M8 motorway (Ireland)

This motorway forms part of the N8 road.

Route confirmation sign for the M8 at junction 11.

The Cashel bypass as it was in 2004 before the motorway changeover.

File:NewM8Urlingford.jpg

The M8 Cullahill-Cashel scheme under construction near Urlingford (junction 4); November 2008.

The M8 motorway (Irish: Mótarbhealach M8) is a motorway in Ireland, forming the most part of the N8 Dublin to Cork national primary road. Substantial works are underway to extend the M8 from its proposed junction with the M7 at Portlaoise to Dunkettle in County Cork. By late 2010 the motorway will have replaced almost all of the single-carriageway N8 except for a short section of urban road in Cork City. The M8 commences in County Laois and runs through counties Kilkenny, Tipperary, Limerick and Cork. It is currently the longest motorway in the Republic of Ireland, having overtaken the previous record holder, the M1, on 8 December, 2008.

Route

The motorway exists in two parts: the 17.5 km section from Fermoy to Watergrasshill (which lies exclusively in Co. Cork), and the 83 km section from Cullahill to Mitchelstown (which crosses Laois, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Limerick and Cork).

Fermoy to Watergrasshill

This section of the M8 bypasses Fermoy and Rathcormac in County Cork. It is a toll road, and links up with the Watergrasshill bypass dual carriageway. The Fermoy to Watergrasshill section is notable for incorporating an impressive 450m viaduct crossing of the River Blackwater. The stretch comprises junctions 14 through 17. Toll plazas are located between junctions 16 and 17 and at the southbound exit of junction 15. The current toll for cars is €1.80. The scheme was built by Direct Route, who continue to operate and maintain it.

Cullahill to Mitchelstown

This section of the M8 consists of three schemes linked together: the Cullahill-Cashel project, the Cashel bypass, and the Cashel-Mitchelstown scheme. The route starts 5km north of Mitchelstown at a half-completed dumbbell-style interchange (which will be finished when the Fermoy-Mitchelstown section opens in 2009 (see below)), and runs parallel to the old N8 (now the R639), bypassing Kilbeheny, Skeheenarinky, Cahir, New Inn, Cashel, Horse and Jockey, Littleton, Urlingford and Johnstown. It ends at a temporary roundabout terminus just north of Cullahill, where it links back in to the existing N8.

Between Cullahill and Mitchelstown the M8 passes over bogland and coniferous forest through County Kilkenny and North Tipperary. South of Cashel, it enters the lush pastoral landscape of the Golden Vale and crosses the River Suir west of Cahir. The motorway then travels south-west along the Galtee Mountains, passing Glengarra Wood and Mitchelstown Cave. East of the route, the Knockmealdown Mountains and the Comeraghs are starkly visible.

History

The present-day M8 was constructed in four sections between 2004 and 2008. In chronological order, these opened as follows:

• Cashel Bypass (October 2004) - junctions 7 through 9;
• Fermoy to Watergrasshill (October 2006) - junction 14 through 17;
• Cashel-Mitchelstown (July 2008) - junctions 12 through 9;
• Cashel-Cullahill (December 2008) - junctions 7 through 4.

Cashel Bypass

The first section of the current M8 to open was the €48 million 6.7km Cashel bypass. Originally classified as a standard dual carriageway section of the then N8, the scheme opened in October 2004 with a speed limit of 100 km/h. On 17 July 2008, it was officially redesignated a motorway by Statutory Instrument. This change came into effect on September 24, 2008 and blue motorway signage replaced the green signage erected in 2004. In addition, the speed limit was increased to 120 km/h. The Cashel bypass opened initially with at-grade roundabouts at both ends. When the Cashel to Mitchelstown scheme opened in July 2008, the southern end of the bypass was fused with the northern end of that scheme by removing the at-grade roundabout and replacing it with a new extended dumbbell interchange. The same happened at its northen end when the Cashel to Cullahill project was built.

Fermoy to Watergrasshill

Construction of this 17km scheme started in June 2004 and was completed in October 2006. This was the first stretch of actual M8 to open in the country (the Cashel bypass opened as standard DC in 2004 before its motorway redesignation in mid-2008).

Cashel-Mitchelstown

Construction of this 37km length of motorway started in May 2006. It was fully opened with a 100 km/h speed limit on 25 July, 2008, some 10 months ahead of schedule. Twelve kilometres of the scheme had already opened nine months prior to this. This previously opened stretch, located between Cahir and Cashel, runs between junctions 9 and 10, and opened as a High Quality Dual Carriageway (HQDC) section of the then N8 with green signage. The green signage was replaced with blue motorway signage in September 2008 in preparation for the motorway redesignation changeover, which came into effect on 24th of that month. The scheme was built by Roadbridge Sisk JV.

Cashel-Cullahill

Construction of this 40 km stretch started in October 2006 and was fully opened to traffic on 8 December 2008, some seven months ahead of the target completion date. Like four of the other M8 schemes, the section was originally to open as HQDC with green signage and a 100 km/h limit. However, due its redesignation as motorway in September 2008, it opened with full motorway restrictions, appropriate blue signage and other standard motorway features (emergency telephones, etc.). The scheme was built by Roadbridge Sisk JV at a cost of €434 million.

Junctions

The M8 close to Skeheenarinky, County Tipperary, 25 July 2008.

The Cashel-Mitchelstown scheme under construction in 2006.

File:M8 Northbound before Junction 10.jpg

The M8 through the Golden Vale, between junctions 9 and 10.

M8 motorway (under construction)
Northbound exit	Junction	Southbound exit	Completion
The NORTHEAST (M7 ) - Dublin, Portlaoise, Kildare, Naas		Start of M8	Q4 2010
Local access		Local access
Rathdowney, Abbeyleix (R433), Durrow (R434)		Rathdowney, Abbeyleix (R433), Durrow (R434)
M8 motorway
Northbound exit	Junction	Southbound exit
End of motorway	Temporary Exit	Start of motorway
Urlingford, Johnstown (R639), Kilkenny (R693)		Urlingford, Johnstown (R639), Kilkenny (R693)
No Access		Two-Mile Borris (R639), Thurles (N75)
Horse and Jockey (R639), Thurles (N62)		Horse and Jockey (R639), Thurles (N62)
Cashel, Dundrum (R639)		Cashel, Dundrum (R639)
No Access		Cashel, Clonmel (R668)
Cashel, New Inn (R639)		Cashel, New Inn (R639)
Cahir, New Inn, Clonmel, Limerick, Waterford (R670)		Cahir, New Inn, Clonmel, Limerick, Waterford (R670)
Cahir, Mitchelstown Cave		Cahir, Mitchelstown Cave
Mitchelstown, Kilbeheny (R639)		Mitchelstown, Kilbeheny (R639)
M8 motorway (under construction)
Northbound exit	Junction	Southbound exit	Completion
Mitchelstown (R639)		Mitchelstown (R639)	Q4 2009
M8 motorway
Northbound exit	Junction	Southbound exit
End of motorway		Start of motorway
Fermoy, Rathcormac (R639)		Fermoy (R639)
Rathcormac (R639; exit only)		Entrance only
Toll plaza
Watergrasshill (R639)		Watergrasshill (R639)
N8 HQDC (motorway status pending)
Northbound exit	Junction	Southbound exit
Glanmire (R639)		Glanmire (R639)
Waterford, Midleton, Lee Tunnel (N25)		Waterford, Midleton, Lee Tunnel (N25)

Future

File:NewM8FermoyOct2008.jpg

The M8 Fermoy-Mitchelstown scheme under construction near Moorepark, 13 October 2008. This is where the scheme ties into the Fermoy Bypass.

Junction 13 under construction south of Mitchelstown, August 2008.

Motorway redesignations affecting the M8

On 30 September 2008, the Irish National Roads Authority released the second tranche of potential motorway redesignations. These include parts of the present N8/M8 route. The M8 currently ends at Junction 17, where it blends into the N8 Watergrasshill bypass. If the redesignations (which are subject to ministerial approval) go ahead, both the Watergrasshill bypass (which already has a special 120 km/h speed limit) and the Glanmire to Dunkettle stretch will be redesignated as motorway - although a 100 km/h speed limit will have to be kept between junctions 18 and 19.

Sections under construction

The remaining two sections awaiting completion are under construction. By the end of 2010 the M8 will be complete. At approximately 143 km (89 mi) in length, it will include up to 19 junctions.

• The construction of an upgrade between Portlaoise and Cullahill is in progress. It will provide a motorway south of Portlaoise that will diverge from the M7 as the M8 motorway. This project, the Portlaoise-Castletown-Cullahill PPP Scheme, will extend motorway from Naas in County Kildare to Cullahill on the current N8 (the scheme also extends the M7 from Portlaoise to Castletown). The motorway will be subject to toll south of Portlaoise on the M7 before the junction with the M8. The scheme is being built by the Celtic Road Group Consortium. Construction began in June 2007, and is expected to last until late 2010.
• The final project on the M8 corridor is the 16.5 km Mitchelstown to Fermoy Scheme. Starting at junction 12 south of Kilbeheny, it will provide motorway to just north of Fermoy, where it will blend into the existing M8 Fermoy bypass (junction 14). The contractor building the scheme is Roadbridge Ltd. Construction started in December 2007, and is progressing very quickly. If the present rate of construction is maintained, the scheme will open for public use by June 2009.

Proposed service areas

The National Roads Authority (NRA) has planned the construction of motorway service areas at approximately 60-kilometre intervals along each of Ireland's interurban routes. Under this plan, the M8 will have two such areas. One will be located just south of junction 9, while the other will be sited between junctions 13 and 14. As of December 2008, no details regarding the construction of the M8 service stations have been announced.

External links

• Motorway re-designation
• Photographs of the M8