South TipperarySouth Council County Comhairle Chontae Thiobraid Arann Theas Arann Thiobraid Chontae Comhairle North Tipperary Council County Comhairle Chontae Thiobraid Arann Thuidh Arann Thiobraid Chontae Comhairle Bringing You Closer You Bringing Laois County Council County Laois

Comhairle Chontae Laoise Chontae Comhairle Ten-T Fund Ten-T European Union by Mr Noel Dempsey T.D., Minister for Transport for Minister T.D., Dempsey Noel Mr by Officially opened on Monday 8th December 2008 December Officially8th Monday on opened Improvement Scheme Improvement Funding for the scheme is provided under the National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013 (NDP) Plan Development National the under provided is scheme the for Funding with part funding by the European Union from the Trans-European Transport Networks Budget. Networks Transport Trans-European the from part Union with European the by funding Kilkenny County Council County Kilkenny Comhairle Chontae Cill Chainnigh Cill Chontae Comhairle M8 Cullahill to Cashel Road Cashel to Cullahill M8 in the presence of Cllr. Tomás Breathnach, Cathaoirleach, Kilkenny County Council Council County Kilkenny Cathaoirleach, Breathnach, Tomás Cllr. of presence the in M8 An Chúlchoill/Caiseal Scéim Fheabhsaithe Bóthair Bóthair Fheabhsaithe Scéim Chúlchoill/Caiseal M8 An Transforming Ireland Transforming

Design & Print by Modern Printers: 056 7721739 Antonio Tajani Antonio Vice European of the President special with Commission for Transport responsibility European the of behalf On opening the welcome I Commission, Cullahill M8 the of section new this of forms which part scheme Cashel to the of network. Road European Trans national the to benefits numerous provide will scheme road This efficient the facilitate will of and movement economy regional and traffic. tourism and business certainty greater provides journey of infrastructure quality High efficiency trafficof improving movement to the times in goods and Europe. mainland from and particular in conditions, elimination driving safer create also will It overtaking of result a as collisions on head for potential of in living people the for life of quality the enhance and manoeuvres, villages. and towns bypassed the support to able been have to pleased is this Commission The Trans- the through part by grant a with project design its funding Budget. Network Transport European Councillor Tómas Breathnach Tómas Councillor Kilkenny Cathaoirleach, Council County mótarbhealaigh nua stráice an hoscailt Le Laoise, Chontae trí fhad ar agus Thuaidh ciliméadar 40 Árann Thiobraid Chontae nua Chainnigh, céim Chill bhfuil go Chontae fógraítear inniu Theas Árann cinn. chun Thiobraid chur a Chontae tír an agus contae an chun tógtha tosaigh chun management traffic to positively contribute will route and urban towns inter M8 passed The by many the in in improvement felt be will environmental benefits and Substantial route. N8 our of old the members along and villages businesses to savings time travel for and costs prospects reduced exciting up opens road new The community. wider region. the in development commercial and business National the of assistance and support the Tipperary acknowledge North to like Laois, of would I authorities local sister my this making in Authority, Roads Transport for Minister the and Tipperary South and reality. a project Contractors, Scheme Limited, Engineering Civil SRB thank full to the wish and also I Engineers Consulting Wilson, County O‘Regan/Scott Kilkenny of Malone staff supervisory site and made whom design of of all Office, complement Design Regional House Tramore and years. of Council number past the over contribution huge a such na ar cúramach bheith a uile thiománaithe do gCill molaim i nuaí is scoir, fhocal bóthair Mar bpíosa an ar sábháilte go tiomáint agus Caiseal. go bóithre gCúlchoill ón M8 mótarbhealach an Chainnigh, and part Union and European the by financed National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013 2007-2013 (NDP) Plan Development National Peter Malone, Chairman National Chairman Malone, Peter Authority Roads class top of 80km seen 2008 has traffic to open the roadway along route Dublin to Cork strategic for improvements huge providing users. road to Cullahill M8 the of today opening The strategic this along link vital another provides scheme Cashel M8 the complements road national of stretch new This corridor. I year. this of July in opened which section Mitchelstown to Cashel of ahead significantly opened schemes both that say to proud am scheme Cashel to Cullahill M8 the with budget within and schedule budget. under in coming of work hard and professionalism the acknowledge to like would I authorities, local Authority, Roads National the in colleagues my for sector construction and Departmentthe Transport of can Taxpayer Irish The delivery. of standard high this maintaining value secure to commitment our continue we will that confident be money. their for hand first have now route Dublin to Cork busy the using Motorists roads national the by made being improvements the of experience certainty journey and of times safety, - improved programme economic shorter facilitate will factors These times. travel times. challenging these in competitiveness Joe Crockett Joe Kilkenny Manager, County Council County to Cullahill M8 the that pleased very am I particularly am I open. is motorway Cashel ahead months seven completed been has project the note to pleased budget. under and schedule of motorway the of objectives main The the to contribute to are scheme urban inter major Ireland’s of completion and development rapid bring to and growth regional balanced allow to network, road towns many to improvements safety road and environmental about served communities and N8 network. old the by motorwayThis North Laois, in impact beneficial major a have will North Tipperary Tipperary South and journey reducing by Kilkenny, business. and goods for access improving and times important vitally is and it ever than region a we, as more Now that the in edge trading our regain and competitive remain Country, a assist will facility new this that confident am I and context European targets. these reaching in us success. a project this making in involved all to Congratulations This brochure was funded by the Irish Government under the Government under Irish the by funded was brochure This Minister for Transport, for Transport, Minister T.D. Dempsey Noel The major inter - urban routes which are on are which routes urban - inter major The will time years two in completion for target regions the between links transport improve and commercial new to up them opening along villages and Towns opportunities. tourism quality enhanced an experience will route the and shorter from benefit will drivers while life of roads. safer and times journey safer Ireland’s island economy is heavily dependent heavily is economy island Ireland’s and goods of movement efficient the on Government this regard this in and people the to priority high a afford to continue will The needs. transport our of development largest the of out roll the by delivered benefits state the of history the in programme roads as country the down and up seen be can and bypassed are villages and towns more opened. motorway of sections long The transformation of Ireland’s national road national Ireland’s of transformation The the with reality a becoming is network scheme road national another of opening M8 The schedule. of ahead significantly 7 today opens scheme Cashel to Cullahill All 5 national schedule. of ahead months come have year this completed projects road as or budget within and early or time on in budget. – under project this of case the in Introduction The National Development Plan 2000 to 2006 outlined the need for a high quality dual carriageway to be constructed between Dublin and Cork. The M8 Cullahill to Cashel Road Improvement Scheme forms a significant part of this major inter-urban route. The scheme passes through parts of Counties Laois, Kilkenny, North Tipperary and South Tipperary and its opening provides a continuous section of motorway some 90 km long between Cullahill and Mitchelstown. The M8 Cullahill to Cashel scheme is 40 km long. It is a motorway with four grade separated junctions linking it to the national road network and to Cashel, Thurles, Urlingford, Johnstown and Kilkenny. The existing N8, reclassified as a regional road, provides a parallel all-purpose route. Protection of the History of The M8 Scheme local environment In June 2000, Kilkenny County Council, the lead local authority, appointed consultant Malone Protecting the environment and providing mitigation to O’Regan Scott Wilson Joint Venture to assist with the design of the scheme and its promotion minimise the effects of the motorway on the surrounding Earthworks: through the statutory process. A Constraints countryside were important considerations in the Construction Facts Study and Route Selection Study led to the development of the scheme. Extensive landscaping has Length of main carriageway: 40 km Bulk Cut 4.3 million cubic metres identification in July 2001 of a preferred been carried out to screen properties from the route and Length of ancillary roads: 11 km Bulk Fill 3.0 million cubic metres route, which was presented to the public. to help blend the scheme into the surrounding Interchanges (4 no.): Cashel CBM Sub-base and Base laid 670,000 tonnes landscape. To minimise the impact of road traffic noise, Horse & Jockey Bituminous Surfacing laid 470,000 tonnes Following further development of the preferred a low-noise surfacing has been provided throughout and Twomileborris Structural concrete 20,500 cubic metres route, an Environmental Impact Statement and noise bunds and barriers have been erected at certain Urlingford Trees and shrubs planted 1 million Compulsory Purchase Order for the scheme locations along the route. were submitted to An Bord Pleanála in April Structures: (78 no.) 21 road overbridges Main Sub-Contractors: 2004. An Oral Hearing was held in All the road drainage is attenuated to green-field run off 4 road underbridges September of 2004 and An Bord Pleanala levels and the design incorporates measures to protect 1 Bord Na Mona rail bridge Surfacing Roadstone Ltd. approved the scheme, subject to certain watercourses and aquifers from pollution. 7 river bridges Cement Bound Macadam Roller Compacted modifications and undertakings, in December Archaeology - 3 accommodation overbridges Concrete Company Ltd. 2004. To protect wildlife, badger and otter passes were “Preserving the Past” 9 accommodation underpasses Precast Bridge Beams Banagher Concrete Ltd. constructed under the motorway and substantial lengths 33 significant stream/river culverts Shay Murtagh Ltd. Malone O’Regan Scott Wilson’s appointment Great care was taken in planning the new motorway to of badger and otter proof fencing were erected to guide was extended to assist with the preparation of minimise the impact on archaeological sites and Landscaping Plants and Planters the animals to the underpasses and prevent them getting tender documents and procurement of a monuments. To ensure that any previously unknown Landscape Ltd. onto the motorway. An artificial sand martin nesting site Management of the M8 Scheme contractor and to provide supervision of archaeological remains were identified and investigated has been constructed on the banks of the River Goul to The project was co-ordinated through monthly steering group committee meetings and technical committee meetings, construction as Project Manager for Kilkenny before construction, extensive test excavations were replace an existing nesting site which was on the which involved the following people: County Council. The scheme was to be undertaken by Margaret Gowe n & Co. Ltd. This testing opposite side of the new motorway to the river, an procured as a design and build contract, led to the subsequent detailed investigation of forty six Mr John Mulholland: Director of Services, Kilkenny County Council important feeding site for the birds. using the Engineering and Construction sites by Valerie J. Keeley Ltd. Mr Joe Gannon: Project Co - ordinator, Kilkenny County Council Contract NEC3 option C: Target cost contract Mr Billy McEvoy: Director of Services, South Tipperary County Council The excavated sites were diverse. They included with activity schedule. Benefits of the M8 Route Mr Michael O’Malley: Project Liaison Manager, South Tipperary County Council settlements, burials and industrial remains, which ranged When the whole of the major interurban route between Dublin Mr Eddie Loughnane: Liaison Officer, North Tipperary County Council in date from the Bronze Age, four-thousand years ago, to In October 2006, SRB Civil Engineering and Cork is completed in 2010, it will: Mr Con Daly: Senior Executive Engineer, Tramore House Regional Design Office Limited (a Joint Venture between John Sisk & the 19th century. Many archaeological artefacts were Mr Kieran Kelly: Senior Project Manager, National Roads Authority Son Ltd and Roadbridge) was awarded the l Reduce travelling time between the two cities by 1 hour recovered including shards of pottery vessels, iron knives, Mr Gerry O’Brien: Senior Project Manager, National Roads Authority contract for the design and construction of the l Provide a safer road and reduce the number of accidents medieval coins and personal belongings such as Mr Stan Johnston: Project Manager, Malone O’Regan Scott Wilson Joint Venture scheme. Their Design Consultant was a joint l Improve the quality of life for towns and villages along the route brooches, dress pins and buckles. Specialist analysis of Mr Dermot Donovan: Project Supervisor, Malone O’Regan Scott Wilson Joint Venture venture between Roughan & O’Donovan and l Allow for the proper development and expansion of the towns data from the excavations is on-going and will be Client’s Design Consultants: Malone O’Regan Scott Wilson Joint Venture RPS Consulting Engineers. and villages bypassed by the Scheme. recorded in comprehensive reports about each site. Contractor: SRB Civil Engineering Limited SRB employed Margaret Gowen & Co Ltd to monitor The initial programmed date for completion Mr John Duggan, Project Manager, SRB Civil Engineering The M8 Cullahill to Cashel Road Scheme will make an important certain areas of the site that were not resolved prior to was the 12th of July 2009. The actual date of contribution to all these improvements. The valued co-operation of Ms Valerie Fox, Deputy Project Manager, SRB Civil Engineering completion is the 8th of December 2008, a commencement of the Contract. the property and land owners whose lands were acquired for the period of 7 months ahead of schedule. Contractor’s Design Consultants: Roughan O’Donovan and RPS Consulting Engineers Joint Venture construction of the M8 Cullahill to Cashel Road Scheme is hereby A separate information leaflet is available at Archaeology: Valerie J Keeley Ltd, acknowledged. M8 Cullahill to Cashel Road Scheme Map www.nra.ie/Archaeology/BrochureandPosterSeries Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.