N7 - Newlands Cross upgrade

BuzzFish

BuzzFish wrote: »

Didn't hear but I wonder if they took note of a mail I sent to bam/NRA/Kildare co co.....

Got a reply:

Thank you for your email and your complimentary comments on the traffic management. Your concerns are noted and we are planning on making changes to the road layout on the N7 inbound this weekend 12 / 13 / 14th September, which will address this issue.

Regards,
N11 Arklow-Rathnew PPP Ltd.,

rameire

I hope they put barriers in, and force the skippers onto the Belgard road.
monday is going to be great.

Godge

Four lanes inbound become three??


http://www.n7n11.ie/n7-update/

"Traffic News 12th September 2014

Changes will be made to the N7 Inbound and Outbound Carriageways at Newlands Cross over the coming weekend. Motorists travelling on the N7 Naas Road travelling towards the city will encounter a change in layout on the approach to the Newlands Cross junction, immediately east of the Green Isle Hotel. The existing lanes which currently split either side of the works site for the new flyover embankment with 2 lanes on either side of the embankment will be altered. The two lanes to the left will continue to cater for N7 city bound traffic, M50 bound traffic as well as Boot Road, Fonthill Road and local business traffic at Newlands Cross. There will be one lane to the right of the embankment which will cater for N7 city bound traffic and Belgard Road traffic.

The N7 outbound lanes from the Red Cow to Newlands Cross will be moved left. There will still be 3 lanes outbound, but the bus lane will be removed temporarily.

Road Users are urged to follow all directional signage and to obey the reduced speed limits in the vicinity of Newlands Cross"

Hotblack Desiato

Net reduction of one lane all right, but if it cuts out the confusion / messing / queue jumping then it should actually make the traffic flow better than before. As long as there are still lights there, the lights will be the bottleneck.


Edit: reconfiguration has started.

smokie72

Thought I take a couple of photos while I waited at the traffic lights this morning.

https://imageshack.com/i/ey9lxfaYj

https://imageshack.com/i/eytfs19Nj

trellheim

They really need to put lane dividers in between the belgard right turning inbouns , and the straight onwards

rameire

Just drove through West to East.
One lane removed to the right of flyover and bus Lane removed.
No space for the queue skippers now.
It's not going to be fun tomorrow.

Truckermal

Traffic was backed up citywest at 22.30 last night.

cargo

How was it this morning? Was it any worse?

Someday

When is it due to finish?

rameire

Someday wrote: »

When is it due to finish?

Spring 2015.

But rumour has it that lanes will be open over the flyover around the October Bank Holiday.

gilly0512

cargo wrote: »

How was it this morning? Was it any worse?

It was worse than normal this morning, as the tailbacks started at Junction 4 which is the Rathcoole junction. Normally the tailbacks start at Junction 2 Kingswood, but definitely a lot further back today which does not augur well for the weeks ahead.

rameire

gilly2308 wrote: »

It was worse than normal this morning, as the tailbacks started at Junction 4 which is the Rathcoole junction. Normally the tailbacks start at Junction 2 Kingswood, but definitely a lot further back today which does not augur well for the weeks ahead.

I came off at jn 4 and went across through Saggart to the N81 and Joined the M50 at the tallaght jn and it took 25 minutes.
I heard on Livedrive that it took one person 48 minutes from the back of the Queue on the N7 to get to the Lights at Newlands Cross.

If anybody has to take the N7 outbound at rush hour tonight, I would avoid and take an alternative route.

road_high

Are they working at this 24/7? Because given the absolute critical nature and location of the junction they certainly should be. It's the busiest stretch of road in the country, I have passed several times off peak i.e. late evenings/Sundays and not seen anybody working there. The result is the present chaos we are experiencing.

Deedsie

road_high wrote: »

Are they working at this 24/7? Because given the absolute critical nature and location of the junction they certainly should be. It's the busiest stretch of road in the country, I have passed several times off peak i.e. late evenings/Sundays and not seen anybody working there. The result is the present chaos we are experiencing.

I 100% agree with that... This upgrade was badly required but the location and importance of the junction should have resulted in 24 hour 7 days a week construction for the most disruptive phases. It is having a detrimental affect on people's lives at the moment.

I was ~45 minutes from back of the queue to the lights last night. No one working obviously. Why would they not be on site 24/7 for a project like this?

ukoda

road_high wrote: »

Are they working at this 24/7? Because given the absolute critical nature and location of the junction they certainly should be. It's the busiest stretch of road in the country, I have passed several times off peak i.e. late evenings/Sundays and not seen anybody working there. The result is the present chaos we are experiencing.

Is it possible they may not have been able to get permission for 24/7 construction given it's proximity to residential areas and the hotels that are close by?

AndyBoBandy

ukoda wrote: »

How do they make this work so well in the US tho? they have most of their highways and junctions in the cities up on raised roads.

They don't really work that well, they are an eyesore, and literally divide up the cities.

Take Boston for example, they had elevetaded highways running right through the city, they carved up neighbourhoods, and were a magnet for rubbish and crime.

They decided to put all the highways under the city and do away with the eyesores that are elevated highways.

AndyBoBandy

rameire wrote: »

If anybody has to take the N7 outbound at rush hour tonight, I would avoid and take an alternative route.

I thought the issues were inbound only?

Do they not still have 3 outbound lanes (minus the bus lane)

I was planning an outbound at about 6-7pm this evening!

rameire

Andybobandy wrote: »

I thought the issues were inbound only?

Do they not still have 3 outbound lanes (minus the bus lane)

I was planning an outbound at about 6-7pm this evening!

issues are outbound also. once you get past the lights you are fine though
correct they are 3 lanes out and the bus land has been removed.

there were delays outbound this morning and due to this there were queues on the m50 from both directions
I went through last night ( Sunday ) at 7pm outbound and traffic was heavy.

Idbatterim

you would think that they should at least be working while there is natural daylight from 7-8am to 9-10pm at the height of summer... now maybe from 7am to 8pm. What hours are they working?

NEDDURC

I understood that they were required for the rush hour times to have 3 lanes open in both directions. I think they have tended to leave most of the major lane closures to late at night and weekends.

I've no idea what hours they are working but it must vary depending on what they are doing at that time (eg. if a few lanes need to be closed for 24 hours I'd imagine they'd wait til the weekends, but if just for a few hours then maybe after 7/8 in the evening.)

hinault

Deedsie wrote: »

I 100% agree with that... This upgrade was badly required but the location and importance of the junction should have resulted in 24 hour 7 days a week construction for the most disruptive phases. It is having a detrimental affect on people's lives at the moment.

I was ~45 minutes from back of the queue to the lights last night. No one working obviously. Why would they not be on site 24/7 for a project like this?

It's a nightmare travelling in either direction through Newlands Cross between 4.00pm and 6.30pm each evening.

road_high

hinault wrote: »

It's a nightmare travelling in either direction through Newlands Cross between 4.00pm and 6.30pm each evening.

Have been deliberately avoiding going to Dublin these days. Can take as long to get through Newlands sometimes lately as it does to make the journey home. We just can't seem to do stuff like this in this country.

AndyBoBandy

road_high wrote: »

Can take as long to get through Newlands sometimes lately as it does to make the journey home. We just can't seem to do stuff like this in this country.

I'll happily take the little bit of pain now to reap the rewards that will be on offer when it's finished!

I once drove home from Tarbert in Kerry in 2004, it took 2 hours to get to Newlands Cross, and another 2 hours to get from there to the M1 exit of the M50!!

Remember the good old days of the M50 toll stop??

If you think things are bad now, just remember the good old days before the motorways where even complete! (not too far back either!)

Poxyshamrock

Andybobandy wrote: »

I'll happily take the little bit of pain now to reap the rewards that will be on offer when it's finished!

I once drove home from Tarbert in Kerry in 2004, it took 2 hours to get to Newlands Cross, and another 2 hours to get from there to the M1 exit of the M50!!

Remember the good old days of the M50 toll stop??

If you think things are bad now, just remember the good old days before the motorways where even complete! (not too far back either!)

2 hours from Tarbert to Newlands Cross in 2004? What were you driving?

smokie72

Well I have done newlands cross to adare in 1 hour and 45 minutes so it is possible. Thought I do put the foot down a bit :-).

Frank Lee Midere

Id guess I lost a good 30 minutes yesterday. Inbound at 6pm. Until then I thought they handled this well.

Needs must I suppose.

Alkers

I've got to be in Bewleys near Newlands Cross for 8.30am tomorrow morning, coming from the M50 - any idea how bad it will be at that time? Also, can you still turn right where the lights used to be coming out of town or how do I go about it now?
Thanks

ciarsd

Simona1986 wrote: »

I've got to be in Bewleys near Newlands Cross for 8.30am tomorrow morning, coming from the M50 - any idea how bad it will be at that time? Also, can you still turn right where the lights used to be coming out of town or how do I go about it now?
Thanks

Give yourself 30mins to get from M50 junction to Bewleys (take pressure off yourself and leave some buffer for an accident which screws the whole flow up). There is still a dedicated filter right lane at Newlands outbound from town/M50 junction which will take you into Bewleys.

ukoda

ciarsd wrote: »

Give yourself 30mins to get from M50 junction to Bewleys (take pressure off yourself and leave some buffer for an accident which screws the whole flow up). There is still a dedicated filter right lane at Newlands outbound from town/M50 junction which will take you into Bewleys.

i second this for going the other way too, you need at least 30 mins to get past, I went through this morning at about 9am, traffic was backed up to exit 2, it was 9.27am when i hit the M50