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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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#91 ·
Cheers Odlum. Once the next piece of the M8 opens on 22 May I will be posting far fewer pictures in general.

I'll take a look at the Nenagh to Castletown section of the M7 in late July or early August. I'll use the same outing to examine the M7/M8 and also the Nenagh to Limerick scheme. So I hope to have a big batch of photos to upload around then.

I will drive the Waterford Bypass (and probably film it) when it opens next October. Hopefully sections of the M9 will be open by then too, and I'll have a drive on it if it is.

I don't envisage using the M6 again until the whole thing opens in 2010. I also have no plans at the moment to look at the M18 construction works, as I don't think I'll be heading to Galway again for the forseeable future. Though with summer and holidays and all that, that could change.

I've been waiting for someone on boards to upload photos of the M3, but so far no-one has. I certainly won't be heading up that way...for a very long time! So if anyone has any pictures of that, please upload them here or on boards.ie
 
#95 · (Edited)
lol! Does the M50 look cheap? Does that junction at the top look cheap? They only cost about €8 billion...

We have many much fancier motorways then that already - and they certainly are not cheap! Best to judge against what is built and open then something halfway through construction. We have many wide median stretches that are quite impressive aswell.


As for the bridge above - nice - but come on let's get serious




Objectively I prefer our yellow hard shoulder compared to the white and note the wide median. We use solar power SOS phones on the verges and yellow diamond signage which I really like. Whilst not perfect we are building some damn fine roads. We will open hundreds of km's of these roads in the next 2 years.





The Germans will be looking in awe when our autobahns are finished and we cover Ireland in blue. Im only jokin man - Poland is just starting out and you will have great roads in time....but don't base perception on a couple of pics ;)


Just to add the next section of the M8 between Mitchelstown and Fermoy will open on the 22nd of May:cheers: Furet has his camera at the ready no doubt :p
 
#99 · (Edited)
Gosh - I thought I gave him the smackdown......Poland will have great roads but not yet. However I do symphatise with him for the fact that we had crap roads at one time and we built some road with EU help. We felt proud of our new motorway whilst others probrably laughed (they ain't laughing now) - look we have to start somewhere. Poland will have a great network in a few decades and I am impressed with your new road but, ffs, boasting about here is just stupid because of course I am going to come back at you with pics and info. Your going to get alot of motorway but be sensible in how you promote it. Nice road and all but don't preach to countries that have motorways. We know about them.
 
#106 ·
FFS, why is the Polish guy complaining about Ireland's motorways being cheap and ruining the Irish countryside? There's plenty of space in Ireland...in fact, Greater Warsaw probably has just as many people as the entire Republic Of Ireland!
 
#108 ·
Far be it from me to correct "god", but Irish motorways have a thick concrete-type layer (known as CBM) as well. You can't see it because it is buried beneath three layers of asphalt. The pavement sandwich is very thick.
Correct, the motorway surface has a concrete base with asphalt added on top. Asphalt looks a hell of a lot nicer than grey concrete, which is ugly as f*ck.

As for the median, no need for them to be wide. They look perfectly fine as we built them, as long as they stop car cross-over during an accident I don't care how they look.
 
#109 ·
You have to bare in mind that it is different here to the UK. Generally they do not build new motorways - they expand existing ones. Here it is the autobahn mindest (most autobahns are D2M) - build motorways everywhere. In fairness to the UK they have a reasonable network though large portions are missing. But they have plenty of A roads up to motorway standard which they will not designate as such. Its political fcukwittery for want of a better term and it sells the network short. I am very very pleased (how could anyone not be!) with the Mway programme here. It's superb, it really is. Not blowing our own trumpet - it has faults but it is not as anal about designation as the UK network.
 
#114 ·
M6 Athlone to Ballinasloe (19.4kms) should open in July


Written by Deirdre O' Shaughnessy
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
The Ballinasloe to Athlone section of the Galway/Dublin motorway could be completed in time for the Galway Races in July, according to local Fianna Fail TD and Chairman of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Frank Fahey TD. Mr Fahey said the Ballinasloe to Athlone section of the M6 was progressing very well and might be open ahead of schedule in time for the Galway Races in July.

"The opening of this 19.4km section of the motorway will decrease the travel time to Dublin even further.

"When it's completed, motorists will be able to travel on motorway all the way from Ballinasloe to the Leixlip Bypass on the approach road to Dublin," he said.

The remainder of the new road is on track to be finished by early 2010, according to Deputy Fahey. The new Galway to Limerick section of the Western Rail Corridor is also expected to be open by July.
Galway Independent
 
#118 · (Edited)
M8 Mitchelstown to Fermoy, 1 May 2009

A few photos. Still very much on track for opening on 25 May.

The new overbridge concrete barrier style - no bulge on the carriageway to accomodate the bridge supports:


Three kilometres south of junction 13:


Same position, looking north:


About 2.5 km south of junction 13:


Same position, looking south:


ADS:


More ADS:


The wearing course:
 
#123 ·
^^Thanks for that. They are not wasting their time - that only started 6 months ago and some of the bridge decks are already up.


Belfast news


Third lane opens to traffic on M2

The new lane starts at Sandyknowes roundabout
The third lane of the M2 has opened to traffic between the Sandyknowes and Greencastle junctions.

The new lane on the Belfast-bound carriageway should make it easier for traffic to join the motorway at Sandyknowes.

Other improvements to the motorway are due to be finished later in May.

Roy Spiers, of Roads Service, said: "Drivers using the road should take extra care until they become familiar with the new road markings."

Mr Spiers also thanked drivers for their patience and co-operation throughout the period of the works which began in March 2007.

One motorist told BBC Radio Ulster that the new lane had cut half an hour from their commute into Belfast but another driver said it was just pushing congestion problems closer to the city centre.

Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy said: "The opening of the third lane marks a significant milestone in these works, which are now almost complete."

The M2 Improvements Scheme has also involved widening the country-bound carriageway of the M2 over Greencastle junction and replacing the Hightown, Collin and Longlands Bridges.

BBC
 
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