M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

kwalshe

great shots rory really looking forward to driving on it

AndrewMc

Wild Bill wrote: »

Yep; the R747 link will open at the same time as the mainline. Does anyone know whether the link to Athy will be designated as an extension of the R747? That would seem to make sense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R747_road

After a bit of Googling, I found this document: http://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/file,15954,en.pdf

It refers to the Athy Link Road as the N78. In that case, the current N78 from Athy to Kilcullen will probably be downgraded to Regional?

Sully

Just some examples of what I took today..









More @ http://pix.ie/sully/album/357249

road_high

Thank the Lord that Mullinavat junction has been transferred from the swamp it was a few weeks ago to something that looks almost finished.
Central barrier required, layers of tarmac and lines.

How is signage going on the M9 btw? Has any been installed as of yet?

tramor

Sully, are those photos of the Mullinavat junction ?

rameire

just noticed on the way home today, that they had a lot of cones for the contra flow set out on the opposite side of the road, ( the south bound carriage way)

also will bring camera tomorrow and take some photos

Sully

tramor wrote: »

Sully, are those photos of the Mullinavat junction ?

Correct.

johnbk

I have some more pictures at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40914919@N02/?saved=1

The pictures are of the Knocktopher to Powerstown section around Bennettsbridge. There is a very impressive stucture here in the new Noir bridge. Nice to the steel fabricated locally unlike the Suir bridge in Waterford.

This section of the motorway is as advanced as the section from Dansford to Knocktopher. The Kilkenny link road hasnt been touched in 6 months with the exception of the new roundabout at the Kilkenny end. In all looking very comfortable for a mid summer opening in 2010.

tramor

Great pictures Sully / Johnbk. Hard to believe such progress has been made at Mullinavat Junction, considering what a mess it was only a few months ago. Great progress on the section north of Knocktopher also. Nothing better then seeing motorway with lines painted down. You know it can't be much longer before opening.

Silverado

Just saw the work yesterday at Mullinavat Junction as per Johnbk photos. This was my first time going there and I was surprised to see how much work needs to be done compared to the sections back towards Waterford and around Knocktopher. Will they really get it open by Christmas?

Obviously it is very weather dependant according to Joe Gannon, the Project Director, and is particularly vulnerable to rainfall. With the current spell of High Pressure and consequent dry weather due to last to about Sunday can they not work on the fine weekends? It was a shame to see a lovely weekend pass and not a machine move. There will be plenty of downtime in December/January due to bad weather.

jiggajt

Might be a silly question but are they going to open the section from danesfort all the way to waterford at once? obviously this would be part of the carlow to knocktopher section opening with the complete knocktopher to waterford section. Is this the case?

fricatus

jiggajt wrote: »

Might be a silly question but are they going to open the section from danesfort all the way to waterford at once? obviously this would be part of the carlow to knocktopher section opening with the complete knocktopher to waterford section. Is this the case?

Yes, Knocktopher-Danesfort is part of another scheme, but the plan appears to be to open the entire Waterford-Danesfort scheme in one go. That's how it was reported in the Kilkenny People and also in the Munster Express (see posts 745 and 762 above).

serfboard

fricatus wrote: »

the plan appears to be to open the entire Waterford-Danesfort scheme in one go.

As a matter of interest, once it's completed, how long would you guys estimate the journey would take from KK to Waterford (OK, then, outskirts of KK to outskirts of Waterford)?

road_high

serfboard wrote: »

As a matter of interest, once it's completed, how long would you guys estimate the journey would take from KK to Waterford (OK, then, outskirts of KK to outskirts of Waterford)?

I'd say 20-25 mins from Danesfort to outside Waterford. About 5 mins from Danesfort into KK then.

tramor

There was some talk on the local radio this morning about part of the Waterford bypass opening in the next few days. Did anyone else hear this?

Also they are putting down some sort of tar and light brown gritty surface on the last part of the dual carriage way just before you hit the roundabout at Kilmeadan this evening. It looks like an extra grippy surface, just at the part of the road you might be breaking hard at before you enter the roundabout.

Bards

tramor wrote: »

There was some talk on the local radio this morning about part of the Waterford bypass opening in the next few days. Did anyone else hear this?

Also they are putting down some sort of tar and light brown gritty surface on the last part of the dual carriage way just before you hit the roundabout at Kilmeadan this evening. It looks like an extra grippy surface, just at the part of the road you might be breaking hard at before you enter the roundabout.

see post #232 onwards (Waterford City Bypass Thread)
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055370387&page=16

AFAIK the Whole WCB is being opened on the morning of 20th October. Oficial Cermoney is taking place at noon on the 19th

rameire

m9 looking south at kilcullen junction.


m9 looking south at kilcullen junction.


old n9 looking north to kilcullen junction and new on ramp to new contra flow.



new m9 looking south from tie in at kilcullen junction.

new m9 looking north from tie in at kilcullen junction
looking north at new bridge over new m9.
looking south at new bridge over new m9.

on top of new bridge looking down either side.

L1011

They'd want to get cracking on widening the existing road where it narrows at the tie-in...

rameire

apart from the extra bit needed at the tie in, the white lines need to be removed, also the final dressing layer needs to be laid, in all the pictures ive posted. ( apart from the bridge)

they have also started to place the cones on the southbound carriageway for the contra flow to move over.

Roryhy

Went for a drive between Paulstown and Danesfort on Carlow to Knocktopher section yesterday and took a few pics. Difficult section to get good pictures of because a lot of it is elevated from its surrounds. Also, as much as i tried, i couldnt come across any place to get a view of the new Kilkenny link road trumpet:(

Zoney

Any word on how motorway regs are to be applied at that trumpet and N10 link?

Star Spangler

MYOB wrote: »

They'd want to get cracking on widening the existing road where it narrows at the tie-in...

I wonder did Roadbridge leave that bit because it is just north of their contract remit? It would sound petty, but seeing at first-hand how meticulously they stick to the plans I wouldn't be surprised!

Amtmann

If anyone from the Cork area is thinking of drving the new M9 sections when they open, I'd like to thumb a lift. I miss the car now!

kiwipower

Hi, I dont travel the M9 but was wondering what is the latest on the Carlow to Kilcullen section? I often travel from Limerick to Gorey on the N7-N80-N11 Route. Just wondering if (and when) I will be able to save time and stress by using the M9 to Kildare to avoid Carlow and Stradbally. :-)

johnbk

Interesting thought, travel up the M7 and transfer onto the new M9 and take the N80 exit off the M9 for Enniscorthy. This wouldnt work as the M7-M9 Junction is only a merge with no way of heading south on the M9 off the M7.
Anyway, even if you could you would still be quicker the way you are going. The N14 to waterford, the N25 to New Ross, the N30 to Enniscorthy and the N11 to Gorey might be worth considering.

Roryhy

johnbk wrote: »

Interesting thought, travel up the M7 and transfer onto the new M9 and take the N80 exit off the M9 for Enniscorthy. This wouldnt work as the M7-M9 Junction is only a merge with no way of heading south on the M9 off the M7.
Anyway, even if you could you would still be quicker the way you are going. The N14 to waterford, the N25 to New Ross, the N30 to Enniscorthy and the N11 to Gorey might be worth considering.

Im sure you mean N24 not N14. This route will open as soon as the tie in at Kilcullen is done, possibly 1 month or 6 weeks.

Amtmann

Again lads, PLEASE make sure you clearly indicate the specific M9 scheme (eg 'Waterford to Knocktopher' or 'Carlow to Kilcullen') in your post when displaying images. Cheers guys

By the way, that cutting on the Carlow to Knocktopher section in Roryhy's photoset looks very impressive.

tramor

Yes, very impressive rock formation. Serious heat and stress there some time in the distant past.

Re. Rameire's photos. They are shortly going to move traffic onto the south bound carriageway and commence work on the northbound. After the northbound work is done does it look like the tie in will be complete or will there be a bit more to do on the southbound, necessitating moving traffic back onto the northbound carriage way. I can't see how they widen that part of the tie-in into 2 lanes+hard shoulder otherwise.

frankie2shoes

To all who have posted pics and taken time out to update us all on the progress of the new motorway, I SALUTE YOU. Sterling work.
Seeing you're updates gives me hope as I once again drive from danesfort to dublin.
I am now trully excited (sad I know) about a time when I travel to dub without going via the kk ring road, paulstown and castledermot.
This the reason I own an automatic with cruise control.
Here's to KK to Dub in just over an hour!!!

kiwipower

Thanks for the information. I know my plan sounds a bit round about but as this is a Friday evening Drive I need to avoid the M50 and any other heavy traffic route. Hopefully the will have it all finished for the winter months so. Think I have the lack of proper interchange between the M7 and M9 sorted. Will just call in to Kildare Village for a break and try not to lighten the wallet to much! :-p Right on Frankie2shoes I also drive an Auto with CruiseControl and like to make the most of it! Think its a Kiwi thing more than anything. My mother even drives a Auto Toyota HiAce!