M8 - Mitchelstown to Fermoy

corktina

Victor wrote: »

I presume that down to road layout (slower speed approaching town / junction), not anything else.

neither direction is approching the town....its a ring road....:D....

heading south from the Hotel there its 80k but heading north about 200m after teh mallow donut, theres a 100k sign...i dont think Ive ever seen a road with different limits in either direction

Irish and Proud

tech2 wrote: »

Well to be honest at least they did, TV3 didnt show any report about it. I find it a disgrace IMO that infrastructure as vital as this doesnt cover enough media attention

...yeah, all the media is interested in is doom and gloom - and making plenty of lolly out of it. Maybe we (the people) should shove the established media (especially for news) and just use the internet - at least there's more balance online!

Regards!

FIRE

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1048639

Start 0:39:07 - Finish 0:41:06

Only a slight mention on the 9 o clock news just now, had to log on to see Dempsey :rolleyes:

Amtmann

I'm just back from driving it, and videos of the new section northbound AND southbound are being uploaded to Youtube at the moment folks.

It is better than the Cashel-Cullahill scheme.

M-F has an extraordinarily high build quality.
The surfacing is immaculate: there are no bumps at all, and it is composed of low-noise asphalt.
The lines, studding and signage are excellent.
The tie-ins are flawless.
The scenery is absolutely glorious, both northbound and southbound. The Galtees are monumental, and as you sweep northbound towards junction 13 the Ballyhouras also put in a smashing show.
Southbound, the rolling hills of Cork offer a broadleaf feast for the eyes and you can see the M8 winding its way southbound for several miles.

I made it from the junction 12 cantilever to the junction 14 cantilever in 7m 25s.

10/10.

No signage has been changed yet on the relief road, and, amazingly, no new signage has been put at junction 13 and 14 either.

AugustusMaximus

Anyone know how to adjust Openstreetmap for the new section.

I've taken a look and I'll admit I don't know.

Irish and Proud

FIRE wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1048639

Start 0:39:07 - Finish 0:41:06

Only a slight mention on the 9 o clock news just now, had to log on to see Dempsey :rolleyes:

...just saw the clip and I have to say that it's a lot better than the usual 'who cares anyway!' undertone regarding RTE coverage on road schemes. I actually didn't bother watching the news on TV, because I taught that the article on the M8 would be just another 2 second job! Although there was some negativity in the report, there was also pretty good footage of the M to F scheme, as well as footage on the clean-up - looked quite interesting!

Regards!

BluntGuy

Irish and Proud wrote: »

...just saw the clip and I have to say that it's a lot better than the usual 'who cares anyway!' undertone regarding RTE coverage on road schemes...

Yes. I will concede that. Certainly it seemed more of an effort was put in then usual, and that's commendable.

But it was so poorly researched, and flung together carelessly. Noel Dempsey's speech was terrible (not RTE's fault understandably - it always is), the word "M8" wasn't even mentioned, the 40 km figure they keep spouting is INCORRECT - 41 km is the overall combined length of the M7/M8 Portlaoise-Castletown/Cullahill scheme - which includes at least 10 km of motorway irrelevant to M8 users. Even the number of road bridges seems wrong - they said 10. As far as I'm aware 7 were constructed.

I'm not trying to be too harsh or anything. But these are basic facts you simply must get right before beaming a report to the nation.

BluntGuy

Furet wrote: »

No signage has been changed yet on the relief road, and, amazingly, no new signage has been put at junction 13 and 14 either.

That quite simply can't be correct. Is there really none? I suppose they were so busy getting the actual motorway prepared they just couldn't get this done. But it's a bit of a disgrace really. I presume signage will be erected at both junctions as soon as possible.

Furet wrote: »

I'm just back from driving it, and videos of the new section northbound AND southbound are being uploaded to Youtube at the moment folks.

It is better than the Cashel-Cullahill scheme.

Must... drive... now.

M-F has an extraordinarily high build quality.
The surfacing is immaculate: there are no bumps at all, and it is composed of low-noise asphalt.
The lines, studding and signage are excellent.
The tie-ins are flawless.

Sounds like my kind of road! Are the sightlines on the Fermoy Bypass tie-in okay? What about signage? Are "end-of-motorway" signs in the right place etc.?

The scenery is absolutely glorious, both northbound and southbound. The Galtees are monumental, and as you sweep northbound towards junction 13 the Ballyhouras also put in a smashing show.
Southbound, the rolling hills of Cork offer a broadleaf feast for the eyes and you can see the M8 winding its way southbound for several miles.

You're making me very jealous Furet! :cool:

I made it from the junction 12 cantilever to the junction 14 cantilever in 7m 25s.

It can take 20 minutes to get from the M8/N73 junction to junction 14. Looks like it chopped a sizeable chunk of the journey time.

Thanks for the review, I will take your word for it. I look forward to experiencing it for myself tommorow. I will write a thorough review myself then.

Amtmann

BluntGuy wrote: »

That quite simply can't be correct.

I was quite astonished too. Not even "Motorway Ahead" signs at junction 13 yet.

Must... drive... now.

I went up and down it three times!

Sounds like my kind of road! Are the sightlines on the Fermoy Bypass tie-in okay? What about signage? Are "end-of-motorway" signs in the right place etc.?

The sightlines at the Fermoy tie-in is flawless, except for one thing. As you approach the tie-in from the south the burn marks from the old hatching lines before the tie-in was started are rather prominent. But the the sightlines and fusion is absolutely perfect.

Thanks for the review, I will take your word for it. I look forward to experiencing it for myself tommorow. I will write a thorough review myself then.

Please do. Yours might well be more critical than mine.

ForiegnNational

Furet wrote: »

I went up and down it three times!

Thanks for all the updates and the dedication shown Furet, most appreciated by us other Boardies.

Chris_533976

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Anyone know how to adjust Openstreetmap for the new section.

I've taken a look and I'll admit I don't know.

It needs someone with a GPS to get a trace of the whole route, then its a reasonably simple matter of firing up JOSM or the Potlatch editor to add it. Need that trace first tho

You could map it very roughly by guesswork, but thats not much good

Edit: No GPS traces of the new stretch have been uploaded yet, but I'd give it a week and this would be mapped. Hell, I'm in Cork at the mo and would do it in a flash had I got the car with me

BluntGuy

Furet wrote: »

I was quite astonished too. Not even "Motorway Ahead" signs at junction 13 yet.

That still seems weird to me. There were poles up for literally months which implies that signage has been ordered (and presumably delivered) already. I presume with the road open, all efforts will be put into getting this done. I just hope it's done soon.

I went up and down it three times!

It'll just be the one trip up and down for me. Although I'm thinking I might drive it again at night to see what it's like then.

The sightlines at the Fermoy tie-in is flawless, except for one thing. As you approach the tie-in from the south the burn marks from the old hatching lines before the tie-in was started are rather prominent. But the the sightlines and fusion is absolutely perfect.

That's good, that was one thing I've been worried about for a while.

Please do. Yours might well be more critical than mine.

Well, I'll try and do a comprehensive review.

You rate this road scheme 10/10. I'm afraid no motorway in Ireland would receive that accolade from me. C-C gets a 9/10, C-M gets a 6/10, Fermoy Bypass gets 7/10, Watergrasshill-Dunkettle gets 9/10...

But maybe, just maybe, this one will sway me!

Chris 533976 wrote:

Edit: No GPS traces of the new stretch have been uploaded yet, but I'd give it a week and this would be mapped. Hell, I'm in Cork at the mo and would do it in a flash had I got the car with me

I have a GPS, and I'll gladly map it tommorow.

Amtmann

Here's the video southbound. This video, which runs from the junction 12 onslip to Moorepark, is not as good as the second one, which is still uploading. The scenery northbound is better.

Be sure to watch in High Quality.

Amtmann

And here's the northbound video. Again, click on the HQ option. And note the scenery around 4:15!

emfifty

Furet wrote: »

And here's the northbound video. Again, click on the HQ option. And note the scenery around 4:15!

excellent videos furet. i even stayed up to watch the final installment!

Amtmann

emfifty wrote: »

excellent videos furet. i even stayed up to watch the final installment!

I stayed up to post the final installment! Goodnight all...

BluntGuy

Gorgeous stretch of M. Loved the video.

But I couldn't help feeling it would just be that little bit better had they waited another week. It's missing that final bit of polish. Bits of the road are dirty, there are signs missing at junctions, signs left at junctions (0:16 and 0:18 - can anyone guess what shouldn't be there?)...

Admittedly, these can (and will) all be sorted out, but I can't help but feel there are signs of rushing in places.

df1985

with this section now open, can anyone give a rough figure as to how long it takes to get from dublin to cork??

jank

Furet wrote: »

And here's the northbound video. Again, click on the HQ option. And note the scenery around 4:15!

Did anyone else spot the classic car at 4:58.... LOL old meets new!

Great job Furet! By the way does this mean that the M8 wins the first road to be linked to Dublin via HQDC/Motorway by default?

Colm R

Great video.

I wonder, in the climb up to the point before the great view at 4:15, is there a case for a third climbing lane here?

Chris_533976

BluntGuy wrote: »

Gorgeous stretch of M. Loved the video.

But I couldn't help feeling it would just be that little bit better had they waited another week. It's missing that final bit of polish. Bits of the road are dirty, there are signs missing at junctions, signs left at junctions (0:16 and 0:18 - can anyone guess what shouldn't be there?)...

heh that was dreadful. But I guess thats not the responsibility of the M - F team, its the Fermoy bypass (Directroute) crowd that should be dealing with that. (Though, "is it alright if we take your signs down while we're at our section" wouldnt have hurt)

leffatus

I wonder how must Direct Route's revenues will go up now, especially southbound. A lot of people now probably won't divert now to avoid the toll, having been on motorway for such a long stretch.

Sponge Bob

df1985 wrote: »

with this section now open, can anyone give a rough figure as to how long it takes to get from dublin to cork??

Two and a half hours when abbeyleix and dunkettle and red cow are clear and if not up to 4 hours if you time it wrong and hit congestion at all these points ( bank holiday weekend fridays )

NO PETROL STATIONS enroute bar a few small ones near Abbeyleix so make sure the tank is full.

serfboard

So, when Abbeyleix is clear, 2 hours from M50 to Dunkettle?

That's fantastic.

BTW Furet, I want to add my thanks to all the others that have been expressed here. Ledge!

df1985

just over 2 hours, that really is good.may have to have a wekend in cork soon, never usually considered it because thought itd be too far.

bill_ashmount

df1985 wrote: »

just over 2 hours, that really is good.may have to have a wekend in cork soon, never usually considered it because thought itd be too far.

We're practically neighbours now :eek:

Seriously though, 2 hours is brilliant. I remember as a child thinking Dublin was years away.

Looking forward to driving the new road on Thursday.

AugustusMaximus

SOme of us might do it in under the 2 hours.

What are we looking at when the final piece is finished ?

Steviemak

I reckon if you stick to the speed limit Dunkettle to Red Cow will take 2hrs 10mins - see attached

FIRE

BluntGuy wrote: »

Gorgeous stretch of M. Loved the video.

But I couldn't help feeling it would just be that little bit better had they waited another week. It's missing that final bit of polish. Bits of the road are dirty, there are signs missing at junctions, signs left at junctions (0:16 and 0:18 - can anyone guess what shouldn't be there?)...

Admittedly, these can (and will) all be sorted out, but I can't help but feel there are signs of rushing in places.

I'd have to agree with Bluntguy here about rushing it. Although I would say that not getting to drive it until June 1st.

But I think A week would have been enough to sort it all out. 0:16 and 0:18, just aswell we dont follow roadsigns over here


Great video Furet....that video camera was well worth investing in......for us.

Amtmann

Thanks FIRE.

The failure to scrub parts of the road properly and the lack of signage/abundance of orange signage on opening day was certainly very annoying, but ultimately the dirt will dry and blow away, and the signage is probably all up by now.

I'm really curious to read the reviews of others who have driven it since it opened.