M8 motorway (Ireland)
Template:IRL motorway routebox
The M8 motorway (Irish: Mótarbhealach M8) is an inter-urban motorway in Ireland, forming the most part of the N8 Dublin to Cork national primary road. At 116.5 km it is currently the longest motorway in Ireland, having overtaken the previous record holder, the M1, on 8 December, 2008. The M8 commences in County Laois and runs through counties Kilkenny, Tipperary, Limerick and Cork. First called for in the National Development Plan (2000-2006) and later incorporated into the Irish Government's Transport 21 plan for infrastructural development,[1] the majority of the M8 was built between 2006 and 2009. Work is continuing to extend the M8 from its present northern terminus at Cullahill to its proposed junction with the M7 southwest of Portlaoise. 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.
Route
The 116.5 km motorway runs from Cullahill in County Laois to Watergrasshill in County Cork. Along the way, it crosses counties Kilkenny, Tipperary and Limerick.
The route starts 2 km south of Cullahill at a temporary roundabout intersection with the single-carriageway N8 and R639 roads, and runs south, parallel to the R639, bypassing Johnstown, Urlingford, Littleton, Horse and Jockey, Cashel, New Inn, Cahir, Skeheenarinky, Kilbeheny, Mitchelstown, Kilworth Mountain, Fermoy, Rathcormac and Watergrasshill. It ends just south of junction 17 where it blends into the HQDC 'Watergrasshill Bypass' section of the N8.
Between Cullahill and Watergrasshill 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. The M8 crosses into County Cork south of Kilbeheny and proceeds south to the east of Mitchelstown, before skirting around the base of Kilworth Mountain through pastoral farmland and demesne parkland. At Moorepark, some 5 km north of Fermoy, the M8 is tolled for the next 17.5 kilometres. This tolled section is notable for incorporating an impressive 450m viaduct crossing of the River Blackwater. Toll plazas are located between junctions 16 and 17 and at the southbound exit of junction 15. The current toll for cars is €1.90.[2] Many motorists, particularly lorry drivers, drive through Fermoy, Rathcormac and Watergrasshill to avoid the toll. In 2006 the Irish Road Haulage Association advised its members not to use the toll road, because they considered it to be too expensive. Consequently, traffic volumes through Watergrasshill increased by about 6,000 vehicles (of which approximately 1,100 were lorries) per day at the end of that year.[3] By the end of 2008 increasing numbers of vehicles were opting to pay the toll.[4] The M8 ends just south of Watergrasshill where it links up with the 13.5 km Watergrasshill to Dunkettle dual carriageway.
History
The present-day M8 was constructed in five sections between 2004 and 2009. In chronological order, these opened as follows:
- Cashel Bypass (October 2004, as standard dual carriageway) - junctions 7 through 9;
- Fermoy-Watergrasshill (October 2006, as motorway) - junction 14 through 17;
- Cashel-Mitchelstown (July 2008, as HQDC) - junctions 9 through 12;
- Cashel-Cullahill (December 2008, as motorway) - junctions 7 through 4;
- Mitchelstown-Fermoy (May 2009, as motorway) - junctions 12 through 14.
Cashel Bypass
The first section of the current M8 to open was the €48 million 6.7km Cashel bypass. Construction began in May 2003 and the scheme opened to traffic in October 2004 with a speed limit of 100 km/h.[5] Originally classified as a standard dual carriageway section of the then N8, the scheme was officially redesignated a motorway by Statutory Instrument on 17 July 2008. This change came into effect on September 24 the same year 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 northern end when the Cashel to Cullahill project was built. The project was built by Roadbridge Ltd.
Fermoy-Watergrasshill
Construction of this 17.5 km tolled scheme started in June 2004 and was completed on 2 October 2006.[6] 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). The section was built by Direct Route, who continue to operate and maintain it.[7]
Cashel-Mitchelstown
Construction of this 37 km length of motorway started in May 2006.[8] It was fully opened with a 100 km/h speed limit on 25 July, 2008, some 10 months ahead of schedule.[9] 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.[10] The scheme was built by Roadbridge Sisk JV.
Cashel-Cullahill
Construction of this 40 km stretch started in October 2006[11] and was opened to traffic on 8 December 2008, some seven months ahead of the target completion date.[12] 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 to 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.
Mitchelstown-Fermoy
Construction of this 16 km scheme started in December 2007. The section opened to traffic on 25 May 2009, some nine months ahead of the original target completion date.[13] Like the Cashel-Cullahill project, the Fermoy-Mitchelstown scheme was redesignated a motorway during its construction, having originally been envisaged as a HQDC.[14] It was built by Roadbridge Ltd. at a cost of €174 million.[15][16]
Junctions
Future
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. When the redesignations (which received ministerial approval on 10 July 2009) come into effect, 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.[18]
Under construction
Construction of the remaining section of the motorway is in underway, and is due to be complete by late 2010. This final section will run south of Portlaoise, where it will diverge from the M7 as the M8.[19] The project, officially known as the Portlaoise-Castletown-Cullahill PPP Scheme, will extend motorway from Naas in County Kildare to the northern terminus of the Watergrasshill-Cullahill segment of the current M8 (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 Roads Group Consortium. Construction began in June 2007 and is expected to last until late 2010.[20] When finished the M8 will be approximately 143 km (89 mi) long, and will include up to 19 junctions.
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.[21] Under this plan, the M8 will have two such areas. One will be located between junctions 6 and 7, while the other will be sited between junctions 13 and 14.[22] The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the service area north of Cashel was published in mid-February 2009.[23] The EIS for the remaining service area at Kilworth has yet to be published.
See also
- Roads in Ireland
- Motorways in the Republic of Ireland
- National primary road
- National secondary road
- Trunk Roads in Ireland
- History of roads in Ireland
- National Development Plan
- Transport 21
References
- ^ http://www.transport21.ie/Projects/Roads/N8_Dublin_to_Cork.html
- ^ NRA - Layout 6
- ^ http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0104/bypass.html
- ^ http://www.nra.ie/NetworkManagement/TrafficCounts/TrafficCounterData/#d.en.2971
- ^ http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/5959-0.pdf
- ^ http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/2006/htmltext,2396,en.html
- ^ http://www.directroute.ie
- ^ http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=7577&lang=ENG&loc=1887
- ^ http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,15370,en.html
- ^ http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/SouthTipperaryCountyCouncil/N8CashelMitchelstown/SchemeName,15402,en.html
- ^ http://www.transport21.ie/MEDIA/Press_Releases/Cullen_turns_sod_on_Cullahill_to_Cashel_40km_Road_Project.html
- ^ http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1208/6news_av.html?2460136,null,230
- ^ http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0525/breaking21.htm
- ^ http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/10978-2.pdf
- ^ http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0525/breaking21.htm
- ^ http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,16181,en.html
- ^ http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/LaoisCountyCouncil/N8PortlaoisetoCullahillCastletown/SchemeName,15066,en.html
- ^ http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/10978-9.pdf
- ^ http://www.m7m8scheme.ie/eis/pdfs/EIS_M7M8_Volume6_Fig1-10.pdf
- ^ http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/LaoisCountyCouncil/N8PortlaoisetoCullahillCastletown/SchemeName,15444,en.html
- ^ http://www.independent.ie/national-news/breakfast-roll-man-gets-grub-guarantee-1429938.html
- ^ NRA p.25.
- ^ http://www.nra.ie/Publications/EISPublications/