Do they grit motorways?

Marksie

I was travelling on teh M7 this am in laois, a number of cars were off the road..i even saw one that had mounted a 15ft bank and was perched on teh fence at the top.
Now speed will be a factor in these icy conditions, but the road did not appear to be gritted.
Someone travelling on the N4 said the same thing about that section.

Solair

Ah now, that would be forward thinking and would involve watching the weather forecast..

ANXIOUS

i know that the m50 is done every 8hrs.

Mr Magnolia

They do grit them. I know that they hadn't sufficiently gritted the M1 or the M/N7 yesterday or today anyway. The problem occurs where one counties border ends and another begins. this is going by my experience anyway..

Ham'nd'egger

I have noticed that some of the new sections around Monastarevian are quite slippy and prone to dew and surface frosting so I would see them being a problem with heavy frost. That said, they ought be be gritted heavily at time such as this.

Marksie

Hamndegger wrote:

I have noticed that some of the new sections around Monastarevian are quite slippy and prone to dew and surface frosting so I would see them being a problem with heavy frost. That said, they ought be be gritted heavily at time such as this.

Thats interesting because a work colleague lives in monsaterevin, she said that the gritting literally stopped at the motorway turnoff.

Most people were travelling at 45-55 on the motorways safely enough, perhaps a little less, but the AA still reported 12 accidents on the M/N7.

I wonder if the various CC cannot plan furher than 5 minutes ahead or are just trying to save money.

I would agree with the at the border thing it, it then being in someone elses back yard.

But the point is the N7 is not a back road, its a major commuter route.

daymobrew

Solair wrote:

Ah now, that would be forward thinking and would involve watching the weather forecast..

The NRA provides a useful web page with data to help them.

WeatherTable.htm wrote:

The Road Weather Information System comprises 52 road weather stations, strategically located throughout the National Road network. It enables local authorities to make informed decisions during winter weather. Specialized equipment and computer programs monitor air and pavement temperature to make forecasts regarding the winter weather impacts on the roads. Local authorities can make optimal use of materials and staff with precautionary salting techniques.

Saruman

M4 was this morning.. as i was approaching the toll both a monstrosity of a thing swerved out in front of me and almost ran me off the road!! I flashed him and when it widened i went past him and he had the audacity to beep at me???

AlekSmart

QUOTE : " Local authorities can make optimal use of materials and staff with precautionary salting techniques."

Now the above line from the NRA`s little blurb essentially cancels out all that has gone before it.

My understanding of the UK`s M Way and National Route system is that Her Majesty`s Highways Agency appear to maintain a large and varied fleet of equipment and dedicated staff to keep its patch clear.

ANYTHING which involves Local Authorities (Esp Irish one`s) acting in concert flies in the face of Irish Realpolitik.

Never forget South Dublin Co Co`s switching off of every second street light on the M50 as a cost saving measure just after the road opened.....Be Afraid.....VERY Afraid. :eek:

AlekSmart

Duplicated Post...TWO Thumbs !!

DerekP11

I was on the M7 between Naas and Portlaoise on Monday night last. It was being gritted by KCC and LCC. KCC sprayed me on the Curragh and LCC sprayed me near the junction for the N8.

Problem may be that its not 24 hours. I noticed that HGVs were sraying the stuff up off the road as they passed me at illegal speeds. (didn't know what it was until I reached the gritting lorry)

Mightened take a lot to remove it from the road surface.

Supercell

Salting roads in Ireland is often only effective to -1.8°C (can be higher http://www.howstuffworks.com/question58.htm but wetter climate and lower concentrations takes it to the average 1.8 mark), a proper cold snap will lower temperatures well below this inland (ground temperatures in an air frost below -2° can easily be below -10°C) especially making any gritting or lack of effectively pointless.

Watch the forecast and drive appropriately and don't blame anyone when shock horror you skid when braking suddenly in frosty conditions...