N7 : Roadworks and Speed limit

mobpd

Further to the thread of 'inappropriate speed limits' thought I'd copy here an article from the local Leinster Leader : seems like people are using the back roads which are 80kmh to avoid the dual carraigeway which is set at 60 kmh ...

Quote:
THE volume of traffic using back roads as rat runs because of the lowered speed limit on the Naas dual carriageway is even higher than predicted.
Communities in villages and townlands such as Kilteel and Rathmore are already experiencing double the number of motorists using the route to avoid the 60km/h limit introduced on the N7 last week.
Repeated calls for traffic calming measures during the 18-month dual carriageway upgrade fell on deaf ears, as the National Roads Authority insisted funding for ramps and signage would only be made available towards the end of the road widening scheme.
Naas Town Cllr Darren Scully described the lowered speed limit as “crazy” and called for an immediate review of limits across Kildare.
He said: “People are now in a position where they are travelling at 60km/h on the dual carriageway, while at the same time the speed limit on our smaller roads is 80km/h.
“Because of this variation in speed limits, it is resulting in commuter traffic using these back roads as rat runs, putting our children’s lives in danger.”
The second section of mainline works on the N7 from Rathcoole to the Poitin Still got under way last week, and construction work began on Monday. This section of the road is expected to be ready by July.
Site clearance has also been completed at Castlewarden to make way for the new interchange, and work on the interchanges at Kill and Johnstown are due to begin in mid February and March respectively.
Each interchange is expected to take 12 months and they will be built in stages with link roads built first followed by the bridge structures.
Despite the scale of the project, which required the acquisition of 260 acres of land, the contractor has undertaken to keep two lanes open in either direction at all times and the only additional delays experienced are a direct result of the lower speed limit.
Declan Bowles, of the National Roads Design Office of Kildare County Council, said the scheme was on schedule and the roundabout at Monread was expected to be ready by mid July with works in Johnstown village due for completion in early May.
In a progress report to the county council he added: “Works behind the barrier (from Kill to Blackchurch) have now begun in earnest with site clearance and earth works for what will be the new hard shoulder and verges.
“This work is scheduled to take 12 weeks. Following this traffic will be diverted onto the new works and the existing carriageway will be reconstructed. The completion of all works in this section on both sides of the carriageway is expected to take six months.”

samo

To be honest, I actually thought it was a mistake when I saw the signs up saying 60kmh near rathcoole as nobody was obeying them and couldnt even see any roadworks - I havnt driven past Rathcoolen towards Naas yet on the N7 only the back roads which I always take but did think there was a lot more traffic than normal - that explkains it!

Cannot belive it is nesseccary - the works on the Rathcoole bridge didnt even bring the speed limit that low!