N9 road (Ireland)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | |
|---|---|
| Bóthar N9 | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 119.09 km (74.00 mi) |
| Location | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Primary destinations | (bypassed routes in italics) |
| Highway system | |
The N9 road is a national primary road in Ireland running from Junction 11 on the M7, 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 since 2010 and is designated as the M9 motorway. In line with Irish practice, all sections previously designated N9 were renumbered at that time. Only a short (550-metre) section of the route is still designated as N9 between the Quarry roundabout junction with the N24 and the N25 Grannagh Roundabout junction. This section is dual carriageway.
The route starts as motorway 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 (east of the current M9). The previous route is now the R448.
The previous route continued south through Kilgowan, the intersection with the N78 to Athy, Ballitore, the R747, Timolin, Moone and through Castledermot in County Kildare. This is currently 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, meeting the R448 at a junction near Powerstown. Further south, the M9 crosses the River Barrow bypassing Leighlinbridge to the west, and continuing south to pass west of Bagnelstown (Muine Bheag), then entering County Kilkenny.
At Paulstown the N10 diverges west/southwest to serve Kilkenny and the present section of the M9. The M9 bypasses Gowran, Dungarvan and Thomastown. This section of the N9 opened as motorway in September 2010 and completed the M9 motorway. Motorists join the M9 via the N10 from Kilkenny onto the M9 section from Danesfort to Waterford. From Powerstown and further on, just north of Ballyhale the former N10 rejoins the R448, 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.