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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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_Kaiser_

emfifty wrote: »

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but according to Siac/Colas JV (email), Exit 9a will "not be opening until the Sallins bypass is finished". We're looking at an idle interchange for up to six months.

Time to put pressure on the local reps I think.

Seriously? That's ridiculous. Just stick concrete blocks over the exits not yet ready as happens anywhere else (including along the Naas bypass/link road that will feed this.

Quality project management once again :rolleyes:

emfifty

MaceFace wrote: »

Naas North, Dublin bound on-ramp have cones removed. Auxiliary lane between Naas North and Johnstown (Dublin bound) also open. Still 80km/h.

From passing J9A last night Millennium Park side: Lights now look complete, but painting still needed at roundabout approaching MP. Overall, looks imminent.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but according to Siac/Colas JV (email), Exit 9a will "not be opening until the Sallins bypass is finished". We're looking at an idle interchange for up to six months.

Time to put pressure on the local reps I think.

MaceFace

Naas North, Dublin bound on-ramp have cones removed. Auxiliary lane between Naas North and Johnstown (Dublin bound) also open. Still 80km/h.

From passing J9A last night Millennium Park side: Lights now look complete, but painting still needed at roundabout approaching MP. Overall, looks imminent.

road_high

emfifty wrote: »

Tie in works more or less complete on both sides. Just some lane restrictions in place until signage, hatch markings etc are all done.

Is there any time frame on this being finished do you know?

emfifty

road_high wrote: »

How is the M9 junction/s looking? Is it finished yet? Not been up for a few weeks.

Tie in works more or less complete on both sides. Just some lane restrictions in place until signage, hatch markings etc are all done.

road_high

How is the M9 junction/s looking? Is it finished yet? Not been up for a few weeks.

jmkennedyie

j9a:
lampposts don't have lights installed
fencing in progress Naas side
landscaping in progress
line painting looks done
mainline signage needs to be installed/completed

j10:
guardrail 90% installed on remaining slip
landscaping in progress
no line painting observed on remaining slip.
Still needs Naas > Newbridge to be adjusted then the current surface lowered, roundabout completed.

bypass:
new canal bridge appears to be decked now.
earthmoving still in progress this area
kerbing started at Clane end

tails_naf

Last Stop wrote: »

Despite the fact they did the exact same thing effectively TWICE (Oberstown and Irish Rail Underpass) on this job each time taking less than a weekend??

Just looked that up, very impressive in its own right. Looks like there was weeks of prep, but the final phase of installing the underpass did happen very quickly. Still think reinstating a dual carrigeway in 15 hours is pretty amazing.

[Deleted User]

There are many examples of these types of projects around the country, bridge replacements/demolitions & installations that were done over a weekend.
If a project requires minimal disruption, then the extra costs involved are worth it.

Last Stop

tails_naf wrote: »

Interesting to see how quickly jobs can be done - 15 hours to demolish a bridge, reinstate road, barriers and markings https://www.reddit.com/r/gifsthatkeepongiving/comments/diu4zj/bridge_demolished_and_cleared_in_15_hours/ that's a three week job minimum in Ireland.

Despite the fact they did the exact same thing effectively TWICE (Oberstown and Irish Rail Underpass) on this job each time taking less than a weekend??

tails_naf

Anatom wrote: »

Good to see the work being finished off on the new junction at Kerry Foods, it will take a lot of pressure off the Monread Road during the peak times. Looks like that could be opening up fairly soon.

Interesting to see how quickly jobs can be done - 15 hours to demolish a bridge, reinstate road, barriers and markings https://www.reddit.com/r/gifsthatkeepongiving/comments/diu4zj/bridge_demolished_and_cleared_in_15_hours/ that's a three week job minimum in Ireland.

riddlinrussell

Anatom wrote: »

Good to see the work being finished off on the new junction at Kerry Foods, it will take a lot of pressure off the Monread Road during the peak times. Looks like that could be opening up fairly soon.

There seems to be a huge amount of work left to be completed on the Sallins by-pass though. I drove around the back road this morning and they're still nowhere near completing the areas around the bridges across the road and the canal there. Hopefully we'll see this bit completed soon.

This is planned as the final section to complete anyway as its the 'lowest priority' section, should be done by early 2020, most structures are now substantially in place, the surfacing and such will go in much quicker.

Anatom

Good to see the work being finished off on the new junction at Kerry Foods, it will take a lot of pressure off the Monread Road during the peak times. Looks like that could be opening up fairly soon.

There seems to be a huge amount of work left to be completed on the Sallins by-pass though. I drove around the back road this morning and they're still nowhere near completing the areas around the bridges across the road and the canal there. Hopefully we'll see this bit completed soon.

riddlinrussell

pad199207 wrote: »

Should at least come down to Naas. It’s the busiest station.

I think when quad tracking happens Hazelhatch to Heuston capacity beyond Hazelhatch will increase significantly as a result, all trains from Heuston to Naas and beyond will have a free and direct run in and out and not have to mix with short stoppers at any point, which should simplify IE logistics for intercity and commuter, this should mean more trains running beyond Hazelhatch, so more space for more people.

Quad tracking to Sallins might be a goal eventually but IE should definitely have a lot more to work with once the DART is done

EDIT: Didn't realise I was in the N7 thread, apologies for the off topic post.

CatInABox

pad199207 wrote: »

Should at least come down to Naas. It’s the busiest station.

With the Dart Expansion, I believe that they're trying to do the easiest and most cost efficient upgrades first. At a guess, once complete, or even once it nears completion, we'll hear more about further expansion.

pad199207

donvito99 wrote: »

Quad tracking ends at Hazelhatch, you would have to mix Dart's and everything else beyond that point.

Should at least come down to Naas. It’s the busiest station.

donvito99

Tomrota wrote: »

Indeed but in the meantime they could provide a few proper bus routes connected to the transport infrastructure (and integrated) for those commuter towns clogging up the N7 and hence the M50.

Can someone tell me the sense in expanding the DART just as far as Celbridge and not at least newbridge? The N/M4 will get two DART lines relieving it, and the N7 not one. I don’t see the logic. The N7 is as nightmarish as the M50.

Quad tracking ends at Hazelhatch, you would have to mix Dart's and everything else beyond that point.

Tomrota

marno21 wrote: »

That is not the case, it's an internationally observed phenomenon. See Interstate 405 in LA with 6 lanes in places and traffic gets worse with every added lane.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_demand

The only solution to reduce traffic on the N7 corridor is DART Underground, Metrolink and other initiatives to move people around Dublin.

Indeed but in the meantime they could provide a few proper bus routes connected to the transport infrastructure (and integrated) for those commuter towns clogging up the N7 and hence the M50.

Can someone tell me the sense in expanding the DART just as far as Celbridge and not at least newbridge? The N/M4 will get two DART lines relieving it, and the N7 not one. I don’t see the logic. The N7 is as nightmarish as the M50.

BuzzFish

emfifty wrote: »

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.

This is so close but seems to be taking an age. Light poles now installed along the link from the junction to the Millennium Park roundabout. No lights on top of the poles yet though. Road markings being put in place on the ramp down to millennium park roundabout. Still some signs to be mounted on poles on the ramp. However, no new signs or posts have been installed to direct traffic from millennium park up the new junction, so that's one more outstanding work.

I was coming up to the roundabout from the west side (Kerry Group) and some ol' wan came around the roundabout from my right and up the ramp she went at a fair clip. Workers looked a little shocked but the fencing was down at the time. She'd obviously spotted a sign for Dublin/Cork/Limerick up on the ramp

:D

Anyway, maybe open this week but increasingly unlikely from what I can see.

Hotblack Desiato

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Because long-term strategic projects with lots of disruption and resistance in the short term (ie: Bus Connects) don't win votes, and with our somewhat more mixed Governments these days which may or may not last the full term, the politicians that authorise it may not be around to collect the kudos at the end.

Most TDs see their path to election as ensuring that the government doesn't invest in anything for "those b*stards up in Dublin".

prunudo

Somebody mentioned earlier in this thread that they expected the volumes to increase once the 3 laning was open due to the fact that a lot of people were avoiding the roadworks and going cross country or taking alternative routes. This may be coming through to fruition going by the reports on not much additional time savings. Ot will be interesting to see traffic volumes year on year.

Mantis Toboggan

benny79 wrote: »

I am getting home about 15 mins earlier in the evening commute sometimes the same the morning commute is 30 mins longer. I travel Kildare to Dublin and back. So I go the back roads in the morning as traffic keeps moving come out at Rathcoole to a stand still..

Only in this country would they open a new motorway and the traffic is worse! So disappointed as I really taught it would make a huge difference. Having said that they were discussing it on the radio yesterday afternoon and they said the N7 route (laois/ kildare - Dublin) is one of the worst in the country for public transport! Thats trains and buses etc must be times & frequency. Shocked to hear that to be honest!

You have to realise you have 3 motorways (M7, M8 & M9) all coming into Dublin on those 3 lanes, it's always going to be a nightmare and likely to get worse going forward.

Hard to see where the solutions lie, I can't see the Government doing anything in the short to medium term to improve the situation. A lot of it is from a low rise city and urban sprawl.

_Kaiser_

benny79 wrote: »

Totally agree a underground is proving to work and be so successfully it baffles me why we wont invest especially for future generations.

Because long-term strategic projects with lots of disruption and resistance in the short term (ie: Bus Connects) don't win votes, and with our somewhat more mixed Governments these days which may or may not last the full term, the politicians that authorise it may not be around to collect the kudos at the end.

benny79

marno21 wrote: »

The only solution to reduce traffic on the N7 corridor is DART Underground, Metrolink and other initiatives to move people around Dublin.

Totally agree a underground is proving to work and be so successfully it baffles me why we wont invest especially for future generations.

TheWonderLlama

or a properly functioning rail system. I would love to be able to take the train, but its slower, more expensive and less reliable than a car.

marno21

benny79 wrote: »

Only in this country would they open a new motorway and the traffic is worse! So disappointed as I really taught it would make a huge difference. Having said that they were discussing it on the radio yesterday afternoon and they said the N7 route (laois/ kildare - Dublin) is one of the worst in the country for public transport! Thats trains and buses etc must be times & frequency. Shocked to hear that to be honest!

That is not the case, it's an internationally observed phenomenon. See Interstate 405 in LA with 6 lanes in places and traffic gets worse with every added lane.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_demand

The only solution to reduce traffic on the N7 corridor is DART Underground, Metrolink and other initiatives to move people around Dublin.

benny79

I am getting home about 15 mins earlier in the evening commute sometimes the same the morning commute is 30 mins longer. I travel Kildare to Dublin and back. So I go the back roads in the morning as traffic keeps moving come out at Rathcoole to a stand still..

Only in this country would they open a new motorway and the traffic is worse! So disappointed as I really taught it would make a huge difference. Having said that they were discussing it on the radio yesterday afternoon and they said the N7 route (laois/ kildare - Dublin) is one of the worst in the country for public transport! Thats trains and buses etc must be times & frequency. Shocked to hear that to be honest!

SoupyNorman

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

i'm from west wicklow and got used to utilising the hills of rathcoole and kilteel to get to the m50 ...now it's get out of monread and sit and crawl to the m50!

i leave about 7.15am

Is the evening commute not much faster?

Tomrota

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

i'm from west wicklow and got used to utilising the hills of rathcoole and kilteel to get to the m50 ...now it's get out of monread and sit and crawl to the m50!

i leave about 7.15am

Why would you move to Naas? It is an absolute nightmare of traffic with absolutely no plans to alleviate it with public transport. The entire N/M7 corridor has possibly the worst public transport in the entire GDA, hence why the traffic is constantly crawling to the M50. It’s so much easier to get to West Wicklow at peak times.

Ash.J.Williams

SoupyNorman wrote: »

Where? When?

i'm from west wicklow and got used to utilising the hills of rathcoole and kilteel to get to the m50 ...now it's get out of monread and sit and crawl to the m50!

i leave about 7.15am