M7/M8 Portlaoise-Castletown-Cullahill Motorway (incl. Abbeyleix Bypass)

Rovi

clon wrote: »

The M7/M8 will have to open all as one on the same day.No route for southbound traffic heading to Limerick to go.no junction where the current M7 ends.

There will be a full access junction at the current end of the M7, a few kilometres SW of Portlaoise; it's under construction at the moment.

clon

Sorry about that , just checked the nra website and yes there is a junction.

DOS

Great photos Furet. I was talking to a chap in Portlaoise who is driving one of the big dumpers and he says that they were moved onto the M8 Cullohill area recently and they are concentrating on this now. They are 4 months ahead also, mainly due to the fine weather.

Amtmann

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Looks like parts of this will be a runway which is good Tho this pic worries me a bit. Unless its really zoomed in, then its going to be a bit of a blind dip this is.

Looking at the maps, much of the M8 will be bullet straight - though it could still undulate slightly.

RE that photo - I know what you mean. Even as I walked it I wasn't sure how far ahead the concrete barrier was constructed to. I think though that vehicles ahead of you will be perfectly visible - it's just that the road surface might (momentarily) not be if you know what I mean. In situations like this (which you also get on the M8 at junction 14 northbound), cars ahead of yours are clearly visible, but they seem to glide, mirage-like, on some invisible surface for a second or two. Unless you've seen what I'm referring to, this sounds very weird.

Amtmann

How are we doing on this scheme? Will anyone be passing close by it soon? I'm interested to know how the M7 overbridge on the R434 is coming along, and if they've managed to move the CBM further south towards the M8 at the Cullahill roundabout. In addition, it would be nice to know how the interchange is progressing, and if the M7 mainline northeast of the interchange towards Portlaoise has developed at a decent rate. We were of course due a PDF update newletter last June, but this has yet to materialise; and when it does finally appear you can be sure that it will be for last June, rather than August, and hence out of date.

Any chance you'll be taking a spin up that way soon Tech 2?

Tech3

Furet wrote: »

Any chance you'll be taking a spin up that way soon Tech 2?

I will head up probably the week after next. I will have a look at Nenagh-Castletown also.

So the two mainlines go under the R434 which I will have a look at but I would like to see the other sections of the M7 leg as well. The Borris in Ossory link is opened according to posts on the M7 thread? Is there any other overbridges that posters are aware of on the route?

Amtmann

tech2 wrote: »

Is there any other overbridges that posters are aware of on the route?

The first one is about .75km directly north of the Cullahill roundabout.

There's another one about 2km west of Cullahill village off the N8. Then go back onto the N8 and head for Durrow. When you're there you'll see the R434 on your left. Go down that and through Ballacolla village. Shortly after that you'll meet the M8 and then, about 1km later, the M7. Junction 3 of the M8 is south of Ballacolla, again on an R road - the R433 I think. The M7 you will have to trace. The roads you'll be using to follow the M7 are very narrow and labyrinthine. Bring a good road atlas. It's a lovely drive though; you'll enjoy it. Some nice countryside that way.

As for M7 C-N overbridges, the best plan is to drive along the N7 and take the L roads that branch off it. Many of these will lead you to the new motorway. Certainly through Toomevara on the N7 heading for Dublin you can turn left and you'll come to a big C-N area. Last February there was a lot of cutting going on here, and a bridge was just started.

Tech3

Furet wrote: »

The first one is about .75km directly north of the Cullahill roundabout.

There's another one about 2km west of Cullahill village off the N8. Then go back onto the N8 and head for Durrow. When you're there you'll see the R434 on your left. Go down that and through Ballacolla village. Shortly after that you'll meet the M8 and then, about 1km later, the M7. Junction 3 of the M8 is south of Ballacolla, again on an R road - the R433 I think. The M7 you will have to trace. The roads you'll be using to follow the M7 are very narrow and labyrinthine. Bring a good road atlas. It's a lovely drive though; you'll enjoy it. Some nice countryside that way.

Thanks for the info Furet that will make things alot easier knowing the correct locations. On the N-C scheme a few months ago I could only find underbridges most of the time. I will be travelling up from Limerick on the N7 so taking the R434 first would be the best thing? Judging from the map too it looks good that its in a very small space so not too far to find the sections. I will try to get pics of both the M8 and M7 leg. Those local roads cant be as bad as the ones near birdhill!

As for M7 C-N overbridges, the best plan is to drive along the N7 and take the L roads that branch off it. Many of these will lead you to the new motorway. Certainly through Toomevara on the N7 heading for Dublin you can turn left and you'll come to a big C-N area. Last February there was a lot of cutting going on here, and a bridge was just started.

Yep I tried many L roads as well when I was looking at the scheme a few months ago. Most of it is way offline which is quite annoying. The N-L and G-C are a lot easier as they are very close to regional rds and the fact I use those rds very often too. I will be interested to see what the progress will be on J22 in particular. If progress is poor I wont be too inclined to carry on finding what other areas are like on the route.

Amtmann

tech2 wrote: »

I will be travelling up from Limerick on the N7 so taking the R434 first would be the best thing? Judging from the map too it looks good that its in a very small space so not too far to find the sections. I will try to get pics of both the M8 and M7 leg. Those local roads cant be as bad as the ones near birdhill!

In that case if I were you I'd head for Portlaoise on the N7 and do N-C first. Outside Portlaoise I'd take the N8 south to Cullahill and then get back onto the N7 after scouting around Cullahill, Ballacolla and Mountrath via the R434.

And no, the L roads aren't as bad as those around Birdhill. That, along with the valley road that crosses the train track, was the worst I have ever encountered on my travels!! I really felt like I had made a mistake in taking those roads, they were so bad and torturous.

If progress is poor I wont be too inclined to carry on finding what other areas are like on the route.

That's my litmus test too.

Tech3

Furet wrote: »

In that case if I were you I'd head for Portlaoise on the N7 and do N-C first. Outside Portlaoise I'd take the N8 south to Cullahill and then get back onto the N7 after scouting around Cullahill, Ballacolla and Mountrath via the R434.

I will do. It will be the end of that week I be will heading up. Hopefully there will be alot more progress since your last pics.

And no, the L roads aren't as bad as those around Birdhill. That, along with the valley road that crosses the train track, was the worst I have ever encountered on my travels!! I really felt like I had made a mistake in taking those roads, they were so bad and torturous.

Well thats a relief because I wont be throwing my car through that nightmare again. I will keep to overbridges close to the N7 next time I'm taking N-L photos! I have to see what that birdhill interchange is like also no one has tried driving up the link road yet.

mysterious

I wish they would just hurry up with the M7.


The Earthworks are now apparent on the Nenagh end of the Nenagh bypass.

Lets just hope they consider my design bridge. My interchange plan is far easier and less work. The Nra design has three rounadabouts.


The arch bridge has to go. Its just to narrow of a bridge I'd rather it gone and just build a stand alone bridge on the other side where the tie in of the new motorway is. This will mean that the Nenagh bypass will be motorway all the way to the Dolla road bridge. No HS cuttings etc.

Amtmann

What?? Did you send "them" your doodle or something? You do realise that the designs are set in stone now, right?

Stark

If they're nice, they'll hang it on their fridge.

L1011

mysterious wrote: »

This will mean that the Nenagh bypass will be motorway all the way to the Dolla road bridge. No HS cuttings etc.

You realise that Irish motorways don't actually need continuous hard shoulders, right? Or indeed any.

Wait, I'm suggesting that mysterious might realise reality. Silly me.

road_high

So anybody got a reasonably accurate completion date ( if there is such a thing ) for the M7/8 Portlaoise schemes ? I was stuck in Abbeyleix today for 10 or 15 mins once again.
Such a shame it was not the FIRST scheme to be completed on the M8, was a far worse bottekneck than say Fermoy-Mitchelstown. Pity it do not start first.

mysterious

Furet wrote: »

What?? Did you send "them" your doodle or something? You do realise that the designs are set in stone now, right?

Nothing stopping them from changing it to my layout.

My layout takes up less land, and also only has two roundabouts.


The NRA genius came up with three roundabouts, a stupid arch bridge, no HS under it, and the R445 swings all over the ****ing place. It also had to take extra land.


Mine is zero all that crap.

But if you all insist on reckless road building..:rolleyes: It is absurd to have the R455 between Nenagh and Toomevara to have to go through the bother of passing 3 ****ing roundabouts and driving on a current layout that is unrealistic.

Build this ****ing thing right, its no exuse at all for this ****e.

mysterious

MYOB wrote: »

You realise that Irish motorways don't actually need continuous hard shoulders, right? Or indeed any.

Wait, I'm suggesting that mysterious might realise reality. Silly me.

I'd still rather them build a proper bridge on the proper layout for the R445 and free up the Nenagh bypass for HS. I doubt you even saw the new layout.:rolleyes:

You always throw digs at me, you really need to sort yourself out now.

I have a teeny feeling that you have now taken every post at me as personal. If it continues your on ignore.

L1011

mysterious wrote: »

I'd still rather them build a proper bridge on the proper layout for the R445 and free up the Nenagh bypass for HS. I doubt you even saw the new layout.:rolleyes:

You always throw digs at me, you really need to sort yourself out now.

I have a teeny feeling that you have now taken every post at me as personal. If it continues your on ignore.

I would be delighted to be on your ignore list, it'd mean you'd not respond to any of my posts with incoherent ramblings or accusations of wanting blue road signs.

BluntGuy

mysterious wrote: »

You always throw digs at me, you really need to sort yourself out now.

And award for most ironic statement of the year goes to mysterious!

It'd be easier to sympathize with you if you weren't continually throwing digs yourself and using 500 :rolleyes: symbols in every post.

Rovi

There's a new newsletter for this scheme, that hasn't appeared on the NRA site yet; see attachment.

Amtmann

I don't believe it. Those are MY photos on the newsletter!!

So even the contractors get (at least some of) their updates from boards.ie

Sponge Bob

They are indeed, the NRA contact is listed at the bottom so send him an invoice for use of the photos or tell him to give you a lifetime free easypass

L1011

750 euro a photo is a standard enough "I won't sue you for copyright" fee...

Amtmann

Oho, I could use that. But I'm a bit of an idealist and am a public domain supporter. Besides, a few of those pictures are now common property on wikipedia - except for two. Those are on my photobucket account. I'm surprised they turned out so well as they were taken when the camera was on 'small image' mode, i.e. each photo was less than 1MB so they shouldn't blow up very well.

Sponge Bob

if they are wiki commons then fair enough ( the newsletter is free) but photobucket is different

Irish and Proud

Furet wrote: »

I don't believe it. Those are MY photos on the newsletter!!

So even the contractors get (at least some of) their updates from boards.ie

...well they could, at least, have written in an acknowledgement on the newsletter - like you get no credit for the good work that they seem too damn lazy to do for themselves! :mad:

It's just mean - I'd complain mate! :mad:

Regards!

KevR

They should have PM'd you and asked first in my opinion.

Amtmann

Three of the photos on the first page were taken by me, as well as the massive background image on the third page. For two of the photos I had to stand on top of the concrete barrier - which brings a smile to my face when I think that that big image has on it some text which relates to advising members of the public not to enter construction sites.

murphaph

Yeah, a bit cheeky to say the least. They should really have sought your permission or at the very least found out your real name and given you credit for the photos.

kaizersoze

Furet wrote: »

I don't believe it. Those are MY photos on the newsletter!!

So even the contractors get (at least some of) their updates from boards.ie

That's f*****g cheeky all the same. Doesn't look great for a either. A company that size working on a public contract sponging free photos of the internet for an official publication.:(

I'll have to keep a closer eye on the N6 newsletters I think.:D