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

L1011 · 19-03-2010 8:57pm

median barrier has been laid to the current terminus of the M8 now.

How are they going to tie this in? Push everyone through Johnstown again for a few days?

Amtmann · 20-03-2010 10:38am

Photos of

1) The M8 from the first massive overbridge just south of Cullahill
2) Other sections of M8
3) Various sections of M7 south-west of the interchange
4) Various sections of M7 east of the interchange
5) The interchange
5) The M7 between the interchange and the Portlaoise-Bypass tie-in, including the toll plaza

would be nice! Could Rovi, Roosterman and/or Danno take a few over the next couple of days and post them up?

There should be a new newsletter out soon too, probably the last one to come by the looks of things.

roosterman71 · 20-03-2010 10:18pm

Danno wrote: »

Drove the R433 today from Borris in Ossory to Durrow and the M7 had white lines painted in the Northbound lane.

I drove this today too (hope I didn't hold ya up - I was out tractor driving

)
Its the eastbound lane of the M7 that has the central white line done. I could see it on both sides of the R434 over the M7. I dunno how far they've done though.

Also, there is loads of activity at the tie in with the new R435 at the end of the scheme near Borris In Ossory. Lorries were drawing clay to 3 diggers all day at the on-ramp. The central median is done around that area too. Local rumour is it will be open end of May for the June Bank Holiday weekend.

@Furet - Sorry but no more pictures from me

roosterman71 · 21-03-2010 1:08pm

Had a closer look at the off-ramps in Borris In Ossory today. They are doing the landscaping at these at the moment. And some pipes are being laid beside the carriageway. The road is in a state with dirt and crap all over it. I assume it will all be cleaned down but at the moment ya wouldn't think it was tarred at all

fresca · 22-03-2010 9:12am

what's going on then?

AA Roadwatch... http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/

A stop/go system will be in operation from 9am (march 22nd) on the N7 on the Mountrath side of Clonkeen. This is to facilitate works in place until Wed 24th March. Delays should be anticipated, although works will be lifted at peak times. * Motorists should also note that there is also a short diversion on the Portlaoise side of Clonkeen, with traffic diverted from the M7 onto the Portlaoise Link Rd. This will add to delays

lukejr · 22-03-2010 11:34am

Head of the NRA said this section will be opened in May 2010 on RTÉ Morning Ireland (about 08:40), so hopefully this will happen.

munchkin_utd · 22-03-2010 1:11pm

lukejr wrote: »

Head of the NRA said this section will be opened in May 2010 on RTÉ Morning Ireland (about 08:40), so hopefully this will happen.

http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2010/pc/pod-v-220310-2ndhour-37m12s-morningireland.mp3

26 mins approx in (no ads on the podcast)

fresca · 22-03-2010 1:19pm

munchkin_utd wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2010/pc/pod-v-220310-2ndhour-37m12s-morningireland.mp3

26 mins approx in (no ads on the podcast)

right at the end...
budget for 2011 will be EUR 700m
budget for 2012 will be EUR 300m + 1bn in PPP

working on plans for 2012 - 2020

goodbye to the road building in 2012!!!

Amtmann · 22-03-2010 1:34pm

If you look carefully, tolled sections of motorway are indicated with a very thin red line running down the blue mainline. The M7/M8 is shown on the map as having no toll between junctions 4 and 3, which contradicts the signage currently installed on the M8 where it bypasses Urlingford. So it looks like you could leave the M8 at junction 3 and take the R433 to Abbeyleix and from there the N77 (former N8) to the Portlaoise Bypass.

The M7 is shown as having a toll from junction 21 all the way through to 18.

bk · 22-03-2010 3:17pm

fresca wrote: »

goodbye to the road building in 2012!!!

In fairness, other then one or two important roads like the M20 and Newlands cross, that was always going to be the case.

We now have a pretty excellent road network, now it is time to focus on public transport, namely Metro North, Dart Underground, etc.

fresca · 22-03-2010 3:24pm

bk wrote: »

In fairness, other then one or two important roads like the M20 and Newlands cross, that was always going to be the case.

We now have a pretty excellent road network, now it is time to focus on public transport, namely Metro North, Dart Underground, etc.

I agree that most people have a pretty excellent road network.
But I also admit that certain parts of the country are not so lucky.
You have mentioned the M20 and Newlands Cross...

The N21 and N22 are pretty bad too ... and i'm sure that there are loads of similar roads in the country too...

i guess now that the major inter-urban's are almost complete, we'll have to find some balance between major projects like metro north etc, and also upgrading roads like n21 + n22.
Not for one second am i suggesting that these roads should have priority over MN... but it must be about striking a balance...

Stark · 22-03-2010 4:06pm

The N22 from Cork to Ballyvourney definitely needs an upgrade. Not to motorway standard but certainly to 2+2 standard (since WS2 was deleted).

Amtmann · 22-03-2010 4:53pm

This looks certain now to be completed at the end of May. It makes sense that they're making a push with the planting now. I would love to see some new photos of the scheme. Signage can't be too far away now, either.

roosterman71 · 22-03-2010 4:55pm

I did a little drive yesterday and they have clay and sand tipped up on the road in loads of places along the tail end of the M7. I assumed its for landscaping and the like.

Plus, they have some gantry signage up for the exit in Borris in Ossory. No sign yet though

Amtmann · 22-03-2010 4:57pm

Has the new M7 been tied in with the Portlaoise Bypass yet, roosterman?

roosterman71 · 22-03-2010 5:45pm

Haven't seen myself, but I believe not from what I've heard. I think there is a bit of a detour going on at the tie-in to facilitate these works

popebenny16 · 25-03-2010 5:28pm

they are working on it, and fast as well. the old approach road onto the portlaosie bypass from Mountrath is now buried under a very larhe mound of soil as the new m7 has to descend onto the level of the old m7, you can see the old street lamps, compaired to them this mound is about half way up.

from the way they are doing it i would say that in about a month the tie in will be done.

final tarmac layer is going onto the rathdowney interchange local approach roads at the moment, would say will be done by tomorrow.

ipodrocker · 25-03-2010 5:43pm

photos of the upgrade would be nice!

lukejr · 26-03-2010 1:37pm

popebenny16 wrote: »

from the way they are doing it i would say that in about a month the tie in will be done.

The weather has been great over the past few weeks too, if the rain stays off until June we might expect it to be competed sooner.

Danno · 27-03-2010 12:34am

I have a few spare days next week, so hopefully will get out with the camera.

Danno · 28-03-2010 9:02pm

BluntGuy · 28-03-2010 9:25pm

Thanks for the pics!

Looks like some local "artists" have already provided some tasteless graffiti before it's even open.

Danno · 28-03-2010 11:39pm

What grafitti?

Hogzy · 28-03-2010 11:51pm

Danno wrote: »

What grafitti?

Think he might be refering to the tyre marks in pic 857

Danno · 28-03-2010 11:56pm

Ah, I see it now!

BTW, that road is open, it's the R433.

larryone · 29-03-2010 1:05am

i'm just updating openstreetmap now with the changes
any chance you happened to have a gps device with you???
last time i was there i was driving through a construction site
that wall certianly wasnt there
could you have a look at my edits on osm and tell me if they'er right?
http://osm.org/go/es2M9n5t--

Stinicker · 29-03-2010 1:51am

Danno, Great pics by the way but I think you may have inadvertently captured a UFO in picture 859? either that or a USAF B2 Stealth bomber. Aliens doing reconnaissance on our new Motorway network in preparation for an invasion?

murphaph · 29-03-2010 9:30am

That's a LOT of stone wall facing there. Were all the original boundary treatments in stone wall form or have they wasted a load of money doing that?

Amtmann · 29-03-2010 10:08am

The signage seems to confirm that junctions 4 - 3 will be toll free after all. That's good. But what a crap road the R433 is!

Looks to me like junction 3 will get quite little use, and that most people from Durrow and Abbeyleix will use the current N8 to get to the M7. No harm either; it won't be a bad road when the majority of traffic has been taken off it.

Looking forward to seeing photos of the mainline.

roosterman71 · 29-03-2010 4:56pm

most people from Durrow and Abbeyleix will use the current N8 to get to the M7

That was always going to be the case. It would make no sense whatsoever for people in those towns to drive to near Rathdowney to get onto the Motorway. Heading south just go to Urlingford along the existing N8. Going East then use the same road to Portlaoise.

I don't really know why there's an on/off ramp there to serve the Rathdowney area. My only assumption is it has something to do with the outlet centre in the town. From memory I remember hearing that when it was being built, they had agreed access to it off the motorway. Thats even though the motorway wasn't officially planned/announced at the time.

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

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