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M7 - Naas/Newbridge Bypass Upgrade [Junction 9a now open]

JupiterKid

Following on from the suggestion of a poster, this thread has been set up to discuss the need for widening the M7.

The section of the M7 IMO in immediate need (really a backlog need) for widening is the section from the Maudlins Interchange at Naas to the M9 interchange - basically the original 1983 Naas Bypass and half of the 1993 Newbridge Bypass. Is this likely to proceed in the near future?

Would the central median be wide enough for widening to D3M here? I'm pretty sure it is wide enough on the Newbridge bypass section but I'm not so sure in the case of the Naas Bypass.

Also, what bridges will need to be demolished and rebuilt? Or would it be more practical to drop the hard shoulder through the existing bridges?

What about the proposal a few years back to build a new junction at on the Naas Bypass at Osberstown? Will it still go ahead?

In the longer term, does anyone see a need to widen the M7 to the N7/M8 junction?

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marno21

sdanseo wrote: »

Google says 60-75mins typical at that time.

Any journey both starting and ending within Co. Dublin should not require a private car or the use of the M50, which should be reserved for journeys around the city (my own commute of Swords to Naas is a good example, there is simply no public transport option for that), not as a shortcut for getting from say, Santry to Dundrum. Those sort of journeys should be undertaken with Public transport because actual public transport exists - although it's nowhere near good enough.

Because these people who could use public transport don't, and because there is a stupidly low presence of decent public transport, people therefore predominantly use the M50 to get to the major industrial areas, the Naas Rd and Long Mile Rd inbound are at capacity probably before the existence of the N7 is even considered.

Our ridiculous reliance on the private car causes all of the delays on the approach routes including the N7/M7 and no amount of upgrading will stop peak traffic being a nightmare, because it all comes down to two lanes @ 60km/h and traffic lights after the Red Cow.

The main issue in my eyes is that there's a high capacity rail line coming in from Kildare. Great that. Then it stops dead at a suburban rail station and people have to leave the train and get onto a wedged tram to get to the city centre, which is only gaining the ability to switch to the tram that goes to the southern suburbs in a weeks time.

Ideally, you could get a DART in from Hazelhatch/Heuston to the city centre or interchange at SSG for Sandyford/Dundrum etc. At the minute, even with the horrific mess of an N7, Kildare-Sandyford etc commutes are best served by car.

In my opinion, the M1 to M50 south of Tallaght commutes are a massive contributor to M50 traffic. Metro North will incentivise a lot of these with the connection to the Green Line/Metro South. As you say, Santry-Dundrum best served with the M50 is ludicrous. Perhaps looking at express orbital bus routes as well but these will still be stuck in the M50 jams, or the jams in the city centre. Segregated rail is the way forward, otherwise you're just trying to get people to sit in a bus in traffic instead of their cars.

Carrots, and not sticks, are what we need right now. Unforunately, the next carrot will be open for 2027.

sdanseo

trellheim wrote: »

That time is probably normal for an arrive -by- 9am scenario ? A 3rd lane out to M9 may not improve this type of journey as much as you think ....

Google says 60-75mins typical at that time.

Any journey both starting and ending within Co. Dublin should not require a private car or the use of the M50, which should be reserved for journeys around the city (my own commute of Swords to Naas is a good example, there is simply no public transport option for that), not as a shortcut for getting from say, Santry to Dundrum. Those sort of journeys should be undertaken with Public transport because actual public transport exists - although it's nowhere near good enough.

Because these people who could use public transport don't, and because there is a stupidly low presence of decent public transport, people therefore predominantly use the M50 to get to the major industrial areas, the Naas Rd and Long Mile Rd inbound are at capacity probably before the existence of the N7 is even considered.

Our ridiculous reliance on the private car causes all of the delays on the approach routes including the N7/M7 and no amount of upgrading will stop peak traffic being a nightmare, because it all comes down to two lanes @ 60km/h and traffic lights after the Red Cow.

Mantis Toboggan

Yeah probably better off taking the train from portloaise.

trellheim

1hr 47 mins from Farside Portlaoise to redcow

That time is probably normal for an arrive -by- 9am scenario ? A 3rd lane out to M9 may not improve this type of journey as much as you think ....

sea12

road_high wrote: »

I'm of the opinion it can't or won't be any worse. At least the traffic will be managed and two lanes open during the day/s at all times.

Once again 2 accidents this morning. 1hr 47 mins from Farside Portlaoise to redcow. It's gone beyond the joke at this stage. Why can't they have traffic Corp on the road at all times in morning and evening keeping traffic at steady pace like a pace car in formula 1. This is before the roadworks start ðŸ˜ðŸ˜

road_high

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

From reading this thread I'd say I must be alone in dreading this work getting under-way in earnest.

Don't get me wrong, I realise it has to be done. But the thoughts of a year and a half of it being way worse than it already is, fills me with dread.

It's going to be a year and a half of torture.

I'm of the opinion it can't or won't be any worse. At least the traffic will be managed and two lanes open during the day/s at all times.

JupiterKid

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Will the upgrade works convert the n7 to the M7?

No, the works are only affecting the M7, which has been a motorway since it opened in 1983. The Naas DC from the M50 to Naas was substantially upgraded in 2006, widened to D3 and given grade separated interchanges.

One_Of_Shanks

sdanseo wrote: »

I don't think it'll be all that bad.

The interchanges will be constructed offline, and only one bridge has to be constructed spanning the M7. 2 lanes in each direction at all times and with a 60km/h limit traffic will probably flow better at busy times than it does now. There are always HGVs in lane 2 and so speed is essentially capped at 92km/h anyway - except with everyone in line tailgating and stamping on the brake pedal while trying in vain to get ahead. All that goes away with the lower limit.

I sincerely hope you're right fella.

Last year there was work being done on the M9 or was it the M7? Anyway.... they lowered limits then too and it added on a good 20 mins for me.
They had signs up saying average speed cameras, which were not enforced.
End result in the very early mornings was some obeying limits and others tail-gating and flashing and the whole thing got a bit Lionel Messi.
Evenings was just stop-start entirely.

If they can make this work more smoothly then great but I can just see 18 months of pain. Hope I'm wrong.

sdanseo

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

From reading this thread I'd say I must be alone in dreading this work getting under-way in earnest.

Don't get me wrong, I realise it has to be done. But the thoughts of a year and a half of it being way worse than it already is, fills me with dread.

It's going to be a year and a half of torture.

I don't think it'll be all that bad.

The interchanges will be constructed offline, and only one bridge has to be constructed spanning the M7. 2 lanes in each direction at all times and with a 60km/h limit traffic will probably flow better at busy times than it does now. There are always HGVs in lane 2 and so speed is essentially capped at 92km/h anyway - except with everyone in line tailgating and stamping on the brake pedal while trying in vain to get ahead. All that goes away with the lower limit.

One_Of_Shanks

From reading this thread I'd say I must be alone in dreading this work getting under-way in earnest.

Don't get me wrong, I realise it has to be done. But the thoughts of a year and a half of it being way worse than it already is, fills me with dread.

It's going to be a year and a half of torture.

CeilingFly

Motorway widening set for completion summer 2019, junctions and Sallins bypass end 2019 (officially early 2020)

roadmaster

sdanseo wrote: »

Start was delayed by ~ 6 months. Projected end date one would imagine is now April 2019.

From what I hear SIAC and Colas are still not up to strength staff wise so that may be impacting but then again look at bam in the south there still looking for staff and there roads are well started

sdanseo

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Never mind, I see the planned end date for the whole scheme is next October!

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057563600

Start was delayed by ~ 6 months. Projected end date one would imagine is now April 2019.

Redsoxfan

Never mind, I see the planned end date for the whole scheme is next October!

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057563600

CeilingFly

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Anyone know when Junction 9A is due to open? Would they have it so that M7 traffic can use it to access Millennium Park ahead of the Salinns Bypass/3 Lane M7 is complete?

The bypass is primarily on greenfield area and progressing, so no reason for it to open at same time.

Redsoxfan

Anyone know when Junction 9A is due to open? Would they have it so that M7 traffic can use it to access Millennium Park ahead of the Salinns Bypass/3 Lane M7 is complete?

pad199207

Significant work now beside Kerry Group.

road_high

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Are they not adding a third lane?

That's the M7. It's the N7 between Naas North and the M50.

Mantis Toboggan

L1011 wrote: »

There's long term plans but this work isn't affecting the N7 at all.

Are they not adding a third lane?

L1011

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Will the upgrade works convert the n7 to the M7?

There's long term plans but this work isn't affecting the N7 at all.

Mantis Toboggan

Will the upgrade works convert the n7 to the M7?

BuzzFish

Seeing more machinery by the day on both sides of the new junction 9a

riddlinrussell

spacetweek wrote: »

Pic?

I put some up further up in the thread. I'll maybe walk over there this weekend and see what progress has been made in the last week, but I can't imagine it will have changed too much

One_Of_Shanks

spacetweek wrote: »

Pic?

Yep and also shovels and spades and heavy machinery too!

spacetweek

FredFunk wrote: »

Working away on driving poles for the Railway overpass as part of the Sallins bypass this morning, so work being done!!

Pic?

FredFunk

sdanseo wrote: »

My only experience of a 3rd lane addition was the M1 which is very close to me where it runs past Swords. That was somewhere between 12 to 18 months so I had figured that an 18 month timespan on the scheme would mean works on the mainline starting reasonably close to the start date.

In any event, it's good to see any work getting off the ground and hopefully they are making good progress out of sight. Have my eye on a drone for Christmas - maybe in the black Friday sales if anything pops up - so who knows may be able to get a few shots.

Working away on driving poles for the Railway overpass as part of the Sallins bypass this morning, so work being done!!

sdanseo

marno21 wrote: »

This scheme was never going to be straight start on the mainline due to the traffic management required - most early work will be behind the scenes and then it'll be apparent in the mainline

CeilingFly wrote: »

I would guess that you will not see anythig happen on the M7 itself this side of Christmas due to potential of pre Christmas traffic issues.

But plenty of work can be done without affecting traffic - the sallins bypass + the new junction 10a and also the moving of junction 10 a little further south. these are the major infrastucture works. The laying of an extra lane is relatively simple in comparison

My only experience of a 3rd lane addition was the M1 which is very close to me where it runs past Swords. That was somewhere between 12 to 18 months so I had figured that an 18 month timespan on the scheme would mean works on the mainline starting reasonably close to the start date.

In any event, it's good to see any work getting off the ground and hopefully they are making good progress out of sight. Have my eye on a drone for Christmas - maybe in the black Friday sales if anything pops up - so who knows may be able to get a few shots.

CeilingFly

I would guess that you will not see anythig happen on the M7 itself this side of Christmas due to potential of pre Christmas traffic issues.

But plenty of work can be done without affecting traffic - the sallins bypass + the new junction 10a and also the moving of junction 10 a little further south. these are the major infrastucture works. The laying of an extra lane is relatively simple in comparison

marno21

This scheme was never going to be straight start on the mainline due to the traffic management required - most early work will be behind the scenes and then it'll be apparent in the mainline

CeilingFly

sea12 wrote: »

Yea was expecting to see some start on the main line today but still nothing. They will be hard pressed to get it done in the 18 months when there is two months gone already and nothing started

On such a major contract you can't simply throw a few machines and men on and hope for the best.

Site offices are now operational, machinery is being acquired, and I would assume that there are many health and safety meetings.

Everything is about the right preparation - remember, the contractor must finish on time or face substantial penalties.