunate to survive.

Get well soon, and I hope you don't have as close a brush again until you're up near the century!

In fairness the council are cleaning the M9 at the moment. There have been rolling lane closures as they sweep debris off the overtaking lane.
Sorry to hear about your accident Rameire. Real heart in mouth moment I'd say!
P.S. Think I saw the car there last tues morn. It was as you go north towards Kilcullen, a few miles from Junction 2.

fricatus wrote: »

According to flashing signs on the motorway today, it will be closed between J10 and J11 (Mullinavat and Knocktopher) between 9 and 15 September.

Nothing on KK Co Co's website. Anyone know anything further about this? Any idea what work is being carried out? I drive it every day and I have to say it looks fine anyway...

No, but I saw a notice on the Independent I think a few weeks back saying the same. Scant detail and zero reason provided as to why they need to close a major motorway.
There would want to be a very good reason and also as to why they cannot do rolling lane closures. Imagine in England if a council decided to close a major of motorway for a week? :rolleyes:

Also, they still seem to be pissing around at Paulstown where those hollows have developed and made little progress to the naked eye. Been like that for 9 months now. Crazy stuff yet again.

mfitzy wrote: »

There would want to be a very good reason and also as to why they cannot do rolling lane closures. Imagine in England if a council decided to close a major of motorway for a week? :rolleyes:

Just on that point, while the concrete barriers on Irish motorways are very effective, they don't allow for contraflows like you see from time to time in England. It would have been very helpful if gaps (say with gates) could have been left in the barrier every couple of km. The way things are here, the motorway has to be closed along an entire section.

Sully wrote: »

Is the closure not to do with the dip in the road surface they have been repairing for ages?

No, that's somewhere up around Paulstown, either between J5-6 or J6-7. This is further south, between J10 and J11.

The other thing I noticed on my way home today is that the signs are only up on the northbound carriageway, so with a bit of luck, the work is only on one side, and the southbound carriageway will be kept open.

MYOB wrote: »

We have these - they are steel gates of the same profile as the barrier. Take a look next time you're on a newer road with jersey barriers - I don't think the first few (Fermoy BP, etc) have them though.

Ah, I think I know what you're talking about - must keep an eye out next time I'm on the M9. As I recall though, they weren't very long, so would you be able to get a truck through the opening to the other side?

So does anyone know the reason for the closure?

A

mfitzy wrote: »

Seriously bugging me now that closed off lane at Paulstown. It's been like this for what, 6 months now? Simply not acceptable. It's slowing up the flow of traffic, especially when you are stuck behind a HGV. Think it's an accident waiting to happen.
Would this happen on the continent? Doubt it somehow. Wish our county councils had nothing to do with motorway network maintenance.

And another dip has developed right next to it too :rolleyes:

The thing aboud debris on the motorways is that the car in front
only has to lift it 2 or 3 feet into the air vertically, and if your doing 120km/h then its the same as it being flung directly at you at that speed :eek:

Thats completely riduculous - a whole month - how on earth is KKCC able to get away with this nonsesne especially in winter travelling on the old N9 / N10 with poor visibility and twisty narrow roadway

"The entire embankment has to be removed and the road structure fixed as a result of the subsidence that has taken place, Kilkenny County Council director of services John Mulholland told members at their meeting on Monday."

How many structures are we talking about here. and how long is "The Entire embankment"

if its only a few metres than surley they can just close 1 junction and not 2?

Cannot see how this could take a month and close the whole road as well.

How would you remove the embankment and keep the road open? An would any new embankment not need to settle a bit before you open it?

fricatus wrote: »

mfitzy wrote: »

M9 will be closed for a month between Paulstown and Danesfort. I assume to fix the issues at Paulstown? Hugely inconvienient.
http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/local/motorway-to-be-closed-for-a-month-1-4273313

Jesvs that's nuts...

Well I hope they do a better job than they did on that stretch between J10 and J11 just lately. The finish is very bumpy. I know you pass over it in about 10 seconds and then you're back to the good surface, but it's cear that the work was done to a lower standard.

I would be fairly confident that the remedial works are being carried out by roadbridge as there is always a maintenance period in most contracts ie a period of time post road opening where the contractor must fix defects that arise following project completion. This 'maintenance period' is usually two years so it is largely out of Kk co co hands I would think, open to correction though.

Only a guess here too but They as in Kk and roadbridge and their design team could also have been carrying out settlemEnt monitoring hence the long delay in any sign of physical work on site, there could also be a dispute goin on between contractor and designer as to who fcuked up etc.

I do think though that there should be better traffic management in place to reduce speed in the vicinity of the 'depressions' as it is still possible to go through the narrowed section at close to 120 kph if you have a clear rd in front of u. In any case lets hope the contractor has to cough up for the fcuk up.

Also let's hope the work is done correctly the first time and not like the case with the settlement on the stretch into Waterford by the railway bridges which has been now been repaired twice.