M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

dougal

kiwipower wrote: »

it would be fantastic if there was a decent interchange even if you had to come off one onto a couple of roundabouts and then back on! Doesnt need to be a free flow interchange!

It is crazy that we build all these excellent roads and then don't link them to get full value from them.

There should be a link from M9 northbound to M7 westbound and from M7 eastbound to M9 southbound.

wellbutty

dougal wrote: »

It is crazy that we build all these excellent roads and then don't link them to get full value from them.

There should be a link from M9 northbound to M7 westbound and from M7 eastbound to M9 southbound.

Here's the stupidity of it on the M9 heading North:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=M9&daddr=53.167768,-6.763802&hl=en&geocode=FahIKwMdquaY_w%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&sll=53.175897,-6.755733&sspn=0.054119,0.110378&ie=UTF8&ll=53.18927,-6.726551&spn=0.054102,0.110378&z=13

and heading south:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=M7&daddr=53.165813,-6.755905&geocode=FeA8KwMdbqyY_w%3B&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&sll=53.172708,-6.734447&sspn=0.054123,0.110378&ie=UTF8&ll=53.182584,-6.730328&spn=0.05411,0.110378&z=13

larryone

Easier to just go through Kilcullen.
And they're making the same mistake on the M7/M8
Trumpet junctions would have been great...

Stark

wellbutty wrote: »

Here's the stupidity of it on the M9 heading North:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=M9&daddr=53.167768,-6.763802&hl=en&geocode=FahIKwMdquaY_w%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&sll=53.175897,-6.755733&sspn=0.054119,0.110378&ie=UTF8&ll=53.18927,-6.726551&spn=0.054102,0.110378&z=13

and heading south:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=M7&daddr=53.165813,-6.755905&geocode=FeA8KwMdbqyY_w%3B&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&sll=53.172708,-6.734447&sspn=0.054123,0.110378&ie=UTF8&ll=53.182584,-6.730328&spn=0.05411,0.110378&z=13

It would probably be easier to get on/off at M7 junction 12 and take the R413 to/from Kilcullen and get on/off the M9 at junction 2.

L1011

redtelephone wrote: »

I'd love to be able to use Waterford Airport more for UK trips, and I'm sure it will benefit from easier access from the whole SE.

I already do! Took as long to get from house to gate in Waterford Airport as Dublin Airport from Maynooth by car + long stay car park pre Castledermot being bypassed and the second bridge in Waterford. Off to Birmingham later in the month via there so I'll see how much quicker it is now!

fricatus

redtelephone wrote: »

I was in Waterford Airport this morning dropping off a family member and was very impressed by the hassle-free atmosphere. However, with dodgy roads and some ice it took almost 90 minutes to travel the 68km down the N9. When the M9 is complete, will this journey show a substantially faster time? I'd love to be able to use Waterford Airport more for UK trips, and I'm sure it will benefit from easier access from the whole SE.

Icy roads aside, the part of the M9 that will reduce journey times the most is definitely that bit from Waterford to Paulstown. You've basically got 60 km where you have no hard shoulder, no sightlines to overtake, bends aplenty, and a load of truck traffic. You'd be doing well to average 60 km/h on a mild, dry day. You'll be able to do double that - legally and safely - on the new road.

I'd say Carlow to Waterford airport would take around an hour when it's all finished later this year.

Trotter

Wouldnt it be fantastic to have investment coming into the airport to a level that would get us access to solid European routes.

I wonder will the completion of the M9 actually lead to the runway project being started. We can but wish.

tramor

Trotter wrote: »

Wouldnt it be fantastic to have investment coming into the airport to a level that would get us access to solid European routes.

I wonder will the completion of the M9 actually lead to the runway project being started. We can but wish.

I'd say the motorway will increase the cachement area for customers for the airport enormously. Certainly 1-1.5hours easy driving, cheap parking, short walk to airport etc. will beat Dublin anytime. Should make extra routes more commercially viable.

Also, drove the new motorway on Sunday. That tyre noise is amazing. It only seems to happen if you are going above 80Kmph. (there were some frightening looking slides and skids, a yellow van and a car going into the ditch BACKWARDS at speed):eek:

recyclebin

Is junction 3 and the Athy link road open yet? It's down as complete on NRA website. I might take a spin on it if its open.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/KildareCountyCouncil/N9N10KilcullentoCarlow/Map,16515,en.pdf

rameire

recyclebin wrote: »

Is junction 3 and the Athy link road open yet? It's down as complete on NRA website. I might take a spin on it if its open.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/KildareCountyCouncil/N9N10KilcullentoCarlow/Map,16515,en.pdf

junction 3 is open but the athy link is not.

Rovi

On Joe Duffy right now, people throwing rocks off bridges on this motorway.

larryone

It's not a new problem.
Young lads that are bored and stupid have been doing it for years.
It's new to that area tho, they never had a motorway to play with before.

Stark

I remember some guy was seriously injured in Cork a few years back after some kids threw a concrete block off an overbridge on the South link road.

nordydan

Stark wrote: »

I remember some guy was seriously injured in Cork a few years back after some kids threw a concrete block off an overbridge on the South link road.

Same thing happened in Belfast a few years ago, someone dropped a breezeblock of a bridge on the Westlink onto a small car.

Its something I watch for there when I'm driving it at night, but I would expect better in rural Leinster than in West Belfast. Next thing old women in Foxrock will start carjacking...

JupiterKid

Little sc*mbags throwing rocks off motorway bridges is nothing new. There werre several cases of this happening on the M50 back in the 90s, with one or two serious accidents resulting.

That's why the raised barriers on most of the bridges on the M50 were raised, especially on the Western Parkway section. It does happen on urban sections of motorway.

I'm surprised at this happening along a rural stretch of the M9 though.

rameire

firstly cant seem to get the video to work, might take some time to figure it out.

secondly have a source in athy who has advised that the new m9 to athy link road will be open in march.

placard

I wonder would this have something to do with the early opening and people loosing their jobs.. some kids holding a grudge maybe? When I drove to Dublin last night there was a garda car on the new stretch of motorway. First time I've seen one on any of the new motorways. I also heard the noise mentioned on the thread and those cats eyes are like small rocks. Got from beginning of Carlow to M50 in just under an hour and didn't go over 110k!! Can't wait until the weather improves, should be just in time for the Waterford KK opening!

Chesco

Someone somewhere I'm sure can justfy not having these 2 motorways linked up fully. But what I dont understand , now that or network is nearing complection, they have realised we need services on them !. As I understand it the plan is to build one a few Km south of J 11 on the M7, and another a few Km south of J 11 of the M7 on the M9. Maby I'm missing something here ?, but why not build 1 big service station just north of J 11? . This could then also be used to interchange. Not to mention better business sence and a more viabale services.

kiwipower

Chesco wrote: »

Someone somewhere I'm sure can justfy not having these 2 motorways linked up fully. But what I dont understand , now that or network is nearing complection, they have realised we need services on them !. As I understand it the plan is to build one a few Km south of J 11 on the M7, and another a few Km south of J 11 of the M7 on the M9. Maby I'm missing something here ?, but why not build 1 big service station just north of J 11? . This could then also be used to interchange. Not to mention better business sence and a more viabale services.

You are so right!!! Would you please take over rulling the world!!!! :cool::D;):p:)

L1011

Seeing as the single MSA north/east of the M7-M9 junction just makes too much sense, I'd expect there were protests from ROC (Esso) who intend to build a UK-style MSA complete with hotel on the site of their existing shack of a service station at Kill north/east bound.

The NRA's excuses for the seperate sitings are "The existing N7 has enough services", when it in fact has two inbound and 4 outbound, all of which are glorified (or not glorified!) petrol stations. And none from Kill to Portlaoise.

tomtraubert

Dilby wrote: »

another rumour going around from the KCC side is that they don't have the money in this years budget to pay a bonus and thats why its been put off until jan. I know this idea was thrown around before here but this time it came from KCC NRDO staff

Sorry been away but Dilby where did you get this from?

KCC & KCCNRDO both told me that there is no early completion bonus payable under this form of contract and if you go onto the Department of Finance website and read the contract (public works contracts) this will confirm it. Early completion bonuses have been done away with by this new contract and that is the contract the M9 Kilcullen-Carlow is using.

Glad its open though......heard there was a lot of too-ing and fro-ing on this one but Cowen stepped in and sorted it out.

tomtraubert

dougal wrote: »

Wobbling again eh Tom?

Yeah well if Cowen steps in then who am I to argue !!! (sorry for delay I was away)

tomtraubert

arcus wrote: »

This is a serious U Turn.

On KFM radio this morning all local TDs, FF & Labour and FF councillors, and Kildare County Council’s spin doctor Charlie Talbot justifying the postponement of opening til the new year, trying to blame the local KCC area engineer for the hold-up - what a load of wafflers!!!!!!!!

Pathetic flannel and verbal diarrhoea from all those public servants - how embarrassing!! - but a great result in the end - Monday will be a fantastic day for all motorists who use the M9.

Bon Voyage....................................
:D:D

Tell me, if the Area Engineer didn't have the resources or supplies of grit, to maintain 55km of motorway (27.5 in north/south), and there was a serious accident on this new M9, would you all be protesting about the stupidity of opening it/not opening it, especially of it was one of your family involved? Thankfully we'll never know the answer to that.

I think in hindsight it was a good decision to open it and it is a fantastic piece of roadway, but as I said before, there's more to most things than meets the eye. And trying to blame the Area Engineer is not what they were trying to do, they were relaying facts, which is what most people on here want from the public servants etc.

tomtraubert

testicle wrote: »

I would have thought that was obvious. There isn't much else in Ballitore.

Texaco = Crookstown
Pub = Kilgowan

Anyway haven't been in them recently, how they doing. Anyone drive down the old road since the new one opened?

Surprised the car auction place in Crookstown didn't lobby/get a mention

tomtraubert

Furet wrote: »

I don't buy this business of the engineer being caught off guard. Anyone with eyes in their head could see the road was nearing completion, and we'd had reports her MONTHS ago that we were looking at a December 2009 opening.

Aye the date might have been floating about for months but where did it come from. Not KCC or NRA. I reckon it was the contractor.

Jaeger 90

MYOB wrote: »

I already do! Took as long to get from house to gate in Waterford Airport as Dublin Airport from Maynooth by car + long stay car park pre Castledermot being bypassed and the second bridge in Waterford. Off to Birmingham later in the month via there so I'll see how much quicker it is now!

Maynooth to Dublin Airport takes 20 minutes, so you must be doing something wrong.

tomtraubert

Star Spangler wrote: »

I was at a meeting in JULY with Roadbridge where it was discussed that the target was to open the motorway in December '09. In fact, I think I posted that information here. How any councillors etc can say they only found out last week is beyond me. If a resident on the N9 knew 5 months ago how did the council not know? The simple fact is the council did know it would be finished and any councillor who says different is a liar.

Was it given to KCC officially?.....if you dont work for the contractor then you'll never know. If you do work for the contractor then you'll know the real story.

tomtraubert

emfifty wrote: »

this is posted on the NRA website today...


'Given current wintry weather conditions, the Minister [of Transport] used the opportunity to once again highlight the road safety message to all road users'.



----And this new bypass was being put back to Jan why?....:rolleyes:

Because they couldn't ensure safety over xmas/new year with lack of resources/grit?

tomtraubert

Star Spangler wrote: »

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

Its not a cattle crossing exactly.

Its where the farmer crosses his cattle across the Regional road to Nurney/Kildare near Crookstown. He has crossed his cattle here for 50 years and now that this existing regional road has been bridged over the M9 he reckons its not safe.

placard

tomtraubert wrote: »

Because they couldn't ensure safety over xmas/new year with lack of resources/grit?

The same resources if not more because of the poor road quality would have been required for the N9 had they not opened the M9 motorway. Not to mention that the N9 would have been statistically more dangerous in poor weather conditions.