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

MidlandsM

As promised, M7 pic update as of this morning........


M7 @ Borris in Ossary- Looking down from a flyover -


Northbound @ same flyover-


Southbouth same please-


Same -


Southbound nearer Roscrea


Northbound same place


Shot of sign erected @ roundaboue of flyover near Borris

mysterious

Is the entire M7/M8 opening by June?

This is so badly needed. On bankholiday, traffic was backed up from Mountrath to Portlaoise. Thats like 7/8miles or something it was so bad. Mountrath has lots of new housing developments and population growth around the town is'n't helping, The sooner this is bypass the better.

Deedsie

mysterious wrote: »

Is the entire M7/M8 opening by June?

This is so badly needed. On bankholiday, traffic was backed up from Mountrath to Portlaois. Thats like 7/8miles or something it was so bad.

According to previous estimates in this thread, only the M8 section will open on the June bank holiday.

Stark

Only the M8 section from what I've heard.

roosterman71

Is there any possibility of telling us where these were taken? Like the road number maybe?

The first 2 pictures look like they are taken at the R435 looking towards Dublin on the M7.

The 3rd is from the same bridge looking along the Castletown Nenagh scheme towards Nenagh.

Is that right?

Edit: MidlandsM beat me to it with the locations. Sound out :-)

mysterious

Why only open the one leg, when the M8 still has to latch onto the M7. It seems silly to me considering the M7 leg is smaller. Anyway that is only a rumour.

mysterious

The R445 link at Portlaoise is fully completed bar the West faceing slips to the M7/M8 scheme. The R445 bridge between Portlaise and Mountrath is completed many months now and the view of the motorway from this bridge is spectacular. Some good photos would be nice there. I don't live around there so I can't take photos and I don't drive. The tollbridge looks almost complete. I would rather not a toll there. I don't believe people should paying to drive on a motorway that bypasses bothereen bottlenecked roads.

I will not be posting pictures on this forum as I had promised, because I don't respect the way some have treated me on here last time.

MidlandsM

I'll try and get some shots in round trumera tomorrow, the toll bridge etc.

Steviemak

Thanks MidlandsM

Based on those photos the M7 section, beyond the split, seems to be way behind the M8. I can't see that all being completed in 6 or 7 weeks.

Therefore, I would fully expect the M8 section to open first.

MidlandsM

Yeah, Defo the M8 to open first it looks like.

ForiegnNational

Drove past the Cullahill tie-in on the way up to Dublin yesterday morning and there were multiple trucks, rollers and tar-laying machines (don't know the technical name for them!)

Going past last night, all had left and the heaps of spoil were still on the existing M8 surface, so I can only presume they tied in the new and old "spur" surfaces.

Looks good for the bank holiday weekend...

csd

Specially for Furet, some pics of the Portlaoise tie-in. Still a bit of work to be done here.

All taken southbound.

The M7 is coned down to a single lane from the current N8 junction all the way to the off-slip for what will be J18 (Portloise South). Here's a shot approaching the off-slip.


As you can see, the former mainline has been dug up.


One last shot as we head down the slip.

MidlandsM

That new detour was opened about 3 weeks ago, and they're moving along well there.
There's much more progress on the Toll bridge end of this tie -in.

Jomcc

Some pics taken this evening.......18/Apr.

Toll Plaza.


View east from 1st bridge west of toll plaza.


View west from 1st bridge west of toll plaza. Next bridge almost visible in top of pic.


View east from 2nd bridge west of toll plaza. Previous bridge almost visible in top of pic.


View west from 2nd bridge west of toll plaza.


View east from bridge on M7 at Kilcotton just south of R434 on road to Rathdowney.


View west from bridge on M7 at Kilcotton just south of R434 on road to Rathdowney.

Apologies for descriptions.....but it's not easy describe the bridges over local roads.

Jomcc

Just a few from intersection with R433 at Grantstown..........an intersection which many think will be popular for people avoiding tolls.




South bound on ramp.




Off ramp from traffic coming north.

North Cork

On the way to Dublin Saturday saw them working on the tie in at Cullahill to the existing motorway

roosterman71

The M7 section is fully lined as far as the eye can see when you pass over it on the R434. The M8 section only has the northbound carriageway done.

veryangryman

Jomcc wrote: »

Just a few from intersection with R433 at Grantstown..........an intersection which many think will be popular for people avoiding tolls.




South bound on ramp.




Off ramp from traffic coming north.

Anyone else spot the graffiti on the bridge?! :eek:

Chris_5339762

ahahaha the work they put into getting the sack hairs right

MidlandsM

right, more for ye, I took a spin to cullahill this evening to see the tie in there and its virtually ready, not a lot to do really bar hook up the end of the motorways -

Looking southbound at existing M8 from mounds of gravel and hardcore....


Looking northbound here....








The existing tie in - how depressing ehhhh



This is a typical section of the motorway in between cullahill and grantstown (manor stone inter section) - ready to go!

Jomcc

veryangryman wrote: »

Anyone else spot the graffiti on the bridge?! :eek:

Pass it every morning but never noticed it. Will get close up pic for u in morning....:D:D

Jomcc

Some more pics.

View south from 2nd bridge after Grantstown junction with R433


View north from same bridge.






Bridge just south of Grantstown junction with R433

Jomcc

A close up pic for the eagle eyed veryangryman.:D

MidlandsM

He's no banksy, thats for sure.

macgrub

Jomcc wrote: »

A close up pic for the eagle eyed veryangryman.:D

I like the "F*K DA GARDS ".

He not spend enough time in skool.

veryangryman

I can imagine the Mum/Aunt who's so proud of their son, a civil engineer and wishes to marvel at his creation only to see such graffiti

Yes they are pricks who did this, but i got a good laugh out of it nonetheless. Cant really be helped - check out any UK motorway bridge

It really immortalises your broadcast doing stuff there. Just like the "Google NWO" sign at the N62/M6 junction east of Athlone

Jomcc

1st four pics are where M7 & M8 split.

Facing East.


Facing east showing M8 merging with M7.


Facing west showing M8 merging with M7.


Facing west showing M8 exit.


M7 facing east on R434.


M7 facing west on R434.


M8 facing North on R434 with Slieve Blooms in background.


M8 facing south on R434 with L1633 in background.


M8 facing North on L1633 with R434 in background.


M8 facing South on L1633

lukejr

Excellent photos, thanks.

Tech3

Great photos, the split looks to be a similar one on the M4/M6 where there is absolutely little warning that the is a motorway splitting off the mainline. It looks like a normal junction especially for overtaking traffic it gives you a short amount of time to get onto the ramp for the M8.

D'Peoples Voice

tech2 wrote: »

Great photos, the split looks to be a similar one on the M4/M6 where there is absolutely little warning that the is a motorway splitting off the mainline. It looks like a normal junction especially for overtaking traffic it gives you a short amount of time to get onto the ramp for the M8.

yes, you have to have your wits about you and look out for these blue rectangle things hanging on two poles back about a kilometre or two from the exit. Imagine putting distances on these blue rectangle things, what help is that?

They should just put a bloody roundabout on it like the M9/N24/N25/N9:rolleyes: