Pitch n Putt wrote: » Why waste millions then if the plan wasn’t to improve the situation ? What was the purpose of the project then? Have a nice shiny road for us all to look at while crawling along at 30km/hr and taking 50mins to travel 20km upon completion ???
prunudo wrote: » Somebody mentioned on this thread a long time ago that once this was completed that people who were rat running through villages, back roads and country lanes would move to the safer mainline and any improvement in journey times would be insignificant. Where the improvement will be is that the back roads will be safer, people will be able to walk cycle on roads without fear of maniac commuters trying to save 2 minutes to avoid roadworks and log jams. Improvements in infrastructure aren't only about time but ensuring safer alternatives and giving people back their communities.
Mantis Toboggan wrote: » Have you been on any of these so called rat runs lately? There's more people than ever using them.
Darc19 wrote: » Kerry group only chose Naas based on the upgrade and contributed a few million to it. Long term Kerry will have over 2500 staff.
BuzzFish wrote: » Complete and utter rubbish. Kerry do not plan to have 2500 staff on that site. Never mentioned, never rumoured. Would be completely out of sync with their Beloit site which is a sister site and in existence much longer than Naas. Also complete rubbish that they paid for the junction. I'd say they barely paid for the site they built on considering it was announced in recession times and millennium park badly needed a large tenant. Care to share your source????
Darc19 wrote: » I should have double checked. The new junction at kerry group will open a further land bank for construction creating up to 2500 jobs (lawless td website) As for the contribution, It was certainly mentioned several times - not cost of junction, but a contribution to it. If I can locate info, I'll post it.
Pitch n Putt wrote: » Why waste millions then if the plan wasn’t to improve the situation ? What was the purpose of the project then? Have a nice shiny road for us all to look at while crawling along at 30km/hr and taking 50mins to travel 20km upon completion ???[/QUOTE The outbound leg (towards Nass) definitely needed to be upgraded, but I agree with the rest of your statement. This project is and was always going to be a waste of money with regards to improving the traffic congestion on the Dublin bound carriage way. As I said before the only way to improve this is to get people out of their cars by providing a high quality alternative public transport system, which the minister for transport has no interest in, and the nta (so far) are completely inept at.
traco wrote: » Can't believe it has taken so long to get the junction open. Traffic on the Newbridge road out from naas through the roundabouts (Bundle of Sticks) was mental before anything started. It has be made worse by the new junction 9 only half done (directing all southbound traffic for Newbridge back towards Naas to do a U-turn and head back to Newbridge), I really hope the opening takes some of the load off down this end.
MaceFace wrote: » Having another look at the traffic volumes, it appears that since the opening of the 3 lanes, the Dublin bound traffic volume is up between 12%-20% on the N7 around the Kill junction between 6am and 7am. After 7am the volume is down on last year (looking at a couple of samples), so it suggests people are still leaving their homes at the same time as they always have, but the M7 isn't slowing down their arrival on the N7. The traffic jams are starting earlier and probably more acute due to this. Personally, I've noticed a significant increase in traffic between 6:10 and 6:30 around the Kill junction so was not surprised when I looked at the data. All in all, once it's complete I'd like to understand the overall journey times of people from say Kildare town or Kilcullen to Red Cow and back in the evening. A possible positive is that with the Dublin bound route likely deteriorating, finding a solution for the N7 to M50/City route will likely become a significant issue for the government as a lot of people are affected. Besides Dublin bound weekday mornings, and ignoring the temporary traffic works, I think it will be safe to say the works will produce tremendous benefits to the users of the road and the people of Sallins, Naas, and Newbridge and anyone needing to drive in these areas.
SoupyNorman wrote: » I’d say there were quite a few commuters avoiding the N7 during roadworks, they’re back on it now adding to volume. I’m extremely pleased with the upgrade. I come from Athy to Red Cow and my commute up is roughly the same (50-55mins) however there are days I can do it in 45 mins which was unheard of pre works. Going home, utterly transformed. 40mins now, every day including Fridays. Wife even says I’m coming home more relaxed and less cranky so there’s the litmus test. Longer term, Dublin bound is just going to get worse and worse because single occupancy car travel is the only option for the many. I would HAPPILY take public transport if it existed for me but a sustainable bus service is not available. I can take one bus in the morning and one in the evening but if I miss either ive no alternative. I believe the answer lies in car pooling, build car park hubs at on ramps and incentivise people. Make one lane of the N7 a carpool lane…there’d be huge take up in my opinion.
tom1ie wrote: » Good ideas. It’s amazing that they haven’t built a p+r just off the n7, and then run high frequency busses into the city, via a qbc along the n7, from the p+r. There could be strategic stops along the way to allow the p+r bus to integrate with existing pt, to allow people to change modes or busses. In time, when this idea is found to work, the qbc could be upgraded to a metro.
BuzzFish wrote: » There was talk of a P&R off the new J9a on the opposite side to Kerry Group. Not only could you put a P&R for buses in there, but you could add a new train station as the Arrow passes by. No forward thinking though. Even to create it for buses right now and add the train later once they (will they ever!!) add the extra 2 train lines to Kildare to allow more frequent arrow with impacting intercity. Sallins station is just too small and parking is too tight to increase passenger numbers any further.
MaceFace wrote: » The problem extending to 4 lanes past Hazelhatch is there is no space in Sallins - just look at a satellite image and you see the school and shops/apartments in the Waterways and then on the other side of the Sallins road are housing estates. Regardless of that, the bigger problem is the train only brings people to Heuston which is fine if you work around there or maybe bang in the city center. For people who need to go to Blackrock, Sandyford, UCD, East Wall, even Merrion Square, that means a Bus/Luas and/or Dart as well. Door to door, it just doesn't work for many people. And just thinking about it - the vast majority of people on the N7 in the mornings join the M50 (or get off at Citywest) suggesting that not many are heading to the city unless they head to the N4?
Tom Cruises Left Nut wrote: » Trains go through the tunnel to meet the other line though
MaceFace wrote: » You mean Phoenix Park tunnel? Yes, but it is an hour from sallins to grand canal so door to door by train for most people will be a very long commute.
donvito99 wrote: » Given the distance involved, an hour from Hazelhatch to Blackrock is very reasonable.https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hazelhatch,+Co.+Dublin/Blackrock,+Dublin/@53.334854,-6.4910867,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m19!4m18!1m5!1m1!1s0x48677115f85c8629:0x2600c7a7bb54d022!2m2!1d-6.5189387!2d53.3221966!1m5!1m1!1s0x486708c6c593433b:0x849955b6c2e83605!2m2!1d-6.1778335!2d53.3021597!2m4!5e0!5e1!5e2!5e3!3e3
MaceFace wrote: » It may be but it’s quicker to drive. As Hazelhatch isn’t ain’t the n7 though, look at Sallins. Still quicker by car from Blackrock during rush hour. That’s the point, encouraging people out of their cars. I done that route Sallins-Blackrock for a few years about 10 years ago. There were a few of us who did and it was horrendous. Always stressing about making connections or having to wait for another 20 mins.
BuzzFish wrote: » Wouldn't be be great if a JJ Kavanagh or other large reputable bus operator bought a parcel of land in Naas millenium Park or close by and got a license to run direct to Dublin city center. Private enterprise P&R. Once successful that 3rd lane could become a bus corridor at peak times. They'd do for Kildare, Laois and Carlow commuters what quickpark did for Dublin airport parking. Competition = efficiency and cost control. Whole other thread though, but there must be a business case in it. There are good bus services to Dublin from Naas but nowhere for commuters to park.
Tomrota wrote: » With no integration with LEAP caps and LEAP 90 discount, that is ineffective. Also JJ kavanagh charge ridiculously high fares (3€ from one side of Naas to the other, seriously? You can get from Bray to IKEA for 2.50€). Most people will have to get a second bus or train when they reach the city. So you’d have to pay for parking, pay the high fare, and then pay for another fare. Cheaper to drive. In order for public transport to work it has to be considerably faster or considerably cheaper than driving, and in most effective circumstances both. The entire N7 corridor doesn’t have either of those benefits, and nobody will leave their cars until its provided by the government. Put a 5€ toll on the N7 tomorrow and you’d see car numbers won’t drop because there are NO alternatives. People would just pay it. I despise people who suggest tolling the N7 and M50. It we had a public transport network like Amsterdam, actually, if we had one like ANY other EU capital, it would be fine to put a toll on the roads. But we don’t, and never will, because politicians don’t care about it.
antietam1 wrote: » Left Kildare retail outlet at 3.45 pm last Friday and drove to Red cow with no delays. Was I just lucky? or early?
