N8 road

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In Belgium, the N8 is the old road from Brussels to Koksijde, passing Ninove, Oudenaarde, Kortrijk, Ypres and Veurne.

Destinations (NE to SW)
On route / bypassed / bypassed by M8
County Laois Portlaoise Abbeyleix Durrow (N77) County Kilkenny Johnstown Urlingford County Tipperary (N75 to Thurles) Littleton Horse and Jockey (N62 from Thurles) Cashel, (N74 to Tipperary Town) New Inn * Cahir * (N24)	County Limerick Kilbeheny * County Cork Mitchelstown * (N73) Fermoy Rathcormack Watergrasshill Sallybrook Glanmire Cork * Bypass under construction.

The N8 road is a National Primary Route in the Republic of Ireland connecting Cork with Dublin (via the N7). The motorway section bypassing Fermoy and Rathcormac is designated the M8 motorway. The route commences just south of Portlaoise along the M7 motorway (N7), and reaches Cork via the midlands and Golden Vale of Ireland, through counties Laois, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Limerick and Cork. As of 2007, the general specification of the northern part of the route would be regarded as below the western European standard for such a priority route.

[edit] Route through Laois and Tipperary

A section of the current N8, between M7 and Abbeyleix, is standard two lane road with no hard shoulder.

J17 on M7; the start/end point of the N8. This current N8 is to be replaced with an M8 motorway from J19.

Junction 17 on the N7 route (M7 motorway from Naas to past Portlaoise) at Togher marks the start of the N8 (see thumbnails). Abbeyleix, some 20 km (12 miles) south of this, is the first major settlement along the route. Indeed, the N8 passes through the centre of the town, via Stucker Hill, Market Square and Main Street. Further south again, the N8 passes through Durrow, County Laois, via The Square, Castle Street and Patrick Street. At Durrow, the N77 joins the N8 from the south. After Cullahill, the route enters County Kilkenny, running through Johnstown via Chapel Street, The Square and Urlingford Road. Urlingford is the last town in County Kilkenny for the N8, before it enters County Tipperary.

N8 Cashel bypass

The N75, leaving the N8 at Turnpike provides access to nearby Thurles to the west. The N8 continues southwest through Littleton and Horse and Jockey, meeting the N62 from Thurles at the latter. Cashel is bypassed to the west by a 7 km (4 miles) dual carriageway opened in October 2004 (see thumbnail). South of Cashel, the N8 joins the N74 to Tipperary Town, it then passes through New Inn, and follows the single-carriageway Cahir Bypass around the north and west of Cahir, where it crosses the Limerick–Waterford railway line, and the corresponding N24 road.

[edit] N8/M8 through Limerick and Cork

County Limerick is entered briefly at Kilbeheny, before the N8 enters County Cork on the approach to Mitchelstown. As of 2007, traffic on the N8 follows a relief road, opened in July 2006, around the north and west of the town, where it meets the N73 from Mallow. A more direct dual-carriageway bypass around the southeast of the town is planned.

South of Mitchelstown the N8 passes through Kilworth. A section of tolled motorway commences just south of this; the 17.5 km (11 miles) M8 Rathcormac - Fermoy Bypass bypassing Fermoy and Rathcormac. The project opened on 2 October 2006 and includes a 450 metre long viaduct over the Blackwater Valley. The toll for cars currently costs €1.60. However, Direct Route (who operate the toll road) have said that only 11,000 vehicles per day use the road. Many motorists, in particular lorry drivers, drive through Fermoy, Rathcormack and Watergrasshill so as to avoid the toll. The Irish Road Haulage Association has advised its members not to use the toll road, as they claim it is too expensive. In Watergrasshill, traffic has increased by about 6,000 vehicles per day, of which 1,100 vehicles are lorries. The reclassified former N8 is now the R639 road. Further south is the dual carriageway (non motorway) bypass of Watergrasshill (opened in September 2003). The dual carriageway continues into Cork city, bypassing Sallybrook and Glanmire. At Dunkettle Intake, the N8 meets the N25, the latter running south via the Jack Lynch Tunnel to a southern bypass of the city, and west to Waterford.

The N8 continues into Cork city via the Lower Glanmire Road, Water Street, Horgan's Quay, Penrose Quay, Brian Boru Bridge and Merchant's Quay (and the route returns via St. Patrick's Bridge, Bridge Street and McCurtain Street). The N8 ends where it meets the N22 at St. Patrick's Street.

[edit] M8 motorway and upgrades

M8 motorway
Length	11 miles 17 km
Direction	North - South
Start	Fermoy
Primary destinations	Rathcormac
End	Watergrasshill
Construction dates	2004 - 2006
Motorways joined	None
Euroroute(s)	E 201

As of November 2006, four road schemes will complete the upgrade of the N8 (bypass of existing route) to dual carriageway/motorway. These schemes will provide new routes between Portlaoise and Cullahill, Cullahill and Cashel, Cashel and Mitchelstown, and Mitchelstown to Fermoy.

As regards the section of route between Portlaoise and Cullahill; a project is in planning as of 2006 to build motorway south of Portlaoise, with the N8 diverging from the M7 as the M8 motorway. This project, the Portlaoise/Castletown/Cullahill PPP Scheme, will extend motorway from Naas outside Dublin, to Cullahill on the N8 (the scheme is also on the N7, extending it from Portlaoise to Castletown). The motorway will be subject to toll south of Portlaoise on the M7 before the junction for the M8. Construction is due to begin in 2007.

A further 40 km (25 miles) of high quality dual carriageway is under construction since 5 October 2006 between Cullahill and Cashel, connecting to the Cashel bypass opened in 2004. Of this 11 km (7 miles) of the high quality dual carriageway between Cashel and Cullahill will be motorway. This stretch of motorway will be located between the two towns of Cullahill and Urlingford. The Cullahill to Cashel scheme is hoped to be completed by late 2009.

Construction started on 22 May 2006 on 37 km (23 miles) of high quality dual carriageway between Cashel and Mitchelstown, the Cashel/Mitchelstown Road Improvement project. The Cashel to Mitchelstown scheme is hoped to be completed by early 2009.

The fourth remaining project on the N8/M8 corridor comprises 22 km (13 miles) of "high quality" dual carriageway. This is to be built from east of Mitchelstown to north of Fermoy, as part of a Mitchelstown/Fermoy project in planning.

[edit] References

• Roads Act 1993 (Classification of National Roads) Order 2006 (PDF)- Department of Transport
• Scheme Activity 2006 - National Roads Authority (details on projects under construction/due to begin)
• Major National Road Schemes in Planning - National Roads Authority (details on planned projects)
• M7 Portlaoise - Castletown & M8 Portlaoise - Cullahill Road Scheme - Laois County Council

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0104/bypass.html?rss