M7 - Nenagh to Limerick

mysterious

The extra land take was also a waste of money. I drew a map of my layout and there was less landtake.

The truth is, If my plan went ahead, it would work much better. It's not but we have a country run by people who can't run it very well.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeee

mysterious

The Word Is Bor wrote: »

At the moment the houses are between a National Road and a slip road. When the motorway is built they will be between a a sliproad and a cul de sac. The road will be carrying the same amount of traffic.





Well that's nice.

It would be a lot more sense to design and build a bridge east of the interchange where the actual tie in of the C-N scheme and where the old alignment of the R445 goes. But it seems we want to keep the old layout for some strange reason. It is strange because the old layout wasn't a motorway and it tied into the existing layout. This interchange layout was not designed to be a motorway.

Its just a headache as the effort they put into to keeping this new layout. It's laughable if in a good humour.

The Word Is Bor

A full junction to the east would require more land to be CPO'd.

mysterious

The Word Is Bor wrote: »

A full junction to the east would require more land to be CPO'd.

I love how you put the word "full junction" They are building these interchanges all over the country at present. Nothing unusual may I add.

to oversize it like. King size. etc.:rolleyes:

There wouldn't be much extra land its basically right where the old R445 runs pre bypass. I know this area darn well. I've done a design. My bridge isn't fat "overflowing" or "over full" either.

L1011

mysterious wrote: »

The extra land take was also a waste of money. I drew a map of my layout and there was less landtake.

The truth is, If my plan went ahead, it would work much better. It's not but we have a country run by people who can't run it very well.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeee

You drew a map which, as with every map you ever draw, has no concept of the Z-Axis and was probably unbuildable or would have required insane earth works to construct.

mysterious

MYOB wrote: »

You drew a map which, as with every map you ever draw, has no concept of the Z-Axis and was probably unbuildable or would have required insane earth works to construct.

Probably this, and probably that.

If you actually had common sense and looked at the map I provided you would know there would praticaly no earthworks. It's the mere bridge thats it. My alignment is the old N7 running east to west pre Nenagh bypass. The land is Flat. The only dulation and altitude changing is the trenches and verges that were raised as the Nenagh bypass was constructed.

In fact. The NRA redesign of the junction has phenomenal earth works. Building Slips ways each side, Three roundabouts, Modifications to the existings cul de sac and dig up of the old LILO etc. The WB nenagh R445 slip has to be de trenched now as this is been widened to give two way traffic so it can access the Arch bridge.


I'm pretty familar with the area. I have made good drawing and took all factors into consideration. I use this road quite regulary.

The Word Is Bor

mysterious wrote: »

If you actually had common sense and looked at the map I provided you would know there would praticaly no earthworks...The land is Flat.

Hold up here chief. You want to build a full dumb-bell interchnage in are where the land is flat and you think that there will be "practically no earthworks"?

What about the embankment for the bridge/abutments etc? The embankments for the 4 No. sliproads? Not to mention the associated roundabouts, dealing with the R445.

If you know the area so well, do you suppose that the local landowners would be in favour of your design given that it would require additional lands to CPO'd? Build a new junction a couple of hundred metres from an existing junction?

Tech3

Alright some updates:

Overbridge south of daly's cross



The boggy section is still in trouble





A bit further up from it:


View from the overbridge looking south:


Looking north:


Another pic of the overbridge which a few posters wanted to know how it was designed


Approaching the newport interchange which has not been posted up before:


The northbound ramp:


Last but not least there is some wearing course laid on one carriageway below the R504 overbridge:

Chris_533976

Do I see a bulgey carriageway overbridge???

Amtmann

Looks like you were busy yesterday, Tech2! How long in kilometres is that unadvanced part through the bog?

Tech3

Chris_533976 wrote:

Do I see a bulgey carriageway overbridge???

Looks like it alright, not as bad as the M8 bit from Cashel - Mitchelstown though!

Furet wrote: »

Looks like you were busy yesterday, Tech2! How long in kilometres is that unadvanced part through the bog?

Indeed I had a bit of spare time to catch up on how the schemes were progressing.

The mainline stretches along the bog for about 2km. It's not very far. I was going to walk the whole length of it but I was getting some strange looks from workers around there.

I was also very tempted to drive from Daly's cross to maybe the Birdhill interchange as there is access to the mainline from there. I will definitely drive the whole length of it before it opens.

mysterious

Just a quick update. I'm not impressed with the contractors of this scheme. I personally think the company should go to hell at this rate.

Get a bloody move on with this.

Though on a more positive note (ignoring the top) They have finished the Eastbound Carriegway on the Nenagh bypass. Though two traffic lanes are used to EB and WB movements while the new WB carriegway is getting its final layer. There are a few ganties up also. The HS is shown for most of it's lenght. The Dolla road bridge is ok to me. It's not as narrow as I thought. There is a small margin of HS there so It's acceptable to me.

The bridge before Dolla (at the hill where the climbling lane use to persist) Is wide enough for a full cross section motorway carriegway underneath, but I don't think they put in a full HS there. I'm not entirely sure.


The Nenagh bypass end at the Castletown tie in side have works well underway. How are they going to resolve the Arch bridge layout. It seems awfully narrow to me as the curved arch seems dangerously close to a possible 2nd Verge carriegway underneath. How will they treat this bridge? What is been done? Can they lower the Carriegway a metre or two to give more clearance from the arch??


Btw Traffic on the N7 was notorious.The bypass had a constant stream of traffic more than usual for a wednesday autumn evening.


I'm really sick o waiting for this route to finish.


(I was planting flowers at the N7 road sidetoday):D
Will be planting more daffodils and some roadside trees also. I'm getting off my arse to do some nature work.

Tech3

mysterious wrote: »

Though on a more positive note (ignoring the top) They have finished the Eastbound Carriegway on the Nenagh bypass. Though two traffic lanes are used to EB and WB movements while the new WB carriegway is getting its final layer. There are a few ganties up also. The HS is shown for most of it's lenght. The Dolla road bridge is ok to me. It's not as narrow as I thought. There is a small margin of HS there so It's acceptable to me.

This is excellent news. December is looking good still IMO.

I wonder will the Nenagh bypass have motorway restrictions once both carriageways are complete?

Zoney

tech2:

I was under the impression that legally speaking it is motorway already since the first reclassifications.

Months and months ago I spotted blue countdown markers approaching the new intermediate Thurles Road junction on westbound.

Chris_533976

Technically it is a motorway but apparently they're not applying the restrictions, whatever that means legally.

The way I see it, its a motorway now and L drivers and tractors shouldnt be on it.

Tech3

It's not a motorway until construction is finished. It's still the N7.

Tech3

Chris_533976 wrote: »

The way I see it, its a motorway now and L drivers and tractors shouldnt be on it.

Why? It's still single carriageway, no signs saying motorway ahead, consistent N7 signage, still under construction.

The Word Is Bor

mysterious wrote: »

Just a quick update. I'm not impressed with the contractors of this scheme. I personally think the company should go to hell at this rate.

Get a bloody move on with this.

Which scheme/contractors are you talking about?

blackwarrior

What's going on out at Herbert's pub? The motorway going west seems to stop for 800m from there until the overbridge over the railway. Is this the sinkage problem? Its like they're still doing drainage and foundations.

Can be seen clearly if you look at it from the M7 overbridge just east of Herberts - I was there yesterday.

I'm no road engineer, but there looks like months of work to do there.

Wild Bill

As I said here months ago; this road will not be opened before 2010. And I'm usually never wrong

Tech3

blackwarrior wrote: »

What's going on out at Herbert's pub? The motorway going west seems to stop for 800m from there until the overbridge over the railway. Is this the sinkage problem? Its like they're still doing drainage and foundations.

Can be seen clearly if you look at it from the M7 overbridge just east of Herberts - I was there yesterday.

I'm no road engineer, but there looks like months of work to do there.

Where is herberts pub? South of dalys's cross?

bacon&cabbage

tech2 wrote: »

Where is herberts pub? South of dalys's cross?

Yes between Daly's cross and the Level crossing

Tech3

Any updates on the Nenagh bypass?

The Word Is Bor

I'll take a drive down there tomorrow. They were working on the railway bridge to build the new parapets and thin surface course was going down last week.

Wild Bill

mysterious wrote: »

(I was planting flowers at the N7 road sidetoday):D
Will be planting more daffodils and some roadside trees also. I'm getting off my arse to do some nature work.

Plant larch or maple for some autumn colour; the NRA have given up on that!

nordisk celt83

Keep up the good work mysterious. It's great to see there's till some civic-minded and proud people in our country!

Tech3

Looking at the M9 section a Mullivat, I was astonished how quickly the interchange has transformed over the last few weeks. The section only stretches a few kilometres and was covered in puddles and mud only last month.

The boggy part of the M7 near Daly's cross is similar in distance and I reckon when the major concrete works are complete this will be done as quickly as seen on the Mullivat interchange. The rest of the M7 will probably be lined and studded before any blacktop goes on this section.

csd

Here are some pics of progress on the Nenagh bypass section, taken yesterday. Full-size versions are in the SABRE gallery.

1. Heading west, approaching the bypass.


2. Start of the bypass, the original GSJ is now having west-facing slips added.


3. Just after the previous picture, approaching the works.


4. Start of the new D2 section.


5. Approaching the new junction with the R498


6. Under one of the original structures


7. End of the original WS2 bypass.


8. Heading back eastbound, a close-up of the hard shoulder under the bridge from 6 above.


9. Gantry for the R498 junction is up eastbound.


/csd

Tech3

Great updates csd.

Are both sides nearly completed?

csd

tech2 wrote: »

Great updates csd.

Are both sides nearly completed?

Yeah I'd say both sides are substantially done. The westbound carriageway needs lining, and the tie-in has a bit to go at the western end, but otherwise looks good.

Does anyone know how the tie-in at the eastern end (Castletown to Nenagh scheme) is supposed to work? There doesn't appear to have been anything done under the eastern GSJ, so I'm wondering will that be left to the C-N scheme to finish.

/csd