M7 Interchanges

Seasoft

Can anyone solve a puzzle for me? It concerns two interchanges on the M7.

If I travel southwards from Dublin I can easily join the M9 southwards near Newbridge, or the M8 southwards past the toll plaza near Mountrath.

However, why are these two interchanges restricted? If I travel northwards from say Roscrea I cannot go directly from the M7 to the M8. I must leave the M7 at Borris-on-Ossory, travel on old N roads to near Abbeyleix, and join the M8, or vice-versa. A similar situation applies to the M7/M9 junction - no facility for northward traffic to join the other motorway southwards.

In fact, imagine a tourist unfamiliar with our Geography travelling northwards from Roscrea wishing to go to Cork. There is no sign indicating the route to take on the M7. Why not?

Were we short-changed by the NRA at the design stage? Or is there a sensible purpose to this?

coylemj

Unless you're journey begins or ends in Dublin you don't count for sh1t, same with the railways.

Berty

Roscrea - Cork

Roscrea, Templemore, Thurles, M8, Cork

Why would you travel North East from Roscrea to get to a destination in the South?

-Corkie-

Beer Baron wrote: »

Roscrea - Cork

Roscrea, Templemore, Thurles, M8, Cork

Why would you travel North East from Roscrea to get to a destination in the South?

Ya I dont think he worded that correct...:) The M9 is a bit confusing all right if you didnt know your country side...:)

Ken.

Coming from the south just carry on up to the first naas exit, cross the flyover and come back down on the motorway and hit the m9 junction in about 5 miles.

roosterman71

I don't know about the M7/M9 junction, but as far as I remember, An Bord Pleanala removed the M7/M8 interchange so you can't go from one to the other when heading towards Dublin. The reason being was they were afraid that the new link would lead to people toll dodging on R grade roads around the Rathdowney, Abbeyleix, Ballacolla area of Co. Laois.

Plenty more info on this can be seen here

Cookie_Monster

roosterman71 wrote: »

I don't know about the M7/M9 junction, but as far as I remember, An Bord Pleanala removed the M7/M8 interchange so you can't go from one to the other when heading towards Dublin. The reason being was they were afraid that the new link would lead to people toll dodging on R grade roads around the Rathdowney, Abbeyleix, Ballacolla area of Co. Laois.

Plenty more info on this can be seen here

so they purposely redesigned a junction to make it worse just a toll avoidance factor? Madness

Seasoft

lucyfur09 wrote: »

Coming from the south just carry on up to the first naas exit, cross the flyover and come back down on the motorway and hit the m9 junction in about 5 miles.

Fine at that junction, but if you try to do the same at the M7/M8 junction you'll be hit for tolls, twice.

Beer Baron wrote: »

Roscrea - Cork

Roscrea, Templemore, Thurles, M8, Cork

Why would you travel North East from Roscrea to get to a destination in the South?

Cos a tourist or someone unfamiliar with the roads might prefer to get on a motorway a few kilometres south of the interchange, lets say Borris-in-Ossory, so as to complete the journey on a motorway.... but the NRA have made this impossible.

pred racer

Totally agree, it's stupid.
Also the on/off ramps for moneygall and roscrea are a disgrace, you have about 50 yards to get down from 120kph to 50 for a bloody hairpin turn. And to get on, there is no way to get my car up to 120 to merge correctly.

Berty

pred racer wrote: »

Totally agree, it's stupid.
Also the on/off ramps for moneygall and roscrea are a disgrace, you have about 50 yards to get down from 120kph to 50 for a bloody hairpin turn. And to get on, there is no way to get my car up to 120 to merge correctly.

They are called LILO junctions and are proven to be incredibly dangerous. I don't like being on the Motorway in the left lane doing 120km/h because you cannot see people approach the motorway. They just appear on the LILO and you have to react(change lanes to accomodate them) far too quickly.

They had had to replace the Northbound LILO exit sign at Roscrea twice because of people smashing into the right pole(1 of 4). They have now replaced it with a 3 legged one.

johnos1984

Beer Baron wrote: »

They had had to replace the Northbound LILO exit sign at Roscrea twice because of people smashing into the right pole(1 of 4). They have now replaced it with a 3 legged one.

I think I read in the Nenagh Gaurdian that they are going to have to rebuild those junctions due to the accidents but I can't be certain. It may of just been all talk after the new section opened.

pred racer

Beer Baron wrote: »

They are called LILO junctions and are proven to be incredibly dangerous. I don't like being on the Motorway in the left lane doing 120km/h because you cannot see people approach the motorway. They just appear on the LILO and you have to react(change lanes to accomodate them) far too quickly.

They had had to replace the Northbound LILO exit sign at Roscrea twice because of people smashing into the right pole(1 of 4). They have now replaced it with a 3 legged one.

I'd well believe it, the first time I tried to get off at moneygall it was raining and at night, I nearly sh*t myself.

And the best I can do getting on is 55mph in the space allowed. Now my auld bus is not even remotely fast ( citroen c5 2.0hdi) but there are a lot of even slower vehicles out there.

These junctions just look like afterthoughts.