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Ireland's motorway network

681K views 3K replies 135 participants last post by  Auld Dubliner 
#1 ·
One area that Ireland is not lacking right now is the construction of new motorways for main routes. Ireland currently has Europes largest road building programme ongoing.

The ultimate aim is to have the following motorways by 2012 - most completed by 2010


pic sabre




Note M20 not shown on map.



M1 Dublin - Border
M2 Dublin - Ashbourne
M3 Dublin - Kells
M4 Dublin - Kinnegad
M6 Kinnegad - Galway
M7 Dublin - Limerick
M8 Dublin - Cork
M9 Dublin - Waterford
M11 Dublin - Wexford
M17 Tuam - Galway
M18 Galway - Limerick
M20 Limerick - Cork
M21 Limerick
M25 Waterford
M50 Dublin
Outer Orbital Motorway for Dublin - number unkown (not 2012)
Dublin Eastern Bypass (M50) tunnel (not 2012)

All appart from the M20 Cork to Limerick are U/C. The M1 is complete.

The NRA (National Roads Authority) has also embarked on reclassifying newly built 'High Quality Dual Carriageways' to Motorways

More http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=10193&lang=ENG&loc=2270

Note some routes not shown on this map like M20.


The aim is for Ireland to have Europes most comprehensive motorway network and we can say we are well on the way with over 400km's of motorway currently under construction. Many other upgrade schemes are also underway including for the M50.
 
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#320 ·
Originally Posted by Irish Times


Final part of Cork M8 to open in June

TIM O'BRIEN

The final section of the M8 motorway to Cork, and the M3 motorway past the Hill of Tara in Co Meath are to open in time for the June bank holiday weekend.

The two schemes will add to the Republic's fledgling motorway network make it possible to travel on motorways from the outskirts of Cork via Dublin's M50 and the M1, to the Border with Northern Ireland.

It will also be possible to travel on Motorways from Cork to the Meath / Cavan border north of Kells. Motorway is already open from east coast to the west coast via the M4/M6. Motorways from Dublin to Limerick and from Dublin to Waterford are set to be completed later this year.

The National Roads Authroity announced yesterday the final stretch of the M8, the wishbone shaped Portlaoise to Cullahill scheme, will open on May 28th. It will be followed by the controversial M3 motorway on June 4th.

There will be two tolls on each route and both will be open in time for the forthcoming June Bank Holiday.

The opening of the €405m Portlaoise to Cullahill scheme completes the State's investment of almost €2.6 billion on the entire 250km route from Dublin's M50 to Cork's Dunkettle interchange. The cost works out at about €10.4 million a kilometre

The 40km Y-shaped section will take Cork-bound traffic from the existing Portlaoise bypass to the existing M8 at Cullahill. It will also take Limerick-bound traffic from the Portlaoise bypass to Castletown, where remaining sections of the M7 Limerick motorway are under construction.

The route will bypass the towns of Abbeyleix, Durrow and Cullahill in Co Laois and is expected to cut the journey time from the M50 to Dunkettle by as much as 45 minutes.

At 250km, it should be possible to drive from the Red Cow and Dunkettle in about two hours and 30 minutes, allowing for lower speed limits along sections such as Newlands Cross in Dublin.

The 60km M3 motorway from Clonee on the Meath Dublin border to the Meath Cavan border provoked controversy, legal challenge and some direct action protests because of its route which passes through the Gabhra Valley between the hills of Tara and Skryne.

The route comes within one kilometre of the Hill at a point where a motorway interchange with the existing N3 occurs. Complaints about the process which permitted the destruction of a national monument were also made to the EU, some of which are on-going.

The route is expected to greatly ease peak time traffic between Kells and Dublin bypassing the towns of Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells.

The scheme includes a 4kilometre bypass of Kells on the N52 and 35 kilometres of Side roads. Also includes were two railway bridges, making provision for the reopening of the Dublin to Navan rail line.

The M3 was built as a single scheme, under a public private partnership and cost EUR1bn including land costs. It has taken some three years to construct. The contractor was M3 Motorway JV, a consortium involving Ferrovial, Siac and Budimex.

There will be two tolls on each route. The M8 will feature a new toll on the Portlaoise to Cullahill section, costing €1.80 for a passenger car. This is in addition to the existing toll of EUR1.90 on the route at Fermoy.

The M3 will feature two toll plazas, one at the Clonee end of the route, the other at Kells. The charge will be €1.30 for a passenger car at each toll.
Irish Times
 
#321 ·
Furet took loads of pictures today of the new M7/8 motorway - the final stretch between Dublin and Cork/Dublin and Limerick. The M7 section is due to open on the 27th of May:banana:


M/way ahead sign J3:


Planting at J3:


Very heavy planting at J3:


M8 concrete barrier reflector:


M8 mainline on J3:


View of J3 roundabout from the mainline:




J3 onslip (southbound):


Deep M8 attenuation pond (I think) west of Ballacolla:


M8 mainline west of Ballacolla:


As above:


More M8 mainline:


Last view of M8 before interchange west of Ballacolla:


More...

M7 Route Confirmation Signage:


M7 looking east from overbridge on L1612:


As above, looking to Limerick:


Signage on R435:


Start of M7 at Borris0in-Ossory:


Same view, enlarged:


That's it!
M7 westbound west of Ballacolla:


M7 towards the interchange west of Ballacolla:


Interchange looking to Dublin:


As above:






View across all lanes from overbridge:




Gantry:




Thanks Furet!:cheers:
 
#329 ·
New era as motorway opens

Published Date: 26 May 2010
By Staff Reporter

THE long era of traffic torment for a host of Laois towns and local people will come to an end this week when the M7/M8 motorways open for business.

An Taoiseach Brian Cowen will be on hand this Friday to cut the ribbon on the final section of the M8 motorway to Cork and the Laois section of the M7 Dublin to Limerick road. The new roads will connect to the existing Portlaoise by-pass and remove a number of notorious traffic bottlenecks in Laois.

While there have been worries over the business impact, the opening will have an immediate effect for many towns. Abbeyleix, Durrow and Cullahill will be bypassed on the Cork Road while there will also be relief for Mountrath and Borris-in-Ossory. Apart from Portlaoise, Rathdowney will now be the closest Laois town to a motorway exit.

The opening of the €405m Portlaoise to Cullahill scheme completes the State's investment of almost €2.6 billion on the entire 250km route from Dublin to Cork's. The cost works out at about €10.4 million a kilometre.

The M8 will feature a new toll on the Portlaoise to Cullahill section, costing €1.80 for a passenger car. This is in addition to the existing toll of €1.90 on the route at Fermoy.

According to Ian McCormack, SEO Economic Development & County Promotion with Laois County Council, "The opening of the motorway will improve the transport link between Dublin and Cork, reduce traffic intensity in our towns and villages and will improve safety, traffic organisation, and travelling conditions for all road users".

"It will also make Laois more accessible. It will be an element from an economic and tourism perspective in maximising the potential of the county in terms of its geographical location," he said.

"It will also help to create conditions to promote sustainable economic development in the county and broaden the county’s economic base and help to present the county as a place capable of attracting inward investment," he concluded.

The M7 all the way to Limerick is due to be finished later this year.
http://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/New-era-as-motorway-opens.6319098.jp


More pictures by Furet of the M8 mainline

View south from Cannonwood Cross:


M8 looking north 2km south of J3:


Same view:


Same view, but note very heavy planting:


ADS:






Junction 3 cantilever:


M8 route confirmation signage southbound, J3:


ADS approaching J3 from south:

From tomorrow Dublin - Cork will be full motorway.
 
#330 ·
Great pics!

The concrete barrier are safer, they reduce the risk of carriage cross-over during a crash/accident. As mentioned above they also require less space than medians, eliminate the risk of debris built up and as odlum mentioned they have reduced maintenance costs.

It's actually about time we had them, long overdue.
 
#332 ·
Yes, resurfacing occurs when surfaces reach a limit of tolerance, I don't think any part of the M1 is at that stage yet. The M1 is also getting an extra lane between the Airport and Drynham. Also concrete barriers are far cheaper and safer in the long run then wire. Concrete barriers never have to be replaced.
 
#333 ·
M3 to open Friday 4th June

New era for traffic-choked towns






M3 motorway to open this week with prediction it will 'change Meath forever'

Image related to story 3997554, see caption or article text
The opening of the M3 will make a big difference to towns like Kells, Navan and Dunshaughlin which have been bedevilled by traffic jams for decades, it has been predicted.

Following a decade of controversy, the M3 motorway is to finally open to motorists this week when the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, formally cuts the ribbon on Friday.

Chambers of Commerce and public representatives in towns along the route are looking forward to the opening of the largest project of its type in the history of the State, while Meath County Manager Tom Dowling says the new motorway will change Meath forever, opening up the heritage, amenity and ecomomic potential of the county to everybody.

Mr Dowling said that airports, ports and other motorways will be now be linked and become closer in time for the people of the county, with reduced journey times and more accessibility to all.

The Transport Minister said the M3 will enhance the county's prospects of securing more jobs and foreign direct investment, while it will also save lives as a modern, safe motorway.

The M3 is opening a month ahead of its scheduled July date, and is expected to take an hour off the full length of the journey from Dublin to the Meath-Cavan border at peak time.

The 63km motorway is the largest road infrastructure project in Ireland, stretching from the Clonee bypass to Derver, close to Virginia in Co Cavan. It covers 700 hectares of land, and involved the expenditure of €1 billion in its excavating, building and landscaping. The motorway was built by Eurolink, a partnership of Spanish company Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte SA, a subsidiary of Ferrovial SA, and the Irish firm, SIAC Construction Ltd, in a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement with the Government.

Eurolink has a 45-year contract to operate the motorway, and will collect tolls at two toll plazas on the route, at Blackbull, Dunboyne, and at Grange, near Ardbraccan and White's Quarry, between Navan and Kells. The minimum toll will be €1.30 for a car for a single toll, rising to €3.30 for a truck.

The motorway was the subject of controvsery when a route between the hills of Tara and Skryne was chosen, leading to a campaign to have it rerouted, which saw protests and arrests over the past three years since construction began, as well as court challenges.

In the week of its opening, the M3 still has its critics, with Deputy Shane McEntee saying he plans boycotting the opening ceremony because of his opposition to the use of pyrite material in the building of the motorway. TaraWatch, the group which campaigned against the Tara-Skryne route, says there will be a shortfall in the amount of traffic which the NRA has predicted will use the motorway, and that the State will have to compensate the builders as a result.

The chairman of Meath County Council, Cllr William Carey, said the scheme is a critical piece of infrastructre, not just for Meath, where it will provide bypasses of Dunshaughlin, Navan and Kells, but also for access to the north-west of the country.

The Mayor of Navan, Cllr Joe Reilly, said the new motorway would improve the town's connectivity to the capital and he hoped the freer movement of traffic in Navan would encourage more people to shop in the town. He said it would mean safer travel and ease the congestion in towns like Kells, Navan and Dunshaughlin, but he feared the tolls would mean people wouldn't use the new road.

"People living in Kells and travelling to Dublin every day will have to pay over €7 in tolls per day," he pointed out.

He said that the village of Julianstown proved that tolls prevent people using motorways as 16,000 vehicles pass through the village each day in spite of the fact that the M1 was to take traffic away from the village.

The president of Navan Chamber of Commerce, William O'Reilly, said the Chamber was delighted that the M3 was finally about to open. "It will ease traffic congestion in Navan and make it more accessible. There is potential for a major boost for the town and Navan and Meath will have to work towards making the town and county an attractive place to work, live and do business in," he said.

Cllr John Farrelly expressed concern that there were two tolls along the motorway and he feared that it would mean heavy traffic still travelling through Kells.

He said there should have just been one toll plaza and it should have been located on the south side of the Trim/Ratoath interchange, as this would encourage people to use the train.

Businesses in Kells are expecting a huge tourism boost for the town as the opening of the M3 will see huge volumes of traffic removed from the streets. Chamber of Commerce president, Jess Olohan, said it would make the town more attractive, people would be able to see the town without congestion, would be able to enjoy the heritage trail and it would be a much easier town to shop in.

"We are expecting a big tourism boost and with initiatives like the Kells Enhancement Scheme and the urban art initiative it will make Kells a destination town," she added. It would also mean much easier access to airport, ports and Dublin city, making the town a more attractive place to set up new commercial and industrial premises, she said.

The cathaoirleach of Kells Town Council, Cllr Brian Curran, said the new motorway was an opportunity for the commercial interests and the entire community to reclaim the streets.

It was positive news for Kells, but he hoped that the tolls would not prevent traffic using it. "We will have to reassess the situation in a few months' time and, if trucks are continuing to travel through the town, we will have to propose some resolution," he said.

Town manager, Brendan McGrath, said the M3 would see Kells getting an opportunity to live and breathe, having been choked for decades from a constant stream of heavy traffic. "The N52 By-pass will ensure that, despite tolling, much of the heavy traffic will continue to avoid the town.

"This will only be good for Kells. The next challenge will be to attract the type of traffic and visitors into Kells that we want and the street enhancement scheme will be central to achieving this."

The motorway will provide links to the new M3 Parkway Station at Dunboyne and lead to the newly-aligned M50/M3 junction at Blanchardstown.

Referring to the pyrite issue, Deputy McEntee said: "I welcome the opening of the M3 and I have always supported the building of this major road. However, it is regrettable that, in the last two years, the people of south Meath, north County Dublin and Kildare have suffered serious problems due to pyrite-related filling. It is unforgivable that the NRA, the Minister for Environment and the Minister for Transport, having been notified of this inferior material and have allowed it to be used in the construction of the motorway. As a form of protest, I will not be attending the opening of the M3 because of my concern for the taxpayers of this country."

TaraWatch claims that traffic levels will not reach the amount necessary to fulfull the conditions of the PPP contract with Eurolink. They quote Fred Barry, NRA CEO, as saying that the level of traffic guarantee set out in the PPP contract for the initial year of operation is a combined total for the two plazas of 25,250 vehicles per day. If the traffic levels are 25,000 and the debt level thresholds are contravened, the concessionaire would receive an additional payment of approximately 100,000. If the traffic levels are 35,000, no additional payment arises.

TaraWatch is predicting that traffic levels will be 10,000-15,000, meaning a total cost of approximately €180-240 million over the 45 year life of the contract, based on a number of factors, including current traffic volumes on the existing N3, HGVs avoiding the M3 tolls by using the existing road, and Meath having been the hardest-hit county in terms of job losses due to the recession

http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/round ... ked-towns/


D2M

Map of scheme




As for the junction at the M50 - a couple of pics as to how the junction is prgressing from Boards by Davy. Not much shown in the pics but it's getting there





:cheers:
 
#344 ·
Wishlist



Hello everyone.I've just joined this forum. Have been following it with interest for the last few weeks.
My wish list would be as follows:
M3 extended onto Cavan bypass.(I use N3 regularly. Cavan-Virginia is a pig. Full of bends)
M4 extended to Collooney.
N15 from Sligo-Letterkenny upgraded to 2+1 standard
N5 Westport- Longford upgraded to 2+1 standard
N17 Galway- Claremorris bypass , dual carriageway at least (high collision rate on this route)
M20 Cork-Limerick is an absolute must(I think this route is included in NRA's plans)
N25 Youghal -Waterford , Dual carriageway (a lot of traffic on this route)
M11 . Fill in the blanks between Bray and Rosslare.
Finally, upgrading of N22 and N21 ring of Kerry to 2+1 standard
 
#335 ·
Well, what we basically will have by the end of the year is motorway from the regional cities (Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford) to Dublin, the M50, the M3, the M11, and the M18/17 (as well as the smaller M20).

My wishlist:

Complete the M20 from Limerick to Cork.
Complete the M11 to Rosslare.
Complete the M4 to Sligo.
Complete the M3 to Ballyshannon (through Fermanagh).
Complete the M2 to Derry (through Tyrone).
Cork-Waterford-Rosslare motorway (M25).
Limerick-Waterford motorway (M24).
Tuam-Sligo-Letterkenny-Derry (M17/M15/M13).
Turn the N5 into a motorway to Westport.
Dublin Outer Orbital.
Dublin Eastern Bypass (tunnel, not a bridge) completing the M50.
M19 linking Shannon Airport to the M18.
An east-west motorway in the northern part of the island, possibly from Belfast to Donegal (probably by extending the NI M1).

And finally, make sure there is a motorway "ringroad" of the entire island connecting all major cities, ports and airports - something like Dublin-Rosslare-Waterford-Cork-Limerick-Shannon-Galway-Knock-Sligo-Letterkenny-Derry-Belfast-Dublin.

All pie in the sky stuff, I know, but we can all hope. :lol:
 
#336 ·
Would love to see the nationwide ring-road (in the rep at least), which would incorporate most of those roads.
Eastern bypass, Outer Orbital going to a new port in Bremore, Cork ring road and Galway outer byass would also be cool...

Fair few widening schemes are needed too. M/N11 to Kilmacanogue needs to be completely grade separated and widened to D3. (personal bugbear)
M/N7 completely grade separated in Dublin burbs, and widened to D3 beyond Naas to M8 junction.
Future-proof widening of M1 to Dundalk in the hope there'll be greater transit between Dublin and Belfast.
Totally agree with M3 to Ballyshannon via Enniskillen, Cat.

I'm not so sure about N/M4 +5, might be a bit overkill??? Although, wouldn't mind a motorway all the way to Tralee/Killarney, so I could get to the paradise of West Kerry a bit quicker.:)
 
#337 ·
Ah, that was another one, a branch off the M20 to serve Kerry (Killarney/Tralee), which also connects to the M7.

I'd also widen most of the network around Dublin to at least three or four lanes each way, same around the regional cities (especially the Galway bypass, which is desperately needed!).

I agree about the M/N7 in the Dublin suburbs - especially Newlands Cross!
 
#341 ·
It's ridiculous isn't it???

Have another pipe dream motorway project (one I came up with myself.)

Continuation of M7 beyond the Red Cow roundabout through derelict industrial parks of
west Dublin to meet up with the M4 at a confluence around Royal Hospital Kilmainham area.
Both motorways join up to create a tunneled motorway to the east of Dublin city centre near a connection point/super junction with the port tunnel/eastern bypass, thus diverting traffic away from the quays and Dublin city centre.
Wish I had the time to do a map thingy, but it'd be a waste of time!
 
#358 ·
I just read that post, its an interesting idea.

When looking at the map to see how it would work I came up with the idea (just an idea, I have no idea if it is practical at all) of routing this tunnel along the interconnector (Dart underground). The M4 and M7 would have to meet at Inchicore Railway Works and go underground from there following the interconnector and diverting somewhere between Pearse St Station and Docklands to bring it above ground near the Port Tunnel. Obviously both would be built at the same time with motorway sitting on top of the interconnector tunnel.

If it is ever going to be feasible to build (or should that be dig) a tunnel under Dublin it would be in conjunction with another major civil engineering project. Interconnector plans are not yet finalised and it has been delayed until 2018 anyway so might be worth having a look at this suggestion.

Im sure there will be many issues which would make this an impossibility but its just an idea and I thought I'd throw it out there but might spark an interesting debate.
 
#347 ·
Anyone know if there are service areas planned for M7/M8. Its embarrassing to see cars stopped(illegally) and people relieving themselves on the hard shoulder. Our European brothers must be impressed.


Yes, there are. Two on the M8 and three on the M7. AFAIK one on the M7 has got the go ahead. The others are still in planning and will only be built pending funding being available.


People should use a bit of common sense aswell. If they have to take an entire journey by motorway surely it is not too much to ask that they take a leak before they leave while we wait for service areas!?

BTW on the M3 - curiously they seem to have left a half built junction at the Northern end - this could be used in any future extension.
 
#352 ·
Thanks Nordisk. Was looking at your pipe dream motorway. Instead of a tunnel, how about raised sections similar to the M40 which snakes through West London all the way to Paddington. A lot cheaper than tunnelling. The environmentalists and the nimbys would go ballistic though. You can't build anything in Dublin over a few storeys high without that lot declaring war!

National Toll Roads would'nt be very happy either.All that traffic bypassing their cash cow!
 
#353 ·
The proposed DOOR is a daft idea considering half of the national primary routes in this country are still in dire condition. My "wish list" or just plain hopeful that these projects will get done would be the following in priority:

M17/M18 Gort-Tuam
M20 Limerick-Cork
N7 Newlands X and M11
N6 Galway bypass
N17 Tuam-Claremorris
N21 Adare-Abbeyfeale
N5 Longford bypass
 
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