M9 motorway (Republic of Ireland)
The M9 motorway is a motorway in the Republic of Ireland linking the M7 between Naas and Newbridge near Kilcullen to Waterford. Opened in sections between 1994 and 2010, the final section opened on 9 September 2010.
Before July 2008, the majority of the M9 – from Junction 2 onwards – was to be built as 'High Quality Dual Carriageway': then a large section of the route was re-designated as a motorway. The section included the motorway between Kilcullen and Powerstown and the Carlow bypass. The remainder of the route has since been redesignated.
Route
The M9 begins at Junction 11 (previously Junction 9) on the M7 motorway. This junction is a restricted access interchange, allowing traffic from the M9 to enter only the eastbound carriageway. There is no access to the M9 from the M7 eastbound, or to the M7 westbound from the M9. The route continues for 6 km before reaching the Kilcullen to Carlow section. The section runs between Junctions 1 and 2 on the M9 corridor. This section opened on 24 October 1994.
Construction of 17½ miles of motorway linking the Kilcullen bypass with the Carlow bypass began in February 2008. This section was completed and opened on 21 December 2009.[1] It runs between Junctions 2 and 4 on the M9 corridor.
The Carlow Bypass , an 11-mile section of motorway opened on 29 May 2008 and runs between Junctions 4 and 6 on the M9 corridor. It provides a bypass of Carlow and allows access to the N80 for Rosslare and the R448 for Leighlinbridge.[2]
The first part of the Carlow to Knocktopher section between Junctions 9 and 10 (Danesfort-Knocktopher) comprising 7½ miles of motorway was opened on 22 March 2010, in conjunction with the Knocktopher to Waterford section. The remaining section, Leighlinbridge to Danesfort, opened on 9 September 2010, thus completing the entire motorway.
The Knocktopher-Waterford section of the M9 route was opened on 22 March 2010.[3] This section is 15 miles long and runs between Junctions 10 and 12 on the M9 corridor. The scheme was built by BAM Ltd (formerly Ascon Ltd.). Junction 12 is not a standard motorway junction but is instead a roundabout. The left exit from this roundabout accesses the N9 road which continues to Waterford.
Junctions
| County | km | mi | Junction | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Kildare | 2 |  – Kilcullen, Newbridge, The Curragh (northbound)
Kilcullen, |
Continues to join M7. | ||
 Kilcullen Service Area
| |||||
| 3 |  – Athy,  – Baltinglass, Moone, Timolin (northbound)
Castlecomer, Athy, Baltinglass, Ballitore (southbound) |
||||
| 4 | ‒ Carlow (North), Castledermot, Tullow
|
||||
| County Carlow | 5 |  – Carlow, Rosslare, Enniscorthy
|
Bunclody
Carlow Service Area | ||
| 6 | – Carlow, Leighlinbridge (northbound)
Carlow, Bagenalstown, Leighlinbridge (southbound) |
||||
| County Kilkenny | 7 | – Leighlinbridge, Bagenalstown, Paulstown (northbound)
Thomastown, Gowran, Paulstown (southbound) |
Paulstown Service Area | ||
| 8 |  – Kilkenny, Durrow (northbound)
Kilkenny (southbound) |
||||
| 9 | – Kilkenny, Bennettsbridge (northbound)
Kilkenny, |
||||
| 10 |  – Callan, Thomastown, Stoneyford, Knocktopher
Carrick-on-Suir, Callan, Thomastown, Knocktopher (southbound) |
||||
| 11 |  – New Ross, Mullinavat
|
||||
| 12 |  – Limerick, Clonmel
|
Junction number not signposted.
At-grade roundabout junction. Continues as N9 dual carriageway. | |||
References
- ↑ "Opening of the M9 Kilcullen to Carlow". Ireland National Roads Authority. http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,16962,en.html.
- ↑ "N9/N10 Carlow Bypass". Ireland national Roads Authority. http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/KildareCountyCouncil/N9N10CarlowBypass/SchemeName,16514,en.html.
- ↑ "M9 Motorway from Waterford to Knocktopher Opens Today!". Ireland National Roads Authority. http://www.nra.ie/News/PressReleases/htmltext,17075,en.html.