M7 - Castletown to Nenagh

Tech3

Stark wrote: »

What's the quality of the R435 like? That's the most logical route judging from the map.

I havn't driven this route myself but it looks the shortest one to take.

Amtmann

I took the R435 once. It's a standard, narrow R-road, some bends, but not too bad in fairness. You'd do 80 on it for the most part.

Deedsie

Working away on the Nenagh tie in and the join up at borrisinossory this morning. They must be working through the holidays.

popebenny16

Furet wrote: »

I took the R435 once. It's a standard, narrow R-road, some bends, but not too bad in fairness. You'd do 80 on it for the most part.

aha!!! thing is, i wouldnt like lots of HGVs going through Donaghmore and Rathdowney....

phog

It looks like that they are dipping the road to give the height under the arched bridge at the Dublin end of the Nenagh bypass. I think they will have 4 lanes and no hard shoulders at this point.

Deedsie

I think this junction has a fair bit of work to go on it. They are working away on it every time I pass it from half seven till after five. They also nearly have all the tar laid on the off ramp on the village side of the moneygall junction.

Amtmann

Going to try to get a few photos of this this afternoon. I'm heading to Roscrea so I'll stop if the N62 isn't too busy...

Amtmann

Okay, I got some photos of the N62 junction.

Standing on the new N62 overbridge looking to Limerick.


Direct view of the mainline to Limerick from the N62:


View from the new N62 overbridge looking to Dublin. The plug separating the two sections of the motorway is the old N62, soon to be obliterated


View of mainline looking to Dublin, taken east of Dunkerrin:


Impressive view of the mainline from the top of the M7 as it travels over the current N7 at Moneygall:



Bottom line: no lining or wearing course yet along any section I saw. These photos are of what seems to be the most advanced section - i.e. the bit between Roscrea and Nenagh. From Borris-in-Ossory to Roscrea is probably less advanced. If this opens in October, it will be towards the end of that month. It might slip to November. Wouldn't surprise me at all quite frankly.

lukejr

Thanks for posting the photos. It does appear to be more advance than the M18 Gort to Crusheen which is due to open in October too.

Lets hope they get the head down and have it opened for October.

Amtmann

What do people think of the Autobahn-style junctions at Roscrea and Moneygall? In my opinion junctions on one motorway ought to be in some way consistent; those on the M7 won't be.

Amtmann

21 February 2009:
The M7 C-N mainline seen from 3km east of Dunkerrin looking towards Dublin.


Late May 2010
See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M7_Castletown_to_Nenagh.JPG

1 August 2010
View of mainline looking to Dublin, taken east of Dunkerrin:

-Corkie-

Furet wrote: »

What do people think of the Autobahn-style junctions at Roscrea and Moneygall? In my opinion junctions on one motorway ought to be in some way consistent; those on the M7 won't be.

A bit like the one on the knock/claremorris by pass????

Amtmann

SARASON wrote: »

A bit like the one on the knock/claremorris by pass????

M7 junctions 22 and 23 won't have on/off ramps with roundabouts. Instead they'll be like this:

The A9 through Thuringia. One of Germany's first autobahns, this connects Berlin and Munich. The section photgraphed is by far the poorest I drove when I was in Germany last July: the surface was bumpy, it had no emergency lanes, and the speed limit was 130 km/h. Most of the rest of the A9, however, is of a very high standard.

Further west and east the M7 will have more standard dumbell interchanges. Lack of consistency.

Chris_5339762

Could this project go any slower?

Deedsie

It's frustratingly slow, I drive this stretch everyday. The sooner it opens the better. Doesn't look like that will be happening anytime soon. Sickened

Amtmann

The problem is, I'm fairly sure that the M7 in the area around Knock village (a tiny place well off the beaten track) is far behind what's shown in the photos. Granted I haven't seen it around there since late May, but there wasn't even any surface down at that stage and many of the overbridges were still unopened.

Deedsie

Furet wrote: »

The problem is, I'm fairly sure that the M7 in the area around Knock village (a tiny place well off the beaten track) is far behind what's shown in the photos. Granted I haven't seen it around there since late May, but there wasn't even any surface down at that stage and many of the overbridges were still unopened.

That's depressing reading right there. So it could be November before it opens? Just as long as nothing sinks.

Amtmann

Deedsie wrote: »

That's depressing reading right there. So it could be November before it opens? Just as long as nothing sinks.

I think November is realistic... I wouldn't be shocked if it even slipped to December. Yet a lot of it is almost ready for wearing course, and signage poles have been erected too. We'll have a better idea come mid-September.

popebenny16

Furet wrote: »

What do people think of the Autobahn-style junctions at Roscrea and Moneygall? In my opinion junctions on one motorway ought to be in some way consistent; those on the M7 won't be.

i have posted about these, they are appalling yellow pack, and in my opinion, the ones in Momeygall being right on the bridge are an accident waiting to happen.

just wait till the first garda graduation ceremony in Templemore and see the tailbacks onto the motorway to get off.

not forgetting that it is the best exit for HGVs to use to get from the M7 to and from the M8.....

have no idea what muppet thought them up, but there you go.

Amtmann

popebenny16 wrote: »

i have posted about these, they are appalling yellow pack, and in my opinion, the ones in Momeygall being right on the bridge are an accident waiting to happen.

I thought that yesterday too when I walked on the mainline there. There will be accidents.

CrowdedHouse

Why is there an exit for Moneygall ? it's not a major town and no distance from Roscrea or Nenagh

Deedsie

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Why is there an exit for Moneygall ? it's not a major town and no distance from Roscrea or Nenagh

Keep traffic out of Roscrea? It's an exit for Moneygall, Dunkerrin and Toomevara really.

jack presley

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Why is there an exit for Moneygall ? it's not a major town and no distance from Roscrea or Nenagh

It's for Obama when he comes to visit!

JupiterKid

I'm pleased to see that I'm not the only one who thinks that the junctions on the Castletown to Nenagh section of the M7 are woefully under spec and in fact dangerous.

Deedsie

From passing on the N7, they don't seem to be visibly getting through much work in the last couple of weeks. They haven't done anything at the moneygall junction for over a week after they laid tar on the southbound slip. The Nenagh tie in looks a like there is the world of work to do before it starts to even look like a motorway road. They seem to be sinking and widening the road at this point.

lukejr

Deedsie wrote: »

they don't seem to be visibly getting through much work in the last couple of weeks

Do they have to leave a settling period between surfacing different layers?

spurious

popebenny16 wrote: »

aha!!! thing is, i wouldnt like lots of HGVs going through Donaghmore and Rathdowney....

There's quite a low bridge just after you pass Killasmeestia school, that might stop them.

Jayuu

Its interesting that the LILO junctions on the M7 are considered acceptable.

Wasn't the fact that the junctions on the Athlone bypass are LILO junctions given as a reason why it couldn't be upgraded to motorway status, that they weren't up to a sufficient standard? Or am I wrong in saying that?

Stark

Athlone bypass had more to do with local objections if I recall. There's still a possibility of it being motorway. The 100km/hr limit has more to do with the curves and sightlines on the road.

The Ennis bypass has LILOs by the looks of it.

Sponge Bob

The bloody things are right on top of each other in Athlone, the M7 ones are miles apart and should not be as heavily trafficked either.

There is an argument for LILO going to T Junction not roundabout on connecting R and L roads on lightly trafficked exits....sub 3k veeehikle movements a day sorts.

M18 Ennis Bypass also has some but the main Ennis exit is very high grade so it is not just a Tipp thing . My main concern is a good long slip to get up to speed as you enter.

flazio

Also make sure there is adequate warning that there is a Sharp Left Turn ahead so that cars don't slip off at speed, miss the turn and plough into cars joining the motorway.

Tech3

As well as the ennis bypass there will be LILOs on the Gort to Crusheen scheme and the Gort to Tuam scheme. All of them actually barring rathmorrissey and Gort is half a LILO!! The junctions on the M7 would be busier however.

Sponge Bob

tech2 wrote: »

As well as the ennis bypass there will be LILOs on the Gort to Crusheen scheme and the Gort to Tuam scheme. All of them actually barring rathmorrissey and Gort is half a LILO!!

Gort Crusheen LILOs are enter from above and exit from below, inherently much safer than the ones north of Ennis and with decent enough turn radius from what I remember. Athlone has an admixture of both.

Deedsie

Loads of activity today where Nenagh/Castletown joins Portlaoise/cualahill scheme. The median has been extended under the borris in ossory off ramp. I presume they will be able start lining as soon as the median is in place?

roosterman71

They've been working at that section for a good few weeks now. I reckon most of the heavy landscaping work is done at the off/on ramps now

Deedsie

Are the roadworks in Moneygall this week to do with this project?

Deedsie

The moneygall slip road on the village side of the bridge looks finished and ready for marking. The slip on the Roscrea side is still all gravel.

Most of the work I've seen them at lately has been focused on the join up at borris in ossory (Junction 21), levelling out the surface in between the N7 & slips and laying tar on the first ramp (Junction 23), making great progress on the Nenagh tie in, 200 m of tar laid on one side of the road and you can see the median barrier in both directions from the bridge at junction 24, so this tie in shouldn't take much more than two/three weeks.

I haven't got near junction 22 roscrea, so I don't know the state of play here. I do remember a poster stating there were difficulties here?

All in all progress is slow but they seem to be getting close to a finish. Some signs are up, and when the junctions are finished they should be able finish the median and start the road markings, cats eyes and finish the signing.

I can never understand why this road gets less attention than the others. Is this not as important in some peoples view?

I drive through Toomevara, Moneygall Roscrea etc every day. I genuinely can't wait till this opens, It's 34km in length. Presuming the median, junctions surface works were finished. How long would marking, cats eyes, landscaping and signage take for 34 km of road?

popebenny16

Deedsie wrote: »

I haven't got near junction 22 roscrea, so I don't know the state of play here. I do remember a poster stating there were difficulties here?

the junction itself is just about ready, the overbridge is open to traffic, barriers are up, lamp posts are erected awaiting lights to be attached and most of the landscaping is done. they started yesterday on digging out the old N62 where the M7 will bisect it, dont think it will take too long for them to join up the motorway. say a month and they will be finished here.

as far as i know it is around knock that things seem to have slowed up. i know that near Nenagh - on the road to the ballingarry landfill - the overbridge is done there too and the motorway is very advanced. just seems to be the stretch from east of knock hill to borris in ossory which seems to be the least developed and that isnt a big stretch by any means.

Deedsie

They were putting in more of the median strip on the Limerick side of junction 24 today. Progress is slow enough at the tie in here. I read on the Nenagh Limerick thread that castletown to Nenagh motorway won't open till Christmas. At the pace they are working it is hard to argue this suggested date.

Very frustrating it's going to take so long.

trellheim

drove the N7 for the 10th time this year yesterday .... it'll be a goood long whil before it's done I'd say the next sequence of openings is

M7 bog
M9 final
M7 bog closes again due to subsidence
M7 C'town->Nee-Naw ( dec 18th or so )

Deedsie

trellheim wrote: »

drove the N7 for the 10th time this year yesterday .... it'll be a goood long whil before it's done I'd say the next sequence of openings is

M7 bog
M9 final
M7 bog closes again due to subsidence
M7 C'town->Nee-Naw ( dec 18th or so )

Can't really argue with this, but hope you are wrong about the last two. Perhaps the bog is sorted out now. There is no 'new' evidence to suggest it is or isn't going to be open for the liftime of the road. For all we know MEIC have done a miraculous job of repairing and completing the bog section in amazing time. As for Castletown to Nenagh, I drive Nenagh to Portlaoise ten times a week up and down. I really don't understand the hold up on it. I'm gonna hope for a late November opening, but that's probably being optimistic. Does anyone know how much this section of road is costing?


http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/LaoisCountyCouncil/N7CastletowntoNenagh/SchemeName,16480,en.html

It says here estimated completion date December 2009 & end of constructio Quarter 3 2010

lukejr

Article in the Irish Times today says the following:

Mr O’Neill also confirmed yesterday the last section of the project from Nenagh to Castletown is on schedule and is due for completion in November.

This project starts at the most easterly junction of the Nenagh bypass and finishes at the Borris-in-Ossory interchange. It is being constructed as part of the M7/M8 scheme.

Full article:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0831/1224277910300.html

Deedsie

They started working on the slip road on the Roscrea side of junction 23 Moneygall today. The slip road on the Nenagh side is almost complete apart from lining and cats eyes etc

Junction 24 Nenagh East is progressing slowly. They have been focusing on the east bound lane for the last week or so, prob another week to finish it. They seem to be just levelling out the west bound lane and preparing for the layers. An extra 150 metres of median had been constructed east of the bridge. Probably about 400 - 600 metres of a gap to the next section of completed median. Prob a month left in this junction at the current pace.

I'd say it will be late November it will open at the current rate of construction.

Deedsie

Deedsie wrote: »

Junction 24 Nenagh East is progressing slowly. They have been focusing on the east bound lane for the last week or so, prob another week to finish it. They seem to be just levelling out the west bound lane and preparing for the layers.

1 week later, very little change. Could be end of October before junction 24 will be complete at the current rate of progress. Very very, slow. Would anyone know how many people are employed on this scheme?

Deedsie

popebenny16 wrote: »

the junction itself is just about ready, the overbridge is open to traffic, barriers are up, lamp posts are erected awaiting lights to be attached and most of the landscaping is done. they started yesterday on digging out the old N62 where the M7 will bisect it, dont think it will take too long for them to join up the motorway. say a month and they will be finished here.

as far as i know it is around knock that things seem to have slowed up. i know that near Nenagh - on the road to the ballingarry landfill - the overbridge is done there too and the motorway is very advanced. just seems to be the stretch from east of knock hill to borris in ossory which seems to be the least developed and that isnt a big stretch by any means.

Any word on progress at these sections Benny?

Mc Love

Very little as it seems, passed both on my way down yesterday

Deedsie

Mc Love wrote: »

Very little as it seems, passed both on my way down yesterday

What progress had been made? The slip roads in Moneygall are progressing. Nenagh junction is starting to look like a road again. Four mounds of gravel to lay and the can star levelling it out.

Deedsie

It is now official, the castltown to Nenagh section will be the last piece in the M7 jigsaw. The Nenagh Limerick road will open next Tuesday.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/bog-motorway-to-open-next-week-2345634.html

Deedsie

Junction 24 is coming on a fair bit. There is probably only just under 100 metres of a gap. The next job is to lay the tar/black top on the junction. I can't imagine this will take that long. Does anyone know if any lining has been done anywhere along the length of this road?

summer11

I stopped as I was passing this project and a worker said that the "Final Wearing Course is being applied and work is progressing on m-way signage."

He felt that the road will open early November......