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

MidlandsM

db wrote: »

The Motors forum is over that way

---

>. They love these posts over there. This forum is for discussing the infrastructure.

..and the back seat modding forum is dattaway >>>>>:D

Amtmann

db is right though. Speed limits are off topic. I'll delete further off-topic posts.

Irish and Proud

namaimo wrote: »

I know the Taoiseach is opening the road today at 12pm but what time is it open to the public?

I heard 4pm...

BluntGuy

Who's covering the story? Any radio, TV? etc.

Hogzy

BluntGuy wrote: »

Who's covering the story? Any radio, TV? etc.

Well considering the opening of each sections have been covered by RTE on the Six One im sure the completion of the first major Inter-Urban will defo be covered.

EDIT: RTE Coverage

MidlandsM

BluntGuy wrote: »

Who's covering the story? Any radio, TV? etc.

it's just been on the 1 o clock news on RTE1.

brainyneuron

Furet wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0528/breaking15.html
The Taosieach has opened the last section of the Dublin to Cork motorway today.

The new section will reduce the journey time from Dublin’s Red Cow roundabout to Cork’s Dunkettle Interchange from about three hours to two hours 20 minutes.

At about two hours 50 minutes city centre to city centre on average, the travel time now compares with Iarnród Éireann’s advertised intercity services between Dublin and Cork, which range from about two hours 45 minutes to three hours 15 minutes.

It also compares with the 7.30am Aircoach service from Cork city which arrives at Dublin airport at 10.50 am.

Morning Ryanair and Aer Arran flights from Cork to Dublin are scheduled to take 50 and 55 minutes respectively. Considering a check-in time of at least one hour before flights, travelling by road will from today also be comparable to travelling by air.

It is a long way from the late 1970s or 1980s when, according to the AA, the average journey time between Dublin and Cork was between four and 30 minutes and five hours.

The main Dublin to Cork road, the T6, then went via Kilkenny, which was slightly longer than today’s M8.

Developed at a cost of €2.6 billion, the motorway from Dublin to Cork first takes the N7/M7 southwest from Dublin, via Co Kildare to Portlaoise, Co Laois.

From there it swings south to become the M8 and continues through Co Tipperary to Co Cork and the Dunkettle Interchange, from where it becomes the N8 into Cork City.

The route, at 253km, is the longest of five major inter-urban routes designed to link Dublin with the regional cities and the Border.

The other routes link Dublin to Galway, Limerick, Waterford and northwest of Dundalk on the Border with Northern Ireland.

Just 218km of the Dublin to Cork route is to be officially designated motorway, stretching from the Dunkettle Interchange to Naas in Co Kildare. From there to Dublin’s Red Cow Roundabout there are 20km of triple-carriageway on the N7, followed by about eight kilometres of the N7 to Dublin city centre.

The distance from Cork city to the Dunkettle Interchange is about four kilometres. The total distance city centre to city centre is about 253 kilometres.

At about 238km of motorway and high-grade triple-carriageway, the cost of the upgrade works out at almost €11 million per kilometre.

This compares with €40 million per kilometre for the Luas extension to Cherrywood, which is due to open in October.

It also compares with a cost of less than €2 million per kilometre for the reopening the Western Rail Corridor between Ennis, Co Clare, and Athenry, Co Galway.

The cost of Metro North, assuming a price tag of €5 billion, is €277 million per kilometre.

The opening of the final section from Portlaoise to Cullahill in Co Laois will bypass the commuter towns of Abbeyleix, Durrow and Cullahill.

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.

A toll plaza is to be installed, taking in traffic on both the Limerick and Cork routes and is expected to net millions on the new route alone.

The toll will be 90 cents for a motorbike, rising to €5.70 for heavy goods vehicles. Passenger cars are to be charged €1.80.

Coining It: Motorway Fees

Motorists travelling through the new M7/M8 junction will be asked to pay a toll of €1.80 per car, rising to €5.70 for trucks, to access the newly completed motorway between Dublin and Cork.

Motorists travelling through the same junction to and from Limerick will have to pay the toll – with the Limerick part of the motorway running out after 10km.

From today, motorists heading in the Cork direction will pass the Portlaoise junction and travel for 17km along the new road to the plaza. After the plaza, they will swing south for 14km to link up with the existing M8 to Cork.

Motorists heading in the Limerick direction will pass the Portlaoise junction and travel for 17km along the new road in a southwesterly direction to the plaza. From there, they will travel on 10km of motorway before returning to the old N7 close to Borris-in-Ossory.

But as the new toll plaza serves the M7 and M8, all traffic using the junction must pay. An NRA spokesman acknowledged the anomaly, but said the Limerick motorway was due to be completed by this October.

Jayzus who wrote that article?? "It also compares.....it also compares..." That must have been written in a hurry! :rolleyes:

Will be using the motorway tomorrow, will be great not to have to go through Abbeyliex! But I also think that 2+ hours driving on a motorway gets really boring! I'm so used to the Cork-Galway route now that I don't really mind all the narrow roads, villages etc Each village is a target to get to and its like ticking off a list as you go! In saying that though, will be v happy when Limerick is bypassed, will make such a difference to the journey!

cantalach

Hogzy wrote: »

Well considering the opening of each sections have been covered by RTE on the Six One im sure the completion of the first major Inter-Urban will defo be covered.[/URL]

Hasn't the accolade of first inter-urban to be completed already been taken by Dublin-Galway?

BluntGuy

brainyneuron wrote: »

Jayzus who wrote that article?? "It also compares.....it also compares..." That must have been written in a hurry! :rolleyes:

The article is pretty rubbish I'll agree. But at least it points out a couple of interesting facts that the less road-saavy/obsessed may not have known until now.

The end of the article is where it unfortunately disintegrates into utter crap.

Making up stuff like "triple carriageway" and then giving completely irrelevant comparisons to other projects.

Amtmann

Watch the report here: http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0528/transport_av.html

Amtmann

New improved facebook fanpages for the M7 and M8 here and here respectively. Spread the word folks!

Krusty26665

I wonder if anyone could help me a little, I have only lived in Ireland for a year and am still trying to come to grips with the motorway system. I regularly travel from Thurles to Dubin and would usually come off the Motorway and travel through Cullahill, Abbeylix & Durrow (painfully slowly at times!) and then get back on at the Midway services roundabout. Does the opening of the new bypass mean that I won't have to do this anymore and be able to carry straight on? Many thanks for any help with this

Amtmann

Krusty26665 wrote: »

I wonder if anyone could help me a little, I have only lived in Ireland for a year and am still trying to come to grips with the motorway system. I regularly travel from Thurles to Dubin and would usually come off the Motorway and travel through Cullahill, Abbeylix & Durrow (painfully slowly at times!) and then get back on at the Midway services roundabout. Does the opening of the new bypass mean that I won't have to do this anymore and be able to carry straight on? Many thanks for any help with this

Yes, you can carry straight on now.

Danno

Have a few photos from today around 1pm...

Leaving the N77 at Durrow... waiting for the last time!


Short enough tailback in Abbeyliex in the N8...


Next few are of the new signage on the Portlaoise Midway roundabout J17...












Tailbacks heading south back into Abbeyleix N8...


Leaving Abbeyleix towards Durrow, tailbacks on northbound N8...


The stage set for Biffo and Co on Durrow Greens... due in at 6pm tonight...

Krusty26665

To Furet - Thanks for the quick reply,thats great news, should cut a good time off the journey and a lot of stress!!!! Just need to wait for the Limerick bypass to open then both the ferry & airport journeys should be alot easier!;)

larrym

Furet wrote: »

db is right though. Speed limits are off topic. I'll delete further off-topic posts.

Yeah sorry to get off topic on such a momentous day.
I'm off out to enjoy the new motoway and try hit 160 before evening traffic hits

Our man in Havana

Why was the N8 from J17 to Durrow re designated as N77?

Stark

So that the N77 would still link into the national road network is my guess.

Amtmann

She's open to traffic now...

Jomcc

Passed thru Borris In Ossory 30 minutes ago. Signs on Main road saying Motorway opens Friday and arrows pointing towards motorway. All traffic coming up to join motorway to find it not yet open........Pure stupidity. Why could they not say opening at 3:30???????:rolleyes::rolleyes:

big mce

Heading towards Dublin isn't open yet, guys sitting at the cones waiting to move them, going to turn around and wait till 4

Our man in Havana

The signage at the first roundabout off the N7 is appalling. No diagram style signage.

Zuisse

from AA Roadwatch

Laois - The new 41km stretch of the M7/M8 Portlaoise Motorway Scheme southbound has opened to traffic
Updated: 28/05/2010 15:47:35
The northbound carriageway should be open by 4:15/30pm. The M7 runs from Portlaoise to Castletown bypassing Mountrath and Borris-in-Ossory and the M8 stretches from Portlaoise to Cullahill, bypassing Abbeyleix, Cullahill and Durrow, with the average journey time from Dublin to Cork dropping to 2.5 hours. * The toll plaza is located between J18 Portlaoise Interchange and J19 M7/M8. Passenger cars are to be charged €1.80. * The opening ceremony of the M8/Durrow Bypass will take place in Durrow from 6pm. Large crowds are expected in the Square to celebrate.

Danno

Haddockman wrote: »

Why was the N8 from J17 to Durrow re designated as N77?

I think there were three options for the N77...

1. Run it from Durrow to the Cullohill roundabout (but then they axed that roundabout which would have been M8 - J3)

2. Build the N77 from Durrow to the current J3 at Manor Stone (between Ballacolla) this probably cost too much to improve back roads

3. Run it to Portlaoise (which they did) with in mind of creating a M9/N10/N77/N80 Waterford to Athlone/Midlands artety.

Thats my take on it.

Danno

Zuisse wrote: »

from AA Roadwatch - The opening ceremony of the M8/Durrow Bypass will take place in Durrow from 6pm. Large crowds are expected in the Square to celebrate.

Hopfully I will get some photos for the thread also!!!

Our man in Havana

What have they done to the former N8 south of Durrow?

Amtmann

Haddockman wrote: »

What have they done to the former N8 south of Durrow?

It's been reclassified the "R639", a regional route. North of Durrow the old N8 has been reclassified as the N77.

damoz

Will be heading Cork to Dublin in a couple of hours. Oh how ill miss Abbeyleix ... NOT. Might see if i can get a photo of two for ye.

munchkin_utd

Furet wrote: »

It's been reclassified the "R639", a regional route. North of Durrow the old N8 has been reclassified as the N77.

Making it the only toll dodge road in the country with a limit of 100kmh (along most of its length)??

tinkerbell

So on the new M7/M8 toll, my friend doesn't have a tag - will she be charged the usual way like on the M50 (pay before 8pm on following evening) or are there people there manning the toll bridge so you just hand them the toll moneys?

Thanks!