Happy 30th Naas Bypass!

JupiterKid

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Republic of Ireland's very first section of motorway, the M7 Naas bypass.



When it was opened in October 1983, the 8km (5 mile) section of M7 motorway bypassed the bottleneck town of Naas in County Kildare for traffic travelling to Cork and Limerick. However, traffic heading to Waterford, Carlow and Kilkenny still had to pass through Naas until the M9 Kilkullen bypass opened in 1994.

The 1960s Naas dual carriageway ended just before Naas and in the years prior to 1983 the tailbacks at the end of the DC got progressively worse. The bypass had been planned since the late 1960s but it was only in 1980 that work finally got underway.

Now 30 years old and recently resurfaced, the Naas bypass has held up well but now needs widening from D2M to D3M to cater for currrent traffic volumes and one or two bridges will need reconstruction as part of the widening.

I remember the opening well. I was 8 years of age and my father took me for a drive on the new road the first weekend after it opened. It was very short and there were no safety barriers (I remember my Dad commenting on this at the time) but for the first time the Republic of Ireland had a blue line on its maps. :cool:

Happy 30th, Naas Bypass!!

BrianD3

I was 5 when it opened and so only have vague memories of it I do remember my father getting lost on the new road layout driving from Dublin to Sallins at night the first time, he tried it. Also I seem to remember a large black hoarding or billboard near Sallins that I think was related to the roadworks - anyone know what I'm talking about?

csd

Jupiterkid,

I don't mind you (or anyone else) using my photos, but it's polite to credit the photographer when doing so.

Thanks,

/csd

JupiterKid

csd wrote: »

Jupiterkid,

I don't mind you (or anyone else) using my photos, but it's polite to credit the photographer when doing so.

Thanks,

/csd

Sorry csd - I'll duly amend my original post with a credit.

L1011

VMSs along the N7 had a message about this yesterday.

JupiterKid

JupiterKid wrote: »

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Republic of Ireland's very first section of motorway, the M7 Naas bypass.


Photo by csd

When it was opened in October 1983, the 8km (5 mile) section of M7 motorway bypassed the bottleneck town of Naas in County Kildare for traffic travelling to Cork and Limerick. However, traffic heading to Waterford, Carlow and Kilkenny still had to pass through Naas until the M9 Kilkullen bypass opened in 1994.

The 1960s Naas dual carriageway ended just before Naas and in the years prior to 1983 the tailbacks at the end of the DC got progressively worse. The bypass had been planned since the late 1960s but it was only in 1980 that work finally got underway.

Now 30 years old and recently resurfaced, the Naas bypass has held up well but now needs widening from D2M to D3M to cater for currrent traffic volumes and one or two bridges will need reconstruction as part of the widening.

I remember the opening well. I was 8 years of age and my father took me for a drive on the new road the first weekend after it opened. It was very short and there were no safety barriers (I remember my Dad commenting on this at the time) but for the first time the Republic of Ireland had a blue line on its maps. :cool:

Happy 30th, Naas Bypass!!

Edited original post