nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

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?

Find more posts tagged with

m7 motorway

Quick Links

Comments

SoupyNorman

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Just moved to Naas ...traffic is horrendous

Where? When?

Ash.J.Williams

Just moved to Naas ...traffic is horrendous

emfifty

jmkennedyie wrote: »

J10 remaining slip road now surfaced. Still plenty of relevelling required at south end of overbridge so a few weeks away from opening I guess.
J9a still needed some line painting yesterday. Possibly landscaping too, so could be next weekend?
Lots of fencing and maybe all gantries installed on mainline j10 to j8 but still some tidying up/hard shoulder surfacing to do eastbound

Sallins bypass:
-canal bridge beams installed
-looks like drainage being installed throughout...including Clane end
-no obvious activity on link into Sallins village. They could even leave this to very end...after through traffic on the bypass

Line painting seems to be complete as of today. Last of the signage being hoisted into place. Streetlights (poles) have been added so end is definitely in sight.

jmkennedyie

WishUWereHere wrote: »

I'm also in lack of credentials, but I do observe that hardly anything has been touched at the roundabout exiting at J10 SB... I wonder why?

Not certain where you mean but if it is here https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=53.2084&mlon=-6.7104#map=16/53.2084/-6.7104 then in the last week or two on the left of the lane Naas > Newbridge the surface has been relevelled and relaid to new final profile. I would expect current Naas to Newbridge traffic to be directed onto that new lowered lane in the coming week or two so they can dig out and relay the current lane going through the middle of the new roundabout.

IANACivilEngineer either but obviously lowering the existing road whilst maintaining traffic is not so straightforward.

Not a big deal but the following roundabout is also being worked on at the moment. Some kerbing in and getting ready for surfacing: https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=53.2065&mlon=-6.7129#map=16/53.2065/-6.7129

WishUWereHere

regedit wrote: »

Running the risk of being called up for lack of credentials and understanding of the complexity of the project, am I right in my observation that the builders are dragging their heals (reasons?) in completing the main-strip. Is it not 1000% logically for that section to be finalised and then, efforts to be shifted to the Kerry group roundabout, sound barriers and the Sallins bypass.? I drove to Kildare on Wednesday at 10 AM and there was hardly any activity.

I'm also in lack of credentials, but I do observe that hardly anything has been touched at the roundabout exiting at J10 SB... I wonder why?

regedit

Running the risk of being called up for lack of credentials and understanding of the complexity of the project, am I right in my observation that the builders are dragging their heals (reasons?) in completing the main-strip. Is it not 1000% logically for that section to be finalised and then, efforts to be shifted to the Kerry group roundabout, noise barriers and the Sallins bypass.? I drove to Kildare on Wednesday at 10 AM and there was hardly any activity.

jmkennedyie

J10 remaining slip road now surfaced. Still plenty of relevelling required at south end of overbridge so a few weeks away from opening I guess.
J9a still needed some line painting yesterday. Possibly landscaping too, so could be next weekend?
Lots of fencing and maybe all gantries installed on mainline j10 to j8 but still some tidying up/hard shoulder surfacing to do eastbound

Sallins bypass:
-canal bridge beams installed
-looks like drainage being installed throughout...including Clane end
-no obvious activity on link into Sallins village. They could even leave this to very end...after through traffic on the bypass

road_high

More M9 M7 junction closures this weekend at night time. Diversions via the Curragh.

emfifty

Exit 9a is now 99% finished. All signs etc. (as far as I could see) installed, including new slip up to the interchange roundabout.
Cantilever gantry (westbound) installed with "Clane, Sallins and Millenium Park" listed. Should be ready to open very soon. Within the week hopefully.

MaceFace

The n7 Naas north Dublin bound entrance will be closed between 10 and 5 overnight. Interested to see if this is to remove the barriers and open the auxiliary lane and move the section Naas north to Johnstown back to 100km/h. Fingers crossed.

BelfastVanMan

pad199207 wrote: »

WishUWereHere wrote: »

Edit: I think the gantry is now mounted over both sides between J8 & J9.

8 lanes & 2 hardshoulders will give you the size of it.

Didn’t think they were going to do it but the auxiliary lane between J8 and J9 is a needed addition

A rare piece of forward-thinking.

pad199207

WishUWereHere wrote: »

Edit: I think the gantry is now mounted over both sides between J8 & J9.

8 lanes & 2 hardshoulders will give you the size of it.

Didn’t think they were going to do it but the auxiliary lane between J8 and J9 is a needed addition

WishUWereHere

WishUWereHere wrote: »

Noticed the gantry which was in the coned off area just before J9 SB has gone. Anyone know where it is being erected?

Edit: I think the gantry is now mounted over both sides between J8 & J9.

8 lanes & 2 hardshoulders will give you the size of it.

marno21

Sam Russell wrote: »

Option 3:

3. Use variable speed limits with average speed enforcement.

If the volume of vehicles is high, then slow them down, and penalise those that do not slow down.

Option 3 is a temporary asset sweating measure. The M50 is at capacity and isn't able to take any more traffic, variable speed limits or not. The main benefit of the (enforced) variable speed limits will be reducing the number of collisions along the route.

Sam Russell

marno21 wrote: »

This upgrade was always going to make things worse inbound. There is no longer a bottleneck at Naas so a larger volume of traffic joins the M50 queue quicker. This will only get worse when the M9 merge is fixed

There are two options here to solve this

1. Add lanes
2. Remove cars

Option 1 has been ruled out by TII so the only viable solution is option 2.

Option 3:

3. Use variable speed limits with average speed enforcement.

If the volume of vehicles is high, then slow them down, and penalise those that do not slow down.

Darc19

Cazale wrote: »

Junction 12-11 was closed early Sunday morning. Might have missed it but I didn't see any advance notice.

It was announced about 2 weeks ago, but because there have been so many announcements which were canceled at the last minute, they are almost ignored now.

A lot of paving work was done on eastbound m7m9 merge at the weekend with just a top coat needed and line painting.

I had reason to travel the m9 a couple of times last week and there was plenty of work going on during the day - mainly the verges. So hopefully, once the top layer is on, it's finally good to go.

marno21

This upgrade was always going to make things worse inbound. There is no longer a bottleneck at Naas so a larger volume of traffic joins the M50 queue quicker. This will only get worse when the M9 merge is fixed

There are two options here to solve this

1. Add lanes
2. Remove cars

Option 1 has been ruled out by TII so the only viable solution is option 2.

Cazale

Junction 12-11 was closed early Sunday morning. Might have missed it but I didn't see any advance notice.

road_high

Pitch n Putt wrote: »

More long delays this morning at the m9-m7 merge. 2 km tailbacks. This stretch of road has been closed /reduced to a single lane since the first week of July. Why does it take so long to finish this piece of the project.Its a complete joke at this stage.
It was pretty much a 20 km tailback (no accident anywhere )from Red cow to Kill again this morning. This major project was supposed to alleviate all these issues but it’s actually made things worse inbound. I suppose a €120 million upgrade that makes things worse will be seen as a great success in this country.

Absolutely- it's like they've abandoned the M9 merges now the mainline is open and the public pressure is off. Very annoying as they were re-doene about 6/7 years ago and had been fairly working well pre upgrade works. Can't understand why they won't just finish it but of course us "amatuers" are no longer allowed comment on the slow pace of these works!

Need a radical change in commuting patterns here such as massive P&R using buses and the rail-line

BuzzFish

Pitch n Putt wrote: »

More long delays this morning at the m9-m7 merge. 2 km tailbacks. This stretch of road has been closed /reduced to a single lane since the first week of July. Why does it take so long to finish this piece of the project.Its a complete joke at this stage.

I've heard a rumour that there is a H&S issue between Roadstone and the contractors. The contractors want the merge work completed with live lanes right next to machinery and Roadstone will not accept the risk to their workers. Apparently if Roadstone were to work to the contractors demands their workers arses would be within 1.5m of the live traffic lanes. The central split between the carriageways is one of the main risks.

Roadstone will only commit to the work at weekends with closed lanes but contractors unwilling to accept.

Again, just a rumour I have heard. Maybe others on here have heard something similiar?

As for J9a... its painfully close. Amazed they did not get it over the line last week.

red_diesel

The M9/M7 merge is causing serious delays the past week or so since they changed the layout. Hopefully its finished soon.
I have never seen congestion on the Kill - Red Cow stretch as bad as Mon -Wed last week and again today. To be fair, I don't think anybody claimed the 3 lanes to Nass would resolve issues further on. Its pure volume. My commute was 40 mins longer this morning and becoming unworkable.
The only plus is the trip home where the 3 lanes make a huge difference.

Pitch n Putt

More long delays this morning at the m9-m7 merge. 2 km tailbacks. This stretch of road has been closed /reduced to a single lane since the first week of July. Why does it take so long to finish this piece of the project.Its a complete joke at this stage.
It was pretty much a 20 km tailback (no accident anywhere )from Red cow to Kill again this morning. This major project was supposed to alleviate all these issues but it’s actually made things worse inbound. I suppose a €120 million upgrade that makes things worse will be seen as a great success in this country.

WishUWereHere

Noticed the gantry which was in the coned off area just before J9 SB has gone. Anyone know where it is being erected?

BuzzFish

BuzzFish wrote: »

Did not go ahead but the crane is on site. I'll post pics later as on mobile.

BuzzFish

MYSTICA1 wrote: »

Any news on this? Did the beam lifts go ahead yesterday, as planned?

Did not go ahead but the crane is on site. I'll post pics later as on mobile.

MYSTICA1

jmkennedyie wrote: »

Plans for canal bridge beams to be installed Thursday...with temp road closures underneath... http://www.m7upgrade.com/

Lorenzo may reschedule.

Any news on this? Did the beam lifts go ahead yesterday, as planned?

jmkennedyie

Plans for canal bridge beams to be installed Thursday...with temp road closures underneath... http://www.m7upgrade.com/

Lorenzo may reschedule.

Darc19

Just a point of note on temporary speed limits.
The council applies to the court and gives a date range for the limit.

The lower limit cannot commence before or continue after the dates on the order.

However, it can be started anytime after and ended anytime before the dates provided.

So whilst the latest date is end of November, they can nullify the order at any time.

Damien360

MaceFace wrote: »

I've just done the entire run both directions this lunchtime and I'd guess 80% of the vehicles obeyed 80km/h.

Not in the mornings or evenings. Vast majority are sticking to 100kmph. When you do get the odd 80kmph driver in the morning, they are invariably in the middle lane with a truck firmly stuck on their arse.

ongarboy

Not that anyone should be breaking speed limits but would it be fair to say most of the construction workers who had been working adjacent to the main carriageway traffic are no longer working in more exposed locations as those stages are finished? Hence reduced speed camera visibility and enforcement?