M7 - Castletown to Nenagh

lukejr · 01-11-2010 10:50am

Any updates?

I noticed last Thursday that lots of work was being done, and the tie-in at the Nenagh northbound carriageway was line and studded. The tie-in at the Castletown side was lined from what I could see at the overpass.

Any information on a confirmed opening date?

roosterman71 · 01-11-2010 11:00am

Still middle of November from what I've heard. Some more lines need painting at the Castletown end. Signage seems to be up, and heavy landscaping machinery have moved away

spacetweek · 01-11-2010 11:10am

NFD100 wrote: »

Excellent phots, Furet. That can't be a hard shoulder? Can it? If you broke down in that you are asking to be killed by a passing HGV???

Looks about standard width to me? Like Furet said it's the grass verge to the yellow line, looks about 2.5m.

Alun · 01-11-2010 11:55am

Furet wrote: »

ADS approaching J22:

That sign looks a bit odd to me .. when did they start having the turn off arm coming off at 90 degrees to the vertical instead of 45 degrees?

knipex · 01-11-2010 11:58am

Alun wrote: »

That sign looks a bit odd to me .. when did they start having the turn off arm coming off at 90 degrees to the vertical instead of 45 degrees?

When its a 90 degree exit or a LILO with a sharp bend and short run in.

roosterman71 · 01-11-2010 5:37pm

Apparently there's a dispute over wages and the workers are/were blocking the on/off ramps today

Link

veryangryman · 01-11-2010 5:41pm

knipex wrote: »

When its a 90 degree exit or a LILO with a sharp bend and short run in.

Signs like that which reflect the actual picture will save lives, no doubt about it. Mentioned same before but worth repeating given the carnage the past month or so on the roads

L1011 · 01-11-2010 8:02pm

Yellow lines absent at the Nenagh tie in still this evening

McDonalds Roscrea has numerous billboards advertising its drive time from J22 and was given out voucher sheets only usable there this evening. They're rather worried I think!

lukejr · 02-11-2010 10:46am

NRA says this section will be completed before the end of the year, no exact date for opening yet.

andykells · 02-11-2010 6:19pm

There is still a bit of work to do on this but i have not heard anything further in relation the hopeful date of the 15th being pushed back further. Should know more after the weekend.

Anyone know who the protests were against. Bowen Somague or Bothar Hibernia. 2 seperate contractors over different sections

andykells · 02-11-2010 6:20pm

MYOB wrote: »

Yellow lines absent at the Nenagh tie in still this evening

McDonalds Roscrea has numerous billboards advertising its drive time from J22 and was given out voucher sheets only usable there this evening. They're rather worried I think!

They will lose majority of their business to be fair. Was always handy as was on the way but i doubt too many people will exit the motorway for a Big Mac

lukejr · 03-11-2010 5:17pm

andykells wrote: »

They will lose majority of their business to be fair. Was always handy as was on the way but i doubt too many people will exit the motorway for a Big Mac

Always a handy toilet stop too. It's very near the motorway though so still very handy to pop over, at least the car park won't be crazy busy anymore.

I always stop into McDonalds if I'm stuck behind a large tail back, grab a coffee and set off again with a little less stress.

The Irish Independent covered the blockade by contractors in yesterdays paper:
Workers block motorway site over payment claims

Here's the text:

By Barry Duggan
Tuesday November 02 2010
Sub-contractors who claim they are owed millions used heavy machinery to blockade construction site entrances to the final stretch of the M7 motorway yesterday.

Fears are growing that the opening of the final 36km stretch of the M7, between Nenagh and Castletown, which is due to be completed and opened before the end of the year, could be delayed as a result of the row.

Bowen-Somague JV were awarded the Laois County Council contract to complete the final phase of the motorway in April 2008.

While those involved in the dispute did not want to be identified, they claimed that millions of euro was still outstanding to several sub-contractors from Bowen-Somague JV.

"We are looking for a meeting between the contractors, sub-contractors and supplies.

"There are a lot of local businesses affected by this. We have to work this out immediately so that the road can be opened as soon as possible," local Tipperary councillor Seamus Morris said.

The National Roads Authority (NRA) said "no definitive date" has been set for the opening of the final phase of the motorway, but it had been hoped to do in November/December.

The NRA said it was not party to any dispute between contractors and workers on site.

- Barry Duggan

Irish Independent

rainbowdash · 03-11-2010 6:52pm

Regarding McDonalds it must be goodbye to an awful lot of business along all these now replaced roads in the country. I would imagine most people will just want to do Galway / Cork /Limerick - Dublin now without a pitstop of any description.

flazio · 03-11-2010 9:28pm

rainbowdash wrote: »

Regarding McDonalds it must be goodbye to an awful lot of business along all these now replaced roads in the country. I would imagine most people will just want to do Galway / Cork /Limerick - Dublin now without a pitstop of any description.

The Kilmartins stop in Athlone is still doing a fair bit of trade.

veryangryman · 03-11-2010 9:38pm

flazio wrote: »

The Kilmartins stop in Athlone is still doing a fair bit of trade.

That stop is still on the Cork/Limerick-Athlone and numerous other routes along the midland corridoor. Along with the odd Motorway mad person who might do Arklow-Galway, Newry-Galway etc by Motorways and the fact that its convenient for most east-townees (myself included), the lost business is barely noticed. Its a 24-hour station and trust me, it does plenty of business even in the wee hours. Have never seen it empty, christmas day inclusive

Of course myself being from Athlone can drive to Cork (2 and a half hrs these days) without need for a stop. But then some of us have better bladders than others and also the sense to fill up before the journey, not during. Not having a dig at online service stations per se, just the people who think we need them :P

youcrazyjesus! · 03-11-2010 11:32pm

Can anybody tell me why these LILOs were allowed to be added to this road?

We spend billions on the roads and then penny pinch at a few interchanges which practically guarantee road deaths. I'm amazed.

The traffic island is so unbelievably tiny it defies belief. The run onto the road is so short and tight too. I am genuinely worried about driving this road because of these LILOs.

Are there any updated photos of these?

lukejr · 04-11-2010 10:45am

youcrazyjesus! wrote: »

Can anybody tell me why these LILOs were allowed to be added to this road?

I am looking at the M8, M6, M4 junction maps on the NRA and none have LILO. There are only two of these junctions on the M7: Junction 23 - Moneygall and Junction 22 - Roscrea. Seems a bit odd to have different junction styles on what will be the longest stretch of motorway in Ireland. Although Junction 9 - Naas North has a LILO too on it.

NRA M7 Junction Map

Maybe someone in the NRA was worried about delaying traffic by building two roundabouts on the busy N7 section at Moneygall to serve the motorway. I assuming the planning and route selection documents are on the NRA website somewhere.

Question, will it be easier for someone to make a mistake and go the wrong way up a carriageway with LILO? Normally the round about design makes this difficult for this mistake to happen, but sign age will need to be very clear.

kiwipower · 04-11-2010 1:20pm

rainbowdash wrote: »

Regarding McDonalds it must be goodbye to an awful lot of business along all these now replaced roads in the country. I would imagine most people will just want to do Galway / Cork /Limerick - Dublin now without a pitstop of any description.

Well considering the health impact of the Golden Arches, and other junk (sorry fast) food outlets maybe this isnt such a bad thing???????

tippilot · 04-11-2010 2:21pm

As regards the LILO, one thing occurred to me. I know a Roscrea bussinessman who was approached regarding motorway services. Apparantly a future motorway following the route of the N62 is planned in the long term. Would the provision of a minimalistic LILO type junction now allow for an easier upgrade to a future more extensive junction tie in with a crossing M62 in another area, thus allowing the LILO to be closed and replaced without much effort?

Was out for a look yesterday. One of the most alarming things was a rather extensive flood had developed south of the Roscrea junction on the southbound carriageway. It doesn't say much about the drainage.

lukejr · 04-11-2010 2:33pm

tippilot wrote: »

M62

Really a M62, lets hope they build the M20, the Dublin outer ring-road, the M24, M25, M18 and M21 before they consider linking Athlone-Roscrea-Thurles-M8 link via the M62.

LILO should be easy to upgrade if needed in the long run.

Flooding at this late stage, all drainage works should be completed by now, unless work debris was blocking the drains. Any photos?

keane2097 · 04-11-2010 3:18pm

Excuse my ignorance, but what's a LILO?

L1011 · 04-11-2010 4:01pm

keane2097 wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance, but what's a LILO?

Left In, Left Out junction. Term properly used for a single sided junction on a dual carriageway that has no break in the median.

Basically its abused in this case to refer to junctions with no slip roads where the "slip" leaves at 90 degrees to the mainline; as this is how a LILO is built usually.

veryangryman · 04-11-2010 4:07pm

lukejr wrote: »

Really a M62, lets hope they build the M20, the Dublin outer ring-road, the M24, M25, M18 and M21 before they consider linking Athlone-Roscrea-Thurles-M8 link via the M62.

LILO should be easy to upgrade if needed in the long run.

Flooding at this late stage, all drainage works should be completed by now, unless work debris was blocking the drains. Any photos?

Not a fear of an M62 happening in our lifetimes. Really is there 1 non-urban linking, non suburban route in the world with a smaller population on it

Idea is laughable. H---a---ha. Well...you all know what laughter sounds like! :mad:

lukejr · 05-11-2010 10:05am

Some coverage on the protest of the road in the Nenagh Guardian this week.

Still no confirmed opening date.

swoofer · 05-11-2010 2:14pm

not getting paid in these times is hard to take and they have no other means of "exerting pressure" Lets hope it opens by end of Novemeber and then its NEWRY here I come.

gb--

Mc Love · 05-11-2010 5:56pm

Newry is a hole - i wouldnt bother

nordydan · 05-11-2010 7:48pm

GBCULLEN wrote: »

not getting paid in these times is hard to take and they have no other means of "exerting pressure" Lets hope it opens by end of Novemeber and then its NEWRY here I come.

gb--

Extra 15mins gets you to sprucefield

charlemont · 05-11-2010 7:49pm

it will be class when its finally opened..

L1011 · 05-11-2010 9:14pm

nordydan wrote: »

Extra 15mins gets you to sprucefield

sssh! I want to keep the Secret Sainsburys secret

sleepyman · 08-11-2010 10:44am

Are they still striking? I take it the end of the month would be the likely finish date if they were working/had been paid?

M7 - Castletown to Nenagh

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