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

larryone

OpenStreetMap is getting there.
As IrlJidel was saying, the mapnik server was having trouble. The admins have fixed it now, but going through a large backlog of tiles that still need to be re-rendered.
The motorway is now partially rendered on most zoom levels.
If anyone could get some traces so that we can map the junctions more accurately it'd be great. =0)

GeneHunt

It was my first time using the Urlingford link road (R693 to J4) It’s a disappointment link road after seeing the new Dunshaughin link road (R125) from the M3 or the ring road around Dunboyne with there wide lanes.

It’s a pity a junction wasn’t built where that roundabout south of Cullohill was, it could have been like Junction 12 (north of Mitchelstown) and call it Junction 3 and junction 3 could have been called Junction 2...

Danno

Furet wrote: »

I can't help but feel that a partial N80 bypass of Portlaoise should have been constructed as part of this scheme, going from M7 junction 18 west of Portlaoise to North of Portlaoise.

Believe it or not, that route already exists! It is so poorly signposted though - nobody knows about it!

The route runs from Laois GAA's O'Moore Park, through Clonminam, over the rail line and meets the R445 (Really old N7). One should turn right and proceed back into Portlaoise from there (turning left brings you back to the M7 J18). A temporary roundabout exists halfways down the hill at Portlaoise College. Turn left there and go straight through all the roundabouts to rejoin the N80 at Fairgreen.

Carawaystick

Danno wrote: »

Believe it or not, that route already exists! It is so poorly signposted though - nobody knows about it!

The route runs from Laois GAA's O'Moore Park, through Clonminam, over the rail line and meets the R445 (Really old N7). One should turn right and proceed back into Portlaoise from there (turning left brings you back to the M7 J18). A temporary roundabout exists halfways down the hill at Portlaoise College. Turn left there and go straight through all the roundabouts to rejoin the N80 at Fairgreen.

All it's missing is a junction to get onto the M7 from the N80 coming from Carlow...

Danno

I drove the M8 from J4 Urlingford to J3 Rathdowney last night and was surprised how bumpy the surface is for a new road. The rock cut out at Cullohill is nicely left - very similar to the feature at Johnstown.

I also had to laugh at two cars going 360 around the roundabout at Cullohill. Toll dodgers!

Amtmann

no1beemerfan wrote: »

Finally did anyone find the new section going southbound at portlaoise very bumpy?

GeneHunt wrote: »

Drove on the new section last night, I notice a few bumpy places going north bound - one that stands one for me is on the M8 just after going through the tunnel under the M7.

Danno wrote: »

I drove the M8 from J4 Urlingford to J3 Rathdowney last night and was surprised how bumpy the surface is for a new road.

CrowdedHouse

That's really surprising about the surface, the only m road I travel regularly is the m6 Loughrea to Galway - it's like the proverbial billiard table

mariaod

hi,

Could anyone tell me what exit to take on the motor way if i am travelling from cork to carlow?

IS there an exit for ballacolla?

thanks alot

Amtmann

mariaod wrote: »

hi,

Could anyone tell me what exit to take on the motor way if i am travelling from cork to carlow?

IS there an exit for ballacolla?

thanks alot

Exit 3.

tinkerbell

I drove the new road yesterday, love it! Did use more petrol but defo worth it Thought the new part of motorway was very bumpy though, not really smooth at all which is disappointing.

Danno

Its not exceptionally bumpy or anything... just when you know you are on a new road you'd expect it to be as smooth as glass. It's smoother than the Newbridge M7 bypass... but then again that's over 20 years old!

Tragedy

Also found it very bumpy, a lot worse than the Nenagh to Birdhill to section, and a little worse than the M50 Firhouse -> Dundrum.

Irish and Proud

...was on the new road between Portlaoise and Borris both ways. Southbound, the road was a bit bumpy up to the Toll Plaza, fine from there to beyond the M8 Junction, and a bit bumpy in places to Borris. Northbound seemed better on the way back. There was also a surprising seam in the surface near Borris, like it curved its way across as if there was a diversion in the mainline - would love to know what happened there.

Regards!

tinkerbell

Ok so can I ask why the fools who opened the new stretch of the M7 didn't bother to sort out the signs coming up to the road or even the speed limit signs? There are so many signs on it that have Dublin greyed out (the grey paint or whatever it is over the name), the 120 signs have grey all over them if you're coming on from some of the slips after Borris-in-Ossory, and even there are no proper signs to get onto motorway if you're getting on it just before Borris-in-Ossory!

Tiz a crowd of goons running the show, I mean seriously - signs not even sorted out yet. And going Borris-in-Ossory up to Dublin is just as bumpy as the other direction, it's actually a disgrace for a new road, particularly just before it joins the original M7 at Portlaoise.

Amtmann

I must say it's very disappointing to hear about the uneven surface. It's not like the scheme was rushed or anything - almost 35 months it took them, whereas a comparable scheme like Cashel to Cullahill took only 26 months.

Regarding the bumpiness, is this a blacktop issue or is it indicative of poorly laid CBM?

I will be driving Dublin to Cashel on the night of 13 June and I'm looking forward to it already.

Irish and Proud

tinkerbell wrote: »

Ok so can I ask why the fools who opened the new stretch of the M7 didn't bother to sort out the signs coming up to the road or even the speed limit signs? There are so many signs on it that have Dublin greyed out (the grey paint or whatever it is over the name), the 120 signs have grey all over them if you're coming on from some of the slips after Borris-in-Ossory, and even there are no proper signs to get onto motorway if you're getting on it just before Borris-in-Ossory!

Tiz a crowd of goons running the show, I mean seriously - signs not even sorted out yet. And going Borris-in-Ossory up to Dublin is just as bumpy as the other direction, it's actually a disgrace for a new road, particularly just before it joins the original M7 at Portlaoise.

About the "M7 signage" :rolleyes: around Borris, totally agree - non-existant! Was navigating with someboby in car - she wondered if it was a mistake when I directed her up the link road as she saw no sign for the M7 - this did surprise me too!

About the surface, it is certainly not as good as it should be - I wouldn't describe it as very bumpy, but I certainly wouldn't describe it as ultra smooth either - hope the contractors will be made rectify the problem, just like what seems to have happened with the M50 between J7 and J9 - that section used to be very bumpy (much worse than the M7/M8 scheme) - J9 to J10 (M50) is still quite bumpy though.

Regards!

roosterman71

Just a couple of observations.

1. the M8 is much busier than the M7. I spent a while today at the split and the M8 is definitely getting more traffic in both directions.
2. The M7 southbound is busier than the northbound
3. The old N7 in Borris In Ossory is very quiet heading for Limerick. But is still busy heading for Dublin. Opposite to the M7

I guess the above stands to reason. The M8 is completed, motorway the whole way now. The M7 is busy heading for Limerick because the traffic doesn't have to veer off the mainline. Whereas coming into Borris In Ossory, there's a couple of miles to go to get to the M7. Plus the lack of signage means people are just continuing along the existing route.

csd

Furet wrote: »

That's the second incorrect sign reported (the M8 is signed E20 at junction 3 as well, which is also wrong). However, the www.midlink.ie site doesn't seem to have any email address for the managing company, so it would be a bit awkward to inform them at the moment.

The E20 thing is (sort of) fixed now. I think they've removed the offending plate, because I didn't see it on my trip up and down the new section today, however one of the RCSs was missing the Euro route number.

/csd

csd

Boys and girls,

Here are some photos of a trip southbound along the Cork leg, taken today.

Enjoy,

/csd

1. Approaching the old N8 exit for Cork, they've updated the signage to reflect the opening of the new motorway.


2. Approaching the old end of the motorway, with Cork now signed straight ahead.


3. RCS after the Mountrath junction at the start of the new section.


4. Warning of the toll plaza.


5. Toll plaza. I'm in the express lane, which is compatible with all tags. €1.80 for cars.


6. Plenty of advance warning for the Cork exit; the signs start at 4km out.


7. Here's the gantry at 1km. The VMS in the background says "Welcome to Ireland's newest motorway/Drive carefully".


8. The slip for the M8 exit runs for about 500 metres. Should be long enough if you've been paying attention to any of the previous signs.


9. Diverge point.


10. We're now on the M8. Shortly after the M7 split, there is signage in English and Irish warning that there are no online services, but offline services are available in 20km, 60km, and 100km. A motorway service area for the M8 is part of Tranche 2 of the MSAs, so hopefully online services will be built next year when some money should become available as the major programme of building the inter-urban motorways will be finished.


11. Approaching junction 3, for Abbeyleix. Junction 2 was never built.


12. RCS after J3. The M8 is also designated the E201.


13. This layby is not designated for parking; the sign reads "Garda only" and there's a gate available to close off access.


14. Cutting section of the M8.


15. End of the new section. The tie-in with the Cullahill - Cashel section is just around this bend. The temporary access to the old N8 has been removed.

df1985

so sunday evening, traditionally a bottle neck time on the old route? has anyone done cork to dublin this evening and in what time?

Funkstard

Sorry if I've missed this, but if I'm heading to Limerick now, until where is now motorway?

csd

Funkstard wrote: »

Sorry if I've missed this, but if I'm heading to Limerick now, until where is now motorway?

Naas to Borris-in-Ossory and Nenagh to Birdhill are now motorway, .

/csd

KevR

Nice photos csd!!

csd wrote: »

13. This layby is not designated for parking; the sign reads "Garda only" and there's a gate available to close off access.

Is it just me or does anyone else think this gate should be painted? It blends in with the road by day and I'm guessing it would be difficult to see at night also.

The plastic bollard beside the gate are orange and reflective for a very good reason..

Danno

The gate should be painted. Good suggestion. Why the need for a gate though!

trap4

roosterman71 wrote: »

Just a couple of observations.

1. the M8 is much busier than the M7. I spent a while today at the split and the M8 is definitely getting more traffic in both directions.
2. The M7 southbound is busier than the northbound
3. The old N7 in Borris In Ossory is very quiet heading for Limerick. But is still busy heading for Dublin. Opposite to the M7

Not surprising - I travelled Portaloise to Borris yesterday southbound on new M7 and measured it as 2 miles longer than when I was going up the old road two days prior. How much time did I save? A grand total of 3 minutes (granted I travelled up the old road off-peak). Still, I can't see myself spending €1.80 to see it again until such time as the rest of it is complete.

By the way, can someone please link to an explanation of the Toll signage (as in the electronic display at the toll itself). I couldn't make head nor tail of what it indicated so just chanced driving into the middle one.

SeanW

The changes are filtering through on OSM - the new Motorways can be seen in full on views from the closest zoom to 11th closest, or to 9th most general. Should be all fixed in the next 24 hours.

Our man in Havana

trap4 wrote: »

Not surprising - I travelled Portaloise to Borris yesterday southbound on new M7 and measured it as 2 miles longer than when I was going up the old road two days prior. How much time did I save? A grand total of 3 minutes (granted I travelled up the old road off-peak). Still, I can't see myself spending €1.80 to see it again until such time as the rest of it is complete.

Most of that extra 2 miles is fapping around with the link road at the end to get you back to the existing N7. The new road suits me fine as I live on the Rathdowney side of Borris. If you are heading into Borris itself or onwards to Roscrea the savings are as you say negligible and not worth €1.80 at present.

digiman

df1985 wrote: »

so sunday evening, traditionally a bottle neck time on the old route? has anyone done cork to dublin this evening and in what time?

From Dunkettle to Red Cow took me about 1 hour 50mins this evening, (6-8pm) 5mins slower than when I went down yesterday. Very impressed with the new road.

Chris_5339762

The big test will be next weekend. I'm fully expecting it to take me as long to get from the centre of Dublin to Newlands as it will to get me from Newlands to Dunkettle

eoinm1

As the old N7 was a 100KPH national primary route and new M7 120KPH motorway is tolled will the old stretch be reduced to 80KPH?

My thinking is that as it is tolled this section should remain 100KPH as if you want to go faster you can pay, but if your not happy to pay extra you should not be made go slower.

Does any one know the official line on this?

When a tolled motorway is put in place is the old N road checked to 80KPH?


Regards,
Eoin