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

maclek

Chris_533976 wrote: »

I think if there are going to be any new projects started that its pretty obvious which companies are going to be picked to build them.

The ones with the right connections obviously...

El_Duderino 09

BluntGuy wrote: »

Well, unless you see some roadtop down with in the next four months (at the most), it will not hit its Q3 2010 target or even a Q4 2010 target. We're fast approaching the deadline event horizon for this particular scheme.

It's a shame CRG are proceeding so sluggishly on this scheme, because their workrate on the Waterford Bypass has been phenomenal. And let us not forget that that scheme involves a massive bridge.

I don't care for this rationale about keeping people in jobs for as long as possible constructing the road. As far as I'm concerned, roads should be built as quick as possible to minimize accidents.

If just ONE person dies on the M7/M8 stretches in question simply because the contractors deliberately slowed down...

Hey blunt guy turns out there is some blacktop down on 3 or 4 structures and side roads. Some havent been officially opened yet…
Im not sure if speed is necessarily a route to safety. The crews working are working flat out, although not doing weekends or late evenings. I don’t agree that the work rate is sluggish.
I also dont understand the point your making about speed and safety. I don’t see why someone is more likely to die because of the ‘slow’ rate of work. Surely accidents are more likely when jobs are under pressure.

L1011

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I also dont understand the point your making about speed and safety. I don’t see why someone is more likely to die because of the ‘slow’ rate of work. Surely accidents are more likely when jobs are under pressure.

He's talking about people dying in collisions on the current N7/N8 rather than not dying on the M7/M8 - motorways are hugely safer than S2/WS2 roads.

El_Duderino 09

MYOB wrote: »

He's talking about people dying in collisions on the current N7/N8 rather than not dying on the M7/M8 - motorways are hugely safer than S2/WS2 roads.

ah i see. point taken

mysterious

Right I passed the M7 today

• Portlaoise end bypass, foundations been layed for the wesbound slips to the Mountrath roundabout. The mainline section is still not very advanced since I seen it last, now sign of tarmac laying anytime soon.
• The new R445 overbridge between Mountrath and Portaoise, not much done here but "soil decorating" I emphaisis on this. decorating. In threew weeks only topsoil was leveled adjacent to the new road.
• Borris in Ossary half the rounabout is built and kerbing all ready . This is the M7 end of the scheme where it ties into the Castletown Nenagh section

The Castletown, is progressing ok, not slow or fast by any means from what I've seen on the main road passing by. The Moneygall section is progressing pretty fast from Clashnevin to Moneygall itself there is huge earthworks going on there. I was impressed by the amount of diggers there. So it would seem this scheme has no issue as the other M7 contractors had been having.

Porlaoise to Castletown scheme is really slow:(

El_Duderino 09

BluntGuy wrote: »

Well, unless you see some roadtop down with in the next four months (at the most), it will not hit its Q3 2010 target or even a Q4 2010 target. We're fast approaching the deadline event horizon for this particular scheme.

Turns out it looks like there starting laying CBM soon so they will make that target you mentioned. There are already a few Km of CBM down here and there.

Amtmann

Thanks for that El Duderino. Keep the updates coming!

Danno

Drove the R434 tonight and the M7 overbridge is all tarred and just ready to open. There is a savage amount of work going on on the R433 at Grantstown (between Ballacolla and Rathdowney) The roundabouts for the slip roads are completed, there is a load of work going on for a mile eitherside of the junction with ditches removed and markers for new roadway down. It seems there is more work in realigning old routes than on the motorway itself!

Amtmann

Okay, I took a stack of pictures of the M7/M8 PPP scheme today. A lot of progress has been made since I last visited the site at the start of February.

This first group of photos shows the M8 leg of the scheme around the first overbridge you can see from the current N8 after you come off the Cashel to Cullahill temporary roundabout.

This is the view from underneath that overbridge:


As you can see, it is absolutely massive. This is surprising, because this is the little lane that it will replace:


Looking south, this shows the mainline as one looks towards the northern terminus of the M8 Cashel to Cullahill scheme from the summit of that overbridge:


...while this is the view north towards Cullahill/Portlaoise/Dublin:


Also from this overbridge - albeit from ground level - looking south the mainline appears thus (the street lights in the distance are at the temporary roundabout/sliproad):


As you can see, there's still a lot of scaffolding around the bridge. It will be a long time yet before it's operational:


***

About 4 kilometres further north, (and west of Cullahill), the contractors have made good progress excavating rock in the past two months. Again, these photos are of the M8 leg:

This photo shows the M8 mainline southwards. The structure that I'm standing beside is an overbridge under construction:


From the same position looking north:


From the same position looking west (again, this overbridge is far from finished):


***

The following few photos show M8 junction 3 under construction.

This large structure will carry the M8 mainline at junction 3:


When you stand atop the structure shown above and look north, this is what you see:


The view south from the same position (quite unadvanced):


Also viewed from the structure, the junction roundabouts have been put in place. In terms of layout, junction 3 will be quite similar to junction 11 south of Cahir:


The contractors badly need to improve site security here. There is a batching plant adjacent to where I was standing with several huge heaps of loose stone chippings. If a child wandered in the consequences could be unthinkable.

Amtmann

***

Moving on, here is a view of the M8 (looking south) where it will cross the R434 which links Durrow with Borris-in-Ossory. The overbridge will not be opened for some time yet:


The M8 from the same position, this time looking north:


Just a little further west along the R434 you encounter the M7 leg of the scheme. This overbridge is almost ready to realign the R434:


Now, from the top of the new overbridge shown above, here is the M7 mainline as one looks north:


And here is the M7 from the same position looking towards Limerick. Note that CBM has been laid here - and make no mistake, this is a good sign!


***

This picture shows the M7 looking towards Portlaoise. By now, the M8 has ended and this mainline will carry both the Cork and Limerick traffic to Dublin:


From the same position, looking south:


Here is the toll plaza, as seen from the present N7:

Irish and Proud

Furet wrote: »

***

Moving on, here is a view of the M8 (looking south) where it will cross the R434 which links Durrow with Borris-in-Ossory. The overbridge will not be opened for some time yet:


The M8 from the same position, this time looking north:


Just a little further west along the R434 you encounter the M7 leg of the scheme. This overbridge is almost ready to realign the R434:


Now, from the top of the new overbridge shown above, here is the M7 mainline as one looks north:


And here is the M7 from the same position looking towards Limerick. Note that CBM has been laid here - and make no mistake, this is a good sign!


***

This picture shows the M7 looking towards Portlaoise. By now, the M8 has ended and this mainline will carry both the Cork and Limerick traffic to Dublin:


From the same position, looking south:


Here is the toll plaza, as seen from the present N7:

Nic pics mate!

...looks like that scheme is finally taking off, now that the winter and the M8 C-C scheme are out of the way. Of course upon completion, this will be the final piece of the jigsaw on the road to Cork!

Regards!

Chris_533976

Thanks Actually this looks pretty good, more advanced than what I expected.

Amtmann

Does the toll plaza look a little small for the combined Cork/Limerick traffic?

BluntGuy

I'm surprised actually at the progress - this definately could be on track for 2010. But we shouldn't get too carried away... delays are still possible.

KevR

Furet wrote: »

Does the toll plaza look a little small for the combined Cork/Limerick traffic?

It does look small. Is that structure in the picture just for one direction/carriageway (i.e - 6 barriers in each direction)? Or is that the complete structure for both directions (i.e - 3 barriers in each direction)?

Either way it seems a bit low. The M4 has 9 barriers in each direction (18 total/both directions) on the mainline toll plaza.

Amtmann

Hard to tell Kev. That photo was taken on maximum zoom, but it seems to be for the whole motorway.

mysterious

I still can't get over the stupidity and incompetence in the design of this scheme. Every bridge on this route is a two pier bridge at each verge, meaning it does not have future scope for widening.

The following schemes that can be widened (under countruction and completed schemes
M7-Nenagh Limerick scheme .
M9 Killcullen - Carlow scheme
M8(N8) Dunkettle to Fermoy.
M4/M6 Kilcock to Kinnegad

Which one of the M8 schemes can be widened? And which one of the M6 schemes has these wider bridges?
The Fermoy bypass I know is all two pier bridge's.
One of the M8 schemes is one pier bridge, I think It's the Cullahill to Cashel scheme am I right?

Also, why are some motorways getting wider bridges and some not. I just don't get how the M7/M8 scheme didn't get the wider bridges since it's already going to be 21,000 - 25,000 A.A.D.T in the opening year. Plus the fact that it carries two motorways etc.

murphaph

mysterious wrote: »

I still can't get over the stupidity and incompetence in the design of this scheme. Every bridge on this route is a two pier bridge at each verge, meaning it does not have future scope for widening.

The following schemes that can be widened (under countruction and completed schemes
M7-Nenagh Limerick scheme .
M9 Killcullen - Carlow scheme
M8(N8) Dunkettle to Fermoy.
M4/M6 Kilcock to Kinnegad

Which one of the M8 schemes can be widened? And which one of the M6 schemes has these wider bridges?
The Fermoy bypass I know is all two pier bridge's.
One of the M8 schemes is one pier bridge, I think It's the Cullahill to Cashel scheme am I right?

Also, why are some motorways getting wider bridges and some not. I just don't get how the M7/M8 scheme didn't get the wider bridges since it's already going to be 21,000 - 25,000 A.A.D.T in the opening year. Plus the fact that it carries two motorways etc.

How does it stand up? It might be better if you spoke about abuttments, spans and columns.

The relatively sensible aproach has been made here. There's a finite budget and the sections of motorway which could relatively easily be widened are all near their terminals, ie, near cities and larger towns (the commuter belts). The bits in the middle are running through mostly rural land past smaller towns. Most individual journies will be around the terminals and fewer journies will be intercity, despite that being the actual intention of an Inter urban road.

We also should remember that Ireland is NOT building a UK-like system whereby all traffic is sent to a handful of trunk roads. we are building a mini-Autobahn network where traffic will have alternative paths and so traffic will be more dispersed across the network. Most of the German Autobahn you will note is D2M, just like Ireland because in Germany (like Ireland probably) they believe in building new roads, not just repeatedly widening exixting ones (standard UK practice for the last 20+years).

The other (often overlooked benefit) is that a major incident on the M8 won't stop Cork-Dublin traffic from taking a motorway/motorway like road all the way to Dublin/Belfast. In the UK a major incident on the M1/M6 shuts down half the country!

El_Duderino 09

KevR wrote: »

It does look small. Is that structure in the picture just for one direction/carriageway (i.e - 6 barriers in each direction)? Or is that the complete structure for both directions (i.e - 3 barriers in each direction)?

Either way it seems a bit low. The M4 has 9 barriers in each direction (18 total/both directions) on the mainline toll plaza.

If you look again and use your imagination youl see that its 7 in each direction. its easy toll anyway so no big delay

Irish and Proud

mysterious wrote: »

I still can't get over the stupidity and incompetence in the design of this scheme. Every bridge on this route is a two pier bridge at each verge, meaning it does not have future scope for widening.

The following schemes that can be widened (under countruction and completed schemes
M7-Nenagh Limerick scheme .
M9 Killcullen - Carlow scheme
M8(N8) Dunkettle to Fermoy.
M4/M6 Kilcock to Kinnegad

Which one of the M8 schemes can be widened? And which one of the M6 schemes has these wider bridges?
The Fermoy bypass I know is all two pier bridge's.
One of the M8 schemes is one pier bridge, I think It's the Cullahill to Cashel scheme am I right?

Also, why are some motorways getting wider bridges and some not. I just don't get how the M7/M8 scheme didn't get the wider bridges since it's already going to be 21,000 - 25,000 A.A.D.T in the opening year. Plus the fact that it carries two motorways etc.

Well, I certainly can't understand why the section from Portlaoise to the M7/M8 junction isn't WD2 like the current M7 - firstly, it has a capacity of 55k PCUs as opposed to 44.1k for Standard D2 - secondly, the WD2 can easily be converted to Standard D3 when the need arises. The M4 K-K scheme commenced around 2003/2004 when the scheme could have easily been switched to the narrow median type like the Ashbourne Bypass was - however, I think the engineers went with the WD2 type so that a D3 conversion would be easy to achieve - 1.0m from each verge, plus 2 x 1.5m from the median - plenty of room!

Also, if engineers are going for the 2 pillar arrangement on a Standard D2, surely it would make sense to make the verges 5m under the bridges so that an additional 3.5m lane could easily be provided with a reduced verge - the centre span would be 31.5m. What I don't like about the single pillar arrangement is that engineers tend to create swerves in the carriageways in order to avoid to pillars - the Gorey Bypass is an example of this.

darkman2

How long is the M8 now? Is it the longest continuous stretch in the country? It's a bit confusing as someone who does not know that part of the country well. Is there gaps in it still?

Does anyone have an exact map of what is built and what is under construction?

Thanks!

Also the M7/8 section - is the Mway split going to involve an underbridge or an overbridge?

BluntGuy

darkman2 wrote: »

How long is the M8 now? Is it the longest continuous stretch in the country? It's a bit confusing as someone who does not know that part of the country well. Is there gaps in it still?

Does anyone have an exact map of what is built and what is under construction?

Thanks!

Also the M7/8 section - is the Mway split going to involve an underbridge or an overbridge?

To answer your questions:

- The M8 is the longest SINGLE NUMBER stretch of motorway in the country (102 km)

- It exists in two parts: the M8 Fermoy Bypass - 17.5km and the M8 Cullahill-Mitchelstown - 83 km

- The M4/M6 is the longest continuous stretch of motorway in the country - 112 km

- The M8 WILL be the longest stretch of continous motorway in the country when both the Fermoy - Mitchelstown scheme opens and the Dunkettle-Watergrasshill stretch of N8 is redesignated.

- EDIT: Actually, I don't know whether it's an underbridge or an overbridge. Looking at the diagram, I'd say overbridge.

- Map: www.openstreetmap.org

Amtmann

darkman2 wrote: »

How long is the M8 now? Is it the longest continuous stretch in the country? It's a bit confusing as someone who does not know that part of the country well. Is there gaps in it still?

Does anyone have an exact map of what is built and what is under construction?

Thanks!

Darkman, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_motorway_(Ireland)

Also the M7/8 section - is the Mway split going to involve an underbridge or an overbridge?

I'd like to know that too.

BluntGuy

Furet wrote: »

I'd like to know that too.

BluntGuy

Actually, is it an overbridge?

I'm beginning to think it is now...

Amtmann

Very hard to tell.

Rovi??

G_R

im not a map reader or anything but that looks like an overbridge to me

Chris_533976

Looks to me like M8 north will be over the M7.

I'm looking also at where the carriageways split and where the most likely incline would be, to get one carriageway up over the other.

mysterious

The M8 NB slip flys over the M7, if you had read the CPO/EIS on this scheme you would know.:P

BluntGuy

mysterious wrote: »

The M8 NB slip flys over the M7, if you had read the CPO/EIS on this scheme you would know.:P

Could you link us to the page where it says that.