M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

NedNew

Here are some photos that I took this morning of the tie-in at Kilcullen. There was a lot of activity, especially on the slip roads.

In the last photo you can see how well they have done the tie-in of the median southbound.

Hopefully not too long more to go.

road_high

fricatus wrote: »

That's what the papers said, but I e-mailed the project office last week and got the following reply:

I thought that those dates came ultimately from the Council or Contractor....we wouldn't have to be relying on the papers if the Council had communciated properly to us in the first place :rolleyes:

larryone

They're too poliical to be involved with things like proper communication.

placard

Star Spangler wrote: »

you should allow 5 - 8 working days to finish the complete surfacing. After that you have all the lining work. I noticed also that they haven't started putting up the new lighting yet either.

So 1.5 to 2 weeks time! Hope they open it ASAP and don't hold back because of the lack of any incentive.

road_high

Damn weather! Bet this would have finished a bit early had it been better. Can't wait though

Star Spangler

mfitzy wrote: »

Damn weather! Bet this would have finished a bit early had it been better. Can't wait though

They have started the second layer of surfacing. Layers 3 and 4 (top 2) are significantly thinner and I assume quicker to lay. Now that it's this close time seems to drag!!

road_high

Pity we couldn't pull off an aul early opening like on the M6; pretend the Barrow or Nore had completely flooded the old N9/10

Bards

mfitzy wrote: »

Pity we couldn't pull off an aul early opening like on the M6; pretend the Barrow or Nore had completely flooded the old N9/10

Be careful whjat you wish for - this weather is not over yet:p

rameire

drove past the tie in today, didnt stop for photos as was going to carlow to look at floods.
but the tie in looks great.
loads of work done and only a couple of layers left to complete the road surface.

tramor

We've missed your photos recently. If you can get some next week it would be great.

rameire

unfortunately when im passing by in the morning in rushing to work and in the evening its too dark to get the photos i want.
and dont usually pass by at the weekend, although i might be passing by tomorrow.

Star Spangler

rameire wrote: »

drove past the tie in today, didnt stop for photos as was going to carlow to look at floods.
but the tie in looks great.
loads of work done and only a couple of layers left to complete the road surface.

They should finish the surfacing this week. They were already working this morning at 8.00am. I've also realised they are not putting any lighting on that side of the motorway so there won't be a hold up there either. The foundation for a new sign is completed and ready. (the actual sign framework is waiting on the back of a lorry a couple of hundred yards down the new motorway). It seems all the signage as far up as the tie-in is now in place. They will need to close the gap in the centre barrier where the traffic is currently crossing from/to the old N9 on the southbound side of the M9. To do this they will move all the traffic back onto the northbound side (once the surfacing is finished) to allow the equipment in to finish the barrier. All of the above could be complete in 2 weeks at most!!!

Star Spangler

The last sign northbound on the new M9.

Setanta_og

To finally see this stretch of the old N9 been by-passed by the new M9 highway can really only be appreciated fully by those poor unfortunates who either lived along the route of the old road or had to use it as a daily commute.
It was without doubt the most heavily trafficked and dangerous stretch of road in Ireland.
It must be hoped that in these dire economic times, that we have brought upon ourselves, the opening of this new Inter-urban Motorway and indeed the other IUM's which are ready for Q4 09 or Q1 10 will be seen in time as the foundation base for the economic revival we all hope for.............

ilovegermany

I heard in a pub in Kilkenny last weekend that the Kilcullen-Carlow stretch will 100% open by the middle of December.....

Anybody have any news on this?

Bards

ilovegermany wrote: »

I heard in a pub in Kilkenny last weekend that the Kilcullen-Carlow stretch will 100% open by the middle of December.....

Anybody have any news on this?

good practice to read a few pages back in a thread before asking a question that has already been answered many times before

ilovegermany

Bards wrote: »

following is a reply from the NRA with regard to updates on the M9
==================================================
Mr. xxxxxxx,

The expected completion dates for the schemes on the N9 are as follows:

- N9 Knocktopher to Waterford: End of 2009/early 2010
- Kilcullen to Carlow: Quarter 1, 2010
- Carlow to Knocktopher: Quarter 4, 2010

Unfortunately, I cannot be anymore specific at this stage as he exact
date for the openings have not yet been determined. There are no
further newsletters at the moment.

Regards,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But it hasn't been answered....... Nobody seems to know if the early completion bonus issue was sorted out, if it has then surely it could open before Christmas, and not in 2010 as they replied above?

Roryhy

Some pics of the Kilcullen tie-in from around midday today.

road_high

Setanta_og wrote: »

To finally see this stretch of the old N9 been by-passed by the new M9 highway can really only be appreciated fully by those poor unfortunates who either lived along the route of the old road or had to use it as a daily commute.
It was without doubt the most heavily trafficked and dangerous stretch of road in Ireland.
It must be hoped that in these dire economic times, that we have brought upon ourselves, the opening of this new Inter-urban Motorway and indeed the other IUM's which are ready for Q4 09 or Q1 10 will be seen in time as the foundation base for the economic revival we all hope for.............

Well said and my thoughts exactly

redalicat

Setanta_og wrote: »

To finally see this stretch of the old N9 been by-passed by the new M9 highway can really only be appreciated fully by those poor unfortunates who either lived along the route of the old road or had to use it as a daily commute.
It was without doubt the most heavily trafficked and dangerous stretch of road in Ireland.

I'm one of those poor unfortunates, and I can't agree with you more. With my bedroom just feet away from the road, I've had many a night lying awake listening to the lorries zoom by. This bypass is the only reason I'm willing to stay in this house, couldn't deal with the noise long term or trying get onto the road out of my drive.

Bards

Lining looks complete on the M9 tie-in with the N25 (WCB) at Quarry Roundabout, 120 Km/H signs are in place too

Star Spangler

The final surface layer on the tie-in has been held until all landscaping work has been completed. Having had a good look at it this evening it appears that that is now completed. The final surface shouldn't take more than a day to go down (it's only 1 or 2 inches thick) then another day for lines. Another few days to finish the central barrier work where the traffic is currently crossing over and in theory the Kilcullen-Carlow section of the M9 could be completed by the end of next week - 4th December.

road_high

Star Spangler wrote: »

The final surface layer on the tie-in has been held until all landscaping work has been completed. Having had a good look at it this evening it appears that that is now completed. The final surface shouldn't take more than a day to go down (it's only 1 or 2 inches thick) then another day for lines. Another few days to finish the central barrier work where the traffic is currently crossing over and in theory the Kilcullen-Carlow section of the M9 could be completed by the end of next week - 4th December.

Thanks Star Spangler, hopefully now they will get it open nice and quickly. No more getting stuck behind snails at 40mph in Almeras and the like on the new M9...and if I do I can just flash them out of the fast lane

slimjimmc

mfitzy wrote: »

Thanks Star Spangler, hopefully now they will get it open nice and quickly. No more getting stuck behind snails at 40mph in Almeras and the like on the new M9...and if I do I can just flash out of the fast lane

and while you're busy doing your flashing I'll be in the overtaking lane zooming past you :D

Can't see them opening for another couple of weeks, I imagine they probably have some checks to do and get the NRA signoff. Is a bye-law or similar required to open the road to the public?

sk8board

I think they still have to line the continuation of the motorway at the castledermot side of the carlow by-pass. Didn't look lined as of Wednesday morning anyway.

I'd be absolutely amazed if this was open by the end of the year

as the NRA said above, its sometime in (early) Q1 2010.

Roryhy

I doesn't take a month to mark a line. Prepare to be amazed!

kwalshe

On the tie in heading north near Castledermot they have started to channel the road into one lane. I think a new sign has gone up but is covered in plastic.
Will post pictures later, I'm off out on the sauce now!

alpha2zulu

Heres a quick couple of shots of the Southern tip of Waterford-Knocktopher.

As mentioned yesterday the lining is now complete for about 800m prior to the Quarry/N24 roundabout. Theres still scaffolding on the bridge pillars underneath also.


Theres still work going on with the R.Blackwater viaduct. The tarmac had been laid and the wall complete,but they seem to be putting in expansion joints into each end of the bridge now.



Then about 300m further north there was a very small slip in the bank on the southbound lane at a couple of points. During the week these have dug out with lining and stone been put into the bank at the moment in a few spots.

mickger

Just a thanks to all you guys for the updates. I'm heading to Dublin from Waterford in the middle of December and was wondering in your opinion will there be any new sections of the road open by then??

Amtmann

Those earth cuttings in alpha's last two pictures could be for Garda bays.