M9 motorway (general thread)

antoobrien

fricatus wrote: »

Great to see the Gardaí pulling over a tractor on the M9 near Stonyford this morning (between J10 and J9).

Hopefully they're cracking down on this.

There's nothing to say that a tractor can't go on a motorway - provided it can keep up a minimum speed of 50km/h.

Aidan1

The law is going to change shortly to ban tractors from Motorways, along with a change in the allowed weights for trailers etc. Part of the issue with the M9 is the fact that there's a lot of tillage farming in the area so you get very wide equipment trundling along the driving lane, often without proper lighting. Trailed cultivators and drills are the main problems, but big square balers can be fun too..

That said, the same equipment can cause serious jams on N roads where there are few overtaking options. I hate to think of the lost minutes I cost people on the road between Carlow and Kilcullen over the years.

road_high

Aidan1 wrote: »

The law is going to change shortly to ban tractors from Motorways, along with a change in the allowed weights for trailers etc. Part of the issue with the M9 is the fact that there's a lot of tillage farming in the area so you get very wide equipment trundling along the driving lane, often without proper lighting. Trailed cultivators and drills are the main problems, but big square balers can be fun too..

That said, the same equipment can cause serious jams on N roads where there are few overtaking options. I hate to think of the lost minutes I cost people on the road between Carlow and Kilcullen over the years.

This is it....between KK and Kilcullen contains some of the best tillage land (and also livestock land, the marts/meat factories for instance generate a lot of traffic too). The M8 through Cork/Tipp is the same. Less of anissue say on the M6 as the land is not as good.

rameire

Gardai say they will re-open the M9 fully as soon as it is safe to do so.

An articulated lorry jack-knifed across the centre of the motorway early this morning, leading to disruption across both sides of the road.

The driver escaped uninjured and the road is currently closed from junction 3 Athy/Ballitore to junction 6 Leighlinbridge, north and southbound.

The clean up of an oil spillage is currently underway and diversions are in place.

road_high

Looked pretty nasty, must have spilled a lot of oil/chemical or watever the truck was carrying. Both sides of the carriageway are marked and the median barrier was damaged. Hopefully it will be ok in the rain.

Quickelles

antoobrien wrote: »

There's nothing to say that a tractor can't go on a motorway - provided it can keep up a minimum speed of 50km/h.

I would regard 50 kph as dangerously slow in free flowing motorway traffic.

If the road ahead is clear the legal minimum should be 80 kph.

Quickelles

Aidan1 wrote: »

The law is going to change shortly to ban tractors from Motorways, along with a change in the allowed weights for trailers etc.

Sounds good. Is this definite? Any links?

Jamie2k9

I know it may of being discussed already but is there any updates for the 2 services areas on the M9 (between J2-3 and J7-8). I notice the M8 at Fermoy has had a planning application lodged. The M9 is the worst motorway for getting any sort of services in a near by town, in most cases you have to drive for miles off the motorway. NRA should have the M9 top of the list and is it cost that's delaying things or something else.

Edit just spotted the threat about it Mod move if you wish.

L1011

The M9 doesn't have enough traffic to make one of the official scale viable.

The fact that when it was the N9, there wasn't a "proper" station online between Leighlinbridge and Waterford itself does rather show this. There was one of some scale in Thomastown, but accessible only in one direction; other than that there were tiny shops with two pumps in a few places.

road_high

MYOB wrote: »

The M9 doesn't have enough traffic to make one of the official scale viable.

The fact that when it was the N9, there wasn't a "proper" station online between Leighlinbridge and Waterford itself does rather show this. There was one of some scale in Thomastown, but accessible only in one direction; other than that there were tiny shops with two pumps in a few places.

Traffic figures are equivalent and/or above most sections of the M6/7/8/1 on the M9 especially north of Kilkenny. No reason why a service station like cashel or mayfield would not be viable at all.

Jamie2k9

The M9 doesn't have enough traffic to make one of the official scale viable.

The fact that when it was the N9, there wasn't a "proper" station online between Leighlinbridge and Waterford itself does rather show this. There was one of some scale in Thomastown, but accessible only in one direction; other than that there were tiny shops with two pumps in a few places.

Have you looked at the traffic count data, where the Service Station is proposed covers around 20,000 cars per day. Where the application on the M8 only handles around 15,000 per day.

L1011

road_high wrote: »

Traffic figures are equivalent and/or above most sections of the M6/7/8/1 on the M9 especially north of Kilkenny. No reason why a service station like cashel or mayfield would not be viable at all.

North of Kilkenny is likely too close to Dublin (and heavily commuter traffic too) for a station to live off 20k.

South of KK couldn't support a proper station when it was the N9, it definitely can't now that the journey is 50% quicker.

Aquarius34

MYOB wrote: »

North of Kilkenny is likely too close to Dublin (and heavily commuter traffic too) for a station to live off 20k.

South of KK couldn't support a proper station when it was the N9, it definitely can't now that the journey is 50% quicker.

I agree, The M7 has traffic volumes way higher at Kildare and Newbridge for the same reason. In and around 36,000 vehicles a day pass south of the M7/M9 junction. That is because most of the traffic at this part is majorly commuter traffic.

Jamie2k9

North of Kilkenny is likely too close to Dublin

Fermoy is to close to Cork anyway its the one at Kilcullan that is likely to happen first. Not everybody in the M9 starts off from Dublin. The same can be said for Waterford,

Aquarius34

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Fermoy is to close to Cork anyway its the one at Kilcullan that is likely to happen first. Not everybody in the M9 starts off from Dublin. The same can be said for Waterford,

A service station at Paulstown seems Ideal, since it's almost mid-way and it used to be the old intersection with the N9/N10.

L1011

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Fermoy is to close to Cork anyway its the one at Kilcullan that is likely to happen first. Not everybody in the M9 starts off from Dublin. The same can be said for Waterford,

Far more people start on M8 journeys far further from Cork than vice versa.

I think the fact that there hasn't even been a whisper of an attempt at one shows the commercial realities.

Chris_5339762

One at the M9/N24 roundabout maybe? Then the next one can be on the Naas bypass; that will have to do it for the M9.

Jamie2k9

MYOB wrote: »

Far more people start on M8 journeys far further from Cork than vice versa.

I think the fact that there hasn't even been a whisper of an attempt at one shows the commercial realities.

You don't know that, how what about people from other areas of Waterford, New Ross etc.

L1011

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

You don't know that, how what about people from other areas of Waterford, New Ross etc.

Still far smaller.

Every other interurban has had private msa efforts - nobody deems the m9 viable yet clearly

Jamie2k9

MYOB wrote: »

Still far smaller.

Every other interurban has had private msa efforts - nobody deems the m9 viable yet clearly

Of course it has nothing to do with the M9 being miles away from towns when people come off the motorway....people are not going to drive that far for services.

L1011

Irrelevant - if it was viable someone would build at a junction just like on other roads

And north of Kilkenny it does run along towns

Jamie2k9

MYOB wrote: »

Irrelevant - if it was viable someone would build at a junction just like on other roads

where else have they just being build besides J14 M7.

L1011

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

where else have they just being build besides J14 M7.

Moneygall. M1 balbriggan. Cashel is outside a town. Kilbeggan is only a village

road_high

MYOB wrote: »

Still far smaller.

Every other interurban has had private msa efforts - nobody deems the m9 viable yet clearly

Give it a chance it's only open 2.5 years the last section! There is/was planning in for a service station like Cashel just off the N10 link road where it meets the Kilkenny ring road so that shows private sector interest even if it's off the mainline M9.

Aidan1

And north of Kilkenny it does run along towns

Thats an interesting point - there does seem to be less demand for services on the route. The N9 got a few reasonable petrol stations with services late in its life (the Esso north of Castledermot and at Crookstown for example), but never had the same density of services as the N7/8 or N4/6, particularly if you wanted hot food.

Al Capwned

Aidan1 wrote: »

Thats an interesting point - there does seem to be less demand for services on the route. The N9 got a few reasonable petrol stations with services late in its life (the Esso north of Castledermot and at Crookstown for example), but never had the same density of services as the N7/8 or N4/6, particularly if you wanted hot food.

The Maxol at the other end of the town is twice the facility in fairness.

Aidan1

That's Horan's place, right? That only got an upgrade even later I think (I stopped using that route heavily once the sections of the M7/8 started to open - so 2004/5). In any case, I used to use the one in Crookstown more - easier to park heavy machinery outside it.

Al Capwned

Aidan1 wrote: »

That's Horan's place, right? That only got an upgrade even later I think (I stopped using that route heavily once the sections of the M7/8 started to open - so 2004/5). In any case, I used to use the one in Crookstown more - easier to park heavy machinery outside it.

Yeah that's the one. Much better place, staff, products, service than the other spot.....

Parking is the only issue - anything with a trailer etc, you'd be struggling....

road_high

Crookstown is still mad busy most times I called in. I like it as it's very spacious and lots of pumps. If only it were a little closer to the M9.

rameire

they were removing the temp barriers and sweeping the road this evening as I was passing at the M9 to M7 merge.