M7 - Castletown to Nenagh

MidlandsM

sleepyman wrote: »

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?

I was at the section @ Borris the other day and it look complete.
I'll try and grab some pics later and post if I'm passing.:pac:

sleepyman

MidlandsM wrote: »

I was at the section @ Borris the other day and it look complete.
I'll try and grab some pics later and post if I'm passing.:pac:

Cheers for that.I'm guessing the 15th November (people on here seemed to be mentioning it) as an opening date is unlikely to happen.

kiwipower

As they tend to open new motorways on Fridays I expect that the 15th is out to. Maybe the 19th or 26th? I suspect that along with the protests the reason its not opening this week has more to do with the M18 Gort bypass being opened. If they seperate the two opening ceremonys, there is the extra day of publicity AND expenses for TDs!!!!!!!

ongarboy

also, it seems more recent road openings were given an official 2 week or so notice period (Gort M18, Birdhill M7, Castleisland N21 etc) so I expect no opening until at least after Nov 22nd. (assuming, touch wood, the protest issue gets sorted)

lukejr

I passed it yesterday, the Moneygall LILO are not lined or studded yet from what I could see passing by on the current N7. But they have erected lots of new fencing and landscaping around the Moneygall junction, so they've been busy.

The tie-in with the north carriageway at the Nenagh bypass seems to be progressing quickly and almost complete, the traffic no longer skirts the hard shoulder but instead goes up the inside lane and then up the sliproad.

Going south bound onto the Nenagh bypass isn't so smooth, but it was dark so unable to judge the extent of the works.

No news on an opening date yet.

sleepyman

So they must be back working and had been paid then?Yes??

solidwork

Can we presume that the 15th open date won’t be happening? From what people have being saying the road seems very close, can we come to the conclusion it will be open before the end of the month.

lukejr

Noticed this morning that Google Maps has updated all the roads in Ireland, every road that is due open by years end is now shown. Including the Nenagh to Castletown section.

Although some roads that are motorway are shown as green national routes. Lets hope they fix that soon.

mcgeebers

I'm travelling to Killarney Friday evening. I've only ever gone the N7 in the past. Is this still recommended, even with the incomplete Castletown - Nenagh section, or is the M8 a better option existing at Mitchelstown and heading the N72 via Mallow?

lottpaul

mcgeebers wrote: »

I'm travelling to Killarney Friday evening. I've only ever gone the N7 in the past. Is this still recommended, even with the incomplete Castletown - Nenagh section, or is the M8 a better option existing at Mitchelstown and heading the N72 via Mallow?

I would still be inclined to use the M/N7 - with the new sections, esp the Birdhill part, it's a very good road. And, don't forget Castleisland is now bypassed too, so no delay there.
If you've never travelled from Mitchelstown to Mallow, and especially from Mallow to Killarney I certainly wouldn't try it for the first time in the dark, wind and rain of a November night. The section from Rathmore is especially twisting and dangerous.

piskins72

lottpaul wrote: »

I would still be inclined to use the M/N7 - with the new sections, esp the Birdhill part, it's a very good road. And, don't forget Castleisland is now bypassed too, so no delay there.
If you've never travelled from Mitchelstown to Mallow, and especially from Mallow to Killarney I certainly wouldn't try it for the first time in the dark, wind and rain of a November night. The section from Rathmore is especially twisting and dangerous.

+ 1 for this, that road from Mallow is very windy indeed in parts. once you hit before nenagh its motorway all the way until before Adare so you really could make the journey down in 4.5 hours or less. I travel this route regularly from Enfield and we can make the journey down in less than 3.5 hours. Cannot wait until the rest of the road is open!:D

ItHurtsWhenIP

lukejr wrote: »

Noticed this morning that Google Maps has updated all the roads in Ireland, every road that is due open by years end is now shown. Including the Nenagh to Castletown section.

Did you try to get the Street View on those sections??? They are mysteriously unavailable!!!

lukejr

The M18 is opening tomorrow, so the M7 will be the last piece of motorway under construction in the state.


Until the M18/M17 begins in early 2011.

CrowdedHouse

I passed the over bridge on the Roscrea - Knock road just a while ago,the road isn't even lined on the Limerick bound side.To my untrained eye(in the few secs. I was passing) there seemed to be lots of unfinished bits around there

villacud

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

I passed the over bridge on the Roscrea - Knock road just a while ago,the road isn't even lined on the Limerick bound side.To my untrained eye(in the few secs. I was passing) there seemed to be lots of unfinished bits around there

Same at Nenagh - Passed it this morning, southbound lane still to be lined

redtom33

mcgeebers wrote: »

I'm travelling to Killarney Friday evening. I've only ever gone the N7 in the past. Is this still recommended, even with the incomplete Castletown - Nenagh section, or is the M8 a better option existing at Mitchelstown and heading the N72 via Mallow?

M7 from Nenagh to Adare is by far the best way to go. Not only is it a better road but is also a quicker journey.

MichaelR

MMFITWGDV wrote: »

Did you try to get the Street View on those sections??? They are mysteriously unavailable!!!

The Castleisland bypass in a "very WIP" state can be seen from at least one road crossing it.

Streem View stuff seems to be from early 2009. I saw my old car there, standing at a house I left in May 09.

Carawaystick

mcgeebers wrote: »

I'm travelling to Killarney Friday evening. I've only ever gone the N7 in the past. Is this still recommended, even with the incomplete Castletown - Nenagh section, or is the M8 a better option existing at Mitchelstown and heading the N72 via Mallow?

Assuming you're starting in Dublin or north of Portlaoise, I'd go by the M8/N25/N22 via Cork. It's Grade seperate Dual carriageway or Motorway, from Dublin to Ovens west of Balincollig, and decent single carriageway Baile Bhuirne and about 2km of crap surface through Baile Bhuirne and then good WS2 with climbing lanes to Killarney. Took me 3 hours from Kllarney to RedCow before Abbeyleix was bypassed one Sunday morning.

Amtmann

Opening date pushed back to early December according to a workman I met today. Either the 1st or the 6th. I have some photos but my connection is too slow to upload them at the moment.

Amtmann

Pics!

Junction 22 (N62):


Junction 21 looking to Limerick:


Junction 21 westbound on-ramp:


Junction 21 looking towards Portlaoise:


Confirmation sign:






Close to Knock, looking to Portlaoise:


Same position, looking to Limerick:


Large overbridge on the Knock to Roscrea road. This is the final large structure on the scheme to open:


Looking towards that same overbridge from the mainline. This is about 2.5 kilometres north of junction 22. Note the layby on the left of the photo:


A closer look at the layby:


Junction 22 looking to Dublin:


And looking to Limerick:




That's it 'til she opens.

Amtmann

One more:

Mc Love

Those LILO junctions are mad - they will be a nightmare

Chris_5339762

A bit crazy. They need a barrier up the middle of them to make sure people go the right way.

Irish and Proud

Furet wrote: »

One more:

Great photos once again Furet!

However, that LILO looks pretty lethal for a 120kph motorway. They're not like the new LILOs on the M18 Gort to Crusheen (guess the M18 G to C has newer specs though). On the new M18, the Curves onto the compact slips appear to be much larger and safer (large grass triangles), where the M7 Borris to Nenagh LILOs look like slips you'd expect to find on an urban street. Mind you, as far as I could make out from the original plans for the M7 B to N, there weren't even going to put in proper acceleration/deceleration lanes - as least these are now included, but it's still IMO lethal! Apart from that, the road appears to be superb in terms of surfacing, alignment and appearance. They'll eventually have to change the LILOs, or impose a 100kph mainline speed limit on approach.

Regards!

JupiterKid

Great pics Furet.:) The opening of this stretch of road will represent the effective completion of the MIU motorways.

But as I suspected, junction 22 is a total death trap.:( This is not an acceptable standard on a motorway.:mad:

etchyed

Furet wrote: »

One more:

Terrifying.

loyatemu

Furet wrote: »

One more:

that is a (bad) accident waiting to happen:
"ah jaysus, I'm goin' to Dublin, not Limerick, better turn right..."

JupiterKid

I think someone needs to write into the NRA pointing out that junctions 22 and 23 are highly dangerous.

There will be serious accidents here unless something is done to improve them, mark my words.:(:mad:

Tech3

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

A bit crazy. They need a barrier up the middle of them to make sure people go the right way.

I presume that bollards will be erected to prevent traffic from crossing over onto the wrong side of the road. This is done on similar type LILO junctions on the M18 Ennis bypass. There is still a few weeks to completion so work on this might not be carried out until a few days before opening.

J15 on the M18 is a better design than those two junctions on the M7. The on and off ramps are more gradual towards the mainline and not a short 90 degree turn onto the motorway. At least the megre/diverge lanes are not short!

AlanD

JupiterKid wrote: »

I think someone needs to write into the NRA pointing out that junctions 22 and 23 are highly dangerous.

There will be serious accidents here unless something is done to improve them, mark my words.:(:mad:

I doubt there will be, but why don't you write to the NRA and articulate your fears about the junction so its not "someone else's" job.

Just a thought.