M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

NedNew

mfitzy wrote: »

Well 2 stretches are due to open at roughly the same time; Kilcullen-Carlow and Waterford-Danesfort in October/November. So that should amke your dillema easier i.e. the bit between KK and Carlow bypass (20 miles or so) will not be Motorway for a time, all the rest will be. And bear in mind this is a reasonably good standard of road already. So with 13 miles of a longer journey on a worse road only true Wexford/Wicklow lovers will choose the N11 route :cool:

According to Google Maps there is a difference of only 11 km:

• N9 160 km – about 2 hours 21 mins
• N25/N30/N11 171 km – about 2 hours 28 mins

And only 7 minutes in time difference. Also depending on which part of Dublin you wanted to go to, the N25/M30/N11 route might be better.

The choice will be academic of course once the M9 opens!

road_high

NedNew wrote: »

According to Google Maps there is a difference of only 11 km:

• N9 160 km – about 2 hours 21 mins
• N25/N30/N11 171 km – about 2 hours 28 mins

And only 7 minutes in time difference. Also depending on which part of Dublin you wanted to go to, the N25/M30/N11 route might be better.

The choice will be academic of course once the M9 opens!

I put into AA Routeplanner and got Waterford-Dublin via Enniscorthy 115.3mile
,via N9 102.9 miles. Maybe it's not going direct into city centre perhaps.

But as you say, irrelevant when M9 is complete. Especailly as most of the traffic is prob bound for the West and north side of the city like the main industrial estates, airport and port.

BO-JANGLES

How long will it take to cummute to Dublin from Carlow once the M9 is completed? Thanks

tramor

I went for a cycle today on the Kilmeaden end of the Waterford bypass, and met one of the security guards. He says the target opening date for the bypass is 25th Sept, because Ascon will be charged E150,000 per day for every day past this date it is not open. Could this be true? Also (his English was not that good and I was a bit winded, it is quite hilly there) I got the impression there was similar pressure to get the M9 Waterford-Knocktopher section open.

If it's true, this would certainly stop any tendency to delay finishing the sections, just because there is no new project to move onto.

L1011

Charged? As its a toll road surely its a case of them losing money for every day its not open? Ascon are part of the group that bid for it so I doubt they'd be charging themselves money for failing to open it!

Their tolling period has been ticking down since 2006 either way though - its 30 years from April 06 irrelevant of when the road opens.

Bards

MYOB wrote: »

Charged? As its a toll road surely its a case of them losing money for every day its not open? Ascon are part of the group that bid for it so I doubt they'd be charging themselves money for failing to open it!

Their tolling period has been ticking down since 2006 either way though - its 30 years from April 06 irrelevant of when the road opens.

Yes, they will still be fined by the NRA/Govt. Remember the Govt/Tax Payer bought the land for them to build their (CRG) Toll Road. There is still a penalty for CRG by not finishing on time

Road-Hog

Bards wrote: »

Yes, they will still be fined by the NRA/Govt. Remember the Govt/Tax Payer bought the land for them to build their (CRG) Toll Road. There is still a penalty for CRG by not finishing on time

Yes there may be a penalty to CRG for not finishing on time written into the contract but they are rearly if ever applied.....what financial damage does the NRA suffer if a road does not open on time, CRG who will own and maintain the road for the next 26 years or so will suffer a lot more in lost revenue for each day the opening is delayed.

Road-Hog

fricatus wrote: »

I always wondered what would happen in Knocktopher once the M9 opened as far as there, but they mightn't bother with the upgrades, like you say - especially since there's going to be no more than a year before the Danesfort-Carlow section completes the M9.

However would that mean that they'd encourage Waterford-Dublin traffic to go via the ring road in KK? I can hardly see that happening; for one, it wouldn't be very desirable for KK, and two, it would be a longer journey, albeit on better roads, for the Wat-Dub traffic. Individuals would be free to choose their own route of course, but what will the official route be?

I mentioned the fact that the M9 would not be fully complete until this time next year a few post back and it didn't go down too well, I think I have been vindicated here by fricatus:D

Bards

Road-Hog wrote: »

I mentioned the fact that the M9 would not be fully complete until this time next year a few post back and it didn't go down too well, I think I have been vindicated here by fricatus:D

Noone ever said the Whole M9 would be complete this year. there are still 3 sections under construction.

People have been discussing Phase 2 (Waterford to Knocktopher) and Phase 3 (Carlow to Kilcullen) which are due to open this year 2009

No-one is expecting Phase 4 (Knocktopher to Carlow) to open until 2010, However, A section on Phase 4. from Knocktopher to Danseford may open in conjuction with Phase 2. Waterford to Knocktopher.

alpha2zulu

On the new newrath rondabout on the approach to Waterford,the blanked out signs that were installed last week for the unopened exit towards the Grannagh and Quarry roundabout are indicating N9/Dublin even though there is no access to the current N9 through that exit.

Is there any chance of Waterford-Mullinavat M9 being opened on Sept 25 to coincide with the Waterford Bypass or is just a case of that section of road between Newrath-Grannagh-Quarry roundabout being designated N9 rather than N24.

fricatus

alpha2zulu wrote: »

On the new newrath rondabout on the approach to Waterford,the blanked out signs that were installed last week for the unopened exit towards the Grannagh and Quarry roundabout are indicating N9/Dublin even though there is no access to the current N9 through that exit.

Is there any chance of Waterford-Mullinavat M9 being opened on Sept 25 to coincide with the Waterford Bypass or is just a case of that section of road between Newrath-Grannagh-Quarry roundabout being designated N9 rather than N24.

I imagine that the stretch from Newrath to the Quarry will open in late September to service the bypass and bridge, so when you come out from the city, you'll go straight on for Limerick, but also to access the bridge for the west side of the city, Dungarvan and Cork, or to turn right and head for New Ross and the port.

However for Dublin and Kilkenny you'll probably still turn left and go down by the Redbridge service station as we are doing at present - at least until the M9 is opened.

johnbk

I was out for a cycle at the weekend. Only one structure remains to be completed bewtween Dansford and Knocktopher - an over bridge between Stoneyford and Kells. There is about 3 Km of concrete barrier yet to be placed, half of this at the bridge over the Kings river at Kells and the other half just before the Kocktopher junction. All that remains then, is the wear surface and lines. If they were pushed it could be completed for October easily. Pity about the section around Mullinavat, had a look at the weekend too. :-(

AndrewMc

Looks like the first layer of tarmac is down on the N9–N78 link road now, just so y'all know...

road_high

AndrewMc wrote: »

Looks like the first layer of tarmac is down on the N9–N78 link road now, just so y'all know...

Saw that alright, they seem to be back from holidays. I'm confused as to how that junction will be laid out though?

road_high

Road-Hog wrote: »

I mentioned the fact that the M9 would not be fully complete until this time next year a few post back and it didn't go down too well, I think I have been vindicated here by fricatus:D

How??

As Bards pointed out people here were clearly referring to Knocktopher-Waterford (Phase 2) and Carlow-Kilcullen (Phase 3) as being on the cards for completion by years end.

rameire

AndrewMc wrote: »

Looks like the first layer of tarmac is down on the N9–N78 link road now, just so y'all know...

a good bit of it went down on tuesday,.
ill be taking the camera tomorrow so ill do the same round of photos,
meant to do it last weekend but im too lazy

Star Spangler

It'll be finished this time next week so if you want to get it "in progress" you need to get your skates on!

rameire

Star Spangler wrote: »

It'll be finished this time next week so if you want to get it "in progress" you need to get your skates on!

dont worry have them now, will be up shortly.

road_high

Star Spangler wrote: »

It'll be finished this time next week so if you want to get it "in progress" you need to get your skates on!

You mean just the N78 link road will be finished?

rameire

Here we go.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rameire/sets/72157621973108334/

im being lazy again and may or maynot actually link the photo's
wish there was an easier way.

AndrewMc

mfitzy wrote: »

I'm confused as to how that junction will be laid out though?

Looks like it'll be a regular T-junction at the N78 end of it: http://n9-n10kilcullen-waterford.ie/EIS/pdf/Fig-03-39.pdf

tramor

Great photos, Rameire. Thanks!. Nice bike also. Very good for getting photos down the motorway, away from where the existing N9 road is close to the new M9.

road_high

AndrewMc wrote: »

Looks like it'll be a regular T-junction at the N78 end of it: http://n9-n10kilcullen-waterford.ie/EIS/pdf/Fig-03-39.pdf

Thanks, I understand it now. The existing N9/R448 will be diverted onto this link to the N78 and turn right for Kilcullen. And the current N78/M9 junction will remain in place in its current layout.

Star Spangler

rameire wrote: »

Here we go.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rameire/sets/72157621973108334/

im being lazy again and may or maynot actually link the photo's
wish there was an easier way.

On the last pic you can see the cones etc are ready for when they start the tie-in in a couple of weeks.

Star Spangler

mfitzy wrote: »

You mean just the N78 link road will be finished?

Yes. As posted previously, the new link road will be used to divert Kilcullen/Newbridge traffic while the tie-in is being completed which is due to start in about 2 weeks. The current N9 exits/entrances at the N78 will be closed for the 8-10 weeks duration.

rameire

Star Spangler wrote: »

On the last pic you can see the cones etc are ready for when they start the tie-in in a couple of weeks.

yep forgot to mention that.
there are hundreds of cones and bollards.
oh itll be fun diverting all that traffic.

all traffic going to carlow, will have to go up the kilcullen slip, go right, along the n78 and then left onto the n9 along the new stretch of road.

all dublin bound traffic will have to follow the new n9 up to the new n78 junction, turn right by trying to cross the n78, and then turn left down the slip dublin bound.

it will be mahem on that junction, i think ill have to invest in a snow plow truck.

Star Spangler

rameire wrote: »

yep forgot to mention that.
there are hundreds of cones and bollards.
oh itll be fun diverting all that traffic.

all traffic going to carlow, will have to go up the kilcullen slip, go right, along the n78 and then left onto the n9 along the new stretch of road.

all dublin bound traffic will have to follow the new n9 up to the new n78 junction, turn right by trying to cross the n78, and then turn left down the slip dublin bound.

it will be mahem on that junction, i think ill have to invest in a snow plow truck.

As far as I know the Dublin traffic will stay on the existing road as will Carlow bound traffic heading south. The reason they are using the link road is for traffic which would normally go off at the Kilcullen exit as that exit will be closed while they are working. The link/N78 junction couldn't cope with the traffic volumes otherwise. The current N9 will be narrowed down to the hard shoulder + one lane though. They are planning to tie-in the new motorway in two parts - first the south bound carriageway followed by the northbound carriageway. There will be a temporary ramp created on and off at the tie-in. Again, I only know this because this part affects access to my house and I got forewarned by Roadbridge.

rameire

i dont see how they are going to use both sides of the road for traffic going under the bridge. if thats what you mean.
i suppose they could divert traffic so that all traffic going under the bridge would use the northbound carriageway.
as the m9 north will be cutting across the south carriage way and merging with the north carriage way and the m9 south will be just merging in with the current south carriage way.

at some stage they will be diverting all if not most of the traffic up the new link road, only for a short peroid while tie in works are completed.

the new link road will be the end of the n9 in future so it will carry alot of traffic but obviously not as much as the current n9.

Star Spangler

rameire wrote: »

i dont see how they are going to use both sides of the road for traffic going under the bridge. if thats what you mean.
i suppose they could divert traffic so that all traffic going under the bridge would use the northbound carriageway.
as the m9 north will be cutting across the south carriage way and merging with the north carriage way and the m9 south will be just merging in with the current south carriage way.

at some stage they will be diverting all if not most of the traffic up the new link road, only for a short peroid while tie in works are completed.

the new link road will be the end of the n9 in future so it will carry alot of traffic but obviously not as much as the current n9.

All I can tell you is what Roadbridge told me which was that they have planned the tie-in in such a way as to ensure the main flow of traffic stayed on the N/M9 throughout the process. They are giving me temporary access from the back of my house to the new link road as the hard shoulder outside my gate will be used to accommodate traffic. The new link road is to give access to the houses along the current N9. Therefore, it won't be too busy when finished. That's why they put a T junction at the N78 connection and not a roundabout.

rameire

just incase anyone is wondering where we are talking about its in the link here.
http://www.n9-n10kilcullen-waterford.ie/EIS/pdf/Fig-03-30.pdf