Waterford to Dublin Motorway

Trotter

I just spotted this map of construction projects for 2005 on the NRA website.

http://www.nra.ie/News/DownloadableDocumentation/d1497.PDF

The concerning thing is that the Waterford to Dublin motorway (M9?) dosnt seem to get any attention. With our Minister for Transport hanging on for dear life by the looks of things, I wonder are we going to have to go back to dreaming of a 1hr 45min trip to Dublin.

Has there been any news on the status of the motorway recently?

Trotter

Im answering my own question here but I found this info from the National Development Plan website.


Project Name - Kilcullen/Waterford (Sthrn Section)
Statutory Approval Request - 2004
Publication of Tender Notice - 2006
Start Construct - 2008
End Construct - 2010

mike65

I ain't holding my breath....

Mike.

merlante

It's looking very dodgy alright. It definitely won't start in 2008, probably 2010 and probably won't be finished until 2013. And we probably won't even get a full motorway, but a dual carriageway instead.

If Cullen can stay and consolidate his position, we have a chance.

Waterford has to fight tooth and nail over the next few years. Another worrying thing is that the Waterford bypass was not listed in the Irish Times as one of the states major projects this year. It was named last year, but of course it was indefinitely delayed, because of the woodstown site, and eventually had its money returned to the exchequer. Still I believe this one will happen: the only question is when will it start!

Rew

If that shower of **** on Killkenny CC would improve some of their roads that would help. Generally I do Wateford Dublin in 2 hours 90% of the time. Did Waterdford Coolock in 1:50 before crimbo.

Trotter

Careful Rew.. You'll end up goin half the way there in an ambulance doin it in 1hr 50.

Or.. You'll do the head gasket again

Rew

Actually thats with out doin more then 65 in a 60 and keeping it under 80 on the motorway. I wouldn't have belived it my self except I had GPS logs.

mullanimal

Rew wrote:

Actually thats with out doin more then 65 in a 60 and keeping it under 80 on the motorway. I wouldn't have belived it my self except I had GPS logs.

We are starting a campaign on www.upthedeise.com to get decent roads in and out of waterford through Kilkenny seeing as Kilkenny Co. Council won't get their finger out.

IBEC have stated that over 11% of the population are in the south east but only 2% of dual carriageway. What a disgrace!

What are we paying taxes for, surely not that paint spill they call a roundabout in North Waterford (aka Kilkenny)

I don't mean to offend the average Kilkenny person working in Waterford but come on, will we ever get your Co. COuncil to do something for you and your neighbours!

kano476

kilkenny coco dont want people going to waterford, tis all part of the age old feud. it feels like the 1950's driving through kilkenny. i could start into a rant here but i wont. *deep breath*

thejollyrodger

I have been on the road from Waterford to Dublin. Once you get off the motorway the road is a disgrace. The worst part has to be that crappy little town on the nore. I cant think of the name. The road look medieval !! A motorway is urgently needed, even if there was a toll.

mike65

You must mean Thomastown with its 4 metre wide roads (yes I've gone metric) and acute angle junctions!

Mike.

Danno

Kilkenny roads are the worst in Ireland. Ever travelled the N77 from Durrow to Kilkenny City?

It seems like Kilkenny Co Co don't want anyone coming in or getting out!

merlante

mike65 wrote:

You must mean Thomastown with its 4 metre wide roads (yes I've gone metric) and acute angle junctions!

Mike.

And because it's the N9 it gets a lot of bus traffic. Was on a JJ Kavanagh bus once coming down the hill into Thomastown and we met a Bus Eireann bus turning the corner, up the hill, from the Waterford side. The road was so narrow that the two busses got locked together on the hill. The Bus Eireann bus had to drive into a wall for us to escape.

I'd say it's happened before too...

thejollyrodger

You must mean Thomastown with its 4 metre wide roads (yes I've gone metric) and acute angle junctions!

Yep thats it ! That has to be one of those worst towns in the country to drive through. And its on a major route , Dublin -> Waterford ! I didnt know whether to laugh or cry when I seen all those HGV's driving through.

Just another 5-6 years of this until the motorway is built (if it ever is)

Rew

That place is mental.

Going Dub-Waterford :

Hard 90 degree right, then hard 90 degree left, down the main street, 90 right, then 90 degree left over the bridge then 90 right off the bridge at the end! Would make a great rally course

merlante

Rew wrote:

That place is mental.

Going Dub-Waterford :

Hard 90 degree right, then hard 90 degree left, down the main street, 90 right, then 90 degree left over the bridge then 90 right off the bridge at the end! Would make a great rally course

Don't forget that half of the course is on a steep hill as well!

Bards

EIS has now been published for Southern section of n9 Motorway

http://n9-n10kilcullen-waterford.ie/

merlante

It's heartening to see. But given that we have a few projects that are supposed to be finished by now that haven't had a single sod turned yet, nobody will be holding their breath!

Looks like, from the EIS, that it'll definitely be a dual carriageway, and not a motorway. Should be okay, but it wouldn't do if every other city had a motorway and Waterford still had the worst road in the country. We should get whatever the rest of them are getting. Especially since this road also services Kilkenny and Carlow, amongst others.

mike65

I would'nt worry, the Irish government/NRA defintion of a motorway is two wide lanes + shoulders. Whereas the Dub-Waterford road is a dual-carrigeway which is the same thing only not as wide. In truth you wont be able to tell the diff for the most part.

Mike.

merlante

The only difference being, I believe, that on a dual carriageway you get traffic lights, whereas on a motorway you just have exits and flyovers, meaning you never have to stop.

merlante

According to the WLR website, 5 million has been given to Kilkenny Co. Co. for compulsory purchase orders for the motorway route. Kilkenny Co. Co. now reckon the road can't be stopped. (although I'm sure people are almost as worried about them stopping it as the government!)

kano476

not always the case, dual carridgeways nowadays are similar to motorways its just motorways have to be a certain width, angle of incline, width of shoulder, markings, and distance from buildings etc and are built to the same specifications mostly.

by the way, anyone else think that the 80km/h limit on the tramore road is rediculous? on the fiddown side of mooncoin there is a dirt track just off the N24 that has the same speed limit as the tramore road yet is was only the width of the van I was in and had a near 90degree turn, it was impossible to get above 40km/h on it. you would have to be Colin mcCrae to get up to 80! I don't think much thought was put into the whole scheme.

mike65

kano476 wrote:

by the way, anyone else think that the 80km/h limit on the tramore road is rediculous?

Yep, its clearly well enough made for 100 kph.

Mike.

Kaboogie

All this slagging about Kilkenny roads and now Waterford wants to take half of South Kilkenny. :mad:
Guess how long it takes to prevent flooding on the Tramore Road - A lifetime.

dephunked

I would be interested if someone could tell me the viability of an alternative route to Dublin like:

N25 > New Ross > N30 > Enniscorthy > N11 > Bray > M11?

Also when is this Dublin Port Tunnel is open would it make a good route to Dublin Airport?

mike65

Its perfectly viable in fact it makes good sense for Waterford traffic and Cork traffic too amazingly (its quicker than N8).

BUT the route makes no politcial sense as the good burgurs of Carlow and Kilkenny did'nt want to be left "out on a limb" with a road that would'nt be upgraded in any meanful way. While the N11 will be upgraded anyway - just not to dual carriagway standard.

Mike.

Rew

Loads of bottle kneck towns (worse then the Waterford/Carlow/Dub route). Gory is a pain in the arse.

Rosser

The Motorway from Dublin to Waterford is about as necessary as the one they want to put through Tara at least sufficient quantities of cars would use that!

For once it would be nice for this Government to stop putting projects through for the sole purpose of getting the local TDs re-elected. Any sensible would build a spur from the N11 and spend the money saved on more urgent needs i.e. a Dublin Metro, high speed inter city rail (waterford included in that)

merlante

Rosser wrote:

The Motorway from Dublin to Waterford is about as necessary as the one they want to put through Tara at least sufficient quantities of cars would use that!

For once it would be nice for this Government to stop putting projects through for the sole purpose of getting the local TDs re-elected. Any sensible would build a spur from the N11 and spend the money saved on more urgent needs i.e. a Dublin Metro, high speed inter city rail (waterford included in that)

So what, you think people in Waterford want a motorway just because it's cool? The road is badly needed. The shameful figures that were published in some newspapers regarding numbers travelling between Waterford and Dublin were badly flawed and misleading, and were released as a politically motivated attempt to re-divert government funds to other parts of the country for projects such as, I dunno, a dublin metro. (balanced regional development anyone?)

11% of the population of the country live in the south east, but the percentage of motorway built in the south east is a much smaller figure.

Trotter

I think that all these people in da country should have to pay a special tax so that things can be built in Dublin. Afterall, people in Dublin are way more important arent they? Why would those boggers need a big road to Dublin anyway? Sure dont they have little spars and centras to keep them going?? If they wanted to do any real business or make any real money for them or their families then they'd move to Dublin and enjoy the stunning views loike when sitting still for a couple of hours on the M50 loike.

Rant over. Economically Waterford needs the road to bring the South East into play in Ireland. The port is underused because of the peripheral transport needs. The solution to the transport problem in this country isnt just to give all the country folk a train trip to Dublin.

Excuse my cynicism above anyway, It drives me crazy listening to people who think that the sun shines out of Dublins behind. I have loads of family and friends in Dublin and have huge respect for anyone who enjoys and makes a living there. But even they agree that a trip to Waterford is like pulling teeth til they arrive across the bridge and back into city land.

merlante

The dubs are very fond of complaining about how people "from down the country" make Dublin so busy and congested, but when it comes to kitting out the country so that people can get jobs and live outside Dublin they start kicking up ****. They want everything built in Dublin. They publish reports saying how nowhere else deserves the money and about how nice it would be if Dublin had a metro. Waterford waits 30 years for a second crossing, but Dublin wants another ****ing toy to play with. And the less money that goes to Waterford, the more people have to leave for Dublin, the more congested Dublin gets, the more money Dublin wants. Dublin is a beast that should be starved a bit so that the rest of the country can live!

Give Waterford a road, a university, a decent hospital, a bit of money to keep the city going, and you'll never hear from us ever again!