M7 - Castletown to Nenagh

swoofer

That does look weird but could be a trick of the eye. Iit looks as if the road goes straight on in front of you ie traffic from right can either turn left or go back on motorway. That will be blocked off when finished and there will be those red bollard type things along middle of road that they had to put in Ennis after driver went down wrong way and died.

Lets get it open please asap. I miss NEWRY and dont want to ever go cross country again.

gb--

ClareVisitor

Any news on the opening date? It seems to be being moved back on a regular basis. I'll be driving from Dublin to Clare on 27th December and it would be great to be on motorway the whole way!

Chris_5339762

Part of me hopes it'll spill into 2011, so the governments 2010 peddling wont be true

Zoney

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Part of me hopes it'll spill into 2011, so the governments 2010 peddling wont be true

It doesn't matter - one can already point out the completion by 2006 line, which was repeated until clearly absurd.

Also, people have greater concerns right now about what the government are saying on other matters.

As necessary and good as the motorways are, it also seems that by building them we did in fact pass up on things like actually having kids in school buildings rather than pre-fabs.

b2dadizzle

Hopefully it'll open soon. I regularly travel from south county carlow to Shannon, and I'm fed up of travelling on bad roads. I usually go to Kilkenny, Durrow, Borris-in-Ossory, and then travel the N7/M7. I was thinking that when the motorway is open completely, would I be just as quick travelling on the M9 from Paulstown to Kilcullen, cutting across the Curragh, and joining the M7 there. I know that it would be extra miles, but I still reckon it wouldn't take any longer, and I'd have the benefit of a good road. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Please don't advise me to go the Clonmel route as I've also done that, and hated it. There's nowhere to pass other cars. Thanks.

roosterman71

b2dadizzle wrote: »

Hopefully it'll open soon. I regularly travel from south county carlow to Shannon, and I'm fed up of travelling on bad roads. I usually go to Kilkenny, Durrow, Borris-in-Ossory, and then travel the N7/M7. I was thinking that when the motorway is open completely, would I be just as quick travelling on the M9 from Paulstown to Kilcullen, cutting across the Curragh, and joining the M7 there. I know that it would be extra miles, but I still reckon it wouldn't take any longer, and I'd have the benefit of a good road. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Please don't advise me to go the Clonmel route as I've also done that, and hated it. There's nowhere to pass other cars. Thanks.

Carlow --> Portlaoise --> M7

b2dadizzle

I've been on that road numerous times too and it's awful. Have just told my boss this morning that I won't travel to Shannon again until the m7 is fully open. It has to open before Christmas. It's after taking far too long as it is.

padma

As someone said it will be the first week in December, My guess is either before the budget or a day or two after the budget.

ClareVisitor

Good that it still looks like a pre-christmas opening. Who thinks the government will spread some christmas cheer by suspending the tolls for the week?

Deedsie

ClareVisitor wrote: »

Good that it still looks like a pre-christmas opening. Who thinks the government will spread some christmas cheer by suspending the tolls for the week?

I think Chrstmas has been cancelled to be honest mate. Hopefully it will be open by the time the budget is announced. Can they increase the toll prices in the budget does anyone know?

L1011

Deedsie wrote: »

Can they increase the toll prices in the budget does anyone know?

Toll pricing is contract controlled with the concessionaire, so no.

Don't expect many to any tolls to rise due to the fairly flat CPI.

lukejr

Drove Limerick to Roscrea early this morning, looks like they have lines painted on one of the Moneygall sliproads (LILO). It's was dark, but it didn't look like lines were painted on the south carriageway tie-in with Nenagh.

blackwarrior

I certainly don't look the like of that J22. But J23 (Moneygall village) looks the same.

I realise these motorways were originally designed as "high quality dual carriageways", but how come the Castletown-Nenagh section is the only one with these junctions?

slinky2000

blackwarrior wrote: »

how come the Castletown-Nenagh section is the only one with these junctions?

Been wondering this myself!

etchyed

blackwarrior wrote: »

I certainly don't look the like of that J22. But J23 (Moneygall village) looks the same.

I realise these motorways were originally designed as "high quality dual carriageways", but how come the Castletown-Nenagh section is the only one with these junctions?

I can't answer your question, but can clarify something. A High Quality Dual Carriageway is a road which is not designated as a motorway but up to the standard of one. Because of those junctions, this road wouldn't really be considered a HQDC, but has been designated a motorway nonetheless.

lukejr

Drove from Dublin to Limerick tonight, hopefully the last time I will ever have to drive through Moneygall or Toomevara.

So progress that I could see in the dark tonight as I drove past. Both slip roads at Moneygall are lined. The northbound tie-in with Nenagh is complete and the southbound tie-in is lined. This week we can expect traffic coming down the southbound slip road to be diverted over to the inside lane as the hardshoulder is finished. That will complete the Nenagh tie-in.

Overall that should be it, road finished. Expect opening soon.

On the LILO, the only other place on the M7 they are used, is the Naas north exit on the northbound carriageway. Where the M7 changes from two lanes to the N7 three lanes.

JupiterKid

lukejr wrote: »

On the LILO, the only other place on the M7 they are used, is the Naas north exit on the northbound carriageway. Where the M7 changes from two lanes to the N7 three lanes.

Yes, but the slips for that junction are much larger. The Maudlins interchange at Naas North is really more a trumpet junction that a LILO.

The slips and corners at J22 and J23 on the new section of the M7 are far, far tighter and thus much more dangerous. They are not all that much better than a painted-on right angled LILO on the UK's M50 here:
http://www.cbrd.co.uk/badjunctions/50-4221/

kiwipower

Just wondering where are all the "Handy" Petrol stations to the M7 are? I am looking for one within 5min of the motorway round the Laois/Kildare area. Somewhere to Break the Gort to the M50 journey and get a tank of petrol!

AlanD

There is a good Topaz station at Brown's Barn. Just take exit 3 I think off N7 North:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.294917,-6.430269&spn=0.001549,0.004823&t=h&z=18

Or there is one just in the road at Portlaoise, 2 mins away:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.020411,-7.298269&spn=0.024937,0.077162&t=h&z=14

kiwipower

AlanD wrote: »

There is a good Topaz station at Brown's Barn. Just take exit 3 I think off N7 North:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.294917,-6.430269&spn=0.001549,0.004823&t=h&z=18

Or there is one just in the road at Portlaoise, 2 mins away:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.020411,-7.298269&spn=0.024937,0.077162&t=h&z=14

Hi AlanD, Thanks a million for the information. :D
The one by Portlaoise is that just in the Abbyleix road, past the hotel? I have never gone in that way before. Have gone in the Stradbally road before but its a good drive in!

AlanD

kiwipower wrote: »

Hi AlanD, Thanks a million for the information. :D
The one by Portlaoise is that just in the Abbyleix road, past the hotel? I have never gone in that way before. Have gone in the Stradbally road before but its a good drive in!

Yes, the one by Portlaoise is in towards Portlaoise on the Abbeyleix road. Petrol station in about half a mile, if even, on the left.

thewing

lukejr wrote: »

Drove from Dublin to Limerick tonight, hopefully the last time I will ever have to drive through Moneygall or Toomevara.

Same here, but couldn't see much in the dark...

Fingers crossed but unless I have to go there for business (and I doubt it), i'll never pass through Toomevara, Moneygall or Roscrea again...bye bye farmers and sunday drivers....

It's a pity we finally have a road network worthy of a modern country but our economy has been put back 20 years...at least it'll be there for when things get good again..

marmurr1916

Hopefully it'll be open before 8th December, the traditional start of the very busiest part of the Christmas shopping season.

Jayuu

AlanD wrote: »

Yes, the one by Portlaoise is in towards Portlaoise on the Abbeyleix road. Petrol station in about half a mile, if even, on the left.

And if its the same one as I think it is, there are quite a few food options there as well.

lottpaul

Noticed some works machinery being removed on low-loaders from the Moneygall section this morning as I drove south, but still a small bit of lining to be done on the Lilo I thought.

(and why in the name of all thats holy did they not wait for the motorway to open before beginning major works near Toomevara - sat for 6 minutes at a stop/go - good planning )

MidlandsM

I got pics..........standby...... ;-)

lukejr

lottpaul wrote: »

(and why in the name of all thats holy did they not wait for the motorway to open before beginning major works near Toomevara - sat for 6 minutes at a stop/go - good planning )

That should be the real sign that the motorway is about to open. The county council using up their road budget before the motorway opens.

piskins72

yip any roadworks that are started this time of the year are a def sign of them trying to use up budgets, anything left goes back into the central coppers so its in their best interests to use up their allocations because they have no guarantee that they will get the same monies in the following year again!

L1011

Just looked at my work calendar and I need to head to Kerry on Dec 1st.

Which means with my IMPECCABLE road scheme timing, this should open on Dec 2nd....

L1011

Just looked at my work calendar and I need to head to Kerry on Dec 1st.

Which means with my IMPECCABLE road scheme timing, this should open on Dec 2nd....