M8 - Cashel to Mitchelstown

invincibleirish

When there is a huge Roundabout on the Glanmire bypass then it will never be Motorway, specially with the snarl up at the Tunnel ever increasing...

Bards

According to RoadBridge website Cashel to Mitchelstwon has already opened???


http://www.roadbridge.ie/completed-projects/transport-sector.html

N8 Cashel to Mitchelstown Motorway
This 37 kilometre length of motorway was opened in 2008. This was the first E.C.I.(Early Contractor Involvement) Contract for the NRA. The client was South Tipperary County Council

Stark

They must have gotten confused with the Cashel-Cahir section opening early.

spacetweek

Carawaystick wrote: »

Glanmire bypass could be made motorway, there is an alternative route - the old road through Glanmire. There are no accesses to the dual carriageway between Dunkettle and the pink bridge junction. Several other motorways have 100kmh speed limits, so the bendiness won't make any difference, should actually be safer to drive on with no tractors or cyclists.

All of that is true, the only objection is this asymmetric junction and the fact that it ends at Dunkettle roundabout.

Also isn't it odd when you scroll north from the map location above and as the road turns from dualler to motorway it gets *narrower*? WTF?

Chris_533976

IIRC thats the junction that the North Ring will start at.

Amtmann

With regard to Motorway Redesignation, a very helpful person at the Department of Transport has informed me that the Minister received a number of objections to the proposed redesignation of HQDCs along the N/M8 route. The NRA was given an opportunity to reply to the objections, which it did. The objectors had until last Friday (June 20th) to respond to the NRA's assurances, and a number did.

So, the Minister will now assess the objectors' objections, and then will decide on the matter. Presumably the redesignations will go ahead ASAP.

Amtmann

I heard that Cashel to Cullahill will be open next September or October. I rang Kilkenny Co Co and that's what they said.

Can anyone living along that route post updates? (Also, there's a new thread here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055319940 )

AugustusMaximus

Chris_533976 wrote: »

IIRC thats the junction that the North Ring will start at.

The Watergrashill offramp ?

I thought the NRR will start somewhere above Glanmire but never that far North. I'm hoping that we've all learned a lesson and the junction won't be a roundabout but will be completely freeflow ?


Spacetweek, are asymetric junctions that much of a problem. The N7/N9 junction is technically asymetic too.



I don't see any real reason why Watergrashill to Dunkettle can't be Motorway all the way. Slap a 100kph limit on Glanmire to Dunkettle and stop the motorway a few hundred meters before the actual roundabout to ensure all forms of traffic can access the roundabout.

mackerski

spacetweek wrote: »

and the fact that it ends at Dunkettle roundabout.

Lots of motorways end at roundabouts. It's fine - the motorway is under regulations, the roundabout isn't.

invincibleirish

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

The Watergrashill offramp ?

I thought the NRR will start somewhere above Glanmire but never that far North. I'm hoping that we've all learned a lesson and the junction won't be a roundabout but will be completely freeflow ?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055283528

Its ok though, with the impending cut backs the NRR is surely destined for historys scrapbook.

Amtmann

I received the following email from South Tipp Co Co today:

I refer to your email to Sean Carey in relation to the above and wish to comment as follows: -


It is hoped that the N8 Cashel / Mitchelstown Road Improvement Scheme between Cloughabreeda and Carrigane will be opened to traffic in the last week of July 2008. The initial speed limit on this section of road will be 100kph but will revert to 120kph when the road is declared a motorway, hopefully by the end of the year.


The green signage on the Cashel to Cahir road will be replaced by blue motorway signs before it is opened as a motorway and the speed will be 120kph. (Hopefully this work will be completed by the end of 2008).


The Cashel Bypass will be re-designated a motorway but 100kph speed limit will apply.


The Cashel / Cullahill Scheme is not due to open until May 2009. However, there is a good possibility that it could be opened in December 2008. The section of this scheme between Cullahill and Urlingford has already been designated a motorway and a 120kph speed limit will apply. The section, however, between Urlingford and Cashel has not been designated yet as a motorway but hopefully it will be so by the end of 2008. Again, 120pkh will apply to this section, should it be designated a motorway.


I trust that this answers your queries.

Steviemak

Furet, thanks for that. Good news by all accounts. That just really leaves Abbeyleix as the real nightmare on the Cork Dublin road in 2009. That rat run around the town is going to get alot of traffic over the next year and a half!

jank

Indeed good news. Seems to be flying alon.
Is there a possibility of all the roads being completed December 2009?

Amtmann

jank wrote: »

Indeed good news. Seems to be flying alon.
Is there a possibility of all the roads being completed December 2009?

I think it's quite likely.

AugustusMaximus

Its says 2010 Q3 for Portlaoise to Culahill on the NRA website.

What sort of junction are we getting at N7/N8.

I hope its a completely freeflow junction with movements in all directors.

Would a stack be too much to ask for ?

Stark

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

What sort of junction are we getting at N7/N8.

I hope its a completely freeflow junction with movements in all directors.

Restricted junction like at the M7/M9, M50/M11 as far as I know.

xabi

Furet wrote: »

The Cashel Bypass will be re-designated a motorway but 100kph speed limit will apply.


[/I]

So this and the Glanmire section will be the only 100K stretches on the Cork Dublin route and the Naas Dual Carriageway off course. I think we will see alot of speed checks on the Cashel Bypass.

X.

jank

Ca Ching!!!

Mushy

Was on this route a while back, and all the sections I saw looked close to being ready. What I'd just like to know is though, when it fully opens, will BÉ do an express service to Cork every so often, but still just stop in Urlingford for a break? Would be very handy.

Chris_533976

Stark wrote: »

Restricted junction like at the M7/M9, M50/M11 as far as I know.

I'm not sure if it is. It may be full, but I dont know.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/LaoisCountyCouncil/N8PortlaoisetoCullahillCastletown/Map,15066,en.pdf

Thats the NRAs file. Zoom in really close to the interchange, and you can see an M8 north to M7 west link. Whether it'll still be restricted (eg: no M7 east to M8 south) I dunno, or maybe they're putting a trumpet in, giving all the movements. They should. Having these junctions restricted is beyond stupid IMO.

Amtmann

Chris_533976 wrote: »

I'm not sure if it is. It may be full, but I dont know.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/LaoisCountyCouncil/N8PortlaoisetoCullahillCastletown/Map,15066,en.pdf

Thats the NRAs file. Zoom in really close to the interchange, and you can see an M8 north to M7 west link. Whether it'll still be restricted (eg: no M7 east to M8 south) I dunno, or maybe they're putting a trumpet in, giving all the movements. They should. Having these junctions restricted is beyond stupid IMO.

All the specs and drawings are here: http://www.m7m8scheme.ie/eis/index.asp

The drawing of the junction is here: http://www.m7m8scheme.ie/eis/pdfs/EIS_M7M8_Volume1_Fig3-1d.pdf

Amtmann

Here are some pictures taken at Carrigane on 26 June 2008, the (southern) endpoint of the Cashel to Mitchelstown M8 scheme.

Image 7 looks northward from Carrigane; Image 2 is the endpoint.

Image 3 is a photo taken at Exit 11, which is the next exit after Cahir as you head south (it will allow access to the Mitchelstown Caves area). Note the speed limit signs!

AugustusMaximus

Some nice snaps there Furet.

There doesn't seem to have been much work done there lately. It seemed to be much the same when I saw it two months ago.

Any idea when they are starting to line it ?

Amtmann

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Some nice snaps there Furet.

There doesn't seem to have been much work done there lately. It seemed to be much the same when I saw it two months ago.

Any idea when they are starting to line it ?

I know, work seems to have slowed to a snail's pace for some reason. I've no idea when they'll line it, but it will be sometime in the next 4 weeks. I actually expected most of it to be done yesterday evening, to be honest.

I'll take some photos of the Cashel to Cullahill scheme over the weekend, and I hope to get more shots of Cashel to Mitchelstown's southern end. It's about 55% lined so far.

Rovi

Furet wrote: »

Chris_533976 wrote: »

I'm not sure if it is. It may be full, but I dont know.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/LaoisCountyCouncil/N8PortlaoisetoCullahillCastletown/Map,15066,en.pdf

Thats the NRAs file. Zoom in really close to the interchange, and you can see an M8 north to M7 west link. Whether it'll still be restricted (eg: no M7 east to M8 south) I dunno, or maybe they're putting a trumpet in, giving all the movements. They should. Having these junctions restricted is beyond stupid IMO.

All the specs and drawings are here: http://www.m7m8scheme.ie/eis/index.asp

The drawing of the junction is here: http://www.m7m8scheme.ie/eis/pdfs/EIS_M7M8_Volume1_Fig3-1d.pdf

Here's a more detailed view-
http://www.m7m8scheme.ie/eis/pdfs/EIS_M7M8_Volume6_Fig5-14.pdf

As far as we the locals know, this interchange has always been planned as restricted access, and it continues to be so.
Perhaps it'll emerge as a full access junction, but nobody knows or will say so at the moment. There's an enormous amount of work going on at the site, but there's nothing definitive to see on the ground yet.

<cynic mode>Everyone knows that all road traffic in Ireland is either going to or from Dublin, and anyway, it wouldn't do for traffic to be able to use the motorway without paying the toll.</cynic mode>

Amtmann

Rovi wrote: »

Here's a more detailed view-
http://www.m7m8scheme.ie/eis/pdfs/EIS_M7M8_Volume6_Fig5-14.pdf

As far as we the locals know, this interchange has always been planned as restricted access, and it continues to be so.
Perhaps it'll emerge as a full access junction, but nobody knows or will say so at the moment. There's an enormous amount of work going on at the site, but there's nothing definitive to see on the ground yet.

<cynic mode>Everyone knows that all road traffic in Ireland is either going to or from Dublin, and anyway, it wouldn't do for traffic to be able to use the motorway without paying the toll.</cynic mode>

Many thanks for that, Rovi.

Any chance you'd be able to take a few photos and post them here?

Amtmann

Also, Brian Cowen, the Taoiseach, is your local TD. Any chance you guys would lobby or draw up a petition to have a better junction?

AugustusMaximus

Somone explain something to me fairly quickly.

The final junction on the Fermoy bypass is labelled as junction 17. Does this mean we will have a total of only 17 junction from Portaloise to there on the M8 ?

Amtmann

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Somone explain something to me fairly quickly.

The final junction on the Fermoy bypass is labelled as junction 17. Does this mean we will have a total of only 17 junction from Portaloise to there on the M8 ?

Well, the first junction is at Portlaoise. South of Cashel is 9. Cahir is 10. Kilcoran/Mitchelstown Caves is 11. Carrigane (north of Mitchelstown) is 12. Exit 13 is south of Mitchelstown. North of Fermoy we have exit 14. South of Fermoy is exit 15. I think Glanmire is 16, and Watergrasshill 17?.

corktina

sounds plenty to me