| N9 road | |
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| Route information | |
| Length: | 111 km (69 mi) |
| Location | |
| Primary destinations: |
(bypassed routes in italics)
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| Road network | |
The N9 road is a national primary road in Ireland running from Junction 11 (previously junction 9) on the N7 (M7 at this point), located near Kilcullen, County Kildare, to Waterford city. The route connects Dublin and Waterford. The section of the route from junction 11 on the M7 at Kilcullen to the intersection with the N24 road outside Waterford is motorway standard and is designated as the M9 motorway. Only a short section of the route is now designated as N9 between the Quarry roundabout junction with the N24 and the N25 Grannagh Roundabout junction.
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The initial part of the road, a 6 km (3.7 mi) spur from the M7 motorway, is of motorway standard and designated the M9 motorway (or Kilcullen Bypass). This begins at Junction 11 of the M7, just southwest of Newbridge (see thumbnail), and on the southwest side of Kilcullen. Prior to the 1993 opening of the Newbridge bypass, the N9 had run from Naas (west of the current M9). The previous route is now the R448.
At the southwestern side of Kilcullen, the N78 from Athy joins the N9 (the proposed N9 upgrade includes a new, shorter link round from Athy). The previous N9 route (now R448) continued south through Kilgowan, past Ballitore, the R747, Timolin, Moone and through Castledermot in County Kildare. Now this is bypassed by the Kilcullen to Carlow section of the M9 opened in December 2009. This then joins with another 18.5 km (11.5 mi) stretch of motorway, opened 29 May 2008 bypassing Carlow, rejoining the old N9 at Powerstown.Further south, the N9 crosses the River Barrow bypassing Leighlinbridge to the west, and continuing south to pass west of Muine Bheag, then entering County Kilkenny.
At Paulstown the N10 diverges west/southwest to serve Kilkenny and the present section of the M9. The N9 bypasses Gowran, Dungarvan and Thomastown. This section of the N9 opened as motorway in September 2010 and compteted the M9 motorway. Motorists join the M9 via the N10 to Kilkenny onto the M9 Section from Danesfort to Waterford. From Powerstown and further on, just north of Ballyhale the present N10 rejoins the R488 (Former N9), having proceeded south from Kilkenny. Lukeswell, Mullinavat and Dunkitt lie along the R448 route south towards Waterford. The M9 ends at the Quarry roundabout junction with the N24. A short section of the route designated as N9 continues towards the Granagh interchange where the route terminates and intersects with the N25 Waterford bypass.
The National Development Plan included plans for a motorway from Dublin to Waterford. While these plans were later altered to High Quality Dual Carriageway, in July 2008 the road was reclassified as a motorway once more. An environmental impact assessment was published in October 2003 and a CPO issued in November 2003 for the 46 km (29 mi) dual-carriageway forming the northern part of the Kilcullen–Waterford route, from Kilcullen, County Kildare to Powerstown, County Carlow. An EIS was published and a CPO issued in February 2005 for the 64 km (40 mi) southern section of the upgraded route, from Powerstown to Waterford.
The southern section of route differs more from the existing N9 alignment than most of the national road upgrade projects in recent years. The N10 at present provides a link to Kilkenny, to the west of the N9. The new alignment of the N9(M9) passes further west, closer to Kilkenny, with a new shorter N10 link to the N9(M9) on the northeast side of Kilkenny. The existing N10 remains for the link southeast of Kilkenny. The timeline of upgrades to the N9 route is:
A bypass of Waterford was opened in 2009, as part of the N25 that previously passed southeast/northwest through the city. As part of the project, the new M9 joins at a roundabout just off the Granagh Interchange which then allows access to Waterford City or the bypass to Rosslare/Cork.
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