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

Jomcc

MidlandsM wrote: »

Thanks Jomcc , it's nearly there.

Getting there alright......
Few more pics.





Bridge over Dublin-Cork railway in background.

Chris_5339762

Nice

I dunno what the point of the M8/M7 sign is right on the concrete barrier of the exit though, you cant see it untiil you're ontop of it!

Looks like this will be signed a little better than M4/6 split though.

emfifty

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Nice

I dunno what the point of the M8/M7 sign is right on the concrete barrier of the exit though, you cant see it untiil you're ontop of it!

Looks like this will be signed a little better than M4/6 split though.

there are plenty of advance directional/gantry signs for the exit so i guess it is the last confirmation to show you are on the right road....but i take your point, it's a bit late if you miss the exit at this point.

looks great and nice to see emergency phones installed from the start!

Tech3

Thanks again Jomcc, great photos keep them coming

bridestream

I intended joining the M7 at Naas and joining the M9/N9 to Waterford for Dungarvan.
However a friend told me to take the M7/N7 to Cahir and from there take the N24/N72.
Now that it is nearly all Motorway to Cahir from Naas is this way quicker even though distance wise it is longer.

Stark

bridestream wrote: »

I intended joining the M7 at Naas and joining the M9/N9 to Waterford for Dungarvan.
However a friend told me to take the M7/N7 to Cahir and from there take the N24/N72.
Now that it is nearly all Motorway to Cahir from Naas is this way quicker even though distance wise it is longer.

Well for a start, a cursory look at the map would tell you that you can't take the N24/N72 from Cahir to Dungarvan. You can either take the R668 from Cahir to Lismore, then the N72 from Lismore to Dungarvan or take the N24 to Clonmel and then the R687 to Dungarvan. Either way, you're not going to be saving any time.

Also, a quick read through this thread will tell you that the motorway from Portlaoise to Cahir isn't going to be fully completed until May 28th.

bridestream

Stark - many thanks for reply.
The AA planner indicates leaving Cahir one takes the
N24, R665, R671, N72, R672. Arrive Dungarvan.
Not a great road?

It looks like the best route to take is join the M7 at Naas and route via the
M9/N9 to Waterford and onward to Dungarvan via the N25.
AFAIK there is only a relative short section between Thomastown and Waterford that one still has to use the N9.

Jayuu

bridestream wrote: »

Stark - many thanks for reply.
The AA planner indicates leaving Cahir one takes the
N24, R665, R671, N72, R672. Arrive Dungarvan.
Not a great road?

It looks like the best route to take is join the M7 at Naas and route via the
M9/N9 to Waterford and onward to Dungarvan via the N25.
AFAIK there is only a relative short section between Thomastown and Waterford that one still has to use the N9.

Without a doubt you are better going the M9/N9/N25 route to get to Dungarvan from Naas if you want the best roads.

First there is also the gap in the M8 between Portlaoise and Cullahill and you can have problem in Durrow or Abbeyleix. Going by Cahir also leaves with a journey on the N24 to Clonmel which is not a great road although its not that long a journey. However you have to go through Clonmel which is tricky and then drive some very small roads to Dungarvan from there. The upside is that the last part across to Dungarvan is quite a scenic route around the Comeragh mountains. So if you're not on a deadline it might be fun.

If you go the M9 route the choice you have to make is what to do when you come off the motorway at Leighlinbrige. You can go the Thomastown route and pickup the M9 again at Knocktopher or go the N10 route into Kilkenny and then take the Waterford road and pick up the motorway at Danesfort.

I've driven both and I'm still not sure as to which is the best. A lot depends simply on being lucky with traffic. The Kilkenny option is a better road and gives you more opportunity to overtake if you get stuck behind something slow moving but is little longer. You also get a couple more miles of motorway to drive on.

bridestream

Many thanks for that Jayuu.
I will take the M9/N9 route.
Seamus

nordydan

CPO published for this nearby scheme

http://www.laois.ie/media/Media,6332,en.pdf

Jomcc

nordydan wrote: »

CPO published for this nearby scheme

http://www.laois.ie/media/Media,6332,en.pdf

This road is in Portlaoise and is not near the M7/M8. It's on Borris Road........which doesn't lead to Borris-In-Ossory.......or any Borris that I know of. Perhaps it should be entered in the Oddities of Irish Infrastructure thread.

nordydan

Jomcc wrote: »

This road is in Portlaoise and is not near the M7/M8. It's on Borris Road........which doesn't lead to Borris-In-Ossory.......or any Borris that I know of. Perhaps it should be entered in the Oddities of Irish Infrastructure thread.

Ah I see, not knowing the area well I made the silly assumption there that the Borris Road lead to Borris-In-Ossory, or somewhere called Borris. Maybe somebody called Boris lives on the road. Anyway it'll look well when its upgraded

Jomcc

nordydan wrote: »

Ah I see, not knowing the area well I made the silly assumption there that the Borris Road lead to Borris-In-Ossory, or somewhere called Borris. Maybe somebody called Boris lives on the road. Anyway it'll look well when its upgraded

Well, it would only be called a silly assumption for someone living outside Ireland. Think it's called Infrastructure Oddity here. Recon your theory that Borris lives out there is probably best explanation!!!!!!!!:D:D:D

Off topic but...Speaking about Oddities of Infrastructure..........the upgrading of this narrow road is being done to facilitate two huge schools which are to be open in September. Recently speaking to engineer on council who says that "upgrade" work won't be finished til next year........CRAZY:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Rovi

That road goes through the Townlands of Borris Great and Borris Little, hence the name 'Borris Road'; and yes, I DO remember when that was all green fields.


Added:
It's pronounced 'Burris', by the way.

Rovi

Here are a couple of photos I took this evening; with an iPhone, so apologies for the middling quality.

Both taken from the N7 overbridge to the west of Portlaoise, this one looking west towards the toll plaza:


...and this one looking east towards J19/Dublin:


There's a LOT of tidying up going on, and the cats eyes and lines appear to be pretty near completion around here.

bg07

Confirmation of opening date for M8 and M3 in Irish Times

Irish Times wrote:

Final part of Cork M8 to open in June

TIM O'BRIEN

The final section of the M8 motorway to Cork, and the M3 motorway past the Hill of Tara in Co Meath are to open in time for the June bank holiday weekend.

The two schemes will add to the Republic's fledgling motorway network make it possible to travel on motorways from the outskirts of Cork via Dublin's M50 and the M1, to the Border with Northern Ireland.

It will also be possible to travel on Motorways from Cork to the Meath / Cavan border north of Kells. Motorway is already open from east coast to the west coast via the M4/M6. Motorways from Dublin to Limerick and from Dublin to Waterford are set to be completed later this year.

The National Roads Authroity announced yesterday the final stretch of the M8, the wishbone shaped Portlaoise to Cullahill scheme, will open on May 28th. It will be followed by the controversial M3 motorway on June 4th.

There will be two tolls on each route and both will be open in time for the forthcoming June Bank Holiday.

The opening of the €405m Portlaoise to Cullahill scheme completes the State's investment of almost €2.6 billion on the entire 250km route from Dublin's M50 to Cork's Dunkettle interchange. The cost works out at about €10.4 million a kilometre

The 40km Y-shaped section will take Cork-bound traffic from the existing Portlaoise bypass to the existing M8 at Cullahill. It will also take Limerick-bound traffic from the Portlaoise bypass to Castletown, where remaining sections of the M7 Limerick motorway are under construction.

The route will bypass the towns of Abbeyleix, Durrow and Cullahill in Co Laois and is expected to cut the journey time from the M50 to Dunkettle by as much as 45 minutes.

At 250km, it should be possible to drive from the Red Cow and Dunkettle in about two hours and 30 minutes, allowing for lower speed limits along sections such as Newlands Cross in Dublin.

The 60km M3 motorway from Clonee on the Meath Dublin border to the Meath Cavan border provoked controversy, legal challenge and some direct action protests because of its route which passes through the Gabhra Valley between the hills of Tara and Skryne.

The route comes within one kilometre of the Hill at a point where a motorway interchange with the existing N3 occurs. Complaints about the process which permitted the destruction of a national monument were also made to the EU, some of which are on-going.

The route is expected to greatly ease peak time traffic between Kells and Dublin bypassing the towns of Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells.

The scheme includes a 4kilometre bypass of Kells on the N52 and 35 kilometres of Side roads. Also includes were two railway bridges, making provision for the reopening of the Dublin to Navan rail line.

The M3 was built as a single scheme, under a public private partnership and cost EUR1bn including land costs. It has taken some three years to construct. The contractor was M3 Motorway JV, a consortium involving Ferrovial, Siac and Budimex.

There will be two tolls on each route. The M8 will feature a new toll on the Portlaoise to Cullahill section, costing €1.80 for a passenger car. This is in addition to the existing toll of EUR1.90 on the route at Fermoy.

The M3 will feature two toll plazas, one at the Clonee end of the route, the other at Kells. The charge will be €1.30 for a passenger car at each toll.

Link

Stinicker

Good in time for All-Ireland Quarter Finals in Croke Park. We will now be able to drive all the way from Newry to Lissarda in Co. Cork (384kms) via the South Ring and Jack Lynch tunnel without encountering a single Motorway services area or filling station. Surely this will be a European record in the longest route without Motorway services.

veryangryman

Stinicker wrote: »

Good in time for All-Ireland Quarter Finals in Croke Park. We will now be able to drive all the way from Newry to Lissarda in Co. Cork (384kms) via the South Ring and Jack Lynch tunnel without encountering a single Motorway services area or filling station. Surely this will be a European record in the longest route without Motorway services.

Buy a SatNav or just get off at nearest exit most have a petrol station within half a mile

Jesus we cry over such small things here. There is 384KM of non-stop Motorway. If your mad enough to travel that far, you should know your way around at least some of the link roads on the route!

Service stations are a money-making scam that get more bad press than good. Just because our neighbours have them does not mean that they are of any use. Just one more excuse for charging airport prices for the sake of filling up your engine and grabbing a scone :mad:

piskins72

this might seem like a silly question, but since its the toll is just after the new part, and only the M8 part has been completed fully, are people using the M7 going to have to pay the toll also given that this part is not fully done yet?

MidlandsM

Yes - but for the toll, they'd avoid mountrath which makes it good value....lol

piskins72

MidlandsM wrote: »

Yes - but for the toll, they'd avoid mountrath which makes it good value....lol

oh yes for sure, especially after the Easter Weekend!

ardmacha

We will now be able to drive all the way from Newry to Lissarda in Co. Cork (384kms)

If you want petrol why not just stop on the Naas road?

L1011

ardmacha wrote: »

If you want petrol why not just stop on the Naas road?

Bingo. That route will have you passing two Esso and one Applegreen garage on-route and one Topaz garage on a sliproad. Reverse route will have you passing two Esso garages.

You can go from Ballybrit to Ballymena on DC without passing a station on your side of the road though - 406km!

BluntGuy

veryangryman wrote: »

Buy a SatNav or just get off at nearest exit most have a petrol station within half a mile

Jesus we cry over such small things here. There is 384KM of non-stop Motorway. If your mad enough to travel that far, you should know your way around at least some of the link roads on the route!

I'm not gonna turn this thread into a debate over MSAs, but what if you need baby changing facilities, what if the petrol station doesn't have somewhere you can take a p*ss, what if the petrol station isn't open 24 hours a day etc. MSAs are a natural part of most other European road networks... why should here be any different?

Yes, the NRA should probably sign existing services as an interim measure, but I still feel MSAs are necessary. The 60 km intervals they've proposed are perfectly adequate and the proposed size of the MSAs is nothing extravagent. A 24 hour petrol station, restraunt and facilities such as toilets, phone, internet in a convenient location is all that is needed. People don't like veering off the motorway to go into areas they are unfamiliar with. The satnavs you cite don't even have half of the new motorways in question on them.

This M7/M8 scheme would've been an ideal place to put an MSA, catching all South-West/Cork/Limerick<->Dublin traffic.

Hogzy

BluntGuy wrote: »

This M7/M8 scheme would've been an ideal place to put an MSA, catching all South-West/Cork/Limerick<->Dublin traffic.

WHat will the story be with the Portlaoise place that has subway and O briens, granted they dont have a fuel station but it is handy for restroom facilities and food. Will there be a nearby exit for you to take to access it?

Amtmann

Hogzy wrote: »

WHat will the story be with the Portlaoise place that has subway and O briens, granted they dont have a fuel station but it is handy for restroom facilities and food. Will there be a nearby exit for you to take to access it?

No new access road; people will still have to come off at junction 19, just as they do now.

MidlandsM

Hogzy wrote: »

WHat will the story be with the Portlaoise place that has subway and O briens, granted they dont have a fuel station but it is handy for restroom facilities and food. Will there be a nearby exit for you to take to access it?

You're referring to the "Midway" in Portlaoise.
I think there was word of a filling station going in there. There is room beside the Maldron hotel there, if there was a good 24hr one there, it'd be real handy for sure.:)

Rovi

Furet wrote: »

No new access road; people will still have to come off at junction 19, just as they do now.

That'd be Junction 17; J19 is the M7-M8 interchange.

Hogzy

Furet wrote: »

No new access road; people will still have to come off at junction 19, just as they do now.

All it would need is for some smart business person to open up a fueling station that is capable of a supplying to both cars and trucks. Mind you they probably wouldnt get planning for it though.
The Portlaoise place is basically on the motorway. I dont see why they cant make do with that place but just enhance it a little to make it more efficient for motorway use.

DWCommuter

The scheme includes a 4kilometre bypass of Kells on the N52 and 35 kilometres of Side roads. Also includes were two railway bridges, making provision for the reopening of the Dublin to Navan rail line.

While making some provision, in other areas, it made it horrendously expensive to reopen the rail line. New road embankments across the rail line and the grand canyon near Navan.