M8 - Cashel to Mitchelstown

AugustusMaximus

Interesting.

The road is still technically a dual carriageway until September but has solid yellow lines.

Does this mean that motorway restrictions currently apply to hard shoulder usage on this stretch of Dual Carriageway ?

Lennoxschips

A solid line is a solid line, general rules of the road apply.

murphaph

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Does this mean that motorway restrictions currently apply to hard shoulder usage on this stretch of Dual Carriageway ?

No. It means however that you can't make temporary use of the hard shoulder to let vehicles pass but you can legally stop for a break in the hard shoulder or to take a phonecall etc.

childoforpheus

murphaph wrote: »

Any pics?

Heres some pictures I just took as I'm just back from driving on it. Its a great road very niece to drive on. Its great to finally use it after watching it being built for the last few years.

1.JPG

2.JPG

3.JPG

4.JPG

childoforpheus

Some more....

5.JPG

6.JPG

7.JPG

8.JPG

Notice the converted rest area in pics 4 and 5. Its now a Garda only area with continous yellow lines to keep people out.

Lennoxschips

Doesn't look as fun or scenic as the old N8...

mackerski

childoforpheus wrote: »

Heres some pictures I just took as I'm just back from driving on it. Its a great road very niece to drive on. Its great to finally use it after watching it being built for the last few years.

It just wouldn't be a real Irish road scheme without violations of the Traffic Signs Manual. Brown patches are not allowed on motorway signage.

Lennoxschips

looks better that way though, they should be allowed

murphaph

mackerski wrote: »

It just wouldn't be a real Irish road scheme without violations of the Traffic Signs Manual. Brown patches are not allowed on motorway signage.

Yeah, saw that too. I'm wondering will the new TSM (expected October) retro-permit these anomalies?! :rolleyes:

I actually think the rules on motorway signage are too anal and could do with relaxation (even though nobody follows them anyway). Other countries use different colour patches and shields on their motorway networks without incident.

Amtmann

Lennoxschips wrote: »

Doesn't look as fun or scenic as the old N8...

In my opinion, it definitely is more fun, but I'll admit that it's not quite as scenic.


The Gardai continue to pull speedsters between junctions 9 and 10 - so watch out folks!

Irish and Proud

Furet wrote: »

In my opinion, it definitely is more fun, but I'll admit that it's not quite as scenic.


The Gardai continue to pull speedsters between junctions 9 and 10 - so watch out folks!

PROPER ORDER!!! :):)

Speedsters and Crawlers have two things in common:

1) They're a pain in the A***!!! :mad:

2) They're a danger and shouldn't be behind the wheel!!! :mad:

In normal conditions, cars should be travelling at no less than 100k or no more than 120k. On the wider motorways such as the M1, that should be 110k and 130k respectively IMO.

Another thing, if motorists want to enjoy the scenery, then that's what the parallel highway is for - many parts of these are very wide anyway, so with a good road carrying less traffic, there's no excuse in many cases. Also, most of the newly by-passed towns would also have less traffic in them for now.

BTW, nice pics man!

Regards!

Chris_533976

Whats the odd access on the left of the last pic??

childoforpheus

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Whats the odd access on the left of the last pic??

It an emergency access point, there are two sets of them on this scheme. They are blocked by a gate to prevent access and No Entry is written on the ground. I presume the need for them is because of the long distances between interchanges. I have also seen them on the plans for other road schemes.

Chris_533976

Ah ok thx. Thought it looked a bit odd for a sliproad!

Wishbone Ash

childoforpheus wrote: »

It an emergency access point, there are two sets of them on this scheme. They are blocked by a gate to prevent access and No Entry is written on the ground. I presume the need for them is because of the long distances between interchanges. I have also seen them on the plans for other road schemes.

Thanks for that! I noticed 3 of them today on that road and was also thinking that they were unusual.

The only other emergency access off/onto a motorway that I am aware of is on the northbound carriageway of the M1. It leads from near zones Y and Z of the Red Long term Carpark in Dublin Airport.

darkman2

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Thanks for that! I noticed 3 of them today on that road and was also thinking that they were unusual.

The only other emergency access off/onto a motorway that I am aware of is on the northbound carriageway of the M1. It leads from near zones Y and Z of the Red Long term Carpark in Dublin Airport.

Is that the one on the M50 - M1 Freeflow Northbound sliproad!? Seems more dangerous then safe;)

Victor

I think they exaggerate.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0726/1217013241990.html

New route cuts half-hour from Cork-Dublin trip

MOTORISTS CAN look forward to a 30-minute cut in journey time between Cork and Dublin after the opening yesterday of the N8 Cashel-Mitchelstown dual carriageway.

The new route will bypass four villages and towns - New Inn and Skeheenarinky villages in Co Tipperary, Kilbehenny in Co Limerick, and it incorporates a bypass of Cahir town on the N24.

The dual carriageway was officially opened yesterday by Martin Mansergh, Minister of State for Finance and South Tipperary TD.

"This road, which runs through the heart of south Tipperary, will be a major benefit to the people and the economy of adjoining towns in terms of jobs and investment, and indeed will make the whole county more accessible," Mr Mansergh said.

"By delivering this scheme, which includes a bypass of Cahir, ahead of time and on budget, Government is achieving three important targets - removing through traffic, improving access to and from towns and villages in the area and, most importantly, improving road safety."

The 41km dual carriageway will remove up to 9,500 vehicles daily from the four bypassed towns and villages. Travelling times and congestion will be reduced, positively affecting both commercial and tourism sectors.

At 257km, the Dublin-Cork route is the longest of the five major city links targeted for development under the Government's Transport 21 plan and the National Development Plan 2007- 2013.

When completed in 2010, drivers will be able to travel on motorway and dual carriageway between Dublin and Cork, and the journey time will be at least an hour less than in the past.

The National Roads Authority says schemes such as the N8 Cashel-Mitchelstown route demonstrate that transformation of the State's national road network is becoming a reality, helping to address the challenges presented as a result of economic and demographic developments.

The first phase of the scheme, 12km on the N8 between Cashel and Cahir and three kilometres on the N24 bypassing Cahir, opened last October, 18 months ahead of schedule. Next year will see further progress on the N8 Cork-Dublin route, with the Cullahill-Cashel scheme due for completion.

The N8 Mitchelstown-Fermoy project is due to be completed early in 2010 and the M8 Portlaoise-Cullahill scheme is set to be completed by the end of 2010.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey recently approved applications from the National Roads Authority to designate nine sections of dual carriageway as motorway.

The N8 Cashel-Mitchelstown scheme is among those to be reclassified, with the designation coming into effect on September 24th. The cost of the route opened yesterday was in the region of €400 million, according to the National Roads Authority.

© 2008 The Irish Times

Wishbone Ash

darkman2 wrote: »

Is that the one on the M50 - M1 Freeflow Northbound sliproad!? Seems more dangerous then safe;)

Yes, you are correct - it's on the sliproad rather than the M1 itself.

I'm not sure whether it's for the benefit of the DAA or the NRA.

AugustusMaximus

Victor. I think the half hour estimate is in comparison to the old N7/N8, although that would seem a bit of a understatement.

patrickc

i didnt realise this was open until i went up and down to cork today, cut about 15mins off my time, but i didnt stick to the stupid 100kph limit

AugustusMaximus

Garda was pulling between Cahir and Cashel today.

I thought this was particullary cheeky considering the road speed limit will be upped to 120kph in September.

What justification on safety grounds would the Garda have when doing a person for doing 120kph today ?


What the real story is that the Garda in question knew there would be a lot of traffic from Cork and West Waterford today using the road who ordinarily wouldn't and wouldn't know where the speed traps are. IE: Shooting fish in the barrel.

WithCheesePlease

Furet wrote: »

Unfortunately, I think I was caught speeding (doing about 111km/h) by a Garda with a hairdryer about 6km south of the Cashel exit

Drove up from Cork to Dublin earlier this evening and flew past a parked white van on the new stretch of road at about 115 or so (it's hard not to, everyone was...). Really hope it wasn't one of those camera van dealies. In fairness if it is going to be 120 in a few weeks anyway it would be sooo harsh...

corktina

i'm all for the gards having loads of speed traps BUT why oh why dont they have them where its dangerous to be speeding? or have more unmarked cars to catch the dangerous sods I see every day.....to have speed traps on roads such as this is simply bringuing the gards into disrepute..bring on the cameras and free up all those gards to catch PROPER criminals...such as drug dealers etc....

ipodrocker

i saw the white van too!, by the way the road is fab and I agree with victor cuts off about 15 mins of the cork to dublin journey time.

giveth

I'm pretty sure you wont get a ticket for doing anything up to 120kmph. On all of the HQDC's I go at 120kmph and have often gone past speed checks at this speed and have yet to get a ticket.

Zoney

There were statistics a while back, the vast majority of people caught speeding were 20% above the limit or more. At that, you've little excuse, even on a motorway - although again, the statistics were clear, the vast majority of speeding offences were on roads other than motorway/DC. You may not like the rules compared to say Germany (although even they have 120 km/h in a lot of places) but the rules are the rules.

People should stop whinging and just not drive above the speed limit, and certainly not large amounts above it.

Amtmann

Does anyone else find it a little bumpy or uneven when compared with the M7 north of Portlaoise?

childoforpheus

Furet wrote: »

Does anyone else find it a little bumpy or uneven when compared with the M7 north of Portlaoise?

The section between Cashel and Cahir I find to be a bit uneven, but between Cahir and Mitchelstown seems fine. I asume this is because the Cashel to Cahir section was rushed. Are you on about the whole scheme or just Cashel to Cahir section?

ipodrocker

childoforpheus wrote: »

The section between Cashel and Cahir I find to be a bit uneven, but between Cahir and Mitchelstown seems fine. I asume this is because the Cashel to Cahir section was rushed. Are you on about the whole scheme or just Cashel to Cahir section?

i drove the whole thing and have to say thought the drive on it was fine, miles better than the job on the m50.

Amtmann

childoforpheus wrote: »

The section between Cashel and Cahir I find to be a bit uneven, but between Cahir and Mitchelstown seems fine. I asume this is because the Cashel to Cahir section was rushed. Are you on about the whole scheme or just Cashel to Cahir section?

I actually find the Cashel to Cahir section the best! I was referring to the Cahir to Kilbeheny section. It is very good, don't get me wrong, but I did think it was a little uneven. I heard, though, that all motorways take a few months to 'settle' after they've opened. Maybe that's the reason?

FIRE

gearoid_healy wrote: »

Drove up from Cork to Dublin earlier this evening and flew past a parked white van on the new stretch of road at about 115 or so (it's hard not to, everyone was...). Really hope it wasn't one of those camera van dealies. In fairness if it is going to be 120 in a few weeks anyway it would be sooo harsh...

Seen that van aswell and was doing about the same speed.

It took about 15 mins off my journey, but lost that time when I stopped for petrol in Apple Green and the 1 cashier. :mad:

Thought it was a bit stupid that the guards were stopping people coming back from the match, there was a big tailback at the exit to the new stretch going towards Cork

Carrigman

Drove it for the first time to day. 25 miles of motoring pleasure from Mitchelstown to Cashel. No more waiting behind a convoy of trucks or 50mph motorists. Goodbye Kilbehenny. Farewell Skeheenarinka. No offence, but I sincerely hope I never have to drive through you again. Super road, in my opinion. Just imagine: in a couple of years we will have such a road all the way to Dublin! I can hardly wait.

corktina

talking oif the cork exit...are those two mini roundabouts really neccessary?(thre if you count the one on the old road...) what a strange way to make an exit

ipodrocker

corktina wrote: »

talking oif the cork exit...are those two mini roundabouts really neccessary?(thre if you count the one on the old road...) what a strange way to make an exit

which cork exit are you talking about with the 2 roundabouts?

Amtmann

ipodrocker wrote: »

which cork exit are you talking about with the 2 roundabouts?

I think you mean the endpoint at Kilbeheny (i.e. Junction 12)? If so, I actually don't think it's badly laid out. You've got to remember that it might appear chaotic at the moment, but that the business there will only be temporary.

corktina

thats the one...two of the roundabouts have sections which will never be driven on (except by lost drivers who COULD avail of the opposite roundabout to retrace their steps.)..in other words, they didnt need to be roundabouts at all....

BluntGuy

Junction 12 is signposted terribly. Apart from having ugly gaffer tape all over place (although it will eventually be removed), there is a sign saying 'M8 Cork' pointing towards Mitchelstown, which would be REALLY confusing to someone unfamiliar with the layout. And it has those dreadful mini-roundabouts mentioned above. I believe that type of interchange is called a 'dumbell' interchange. Junction 11 is also of that type but it's much better signposted and the roundabouts are much bigger making it easiar to enter and exit the motorway.

corktina

all to save the cost of a second bridge I imagine....not very good junction layouts methinks....

Amtmann

Green signage was taken down and replaced last week. Some eg's below.

Hm - I just noticed that the Irish name for New Inn is wildly wrong on that R639 sign! It should be Loch Cheann.

corktina

its a fine bit of road now...I can do home to Cahir in an hour now and only another 10 mins or so ses me in Clonmel....and my Pug van is really slow hard to keep at the speed limit all the time in it....

Amtmann

Said I'd resurrect this thread. See this AA report: http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/traffic/story.asp?id=100365

I suspect the road is being closed to enable works to fix a growing hollow of subsidence on the southbound carriageway about 1km north of Kilbehenny.

Has anyone else noticed it?

FIRE

Thanks Furet.

That's made my mind up to get the train this weekend.

Victor

Moved from Commuting & Transport.