M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

Stark

Waterford - Danesfort (Junction 9).

Bards

niallo32 wrote: »

Can anyone clarify exactly what stretch is opening on the 8th/12 March - is it Waterford-Knocktopher or a larger chunk?

There seems to be conflicting info being posted

Thanks..

Waterford to Danesford, which incorporates All of the Wateford to Knocktopher section being build by BAM, and the first leg (Knocktopher to Danesford) of the Knocktopher to Carlow section being built by Roadbridge/Sisk JV

Edit: see post #1957 - #1958

niallo32

Bards wrote: »

Waterford to Danesford, which incorporates All of the Wateford to Knocktopher section being build by BAM, and the first leg (Knocktopher to Danesford) of the Knocktopher to Carlow section being built by Roadbridge/Sisk JV

Edit: see post #1957 - #1958

Excellent so the only stretch left will be the 25-30km between Danesfort and end of Carlow bypass?

Bards

niallo32 wrote: »

Excellent so the only stretch left with the 25-30km between Danesfort and end of Carlow bypass?

Exactly

niallo32

Thanks

letitroll

forgive my ignorance

but if i'm coming from waterford on the new road i continue to Danesfort

From there i need to continue as if going to Kilkenny join the ring road which then throws me onto the N10 heading towards Carlow

Anyone clarify this for me

Sully

letitroll wrote: »

forgive my ignorance

but if i'm coming from waterford on the new road i continue to Danesfort

From there i need to continue as if going to Kilkenny join the ring road which then throws me onto the N10 heading towards Carlow

Anyone clarify this for me

To the best of my knowledge, you take the junction for Danesfort which brings you back onto the N10 (the part recently re-aligned) and towards Kilkenny town. Then you can jump onto the ORR and head towards Carlow the old route.

Musicman2000

testicle wrote: »

When this road opens, it makes Waterford Airport a much nicer prospect than Dublin. Now if only they'd get more destinations and better times!

It would be much nicer, but compared to Dublin Airport its only an airfield, that cant cater for larger jet aircraft, Runway is to short and Aer Arann can be expensive

Mr Clonfadda

Jack Nicklaus managed to get his lear in and out so there might be hope for some of you out there .

Hopefully when the new road is open demand may drive more routes and more competition.

AngelinaJolie

I can't believe I'm this excited about a road!

Where exactly is Danesfort?

Sully

AngelinaJolie wrote: »

I can't believe I'm this excited about a road!

Where exactly is Danesfort?

Just before Kilkenny town. Its probably the best stretch of road from Waterford to Kilkenny tbh.

road_high

Sully wrote: »

Just before Kilkenny town. CITY. Its probably the best stretch of road from Waterford to Kilkenny tbh.

Fixed that little innocent error for ya Sully :P

Sully

mfitzy wrote: »

Fixed that little innocent error for ya Sully :P

Sorry, my bad. Looong day.

Roryhy

mfitzy wrote: »

Fixed that little innocent error for ya Sully :P

I was goin to point that one out earlier too but im not so sure its unintentional given that its coming from a Waterford man! I'll stay out of any little argument between the cats and the deise, you can settle it in the championship!

Trick of the Tail

Kilkenny isn't a city though. There are five cities in Ireland and Kilkenny isn't one of them.

[/flame resistant jacket ON]

A.

tramor

I think I've seen RyanAir 737's at Waterford airport in the past. In fact I thought the runway was lengthened/altered specifically to cater for larger aircraft sometime in the past (but I could be wrong, in both cases!!)

Roryhy

alinton wrote: »

Kilkenny isn't a city though. There are five cities in Ireland and Kilkenny isn't one of them.

[/flame resistant jacket ON]

A.

not legally...but it is permitted to use the term for historic reasons.

fricatus

tramor wrote: »

I think I've seen RyanAir 737's at Waterford airport in the past. In fact I thought the runway was lengthened/altered specifically to cater for larger aircraft sometime in the past (but I could be wrong, in both cases!!)

I doubt it. The runway at WAT is only around 4,700 ft, and the takeoff run for a 737 would be something like 5,000-7,000 ft, depending on loading. I'm sure one could be landed there in an emergency, but the runway would need lengthening, widening and deepening in order to take them in service (or you could build a parallel runway so as not to disrupt service, like they did in Kerry).

WAT did take those BAe-146s that were leased by Aer Arann though. They're small, four-engined jets that are suitable for short runways, and have a decent enough range (they did Waterford to Malaga, Faro, Bordeaux and Amsterdam during the summer of 2008).

Even if they do use smaller planes, I've found Aer Arann to be competitive, and to be honest, I wouldn't fly to London via Dublin or Cork now, unless I had to go specifically to Heathrow or Gatwick. There's definitely an opportunity to operate as a niche player and market their services more widely within the SE when the motorway opens.

In fact I remember seeing an ad in the Kilkenny Advertiser when the new N25 bridge opened, but they should run it again once the M9 opens, because then it will be only about 45 minutes from say Kilkenny, to the airport. Couple that with very short check-in and security waits, plus a car park outside the door rather than two miles away, and they could definitely compete with Dublin for London/Manchester/Birmingham business along the southern half of the M9 corridor.

Irish and Proud

johnbk wrote: »

And some more pictures around Kilkenny

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40914919@N02/?saved=1

...that's some cycle track towards Waterford mate - there used to be one like that near me till they took it off us and called it the M1 - on my bike, I found that the would be M1 was brilliant for cycling on - only snag was the wind!

:D:D

L1011

Irish and Proud wrote: »

...that's some cycle track towards Waterford mate - there used to be one like that near me till they took it off us and called it the M1 - on my bike, I found that the would be M1 was brilliant for cycling on - only snag was the wind!

:D:D

I used to cycle the unopened M4 as a kiddo also, seems to be a tradition!


As goes WAT, I've flown out of there before due to my aversion to Dublin Airport - Galway is much closer (and already has motorway basically from my house to it) but they don't have flights to Birmingham, WAT does. DUB is obviously closest, but it takes me longer to do "gaff to gate" there than GWY!

Sully

I just called the NRA there folks.. The latest date they have is March 22nd. They are aware of other dates floating around but the above is the latest date but is not confirmed. The lady I spoke to is not aware of any date being confirmed just yet.

(I did email info@nra.ie yesterday and received no reply - iv no idea who you guys are emailing).

Silverado

Does anyone have an email address for Joe Gannon, Project Coordinator to firm up the date?

Roryhy

Silverado wrote: »

Does anyone have an email address for Joe Gannon, Project Coordinator to firm up the date?

joe.gannon@kilkennycoco.ie

or

nro@kilkennycoco.ie

god bless google!:D

Sully

Roryhy wrote: »

joe.gannon@kilkennycoco.ie

or

nro@kilkennycoco.ie

god bless google!:D

Sent them an email there.

emfifty

Sully wrote: »

I just called the NRA there folks.. The latest date they have is March 22nd. They are aware of other dates floating around but the above is the latest date but is not confirmed. The lady I spoke to is not aware of any date being confirmed just yet.

(I did email info@nra.ie yesterday and received no reply - iv no idea who you guys are emailing).

I am betting the min for transport will be away on official business (st. patrick's knees up!) and the date is a moving target to suit the man. We all know what happened before xmas re kilcullen to carlow........

get ready for some people power again if required!!!:)

alpha2zulu

Sully wrote: »

I just called the NRA there folks.. The latest date they have is March 22nd. They are aware of other dates floating around but the above is the latest date but is not confirmed. The lady I spoke to is not aware of any date being confirmed just yet.

Disappointing to say the least.I wonder where the Kilkenny people pulled the March 8th figure from??

emfifty wrote: »

I am betting the min for transport will be away on official business (st. patrick's knees up!) and the date is a moving target to suit the man. We all know what happened before xmas re kilcullen to carlow........

get ready for some people power again if required!!!:)

Though that point is still a few weeks away, BAM still have plenty of bits and pieces to tidy and fix up before then.

Sully

alpha2zulu wrote: »

Speaking of signs for the project, what have Waterford C/C done with all the signs for the 'M9' on the Quay, Rice Bridge, and Train station roundabout that were put up when the Waterford bypass opened. They have all been changed to 'N9' during the week. Not sure if it was a sticker over job or what but it seems strange to start tinkering with them now and the road only 3 weeks away. Hopefully they dident go to the expense of chucking them all in the skip, fingers crossed.

The sign for Dublin in the middle of Rice bridge is really taking the mickey,hopefully somebody can get a pic of it because the N9 lettering is upside down on it...no joking! God help any foreign truckers trying to find the road:rolleyes:

I checked into this - there just stickers covering over the M9 text. They have not actually replaced the signs Rice Bridge seems fixed.

kieranb07

Just on the weird sinage..
I was approaching the Danesfort junction J9 from kilkenny side the other day and there is speed signs saying 60km but if your approaching from the waterford there is only signs saying 80km and no 60km ones...

Mr Clonfadda

kieranb07 wrote: »

Just on the weird sinage..
I was approaching the Danesfort junction J9 from kilkenny side the other day and there is speed signs saying 60km but if your approaching from the waterford there is only signs saying 80km and no 60km ones...

As far as I'm aware same the thing is on Waterford South exit off new N25 Waterford bypass. from the bypass to Old Kilmeaden road roundabout is 80 but it is 60 in the other direction.

Maybe Sully the investigator can check it out !!

Minister

I drove the new road on Saturday last from Mullinavat to Knoctopher. It is very good. The only real works were around Lukeswell. It appears as if the road from Knocktopher to Danesfort is ready to go. I had a look from a spot near Kells direction.

I suspect one of three reasons for delay, vis:

1) KK county councils ineptitude at project management.

2) The tardiness of the contractor in carrying out the work. There appears to be very little staff involved .....I have been watching the progress as I live near to the road.

3) The egos of the politicos and officials are such that they cannot leave the road open to the public until they have their pictures in the papers and on TV. Also they have to get good weather as they don't want the combovers to wave in the wind!!

I cannot see why they cannot open the road from Knocktopher up. It might save one or two accidents or heart attacks. Also, as soon as it appears ready maybe people power, as suggested by an earlier poster, can be mobilised? I will even steep so low as to ring Joe Duffy or Sue Nunn if it will help!

I spoke with Joe Gannon about the road a couple of weeks ago and he indicated a mid march opening. Also, he didn't sound to pushed about the need to open it soon or, for that matter, about opening the road to Powerstown in Carlow. It is down to the contractors ability to deliver, he says. Oh, the public sector!!

The new road will, in winter time present difficult driving circumstances due to poor winter weather conditions and topography. But, Mullinavat to Nolan Park in 30 minutes will be worth it.