M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

DWCommuter

Victor wrote: »

You forget that the most valuble bit of the train journey is the bit inside the M50. Also, not all trains operate via Kilkenny.

That "inside the M50" line is such a red herring that I'm astounded people still roll it out. Not every rail passenger from Waterford is heading to the city centre. Not every rail passenger taking the train from Dublin is from the city centre. To make such an assumption is extremely gullible.

It is a widely proven fact across Europe that rail companies went to HSTs to combat the challenge from motorways. Even with a huge increase in Irish Rail speeds, the lack of decent onward rail connections such as Metro and the interconnector, means that motorways have stolen a massive gain on inter city rail travel. This is a tiny country. The inter urbans make it even smaller. What were mammoth car journies are fastly becoming speedy jaunts on a motorway. Rail journies are still mammoth trips. Im all for rail improvements, but I'm not naieve enough to think that the existing service will compete with the motorway network. Inter city rail in Ireland is undergoing a painful death. History is in the making but its road based.

flop

Drove up to Dublin from Dungarvan (Co Waterford) this morning left around 6:40 and it took me 40 mins to reach the Knocktopher exit of the M9. I then took the N9 via Thomastown/Dungarvan/Gowran and reached Paulstown in 24 mins.

There wasn't much traffic on the road ahead of me, and certainly no twin axle trucks. so overall i would say the new stretch of motorway saves about 10-15mins for me

I managed to reach the Green Isle hotel in 2 hours ;-)

The surface of the new road itself it ok, i didn't hear the tyre whine i normally hear around J3, so that's good. It's a fairly straight run the slight bends keep things interesting.

I plan to drive to J9 in Danesfort then take the take the KK ring road
next week to see if that route is quicker.

Flop

frankie2shoes

Any truth to the rumour that they'll be opening the carlow to paulstown section when its ready or are they gonna wait to open the whole section to danesfort. If its gonna open, any idea when? cheers

spacetweek

Bodan wrote: »

They have added the Carlow to Kilcullen M9 section as well. They have also done half the Galway motorway and most of the Cork motorway.

Hopefully, they will fix the Waterford to Danesfort section in the next few days.

Yea, I noticed they've correctly marked the M8 and half the M6 as motorways recently. They seem to be responding to fixes on a case by case basis instead of doing it all in one go. Teleatlas, just look at OpenStreetMap!

Silverado

I drove from Waterford to Mullinavat both yesterday and today and couldn't help but notice that there is still a lot of traffic using this road - why? There are lines of cars and some large trucks on occasion - do they not know of the M9?

It might help of course if the public were directed a little. I notice that when you drive around Waterford City there are no blue M9 signs to be seen, just green N9 ones. Where's that - I thought that it had become the R448?

mackerski

spacetweek wrote: »

Teleatlas, just look at OpenStreetMap!

As a source of map data? Nope not legal, unless they're prepared to open up their existing map data on a Creative Commons licence.

Mr Clonfadda

Silverado wrote: »

I drove from Waterford to Mullinavat both yesterday and today and couldn't help but notice that there is still a lot of traffic using this road - why? There are lines of cars and some large trucks on occasion - do they not know of the M9?

Sat Navs haven't been updated!! Also sounds if there isn't clear signage in Paulstown from other recent posts

Chris_5339762

My satnav has Openstreetmap on it :cool:

tramor

flop wrote: »

Drove up to Dublin from Dungarvan (Co Waterford) this morning left around 6:40 and it took me 40 mins to reach the Knocktopher exit of the M9. I then took the N9 via Thomastown/Dungarvan/Gowran and reached Paulstown in 24 mins.

There wasn't much traffic on the road ahead of me, and certainly no twin axle trucks. so overall i would say the new stretch of motorway saves about 10-15mins for me

I managed to reach the Green Isle hotel in 2 hours ;-)

The surface of the new road itself it ok, i didn't hear the tyre whine i normally hear around J3, so that's good. It's a fairly straight run the slight bends keep things interesting.

I plan to drive to J9 in Danesfort then take the take the KK ring road
next week to see if that route is quicker.

Flop

what route do you take to knocktopher? Through carrick-on-suir / Callan?

I drove from Portlaw, along the Waterford bypass, across the new bridge, and up to Knocktopher(26 miles). Journey time 27 mins. Travelling at speed limit(toll bridge +4 miles of country road adds up!!). Sadly, I do it in 22 mins going through Fiddown and cross country from there(18 miles). The time from the roundabout in Waterford up to Knocktopher was 13 mins-excellent road.

NedNew2

tramor wrote: »

what route do you take to knocktopher? Through carrick-on-suir / Callan?

I drove from Portlaw, along the Waterford bypass, across the new bridge, and up to Knocktopher(26 miles). Journey time 27 mins. Travelling at speed limit(toll bridge +4 miles of country road adds up!!). Sadly, I do it in 22 mins going through Fiddown and cross country from there(18 miles). The time from the roundabout in Waterford up to Knocktopher was 13 mins-excellent road.

THat would be about 40 km in 27 minutes, not bad at all.

And Waterford to Knocktopher is 24km I think, in 13 minutes.

Just goes to show the difference the new road makes.

flop

tramor wrote: »

what route do you take to knocktopher? Through carrick-on-suir / Callan?

Via the Waterford bypass on the N25 then hook up with the M9 to Knocktopher that took me 40mins the on Wednesday.

However I used to drive via carrick-on-suir / Kilmaganny to knocktopher (R698?), before the Waterfors bypass was built, that used to take 50mins

Flop

cargo

frankie2shoes wrote: »

Any truth to the rumour that they'll be opening the carlow to paulstown section when its ready or are they gonna wait to open the whole section to danesfort. If its gonna open, any idea when? cheers

Where'd you hear this? Not sure it'd make a huge difference as the new road at Paulstown doesn't really match up with any of the old sections (N10/N9) so probably wouldn't make up much time but any bit that's ready is always welcome.

Seeing as they opened the short Knocktopher to Danesfort bit in advance they probably would open the small bit at the other end also, if it was ready. There is a big river crossing on that section so that may not be fully done yet.

Wouldn't be too bad if new link road dropped traffic down onto old N10 section (towards KK) without having to go back through Paulstown village, hard to see from map what way it'll work.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/KilkennyCountyCouncil/N9N10CarlowKnocktopherKilcullenWaterford/Map,16507,en.pdf

But I suppose N9 traffic could continue on the new link and bypass Paulstown so wouldn't affect the N10 traffic.

cargo

Any pics of the bridge over the Nore near Bennetsbridge? There was a lot of opposition to it at the time of the route selection so i wonder how it turned out?

Roryhy

cargo wrote: »

Where'd you hear this? Not sure it'd make a huge difference as the new road at Paulstown doesn't really match up with any of the old sections (N10/N9) so probably wouldn't make up much time but any bit that's ready is always welcome.

Seeing as they opened the short Knocktopher to Danesfort bit in advance they probably would open the small bit at the other end also, if it was ready. There is a big river crossing on that section so that may not be fully done yet.

Wouldn't be too bad if new link road dropped traffic down onto old N10 section (towards KK) without having to go back through Paulstown village, hard to see from map what way it'll work.

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/KilkennyCountyCouncil/N9N10CarlowKnocktopherKilcullenWaterford/Map,16507,en.pdf

But I suppose N9 traffic could continue on the new link and bypass Paulstown so wouldn't affect the N10 traffic.

Theres a small link road at the junction south of Paulstown that connects to both N9 & N10, it would be a very beneficial addition but the link to the N10 is the only part i could see opening early, the N9 part is very un-advanced.

Heres a link to some pics i took of this section a few weeks back http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=64793942&postcount=2132

hi5

The link road off the M9 from Dunbell to the KK ring road at Hebron is direct with no connection to the N10 at Lavistown(ESB sub station).

I would also like to see completed pictures of the Nore crossing if anyone has any:)
That elevation also crosses two roads and a railway line.

Hers some of the construction.http://www.thompson.ie/structural-division/structural-portfolio/bridges2.htm

fresca

if there are any pieces of road art on this road, i'd be grateful if anyone could post up some pics.
thanks in advance!!

wellbutty

Just back from a return trip to Kilkenny, took the M9 all the way up and then back the N9 via Thomastown.

How did we ever do without it? This motorway is very smooth, quiet, excellent curvature.......interesting that the BAM catseyes are only slightly raised above the road surface while Roadbridge's ones are like rocks!

Considering the road cost 10 million euro per kilometer, I was amazed at how well it's hidden. I came back the N9 to where it meets the N10 near Knocktopher, no indication (I stand corrected) whatsoever that there was a motorway nearby. Into Knocktopher itself, still no signs...took a chance on a road heading from the village to Callan and found the junction.

Saw two vans making last ditch maneuvers for the rest areas, cant remember seeing much advance warning of their existence.

The highlight was seeing a woman doing a 3 point turn on the N9 and easily getting away with it, she wouldnt have done that last week Cant wait for the last section to be open.

savic04

just drove from Waterford city to dublin city ctr, around 2hours each way, well a good bit more on way up but it was 9am traffic into Dublin.

Went up full M9 into Danesfort via the n10 Dublin Roundabout near Kilkenny, then out that way and through Paulstown.. on my return I turned off at Before Paulstown to come back to Waterford the old way.. got as far as Knockthopher /Ballyhale turn.. no signs for motorway, as mentioned, I took a chance on turning right and then left to Callan.. Relly stupid IMO, not one single signpost to tell people who would be travelling from Dublin to Waterford, that a motorway is only 3mins drive to your right instead of travelling back via Ballyhale, etc.. plain stupidty on whoever puts ths signs in place...


any tourist traveling from dublin to waterford will still miss the whole road as the sign before Paulstown still says Waterford to the left and KK straight on, there are no signs to tell you to join the m9 at Knocktopher..

tonc76

Kilkenny Co Co have the responsibility to revise all signage outside the footprint of the motorway.

Don't hold your breath :pac:

blah_frenchie

Can't wait to drive on that motorway tomorrow!! So excited!
The portion between Carlow and Naas has already seriously helped, but now it is just brilliant! And in August, the whole way to Dublin will be open!

johnbk

My last picture of the bridge in Bennetsbridge was in October. It doesnt look a whole lot different now.

RobitTV

Does Anybody have any Pictures off the Motorway when you enter it on the Waterford side Or any pictures of it at all Would be Fantastic

johnbk

From a coupe of weeks ago.

johnbk

Loads more here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40914919@N02/archives/date-taken/2010/02/14/

nordydan

Brochure here

cargo

nordydan wrote: »

Brochure here

Hi Nordydan

there's a "h" missing from the start of your link (fixed in the quote above but you might want to edit the original

L1011

Drove the entire length of the new section northbound today.

Its, erm, quiet. Reminds me of the northern sections of the UK M6 in terrain/scenery a bit.

Also noticed the M9 end of the new N78 is lined.

Heartbreak Hank

Is the N78 going to be down-graded to an R road with the exception of the Athy link? Can't imagine many people will use this when they have motorway alternatives to east and west.

rameire

Heartbreak Hank wrote: »

Is the N78 going to be down-graded to an R road with the exception of the Athy link? Can't imagine many people will use this when they have motorway alternatives to east and west.

yes the new athy link will become the N78 with a 100km speed limit, and the old n78 will become a R route, with an 80km speed limit. alot of people will still use the current n78 in the future as there is a lot of traffic from Kilcullen and Naas.

Just an update, they have completed the t mac on the roundabout and approach to the roundabout at the athy end of the link road, they have also lined the road and put down the anti spli surface on the new road.

I think they are still completing other sections of the road but dont look too far off, id say the roundabout will be open soon but the new road will be a couple of weeks behind.

Trick of the Tail

Well I took my first spin tonight, it took me 30 mins to get to the Kilkenny end of the M9 from Waterford, which was great, but it took another 25 mins to get to the Paulstown N10/N9 junction (even with no serious traffic or other hold-ups), making the journey time to that point 55 minutes.

Which is roughly the same as it always has been, on the N9.

No change there, then. Apart from the journey to Paulstown being far less stressful than before.

The major change in journey time Waterford to Dublin won't be improved until the Danesfort to Carlow section of the M9 opens, I think.

A.