M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

mickger844posts

With the last section opening tomorrow what will the journey time from the New Bridge in Waterford to the Red Cow???

Mr Clonfadda

Minister said 90 minutes afaik

JohnC.

Why do people find it so difficult to get enough petrol before using a motorway? They're not so long you'll run out half way down. We're not crossing America here.

wellbutty

mickger844posts wrote: »

With the last section opening tomorrow what will the journey time from the New Bridge in Waterford to the Red Cow???

I make it just under 90 minutes at speed limit

draward

it is opening tommrow sorry for wrong info

kieranb07

wonder will we get to page 200 on this brilliant thread before the road opens....

mackerski

Stark wrote: »

Would the N10 not run from junction 8 on the M9 to junction 9 on the M9 via the Kilkenny bypass?

I'd be very surprised. The southerly part of that route along the old road is not one that that NRA would want you to take to reach the M9 from Kilkenny, regardless of your direction. As such, I'd expect it to be downgraded in the usual fashion.

Saruman

Believe it or not it is much easier to run out than you think. Let's take a simple scenario that you have about a 1/4 tank. You find out you need to drive somewhere early in the morning so you leave the house at 6 and then realise that none of the petrol stations are open till 7.

There are 24 hour places around but that does not mean you know where they are.

It happened to me on the M6, no where was open and by the time I got to Tyrrellspass I needed fuel badly. It was before 7am at this point. Luckily as I came back through the town towards the motorway the petrol station had opened the door and he said to go ahead even though it was another 10 mins till opening. The car had limped in to town

In my case the reason I was stuck was because the 24 hour place at Kinnegad had no fuel!! so I had to head to Tyrrellspass and hope I made it.

Silverado

MYOB wrote: »

Paulstown petrol stqtion long since closed I believe.

Currently the only petrol station I can remember passing between Powerstown and Kilkenny is on the Leighlinbridge Bypass.

I feel that for individuals driving from Dublin to Waterford that a halfway stopping point is very necessary. With the opening of the last section of the M9 now this will become particularly apparent. The village of Paulstown seems to be best located for this stopover. It is really close to Junction 7 and also at about the right point for coffee/petrol/toilet/snooze etc.

If there was a filling station in Paulstown but it is now closed perhaps its now time to re-open it offering these facilities as best they can. An excellent job opportunity in a small village.

johnbk

The N10 does run from Junction 9 to Junction 8 via the Kilkenny ring road.

This picture is of Junction 9 looking north


This picture is of Junction 8 also looking north

mackerski

johnbk wrote: »

The N10 does run from Junction 9 to Junction 8 via the Kilkenny ring road.

Looks like you may be right - it seems a bit odd, though.

johnbk

Here is a picture of Junction 7 looking south


and Junction 8 at the end of the N10

Chris_5339762

God that whole N10 affair is retarded.

coolperson05

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

God that whole N10 affair is retarded.

Agreed. It's stupid. It's just a national road coming off a motorway. Why it was made to be inescapable and rows over motorway designation is beyond me. It's just a road for kilkenny people to get on the motorway. Like the n78 for Athy. Needless confusion.

hi5

Silverado wrote: »

I feel that for individuals driving from Dublin to Waterford that a halfway stopping point is very necessary. With the opening of the last section of the M9 now this will become particularly apparent. The village of Paulstown seems to be best located for this stopover. It is really close to Junction 7 and also at about the right point for coffee/petrol/toilet/snooze etc.

If there was a filling station in Paulstown but it is now closed perhaps its now time to re-open it offering these facilities as best they can. An excellent job opportunity in a small village.

There was one destined for Paulstown,

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/176815/68362.JPG

Is there a reason why a private individual cannot apply for planning near a junction?
Surely private land owners around these junctions must be chomping at the bit to get started on the building of service stations?
Everyone benefits.

redtelephone

The day has finally arrived. I'd like to say well done and thank you to everyone who posted here. I have a question about R448.
What will the speed limit be? It's 80kph between Carlow and Powerstown which I think is ridiculous given that it was safe for 100kph for years. Will they make the entire R448 from Naas to Waterford 80kph? What about the old N10 (R715??) will that be 80kph as well? There are hundreds of local roads narrower than these with 100kph limits.

Bodan

There is a nice write up in today's Irish Times

Final section of M9 motorway opens today

TIM O'BRIEN

Thu, Sep 09, 2010

THE FINAL section of the M9 motorway, a 40km link between Carlow and Knocktopher in Co Kilkenny, is to open this morning.

The section completes motorway-standard road between Kilcullen, Co Kildare, and Waterford city at a total cost of €1.519 billion. The figure includes the cost of the Suir Bridge and Waterford city bypass, which is officially part of the N25.

A motorway between Kilcullen and Dublin has been open for a number of years.

Journey times between the Red Cow interchange in Dublin and the Suir Bridge are now expected to be in the region of 90 minutes – a reduction of at least 30 minutes.

The new road also includes a five kilometre single-carriageway spur to Kilkenny city.

The completed M9 is expected to improve significantly access to Waterford regional airport, Belview port, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford Regional Hospital, Carlow Institute of Technology and a number of tourist destinations in the southeast region.

Towns bypassed from today will include Knocktopher, Stoneyford, Kilkenny, Paulstown, Thomastown, Dungarvan and Gowran.

Three major river crossings of the King’s River, the Nore and the Barrow presented significant challenges as they were located within a candidate Special Area of Conservation, according to the National Roads Authority.

The authority also said 110 archaeological sites were investigated and catalogued prior to the beginning of construction.

An opening ceremony will be performed by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey at 11am today and is to be attended by former minister Martin Cullen, who fast tracked the completion of the motorway from an earlier proposed completion date of 2011.

The road is to open to the public immediately after this morning’s ceremony.

The National Roads Authority said traffic volumes on the route were expected to grow to 16,000 vehicles a day. The annual average daily traffic on the N9 in July 2009 was just over 11,000 vehicles per day.

The Dublin to Waterford motorway is also the Dublin to Cork route between Dublin and the M7/M9 junction near Kilcullen.

The new route from Kilcullen to Waterford city was developed in five sections:

The Carlow bypass, which opened in May 2008 at a cost of €216 million;

The Suir Bridge and Waterford city bypass, which opened in October 2009 at a cost of €255 million;

The Kilcullen to Carlow motorway, which opened in December 2009 at a cost of €307 million;

The Knocktopher to Waterford city bypass, which opened in June at a cost of €274 million;

Carlow to Knocktopher, which opens this morning and which cost €467 million.

The opening of the route means continuous motorway is now in place between Dublin and the regional cities of Waterford, Cork and Galway, with motorway access also between Dublin and the Meath-Cavan border and between Dublin and the Border with Northern Ireland. The motorway between Dublin and Limerick is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

© 2010 The Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0909/1224278514480.html

Stark

Like the bit where the M9 bypasses Dungarvan

Daysha

Stark wrote: »

Like the bit where the M9 bypasses Dungarvan

It sure does



On an off-note, why does that article continue to make reference to the by-pass? The two projects have absolutely no relation to each other, correct?

That's something that always bugged me.

Benimar

Great to see the road opening but it's fairly lazy reporting by the Irish Times who obviously don't send reporters to Waterford! The Knocktopher to Danesfort section has been open for ages!!

I'm pretty certain the the stretch opening today is 28km. Didn't they open 12km of the Knocktopher to Powerstown road when they opened the Waterford to Knocktopher section?

johnbk

The start of the new N10 link to the M9 on the morning of opening.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4973465068_b1be361de4_z.jpg

waterford1980

D-Day has arrived, can't wait to get on the M9 from start to finish (Waterford - Dublin)

This is more exciting then my wedding day was

wellboy76

Stark wrote: »

Like the bit where the M9 bypasses Dungarvan

Thats not the real Dungarvan of course!

Bards

Here's the press release


A new 40km section of the M9 motorway from Carlow to Knocktopher was officially opened today (9/9/2010) by Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey T.D.

This new section of motorway completes the fourth inter-urban motorway by connecting Waterford to Dublin via the new M9. The completion of the Carlow to Knocktopher scheme is estimated to save approximately 30minutes at peak journey times. Overall it is now estimated that it will take approximately 90minutes to travel from Dublin (M50) to Waterford City.

This scheme came in on budget at €467milion and 3 months ahead of schedule. Additionally, this motorway will remove unnecessary through traffic from Stoneyford, Knocktopher, Kilkenny City, Paulstown, Gowran, Dungarvan and Thomastown giving back to all these communities their respective village, town and city centres.

The Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey T.D. said, "The new M9 motorway linking Dublin, Kilkenny and Waterford is now complete. This final 40km section of motorway between Carlow and Knocktopher opens another significant region of the country and it will prove vital in assisting local, national and international competitiveness.

As always, it is very important to acknowledge the major road safety improvements that go hand in hand with all the new motorways opened over the last few years and the significant time savings and efficiency created with a new Inter-Urban Motorway Network. It is estimated that journey time from the M50 in Dublin to the City of Waterford will be made in less then two hours.”


Peter Malone, Chairman National Roads Authority stated “The opening of the M9 Carlow to Knocktopher project completes the entire M9 motorway and provides a high quality link between Dublin and the major population centres of Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford. Overall it will improve road safety, increase business opportunities and attract a wider audience to come and see for themselves the offerings on hand from the entire tourism industry throughout the region.


The transformation of road infrastructure throughout Ireland over last few years is historic in proportion and will offer a significant return on investment for generations to come. The National Roads Authority is one step closer in delivering a fully functioning modern motorway network for the benefit of the entire country.”



Additional Background Information

Towns Bypasses: Knocktopher, Stoneyford, Kilkenny, Paulstown, Thomastown, Dungarvan and Gowran.

Time Savings: Over 30 minutes on Waterford to Powerstown

This road runs through the central spine of both Kilkenny and Carlow and provides high quality connectivity between the major population centres of Waterford City, Kilkenny City and Carlow. It also improves access to Waterford Regional Airport, Belview Port, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford Regional Hospital, Carlow Institute of Technology and the various tourist attractions in the region.

•The new road provides high quality linkage between Dublin and the major population centres of Carlow Kilkenny and Waterford.
•The road will improve access between the major population centres while at the same time it will remove traffic from the villages of Stoneyford, Knocktopher, Kilkenny City Environs, Paulstown, Gowran, Dungarvan and Thomastown. It will improve road safety since it will remove traffic from the very poorly aligned sections of the old N9 and N10.
•This is the largest capital scheme ever undertaken by Kilkenny County Council-together with the recently opened section from Waterford to Knocktopher it means over 63 km. of new Motorway has been completed this year.
•The three major river crossings of the Kings River, Nore and Barrow presented significant challenges because of their location within a cSAC.
•The road will improve the environment in the bypassed villages and towns and the rural settlements on the existing national routes N9 and N10 by reducing noise and improving air quality
•110 Archaeological sites were resolved prior to the commencement of construction of the road

http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,17283,en.html

Jayuu

According to the AA Roadwatch site the road will open for traffic at 2pm!

Farewell Thomastown and you winding streets and narrow bridge. I have no reason to go to Waterford at the moment but I almost want to drive there just to test out the new road.

mike65

The folk of Thomastown should have a celebration of their own.

ShaneIRL

Looking forward to reducing my weekend commute time. It was painful first having to tackle Mulinavat, Thomastown, Dungarvan etc, etc. and then moved to Kilkenny Pauls town etc. Still all in all it took approx 1 hour 40 mins from Waterford City (Bridge) to Red Cow. Hopefully this will reduce it to 1 hour 25 mins or better - but the main point is there will be less risk of traffic. Bring on 4pm tomorrow.

flop

After commuting from Dungarvan Co waterford to/from Blanchardstown once a week for the past 5 years i am so happy this day is here. It used to take me nearly 4 hours to commute one way back in 2005, currently it's taking 2hrs 15 mins on a good day.

Hoping that i can get the commute down to 2 hours with this new section of road opening today.

Roll on 4pm today
Flop

mackerski

johnbk wrote: »

The start of the new N10 link to the M9 on the morning of opening.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4973465068_b1be361de4_z.jpg

I assumed the sign they would use here would be a ridiculous misuse of some sort. And so it proves to be.

Dymo

Where is the best place to get on the new motorway from Kilkenny City going to dublin? Do I have to go to Danesfort, Paulstown, Gowran or

where is this?

The new road also includes a five kilometre single-carriageway spur to Kilkenny city

Thanks