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

murphaph

mysterious wrote: »

Nobody owns a public road.

This is completely innacurate. Usually the neighbouring landlowner actually owns the road out to the centre line but cannot use it exclusively because a right of way exists across it! In other cases the land is the property of the relevant government minister or even local authority. Public roads are owned by somebody.

Chris_533976

Whats the deal with a toll road? Does the PPP company own it for the duration of tolling (~30 years)??? In that case, these are pictures of private land, akin to standing on someones driveway and photographing it.

L1011

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Whats the deal with a toll road? Does the PPP company own it for the duration of tolling (~30 years)??? In that case, these are pictures of private land, akin to standing on someones driveway and photographing it.

Which isn't actually illegal...

murphaph

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Whats the deal with a toll road? Does the PPP company own it for the duration of tolling (~30 years)???

No, the state owns the land and grants a concession to the PPP consortium to operate tolling on it. The state alway buys the land for these PPP (con jobs) before the consortium builds on it and charges people to use it.

scottyccfc

Any updates on any pit stops being built along any of the Dublin/Cork road? When is this road set to be complete? I know 2010 but any exact month being muted?

Amtmann

scotty, service area (i.e. pit stop) threads are here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/tags.php?tag=motorway+service+area

I am betting the last stage of the M8 will open in late summer 2010, a few months ahead of schedule. Bit of an update here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055319940&page=45

Victor

Moved to Infrastructure.

Rovi

By way of a quick update on the Portlaoise end of this scheme, 'black stuff' of some sort is being laid at the moment.
It can be seen on both sides of the new overpass on the N7 before Mountrath.
Oh, and the toll plaza is lit up at night and can be seen from the same overpass.

Also, they're working on creating the new junction at the existing end of the M7, that will in due course allow local access to the motorway, and between Mountrath and Portlaoise.
We're told that it'll be open to traffic very early next year, and all Dublin/Limerick traffic will be diverting onto it to facilitate the contractor linking the new scheme into the existing M7.

Amtmann

Some snaps of the M8 tie-in at Cullahill. This looks almost ready actually. Here is where the Cashel to Cullahill section meets the M8 leg of the PPP:


More detail of the actual point of contact between the two schemes:


And, looking northwards from the Cullahill roundabout:


Now, this photo below shows the first M8 overbridge under construction just south of Cullahill village. As you can see, it's almost ready for surfacing:


This is the view looking north from the top of that overbridge:


And here's the view south:


Here's the view south from a fully completed overbridge west of Cullahill:


And here's the view north:

Reenascreena

What will be the arrangement for traffic coming up the new M8 from the south and heading north on the N80 from Portlaoise when this scheme is finished?
Will you still have to drive through the centre of the town?

Stark

Yes.

Reenascreena

Great :mad:

BigCon

You can exit the motorway on the southern side of portlaoise and enter the town from the south (along the old N7).
There's a new(ish) road connecting the old N7 to the N80 which means you don't have to go through the town (it's located before you get to "Centerpoint SC"...

Rovi

There's vague 'talk' that's been going around for a while that the new 'ring-road' linking the Mountmellick road to the Mountrath road and on through Clonminham to O'Moore Park on the Abbyleix road will eventually be extended to the motorway junction at or around Togher, but who knows if that's ever going to happen, or even if it's true.

mysterious

Rovi wrote: »

There's vague 'talk' that's been going around for a while that the new 'ring-road' linking the Mountmellick road to the Mountrath road and on through Clonminham to O'Moore Park on the Abbyleix road will eventually be extended to the motorway junction at or around Togher, but who knows if that's ever going to happen, or even if it's true.

The lands at the Liimerick/Mountrath roads are opened up and many develpments will spring out that way like the Dublin road side. The exstension of orbital is welcomed. Portlaoise still suffers chronic congestion at Fintan Lawlor Avenue and its not improving m atm.

I think a proper N80 bypass is needed.


The N77 should be extended to the Durrow aghaboe section where there are nortfacing slips joining the M7 and M8. Since the N8 will be downgraded The N77 need's to hook onto the M7.M8 naturally. A lot of the current N7/N8 traffic use the R434 and N77 as a cross traffic route to the southeast and Kilkenny.

Somebody mentioned this in another thread about the New secondary route numbering.

The Word Is Bor

I don't think there will ever be an official N80 bypass of Portlaoise, especially considering the way finances are at the moment and probably will be for the next few years.

From dealing with a few things in the area over the past few years the council are banking on developers providing the infrastructure in a piecemeal fashion with them providing small schemes (Clonminam Link Road for example). There are plans (developer led at the behest of the council) for a relief road from the Borris Road to the old N7 Dublin Road (some of which is already built) which could then link to the N80. There are also plans (again developer led) to link the N80 Stradbally Road to the Abbeyleix Road which could then feed into the Clonminam Link Road over to the Mountrath Road.

bacon&cabbage

Looking east J21 (near Borris in Ossory)




and


Looking west from J21 (Nenagh - Castletown scheme)




Apologies about the Picture quality !

Tech3

Is that a machine I see working on the Nenagh to Castletown scheme or am I just seeing things! :rolleyes:

Amtmann

Scoop!

I have it on good authority that this scheme is on target to open on 14 September 2010. No more info beyond that at present.

Sponge Bob

Portlaoise M7/M8 will open in time for the Galway Races Furet , don't you worry about that my son I can guarantee it

Roryhy

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Portlaoise M7/M8 will open in time for the Galway Races Furet , don't you worry about that my son I can guarantee it

What relationship has this scheme got to the Galway races??????
Hardly one of the main routes for people attending....

Sponge Bob

Every construction project in Ireland has a direct relationship to the Galway Races . I was laughed at by the hoi polloi for calling Ballinasloe - Athlone correctly , until I was correct that is

mysterious

But the Galway races crowds wont be using this road.


The only routes that were sped up for the races were the N6 logicaly. Duh. like.

Sponge Bob

mysterious wrote: »

But the Galway races crowds wont be using this road. The only routes that were sped up for the races were the N6 logicaly. Duh. like.

All those vituperative arguments are completely futile .

The road will be opened in time for the Galway Races , like I said .

Save your vitriol for the 23rd of July 2010 or forever hold your tractors ....m'kay !??!

Tech3

Sponge Bob wrote: »

I was laughed at by the hoi polloi for calling Ballinasloe - Athlone correctly

That might be due to you saying the Gort to Crusheen scheme wouldnt get funding last year on numerous occasions.

Sponge Bob

Actually I qualified Gort-Crusheen ( and only Gort- Crusheen) and was otherwise 100% correct .

next Tractor to dodge pls, ta

Chris_533976

Castleisland slipped in there though

rekrow

mysterious wrote: »

But the Galway races crowds wont be using this road.

I'm sure people travelling from south to the Galway races would disagree with that statement. Do you have to live along the N6 to be considered part of the Galway races crowd?

I for one will be happy when it is open. Weekend traffic in Gort can be a nightmare and not having to pass those dangerous junctions south of Gort will be a god send. Great to see the progress that is being made, whatever the motivation.

Amtmann

While I suspect it would be quite possible to have the M7/M8 ready in time for late July, I really can't see what the Galway Races have to do with the price of sugar in this context.

As I see it, substantial sections of the M8 leg at any rate are receiving pavement layers at the moment, and the concrete barrier has been installed for much of it. How the M7 is looking north and south of the interchange I have no idea; but I do know this: landscaping works are not even started yet. I await new pictures with great interest, particularly of the M7 section north of the interchange, as this was very unadvanced when last I visited it, though that was last spring.

Roryhy

rekrow wrote: »

I'm sure people travelling from south to the Galway races would disagree with that statement. Do you have to live along the N6 to be considered part of the Galway races crowd?

I for one will be happy when it is open. Weekend traffic in Gort can be a nightmare and not having to pass those dangerous junctions south of Gort will be a god send. Great to see the progress that is being made, whatever the motivation.

Thats a ridiculous statement!

Can you give an example of one journey that would benefit when traveling to the Galway Races when this route opens?

Dont get me wrong, i'll be delighted when it's open but it has no bearing on anyone travelling from anywhere to Galway.