N9 Carlow Bypass-when will it open?

road_high

What :mad::mad:? I swore I saw 120 signs a couple of weeks ago as I passed before it opened..
It's classified as M9 so whats the story

patrickc

mfitzy wrote: »

What :mad::mad:? I swore I saw 120 signs a couple of weeks ago as I passed before it opened..
It's classified as M9 so whats the story

i know wtf like, i saw 120 at the entrances too, and today all along it it was signs of 100kph... think its cos it's only the bypass, stupid like

tommycahir

bottletops wrote: »

So its time for a reminder for the rest of us heading on into Carlow this evening.....

The roads from the junctions in Castle D (North End) and the dump (South End) into Carlow town will now be 80Kmph as the road will no longer be the N9 but will become the R448. Hence it will get the 80k treatment... what a joke, but its that time of the month when the guards need to hit their targets so don't be surprised to see them out "barrel fish shooting"!!!

Must be something funny going on with the council so as when I was heading towards castledermot this morning from town I seen 100kmph signs just outside the deerpark business complex! I wonder have the put 80 kmph signs at castledermot and 100kmph at carlow! Bloody hell nothing would surprise me with that council!

ShayK1

patrickc wrote: »

no 100kph:mad: just off it, did from halfway back to castled, didnt notice any garda ramps either

YEah whats the deal with the 100kmph? Gheyness!!!!
I went for a spin around 10pm... after the Ireland match.. Gwwaannn Ireland..... and was bombing along nicely at 120kmph, passed a few cars, then i see the speed limit signs and I'm all like "WTF???"

It was dark so I'm open to corrections here but I think I saw 2 guarda ramps between rathcrogue and powerstown. 1 on each side.

Bards

ShayK1 wrote: »

YEah whats the deal with the 100kmph? Gheyness!!!!
I went for a spin around 10pm... after the Ireland match.. Gwwaannn Ireland..... and was bombing along nicely at 120kmph, passed a few cars, then i see the speed limit signs and I'm all like "WTF???"

It was dark so I'm open to corrections here but I think I saw 2 guarda ramps between rathcrogue and powerstown. 1 on each side.

This is a quote from the Irish Times http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/motors/2007/0815/1187036472081.html


"The Department of Transport advises that road signs on national roads are green and therefore an upper "default" speed limit of 100km/h applies. Motorway sections would have blue road signs and an upper default limit of 120km/h.

If it went to court could you not argue that you never saw the 100Km/h and as the default speed for Motorway's (Coloured Blue) is 120 Km/h you should not be awarded the points???????

ShayK1

has anyone used it as part of their commute yet?
Just wondering how much time it actually cuts off the travel time?

sk8board

ShayK1 wrote: »

has anyone used it as part of their commute yet?
Just wondering how much time it actually cuts off the travel time?

Was just thinking the very same. Assuming the previous poster did it in 8mins (granted at 120k inadvertently), its probably about a 10min journey, give or take.
I reckon its about 20-25min to go the 'old' way, even in lighter traffic?

I only travel it on the w/e's every few weeks. Heading down for the Laughin' Pussy tomorrow. Is it wrong to be excited about travelling on a new road? (Even if it means never (ever) having to go through carlow again, ever.)

ShayK1

sk8board wrote: »

Is it wrong to be excited about travelling on a new road? (Even if it means never (ever) having to go through carlow again, ever.)

I hope not!! I was very excited driving it lastnight.

fricatus

sk8board wrote: »

I only travel it on the w/e's every few weeks. Heading down for the Laughin' Pussy tomorrow. Is it wrong to be excited about travelling on a new road? (Even if it means never (ever) having to go through carlow again, ever.)

Not wrong at all! I'm planning a trip up to de big shmoke now in the next few weeks, because I want to try out the new road too!

Still though, I always liked Carlow for a stop, be it Abrakebabra, the Dolmen or the Esso or Statoil garages. I probably won't stop in there any more since you can just fly around it in 10 minutes now.

However once the full route is complete, I see myself maybe pulling off into Carlow whenever I feel like a stop, especially if I'm on a long trip back from Belfast for instance.

davidoco

ShayK1 wrote: »

has anyone used it as part of their commute yet?
Just wondering how much time it actually cuts off the travel time?

It made no difference to the O'Brien Road/Tullow Road this morning, still the same level of traffic, be interesting to see if the usual bumper to bumper is gone this evening.

Would be nice to see a big sign saying bypass NOW OPEN somewhere at Rathcrogue for the non locals. Coming from south the motorway sign is still blackedout out 300 m from junction, but sign right on roundabout is cleared.

Bards

davidoco wrote: »

It made no difference to the O'Brien Road/Tullow Road this morning, still the same level of traffic, be interesting to see if the usual bumper to bumper is gone this evening.

Would be nice to see a big sign saying bypass NOW OPEN somewhere at Rathcrogue for the non locals. Coming from south the motorway sign is still blackedout out 300 m from junction, but sign right on roundabout is cleared.

that would be more N80 Wexford <-> Portlaoise traffic as opposed to N9 Waterford <-> Dublin

Munurty

Just back from a quick spin up. Lovely road , nothing to complain about except the limit of 100km/h.

It took 20mins to do a round trip, northbound from Powerstown then southbound. That was doing closer to 120km/h than 100km/h. There are four Garda ramps in total.

Slightly o/t but amazing progress being made by Roadbridge-Sisk on the Knocktopher to Powerstown section. Danesfort and Bennettsbridge have seen loads of activity. The ground work and structures look like they are really flying.

Knocktopher to Waterford is getting there too. Ascon are laying the CBM layer in places which is the one before the tarmacadam.

The first coat of tarmacadam is down on the Waterford Bypass and they are pouring the concrete central barrier too.

It seemed like it would take forever but we are getting there.

icdg

The conclusion that I've come to is that road is signed as a motorway, but isn't one. It was not built under a Motorway Scheme and therefore needs an order under the Roads Act 2007 to be designated a motorway. It is the subject of an application for such an order and in expectation of one being granted the signs were switched from the originally-erected green signs to blue. (Same thing has happened on the N6 Kilbeggan - Athlone scheme)

But - the motorway order hasn't come through yet. So the road isn't legally a motorway. Hence the hastly erected 100 km/h signs and blacked out motorway ahead signs.

Incidently, a motorway has a default 120 km/h limit but a lower one can be specified, as on the M50 which now has a 100 km/h limited between J7 and J14.

patrickc

the gardai were on it for speeding, after the turn off for the motorway, about a mile on the right hand side towards carlow, half an hour ago...

ShayK1

patrickc wrote: »

the gardai were on it for speeding, after the turn off for the motorway, about a mile on the right hand side towards carlow, half an hour ago...

No time wasted there.... although it is the bank holiday weekend

patrickc

ShayK1 wrote: »

No time wasted there.... although it is the bank

holiday weekend

there were plenty coming for the match too.. sitting ducks some where I'd imagine

road_high

Very high standard and quality of road. It will be something else when it runs all the way from Kilcullen to Waterford. Asco have done a great job

patrickc

mfitzy wrote: »

Very high standard and quality of road. It will be something else when it runs all the way from Kilcullen to Waterford. Asco have done a great job

aye roll on 2010

mobby

Used it today on the way to Wexford. can't say I made the journry any quicker as their was a 4km tailback into castledermot:( , Nice road and will be great when finished.

ShayK1

mobby wrote: »

a 4km tailback into castledermot:(

Jaysis!!

fitzyshea

Drove the road last night excellent quality got to see parts of Carlow I haven’t seen in years! Road is 100Kmph until the reclassification of motorways comes into force, then it will be 120Kmph. Will be awhile yet. This was discussed in other forums also.

bottletops

Took the car out on the bypass to stretch its legs yesterday. Those long clear stretches where you can see so far ahead are very tempting

sk8board

Munurty wrote: »

Slightly o/t but amazing progress being made by Roadbridge-Sisk on the Knocktopher to Powerstown section. Danesfort and Bennettsbridge have seen loads of activity. The ground work and structures look like they are really flying.

Knocktopher to Waterford is getting there too. Ascon are laying the CBM layer in places which is the one before the tarmacadam.

The first coat of tarmacadam is down on the Waterford Bypass and they are pouring the concrete central barrier too.

It seemed like it would take forever but we are getting there.

took me 10 mins straight for the 18km (i.e a hair over 100kmph avg). reckon it saved me 5-10 min on a 1h 45min journey. small delay this evening in CDermot, but its a bank hol w/e, so to be expected.

As for knocktopher/Bennetsbridge, I also saw the progress at the w/e. A sign says 'completion Spring 2009'. Certianly looks like progress being made. Huge bridge going up in BBridge over the KK road, river/valley and railway

davidoco

mfitzy wrote: »

Very high standard and quality of road. It will be something else when it runs all the way from Kilcullen to Waterford. Asco have done a great job

I found the southbound driving lane surface to be not a patch on something like the M1 heading north. There are drag marks and poor side by side layer connections for the first 10km. Not something that will be noticable now but in a couple of years time!

wheres me jumpa

mobby wrote: »

Used it today on the way to Wexford. can't say I made the journry any quicker as their was a 4km tailback into castledermot:( , Nice road and will be great when finished.

It will be a relief to have Castledermot bypassed also. So many Friday evenings I sat looking out at the Alpine garage stuck in traffic trying to get through this town.

ShayK1

wheres me jumpa wrote: »

It will be a relief to have Castledermot bypassed also. So many Friday evenings I sat looking out at the Alpine garage stuck in traffic trying to get through this town.

There's plenty of ways to bypass castledermot, you just need to know which route to take to benefit you with regards to your destination.

Example: Going to Tullow: Take the turn off for Baltinglass on the moone bypass and come into Tullow that way.

Going to Carlow? Turn Right at the Moone High-Cross Inn and come into carlow the carlow-athy road.

mobby

Coming back on Sunday evening around 6 bells traffic was backed up to the roundabout at the end of bye pass all the way into castledermot. Don’t know way castledermot was not part of the bye pass also, as it surly would not have taken much to include it in the original plans. And I see they have installed traffic lights in the main street which will add even more problems when turned on. Suppose we will just have to wait till Kilcullen end is finished.

BTW Castledermot must be one of the most depressing towns in Ireland very run down looking. And they always seem to be digging up the main street.:mad:

patrickc

mobby wrote: »

Coming back on Sunday evening around 6 bells traffic was backed up to the roundabout at the end of bye pass all the way into castledermot. Don’t know way castledermot was not part of the bye pass also, as it surly would not have taken much to include it in the original plans. And I see they have installed traffic lights in the main street which will add even more problems when turned on. Suppose we will just have to wait till Kilcullen end is finished.

BTW Castledermot must be one of the most depressing towns in Ireland very run down looking. And they always seem to be digging up the main street.:mad:

come off the bypass there and instead of heading towards castle d turn left towards carlow, then take your first right at the crossroad, follow that road to a T junction and turn right, continue straight up that to bring you into the exisiting lights in castle D

muggyog

They actually dug up the main street so Archeologists could have a look ( there is a flag stone culverted stream running down the middle). They filled it in again and dug it up later for the sewage ...... then the water ..... then the traffic lights ... then the drains ..... then the lorry drove into the house so they had to scrape the surface ....... then ......... it was bypassed (and the all lived happily ever after)!

wheres me jumpa

ShayK1 wrote: »

Going to Carlow? Turn Right at the Moone High-Cross Inn and come into carlow the carlow-athy road.

I seriously doubt that is quicker than sitting through traffice in Castledermot?