M8 motorway (general thread)

Chris_533976

Better than bloody Oasis in all your vids anyway

Amtmann

Also, the M-F scheme between junction 14 and 13 was also ultra busy today. This is probably the busiest section between Cullahill and Fermoy. But traffic dies off to a trickle between junctions 13 and 12 in particular.

Cashel to Mitchelstown is starting to turn a sickly brown again - as predicted.

Amtmann

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Better than bloody Oasis in all your vids anyway

:pac:

Noel Gallagher is no Mozart - that much is certain!

BluntGuy

Furet wrote: »

Well, before now they had only foundations installed for the most part. Most of the new (i.e probably only installed last week) lattix poles are in place for junction 18 (ADS and gore in particular) on the northbound carriageway. Also new ADS signage has been put up for junction 14 on the blackwater viaduct northbound.

I presume that's the 2km "Next Exit" ADS.

Good to see more progress being made on the physical side of things. Just wish Dempsey would put pen to paper and sign the bloody thing...

Also nice to see they've gone for the much sturdier lattix option.

Did you get the chance to see if J14's signage has been corrected? Last time I checked it wasn't, hopefully they've done it by now.

I recorded the Glanmire Bypass this afternoon. It was MAD busy. However, I accidentally deleted the file. It's a pity...Mozart's Rondo alla Turca was gonna be the soundtrack

That's a shame... it would've been worth watching just for the song. Who doesn't love THAT track?

Amtmann

BluntGuy wrote: »

Did you get the chance to see if J14's signage has been corrected? Last time I checked it wasn't, hopefully they've done it by now.

I entered at Dunkettle and exited at junction 10. I should have stopped but I didn't want to interrupt the flow of my drive.

That's a shame... it would've been worth watching just for the song. Who doesn't love THAT track?

Mp3 on the way to your hotmail, sir!

kaizersoze

Furet wrote: »

Just back from a nice drive from Cork to Tipp - the first I've done in almost a month.

I noticed they've erected poles on the Glanmire and Watergrasshill bypasses for the re-signing. The poles aren't tubular however - they're more like the lattix bars on some of the older M4 signage, shown here: http://www.rennicks.ie/pct149x149.html

The same type of lattice poles have been erected on the Athlone bypass for re-signing.

The Word Is Bor

kaizersoze wrote: »

The same type of lattice poles have been erected on the Athlone bypass for re-signing.

Sssshhhhh, don't tell Hysterious or he'll have a conniption.

kaizersoze

The Word Is Bor wrote: »

Sssshhhhh, don't tell Hysterious or he'll have a conniption.

The colour of the signage has yet tba.;)

Sponge Bob

The Word Is Bor wrote: »

Sssshhhhh, don't tell Hysterious or he'll have a conniption.

Sneak preview for yiz all . Blue background apparently :cool:

BluntGuy

Furet wrote: »

Mp3 on the way to your hotmail, sir!

Makes a pleasant change from constant annoying updates from Bravenet.

kaizersoze wrote:

The colour of the signage has yet tba.

I'd give it at least three or four more weeks. I was told that once Dempsey makes his decision, the production of and signing of an S.I is pretty straightforward (roughly two/three weeks). However, since he only got the papers a few weeks ago, and what with the elections and all, I would question whether any kind of decision has actually been made at all.

Typewriter

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Sneak preview for yiz all . Blue background apparently :cool:

Hear's the official...:D

Sponge Bob

Only if you are on the Athlone Bypass mind. Imagine what that will do for the tourism

Amtmann

Question:

What do people think of the sightlines as you pass under the junction 14 cantilever northbound? The M8 seems to vanish for a second or two (if you're in a car) - you can still see vehicles etc as they proceed north, but the markings and cats eyes momentarily disappear as the motorway dips down. Has anyone else noticed this?

Tech3

BluntGuy wrote: »

I'd give it at least three or four more weeks. I was told that once Dempsey makes his decision, the production of and signing of an S.I is pretty straightforward (roughly two/three weeks). However, since he only got the papers a few weeks ago, and what with the elections and all, I would question whether any kind of decision has actually been made at all.

Cheers BluntGuy, excellent update. Good to know it will be done quickly once announced. I still think Dempsey will take his time with his "hard" decisions to make.

BluntGuy

tech2 wrote: »

Cheers BluntGuy, excellent update. Good to know it will be done quickly once announced. I still think Dempsey will take his time with his "hard" decisions to make.

To be honest, the decision isn't really that hard. The NRA have pretty much decided already what with them erecting blue signage on the Athlone-Ballinasloe scheme and erecting poles for "end-of-motorway" and "start-of-motorway" signs on pretty much all schemes across the country. All we need now is Dempsey to say "yes" and put his signature on a piece of paper.

Also, while on the topic of redesignation (I don't want to go to the thread and get people excited) I can confirm that both the Athlone Bypass and N4 McNeads Bridge will be keeping their 100 km/h limit in the event of redesignation. Westmeath Co.Council have agreed to commence the process of declaring a special speed limit on both sections should they be redesignated.

Amtmann

Is it possible at all to contact Mr Dempsey directly? Not that I am awfully bothered or anything, but I get the sense that all emails to him are handled by someone else entirely.
If someone has his number then please text him and ask him to look at the redesignation thread over on C&T so that he can see the angst that his procrastination has generated 'round these parts...

BluntGuy

Furet wrote: »

Question:

What do people think of the sightlines as you pass under the junction 14 cantilever northbound? The M8 seems to vanish for a second or two (if you're in a car) - you can still see vehicles etc as they proceed north, but the markings and cats eyes momentarily disappear as the motorway dips down. Has anyone else noticed this?

I think I know what you're talking about. The whole tie-in heading northbound is a bit of a mess to be honest. I'm afraid J14 will forever bare the scars of a badly-designed temporary terminus.

Amtmann

BluntGuy wrote: »

I think I know what you're talking about. The whole tie-in heading northbound is a bit of a mess to be honest. I'm afraid J14 will forever bare the scars of a badly-designed temporary terminus.

They should have resurfaced the northbound carriageway at j14 for sure. But the southbound carriageway tie-in is artistic.
I noticed too that they are making crop circles on the Fermoy Bypass embankments these days, whatever that's all about.

KevR

What would the situation be with the section of the Athlone Bypass that's in Roscommon then? Have Roscommon County Council started a similar process?

I'm not so sure that a 100kmh speed limit is such a good idea for the Athlone Bypass. At the moment everyone seems to be breaking the limit and there is a bit of a "break it by a few kmh, may aswell break it by many kmh" attitude (i.e - people doing 130kmh/140kmh). Impossible for the Gardai to enforce the limit when everyone is breaking it. I think it would be better to have a 120kmh limit as that's a better reflection of common driving practice and strictly enforce this limit.

Saying that though, I wouldn't be overly upset if it stays at 100kmh provided it gets redesignated as motorway - get all those crazy pedestrians and cylists off the bypass (yes, there really is a surprising amount of them). I won't be best pleased if it doesn't get redesignated..

BluntGuy

KevR wrote: »

What would the situation be with the section of the Athlone Bypass that's in Roscommon then? Have Roscommon County Council started a similar process?

I really don't know I'm afraid. I'd imagine that the 100 km/h would apply throughout though.

Saying that though, I wouldn't be overly upset if it stays at 100kmh provided it gets redesignated as motorway - get all those crazy pedestrians and cylists off the bypass (yes, there really is a surprising amount of them). I won't be best pleased if it doesn't get redesignated..

Neither will I. It will be nearly a year wasted. :mad:

Furet wrote:

...that he can see the angst that his procrastination has generated 'round these parts...

If anyone's feeling the angst at this point, it's got to be the NRA. They most likely have the signage fabricated for many of the schemes that are obviously going to go ahead (M6, M8, M7)...

This massive time-wasting exercise by the DoT and minister for transport must well and truly be getting on their nerves at this stage.

Tech3

BluntGuy wrote: »

To be honest, the decision isn't really that hard. The NRA have pretty much decided already what with them erecting blue signage on the Athlone-Ballinasloe scheme and erecting poles for "end-of-motorway" and "start-of-motorway" signs on pretty much all schemes across the country. All we need now is Dempsey to say "yes" and put his signature on a piece of paper.

I was being slightly sarcastic mainly because the NRA should know what is designed for motorway driving not a guy who doesnt know much about the countrys infrastructure. For him to have the final decision is a joke in itself.

Also, while on the topic of redesignation (I don't want to go to the thread and get people excited) I can confirm that both the Athlone Bypass and N4 McNeads Bridge will be keeping their 100 km/h limit in the event of redesignation. Westmeath Co.Council have agreed to commence the process of declaring a special speed limit on both sections should they be redesignated

That is common sense and what many of us here thought also. Restricted to 100km/hr if it does get redesignated. Only one guy will strongly disagree that lurks around these threads. This should give a good idea :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

BluntGuy

tech2 wrote: »

I was being slightly sarcastic mainly because the NRA should know what is designed for motorway driving not a guy who doesnt know much about the countrys infrastructure. For him to have the final decision is a joke in itself.

I agree, surely it would make more sense for the engineering team who put together the documents for the minister and examined each of the stretches in question to make the decision. I honestly don't see how Dempsey is of any value or significance to the process other than slowing it down to complete crawl.

That is common sense and what many of us here thought also. Restricted to 100km/hr if it does get redesignated. Only one guy will strongly disagree that lurks around these threads. This should give a good idea :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Well it was pretty obvious, just thought I'd confirm it because many of us thought the Cashel Bypass would be getting 100 km/h, yet it got the 120 km/h limit, so you can never be too sure.

And I wonder who that person could be, what a mystery. :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

Amtmann

Stop being so mysterious you guys.

KevR

BluntGuy, would you know if Roscommon County Council would have the power to get a higher speed limit put in place on the Athlone-Ballinasloe road while it's still technically the N6 HQDC rather than the M6? (Similar to Westmeath County Council getting a lower speed limit put in place on the Athlone Bypass when it changes to motorway).

If so, how long would it take for them to do something like that? Would it be a painfully long drawn out process?

murphaph

KevR wrote: »

BluntGuy, would you know if Roscommon County Council would have the power to get a higher speed limit put in place on the Athlone-Ballinasloe road while it's still technically the N6 HQDC rather than the M6? (Similar to Westmeath County Council getting a lower speed limit put in place on the Athlone Bypass when it changes to motorway).

If so, how long would it take for them to do something like that? Would it be a painfully long drawn out process?

The CC passes the bye-law after consultation and agreement from the NRA and Gardai (IIRC). Therefore it shouldn't be a long drawn out process.

KevR

murphaph wrote: »

The CC passes the bye-law after consultation and agreement from the NRA and Gardai (IIRC). Therefore it shouldn't be a long drawn out process.

Could Roscommon County Council not get on this straight away and it could open as 120kmh HQDC? I can't see the NRA or Gardai objecting seeing as it will be getting a 120kmh speed limit a couple of months after opening anyhow.

L1011

BluntGuy wrote: »

Also, while on the topic of redesignation (I don't want to go to the thread and get people excited) I can confirm that both the Athlone Bypass and N4 McNeads Bridge will be keeping their 100 km/h limit in the event of redesignation. Westmeath Co.Council have agreed to commence the process of declaring a special speed limit on both sections should they be redesignated.

This is perfectly capable of 120km/h.... why on earth they'd do this I don't know. If its the last few hundred metres to bring it down to 100km/h just before the LILO OK, but not the entire length!

Carawaystick

Link is out of date


D'Oh clon posted it here, I just cut'n'pasted.

Tech3

is that not July 08? I think its come on a bit since judging from pics posted by Furet on the M8 leg.

Amtmann

That's a newsletter from July 2008!