M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

Amtmann

I hope a precedent has been set here. We don't need ribbon cuttings and priestly blessings. When a new road is ready and the signs are up, OPEN IT!

emfifty

The Minister continued: “Met Eireann has forecast wintry showers of sleet and snow to affect parts of the country into the early part of this week. Remember, widespread severe frosts can led to icy roads and it can take much longer to stop a vehicle. I urge all road users this Christmas to slow down, always wear a seatbelt, never ever drink and drive and allow a safe extra distance between you and the vehicle in front (MUCH more difficult on a sub standard national primary road!:). “


The Minister concluded: “If the current trend continues, it looks like 2009 could be our safest year yet on Irish roads. (Just as well you...(boards.ie) opened a new stretch of motorway to contribute to this!) :)I wish all motorists, cyclists and pedestrians and their families a happy and safe Christmas on our roads.” Here, Here...:)

Franziskaner

Don't get much safer than this guys n' gals! Just done my 'driving home for Christmas' thang and must congradulate contractor on job well done...even though I couldn't see too much with the night that's in it! Yahoo!!
Local Auth. need to keep salting with Ice Ireland moving across the country...freezing fast so keep us safe guys .
One last thang...ya'll, I say ya'll have a Happy Holiday, ya'hear!:)

alpha2zulu

(Just as well you...(boards.ie) opened a new stretch of motorway to contribute to this!)

New York has the FDR drive, Springfield has the Matlock expressway, perhaps Castledermot now has the boardsie bypass:D

Star Spangler

yellow012 wrote: »

Hey I hope yourself and Redalicat enjoy the peace and quiet and improved quality of life that will come without having a busy main road on your door steps...

Thanks! I almost slept in this morning it was so quiet!!

Rabidlamb

Town was unrecognisable last night.
Going south I came off the Balitore Interchange & came out on the old M9 below Crookstown.
Touch of 28 Days Later when I was the only car on the Timolin bypass at 5:20pm.
Straight into Castledermot at full throttle & met only one car at the lights.

On a side note my belligerent wife claims she wont use the new motorway cause there's no noticeable time saving now the old M9 is basically empty.
She might have a point.

Aard

Rabidlamb wrote: »

On a side note my belligerent wife claims she wont use the new motorway cause there's no noticeable time saving now the old M9 is basically empty.
She might have a point.

Tell her that if she uses the motorway she's less likely to die. :rolleyes: You give a kid a new toy, and then they turn around and play with the old broken ones. The mind boggles.

Star Spangler

Rabidlamb wrote: »

On a side note my belligerent wife claims she wont use the new motorway cause there's no noticeable time saving now the old M9 is basically empty.
She might have a point.

I think she's wrong. Having to join the N78 from the old N9 (and wait in a queue) to then get onto the M9 has added another 5 minutes to my trip to work in the morning.

Rabidlamb

Star Spangler wrote: »

I think she's wrong. Having to join the N78 from the old N9 (and wait in a queue) to then get onto the M9 has added another 5 minutes to my trip to work in the morning.

She takes the Curragh/Newbridge back road 100 yards up off the N78 so she's never looking to join the M9.
However if she was exiting the M9 she would have the ease of a left turn against the N9 right turn.
Anyway, there's no talking to her, as long as she's happy.

murphaph

Furet wrote: »

I hope a precedent has been set here. We don't need ribbon cuttings and priestly blessings. When a new road is ready and the signs are up, OPEN IT!

add silly stone plaques to that as well. Who is ever going to see a commemorative tone plaque by the side of a motorway?! stupid.

redalicat

alpha2zulu wrote: »

New York has the FDR drive, Springfield has the Matlock expressway, perhaps Castledermot now has the boardsie bypass:D

You've got my vote on this one!

redalicat

Star Spangler wrote: »

Thanks! I almost slept in this morning it was so quiet!!

So did we! It sounded like it used to on early Sunday morning...but it's not Sunday.

duffman13

Thank god this road is finally open, wont get to drive it till im back in college in january, at least thats ten mins of my life back each day. bye bye castledermot its one place ive never even stopped in i hated it so much!!!!!

lotie

Hey! There's a trend on this thread to blame the town and not the road infrastructure. Can understand how sitting for long times in rural towns (when all you want to do is get through them) does nothing for the town in people's eyes.

However, Castledermot, Gowran, Thomastown, etc. are not the problem. In fact some of them will be great places to live and visit after the roads are finished.

Let's support and enjoy these towns as the new roads start to let them breathe again.

jimbojazz

lotie wrote: »

Hey! There's a trend on this thread to blame the town and not the road infrastructure. Can understand how sitting for long times in rural towns (when all you want to do is get through them) does nothing for the town in people's eyes.

However, Castledermot, Gowran, Thomastown, etc. are not the problem. In fact some of them will be great places to live and visit after the roads are finished.

Let's support and enjoy these towns as the new roads start to let them breathe again.

Very well put.

Bards

[Article] From Carlow People http://www.carlowpeople.ie/news/new-road-cuts-time-to-dublin-1984665.html

CARLOW motorists welcomed the opening of the new section of the M9 motorway to Kilcullen on Monday morning which will see journey times to Dublin reduced by a half an hour.

Transport minister Noel Dempsey announced last week that the official opening of the 27kilometre road would be deferred until the new year, amid concerns that businesses that were bypassed by the road would lose out on Christmas trade. However, last Thursday, Dempsey reversed his decision and said that the road would be opened on Monday morning.

On Monday protesters gathered in Kilcullen in disapproval over the safety of a cattle crossing on the motorway and they held up the opening for a number of hours until an agreement was reached with the county engineer in Kildare.

Road safety officer with Carlow County Council John McDarby welcomed the opening particularly as motorways reduce collisions.

'I hope all people who use this do so in safety for many years to come,' he said. 'It is a great day for Carlow and for the whole of the south east region.

'Driving times will be reduced but the real addition is that motorways have a safety record that is off the chart. When everyone is travelling in the same direction the chances of a head on collision is practically zero.'

The new €300 million stretch of the M9 motorway links the Carlow bypass to Kilcullen cutting out Castledermot.

A report from the National Roads Authority, Road Accident Facts Ireland 2001, shows that along the N9 corridor over the five years to 2001, 172 collisions occurred, of which 19 were fatal. A second report from the authority identified the section of the N9 between Kilcullen and Carlow town as having a varying 'accident rate of between half and twice the expected rate for a national road'.

'The quality and caliber of a road like this is a very welcome addition,' added Mr McDarby
==============================================
... So there was a protest before the opening then

amacachi

Cattle crossing? Anyone got pics or description? Finding that puzzling.

GeneHunt

Jayzus, I now see why Sean Power TD was concerned with safety involving this new motorway, A "Cattle Crossing" on a motorway, what was Kildare CC thinking!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D

placard

The Cattle crossing in question must be on the link road to Athy.

Star Spangler

amacachi wrote: »

Cattle crossing? Anyone got pics or description? Finding that puzzling.

It is a bridge cattle crossing. The farmer believed the barriers weren't high enough for his animals to cross safely.

placard

Is it on the motorway? I hope they raised the barriers or else watch out for falling cattle!:eek:

amacachi

Star Spangler wrote: »

It is a bridge cattle crossing. The farmer believed the barriers weren't high enough for his animals to cross safely.

Yeah I assumed it would be an over- or under-pass. You'd think a quick word about raising the fences would've been enough. Ah well, it's open now.

L1011

murphaph wrote: »

add silly stone plaques to that as well. Who is ever going to see a commemorative tone plaque by the side of a motorway?! stupid.

Members of this forum usually do, actually

Roryhy

MYOB wrote: »

Members of this forum usually do, actually

I believe theres a thread dedicated to it.

redalicat

amacachi wrote: »

Cattle crossing? Anyone got pics or description? Finding that puzzling.

I wonder where. Do they mean the overpass at Yellowbog or the next one south of it?

Star Spangler

redalicat wrote: »

I wonder where. Do they mean the overpass at Yellowbog or the next one south of it?

It's much further down the motorway - nearer Crookstown.

Roryhy

There are 2 overpasses very close together at one point, i'd imagine one of them is it. Id say Crookstown could be right.

mackerski

Rabidlamb wrote: »

On a side note my belligerent wife claims she wont use the new motorway cause there's no noticeable time saving now the old M9 is basically empty.
She might have a point.

Only if she restricts her speed to 80 when driving on a motorway.

larryone

Rabidlamb, you may want to point out that at many points the speed limit on the old road is 60km/h.
At the bridge where the motorway goes under the old N9 the limit is 50 for a considerable distance.
Most drivers ignore these limits, but they are there nonetheless. If you drive legally, the motorway is much faster. Also much safer - despite the lowered traffic volumes on the old road. Also the lack of a toll leaves very few reasons not to use it. Possibly a love of Castledermot?

Rabidlamb

Only if she restricts her speed to 80 when driving on a motorway.

larryone wrote: »

Rabidlamb, you may want to point out that at many points the speed limit on the old road is 60km/h.
At the bridge where the motorway goes under the old N9 the limit is 50 for a considerable distance.
Most drivers ignore these limits, but they are there nonetheless. If you drive legally, the motorway is much faster. Also much safer - despite the lowered traffic volumes on the old road. Also the lack of a toll leaves very few reasons not to use it. Possibly a love of Castledermot?

We actually live in Castledermot & your right about the 50km speed limit being ignored at The Proiry .
The main reason for her staying on the old road is that there's no noticeable time saving when you add the distances from either the Prumplestown or Balitore interchanges into the equation.
I've confirmed this by travelling both the last 2 days.
We both save 5 minutes cause the road into the town is now empty.