M8 motorway (general thread)

BluntGuy

Well, either way, next month looks like a dead cert for it to open.

larryone

They've completed the wall at the Fermoy tie-in.
Final surfacing is progressing on the northbound side, some linepainting done on that side too.

larryone

I also saw some signage that I hadn't seen previously. I was driving south on tuesday and I saw the prep for the installation of the wall. Going north again yesterday around midday, the wall machine was there and about half way along. By the time I was passing southward again in the evening it looked like it had made it all the way.

From the fermoy side it looked like I could see lines painted on both sides of the motorway in the distance. At the michelstown south junction the southbound carriageway was fully lined out as far as the eye could see in both directinos - as it has been for a while, and I saw the constructors working on the surface of the northbound. I didn't go as far as the northeastern junction with michelstown yesterday, so I dont know what they've done there.

Amtmann

Cheers larryone. I estimate that as of yesterday evening, the northbound carriageway was 25% done surface-wise. After today you can add at least another 6km of one lane width to that. Lining and studding will follow in very short order, and have already been partly done in certain sections. Nothing knew to report at Carrigane, except that the southbound carriageway is now completely done.

One of the main things still to do is to connect the concrete barrier with the overbridge bases along the route. So far, only two of seven bridges have been done. They seem to be using a new format for this, one that isn't on the C-C or C-M schemes.

Another large aspect of the works still to do is the removal of the asphalt plant and enormous spoil heap at the back of the army camp. You can just see this from the N8 between the camp and the Corbett Court.

I think plenty of new signposts will need to go in at the Moorepark junction, specifically at the roundabouts. Also, I'd say the tie-in, although now complete from an engineering point of view, will be the final section to receive the final surface and be lined.

Amtmann

I was just canvassed by a South Tipp County Councillor at the door. I quizzed him about the dishevelled appearance of the M8 Cashel Bypass and parts of the Cashel to Mitchelstown scheme. He told me that the council are in the process of seeking a contractor to maintain the bypass properly. The NRA has approved plans to ercet more tourist brown signage as well.

If anyone reading this lives close to the M8 and a councillor knocks on your door, please mention this issue. It's the only way to get the gears turning.

Carawaystick

The nra produced a document or a paper a while back ('bout 2 years iirc) to try limit the number of brown signs, I'd be against this, in France there are brown signs all along the motorways to explain what some sight is or that the vines here are part of X controlled name.

Amtmann

Ordinarily I'm against it too, but the Rock of Cashel is iconic. I'd favour a low key sign similar to the one for Brú na Boinne on the M1.

EDIT - or actually, one similar to the ADS signs at junction 11, which are blue with a brown element for Mitchelstown Cave. I quite like that sign.

BluntGuy

Glengarra Wood should also be labelled on the M8. It is a promiment landscape feature as you pass by.

Amtmann

BluntGuy wrote: »

Glengarra Wood should also be labelled on the M8. It is a promiment landscape feature as you pass by.

Not to mention the Galtees, which could be listed on the same sign.

Carawaystick

Oh yeah definitely, I think they have a church symbol on the brown sign for Cashel, It's as if they couldn't be arsed making a castle symbol for our bigest castle/citadel on a hill in the country.

The same document implied that they wouldn't signpost gaa stadia but would for golf...
Semple, St. Tiernachs and Croker are pretty iconic places in Gaelic games
and Thomumd and Landsdown Rd are pretty iconic rugby(and soon to be Soccer) places, drawing large crowds regularly year in year out, unlike golf tournaments which are for a year or 2 before changing venue.

cantalach

Carawaystick wrote: »

Oh yeah definitely, I think they have a church symbol on the brown sign for Cashel, It's as if they couldn't be arsed making a castle symbol for our bigest castle/citadel on a hill in the country.

The same document implied that they wouldn't signpost gaa stadia but would for golf...
Semple, St. Tiernachs and Croker are pretty iconic places in Gaelic games
and Thomumd and Landsdown Rd are pretty iconic rugby(and soon to be Soccer) places, drawing large crowds regularly year in year out, unlike golf tournaments which are for a year or 2 before changing venue.

Hmm...where to start...

A cross is used for the Rock of Cashel because the most important ruins on the thing are churches. If you had visited you would be aware that the star attractions are the little frescoed Romanesque chapel and the huge ruined cathedral with the Gothic arches? This cathedral was once the seat of the Bishop of Cashel & Emly. I'm not a church-goer but I think a cross is quite appropriate there. Sorry if that wrecks any anti-Christian buzz you might have.

Golf courses are signposted all over the country not because they host important tournaments every few years but because people travel to play at golf courses 365 days a year.

Finally, in Limerick city at least, it's not just the Golf courses that are signposted. Thomand Park and all the club rugby grounds around the city are brown signposted.

Carawaystick

BluntGuy wrote: »

Glengarra Wood should also be labelled on the M8. It is a promiment landscape feature as you pass by.

Yeah, this kind of stuff, which you used to be able to read on the forrestry sign as you passed on a single carriageway should get signed, in a non distracting way.
Same with say Bord na Móna railways/bogs; windfarms ( like at Arklow); or the Murrough (going north on the N11)
and the Galtee's and Knockmealdown's as a range should be pointed out on the M8

like this
http://www1.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr/signaux/images/GrandGif/H13.gif
or
http://www1.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr/signaux/images/GrandGif/H11_ex1.gif
or sometimes they have the first picture sign with the arrow pointing to one of the 8 cardinal and half-cardinal directions.

actually this (or a variant) is going to become necessary here soon. http://www1.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr/signaux/images/GrandGif/SE3.gif
The French don't give Motorway/motorway junctions numbers, they only number exits

actually this is Off topic but this is a list of all road signs allowed in France - their TSM if you will. you need to buy ours for a decent wad of notes - probably why the county councils haven't bothered their backsides here.....

D'Peoples Voice

Carawaystick wrote: »

The same document implied that they wouldn't signpost gaa stadia but would for golf...

that makes sense, for golf you could show a generic picture of a person with a golf club,
but for GAA,
in some parts of the country you might show someone kicking a ball while in others you might represent GAA with a picture of men punching referees & officials etc, you would never find a consensus:(

Colm R

D'Peoples Voice wrote: »

you might represent GAA with a picture of men punching referees & officials

The NRA are not responsible for signposts in Northern Ireland


I'm only joking - I'm only joking.

And to add balance, I'll ridicule my own county.
GAA grounds in Cork could be signposted with a picture of a picket!!!

Carawaystick

I'd say if you asked most people what's on the Rock of Cashel, a church or a castle, they'd say castle.

back somewhat on topic, is the Glanmire bypass in line for motorway conversion along with the Watergrasshill section?

Amtmann

Glanmire Bypass to be made a motorway? I'd say definitely. But they will need to radically improve the signage for the Glanmire exit on the northbound exit, and the limit needs to stay at 100km/h in my opinion.

In fact the bypass is a super road from many perspectives. It's been engineered artfully, and is exquisitely landscaped as anyone who has driven it in recent weeks will testify. It also has ZERO inappropriate development along it, and consequently it is rarely very busy. It has been preserved as a long-haul section of national primary road 8. It also incorporates an unopened junction that could be opened in the medium to long-term if required - a sort of hidden grade seperated junction 19, if you will, here. Look at Google Earth for slightly more detail, i.e. the tell tale 'bulge' for the junction sliproads.

larryone

I'd agree with the 100km/h limit, and would like to see the motorway redesignation going ahead. I really like driving on that secrion of road, particularly heading southbound. Really aestethically pleasing. The only thing I dont like about it is the fact that it has Dunkettle at the end of it.

BluntGuy

I'd say the Glanmire Bypass will remain at 100. If they were going to up the limit, they probably would've done it along with the Watergrasshill section.

Still, it's shame that it won't be M8 in time for F-M...

Amtmann

Some pictures:


Signage at the new junction 13 southbound off sliproad.


Junction 13 southbound off slip cantilever sign.


ADS north of junction 14.


Fermoy Bypass tie-in, 24 April 2009.

turgon

They couldn't redesignate it as motorway as there would be no way for L-drivers/mopeds etc to drive to Dublin easy.

Do you think there is any remote possibility of Dunkettle becoming a fully-grade-separated junction?

Stark

turgon wrote: »

They couldn't redesignate it as motorway as there would be no way for L-drivers/mopeds etc to drive to Dublin easy.

Thankfully the sounds of the tiny violins haven't been making too much noise. There's still the original N8 (now R639) route through Glanmire for learners and moped drivers to potter along.

turgon wrote:

Do you think there is any remote possibility of Dunkettle becoming a fully-grade-separated junction?

A remote possibility. People have mocked up proposals on the forum. Wouldn't be easy though.

Amtmann

turgon wrote: »

They couldn't redesignate it as motorway as there would be no way for L-drivers/mopeds etc to drive to Dublin easy.

Yes there would. Its name: the R639.

BluntGuy

Speaking of the R639, I find it strange that the R639 between Cashel-Cahir has excellent signage with L-road numbers (apart from one unfortunate oversight near J10) while the rest is still stuck with the old N8 stuff. Who replaced it? Was it part of the Cashel-Cahir contract or was it done seperately? And whatever the case, why wasn't it done for the rest of it? :mad:

Amtmann

BluntGuy wrote: »

Speaking of the R639, I find it strange that the R639 between Cashel-Cahir has excellent signage with L-road numbers (apart from one unfortunate oversight near J10) while the rest is still stuck with the old N8 stuff. Who replaced it? Was it part of the Cashel-Cahir contract or was it done seperately? And whatever the case, why wasn't it done for the rest of it? :mad:

I don't know who replaced it, but the work was done in October 2007 around the same time the first section of the Cashel to Mitchelstown scheme opened. And yes, L road numbers were introduced to the area at that time. There is still an old N8 route confirmation sign a little north of Cahir (and just 200 yards further north again, an R639 confirmation sign), and there's also an N8 sign at the western entrance to New Inn village on the L3121 (i.e. the New Inn to Golden road). In Cahir town itself there is an old N8 sign from the late 1980s on the old old N8 (predating the first bypass) on what is now the R670 just across from the road that leads to the school.
Incidentally that road - i.e. the original N8 and now the R670, which was originally bypassed in 1991 - is an absolute disgrace as the formal entrance to Cahir town from junction 10. It is crumbling and has no lines at all. The vegetation along its entire length is dead (the council actually poisoned the soil, and no, I'm not joking). All it's missing are tumble weeds and wooden wagons. What is wrong with the people of South Tipperary? Less of a fig they could not give about the appearance of their county.

EDIT - some trivia. In October 2007 just after the new R639 signs were installed along the old N8, someone went around to each one and painted swastikas on them. The council cleaned them up very fast!

invincibleirish

I assume it was Tipp council introduced the L plate signs as they have been popping up all over the country as councils have got funding i believe.

As i have ye guys here and theres no N25 thread can you tell me is there anything to be done with the gaps appearing in the tarmac on the lane for Little island past just past Dunkettle heading east.

turgon

Coincidently the first thread on Commuting & Transport forum is about dunkettle.

dubhthach

turgon wrote: »

They couldn't redesignate it as motorway as there would be no way for L-drivers/mopeds etc to drive to Dublin easy.

As an aside who in their right mind would drive Cork to Dublin on a moped?

Amtmann

Signage continues to fly up. Almost all of the big ones (ADS, route confirmation, countdowns, cantilever) seem to be in place on the mainline, and they're moving to these now:






The new ADS has not yet been put up on the northbound (i.e. the Fermoy Bypass) approach to junction 14. A lot of signs still have to go up at the junctions 13 and 14 roundabouts too.

Surfacing works are progressing pretty well given the wet weather. Tomorrow is to be dry, so hopefully they'll get a lot down. The sooner this is finished, the sooner the motorway will open. It's as simple as that, so let's hope the weather dries up next week to see surfacing completed. After that, there's just some minor landscaping to do, a few gaps in the barrier to be filled, a smattering of signage to finish off, and the whole lot to get a hosing and sweep and we're good to go I think.

BluntGuy

Again, thanks for the update Furet.

Progress seems to be quite amazing...

Amtmann

We could be looking at an opening before the 22nd. No sign of phones yet, however. They should start to appear in the next two weeks.