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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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Ash.J.Williams

Emme wrote: »

What time do you leave in the morning? 4am? When I drive I take a similar route and it never takes me less than 55 minutes from the tailback which starts just beyond the Naas ball to the Red Cow. It takes 55 minutes to get from Bluebell to Newlands Cross if I leave at 5pm.

There must be far less traffic in the Soupy universe or else you travel at times when the traffic is very light.

i'm curious also, takes me an hour from naas to the m50

BuzzFish

emfifty wrote: »

I'm told from a reliable source that mid December, interchange will be open. Here's hoping.

As per my post in the previous page, the contractor told me directly that it is a Spring opening. Hard to be more reliable than that, although I hope you're right!

Emme

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.

What time do you leave in the morning? 4am? When I drive I take a similar route and it never takes me less than 55 minutes from the tailback which starts just beyond the Naas ball to the Red Cow. It takes 55 minutes to get from Bluebell to Newlands Cross if I leave at 5pm.

There must be far less traffic in the Soupy universe or else you travel at times when the traffic is very light.

harr

So most predictions have materialised regarding the extra volume of traffic after Naas ...the N7 from Naas ball all the way up to red cow is basically becoming a another car park like M50 .. what ever time you gain on M7 is now gone.
Yes I know it wasn’t necessarily going to alleviate traffic going into Dublin but it’s still frustrating. Traffic on way out of Dublin has improved and my Journey time home has been cut by 15-20 minutes...

emfifty

BuzzFish wrote: »

Absolutely no idea. All the mainline signage is still correct as sallins and clane traffic would use 9a immediately but just access them via millennium park. Should be easy to open it. If I'd not had the email personally I'd not have believed it as they do look like they're putting finishing touches to it.

There are several overhead gantry frames with 'missing' panels on approach to exit 9a and taper signs without the bottom sections so once they are installed we are good to go.
First to spot it, post it!

I'm told from a reliable source that mid December, interchange will be open. Here's hoping.

Darc19

tom1ie wrote: »

Yeah- wasted a load of money they could have put into PT!!

It's like a broken record telling those complaining that the upgrade did not assist in Dublin bound traffic.

It was NEVER about assisting Dublin bound traffic and TII stated very very clearly that it would make neglible difference to those commuters. They went as far as saying that traffic from kill would be much heavier.

The benefits are for local Naas commuters and also a substantial benefit for commuters coming out of Dublin

BuzzFish

harr wrote: »

If they intend not to open 9a as the contractor stated why such a flurry of work on that junction.
Drove by this morning and they seemed to be in the finishing stages ... they are sweeping the roads and removing covers from signs and also I noticed they were starting to remove some of the temporary fencing beside Kerry foods. Why bother put so much emphasis here when they say it isn’t opening till March 2020... if not opening 9a then why not have a bigger drive to sort out the Newbridge-Naas road which is all over the place and in some parts dangerous..

Absolutely no idea. All the mainline signage is still correct as sallins and clane traffic would use 9a immediately but just access them via millennium park. Should be easy to open it. If I'd not had the email personally I'd not have believed it as they do look like they're putting finishing touches to it.

harr

If they intend not to open 9a as the contractor stated why such a flurry of work on that junction.
Drove by this morning and they seemed to be in the finishing stages ... they are sweeping the roads and removing covers from signs and also I noticed they were starting to remove some of the temporary fencing beside Kerry foods. Why bother put so much emphasis here when they say it isn’t opening till March 2020... if not opening 9a then why not have a bigger drive to sort out the Newbridge-Naas road which is all over the place and in some parts dangerous..

tom1ie

thebiglad wrote: »

Well what would it be like without the additonal lane capacity - at least they have done something...

Yeah- wasted a load of money they could have put into PT!!

pad199207

road_high wrote: »

From where?

Naas Ball

road_high

pad199207 wrote: »

Two hours to Heuston station using the N7 this morning

From where?

pad199207

Two hours to Heuston station using the N7 this morning

Darc19

antietam1 wrote: »

Think the turn for Dublin was closed few weeks ago.

That was for lighting installation

It's the entire road that is being closed Thursday night. Diversion via floods cross.

Darc19

road_high wrote: »

Coming down the M7 Friday night I noticed they still had the exit countdown signs in place for the now defunct and sealed Naas South/Rathangan exit? Seems like a pretty major omission not to lift those as they could be very dangerous in the dark for a motorist only familiar with the old turnoff and not concentrating fully. Surely not a big job to lift and move those- god knows they've been fannying around for long enough.

Drivers should be concentrating on driving.

And considering that the 100m sign is literally just AFTER the old junction, and about 100m before the start of the off lane of the new junction, drivers shouldn't have an issue as these signs are correctly placed for the new junction.

Remember that it signifies the start of the off lane and not the start of the ramp.

road_high

Coming down the M7 Friday night I noticed they still had the exit countdown signs in place for the now defunct and sealed Naas South/Rathangan exit? Seems like a pretty major omission not to lift those as they could be very dangerous in the dark for a motorist only familiar with the old turnoff and not concentrating fully. Surely not a big job to lift and move those- god knows they've been fannying around for long enough.

antietam1

Darc19 wrote: »

M7 over pass at jct 10 closed overnight on Thursday.

I presume this is to finish off the roundabouts for full use.

This should take a lot of pressure off the bundle of sticks roundabout

Think the turn for Dublin was closed few weeks ago.

Darc19

road_high wrote: »

And does anyone really think the Sallins bypass will open in Spring 2020? Not from anyhting I've seen or heard at least or going by the glacial pace they did the mainline M7 widening.

The M7 has been completed on time. Any official documents say end of 2019 for completion of mainline and spring 2020 for Sallins bypass.

The bypass doesn't have the health and safety aspects of a very busy road meters from the works.

Darc19

M7 over pass at jct 10 closed overnight on Thursday.

I presume this is to finish off the roundabouts for full use.

This should take a lot of pressure off the bundle of sticks roundabout

emfifty

BuzzFish wrote: »

Incorrect sign approaching millennium park roundabout from the Kerry Group side. Shows a slip left that was not constructed. Apparently it was in the original plans but not final ones, hence the confusion. New one ordered.

Good one. Missed that!
Though, the land space exists for free flow lanes to and from Mpark r/a so once the business park develops out fully as intended, the steam rollers will be back for the obvious modifications!

BuzzFish

emfifty wrote: »

What was the signage error you highlighted as I've sent in an email with a few snags myself?

Incorrect sign approaching millennium park roundabout from the Kerry Group side. Shows a slip left that was not constructed. Apparently it was in the original plans but not final ones, hence the confusion. New one ordered.

emfifty

road_high wrote: »

Wonder if locals could contact local Kildare TDs and see what’s going on ?

So, as I understand it, Exit 9a will NOT open before Christmas but rather in Spring of 2020. This is the Siac/Colas position.
KCC road planners are in regular contact with the contractor and will meet later this week to get an update. Councillors are putting pressure on to have it open soon. So it's a battle of wills and like all things these days, the interchange will only open if it's safe to do so and not cause confusion re. motorists looking for the new Sallins exit vs the old one which has now been replaced with 'Johnstown' at exit 9.
It's not to say it can't be done with some proper 'temporary' signage and consistent temporary patching of destinations where required for a few months in order to get it open.

emfifty

BuzzFish wrote: »

I raised a signage error with the contractor and at the same time asked about J9a. They have stated in their reply:

"In relation to Junction 9a, please be advised this is not scheduled to open this weekend. This is scheduled to open with the rest of the Sallins Bypass in Spring 2020. I understand there are a number of facebook and other social media posts suggesting otherwise, however these posts are incorrect."

Its a complete farce that they not open this. The traffic coming out of Naas to the "bundle of sticks" is crazy at the moment. J9a will remove this immediately.

What was the signage error you highlighted as I've sent in an email with a few snags myself?

road_high

Wonder if locals could contact local Kildare TDs and see what’s going on ?

jmkennedyie

road_high wrote: »

And does anyone really think the Sallins bypass will open in Spring 2020? Not from anyhting I've seen or heard at least or going by the glacial pace they did the mainline M7 widening.

Me. Most earthworks complete. Looks like surfacing started Clane end. All structures ~in place. The land for roundabout at Clane obviously is no longer an issue. And the bypass route is not one of the busiest commuter arteries into Dublin that has to be kept open. I saw April mentioned previously but Spring includes May so some wiggle room there for any Beasts from wherever.

There is a very significant Irish Water pipeline/treatment project Clane > Sallins > Osberstown just kicked off so that's going to add some complication/confusion. Looks like good coordination though so far - seems IW contractors have already laid pipes under the new bypass alignment by Lidl into Sallins.

Dissappointing if they don't open 9A this weekend. Lot's of mainline snagging completed recently and even the J9A trees have been planted in the last week or so.

road_high

Tomrota wrote: »

So in other words our quality of life has to suffer until March cause reasons unknown to anyone.

Be nice if they would explain exactly why rather than stating it just won't open.

road_high

BuzzFish wrote: »

I raised a signage error with the contractor and at the same time asked about J9a. They have stated in their reply:

"In relation to Junction 9a, please be advised this is not scheduled to open this weekend. This is scheduled to open with the rest of the Sallins Bypass in Spring 2020. I understand there are a number of facebook and other social media posts suggesting otherwise, however these posts are incorrect."

Its a complete farce that they not open this. The traffic coming out of Naas to the "bundle of sticks" is crazy at the moment. J9a will remove this immediately.

And does anyone really think the Sallins bypass will open in Spring 2020? Not from anyhting I've seen or heard at least or going by the glacial pace they did the mainline M7 widening.

Tomrota

BuzzFish wrote: »

I raised a signage error with the contractor and at the same time asked about J9a. They have stated in their reply:

"In relation to Junction 9a, please be advised this is not scheduled to open this weekend. This is scheduled to open with the rest of the Sallins Bypass in Spring 2020. I understand there are a number of facebook and other social media posts suggesting otherwise, however these posts are incorrect."

Its a complete farce that they not open this. The traffic coming out of Naas to the "bundle of sticks" is crazy at the moment. J9a will remove this immediately.

So in other words our quality of life has to suffer until March cause reasons unknown to anyone.

harr

BuzzFish wrote: »

I raised a signage error with the contractor and at the same time asked about J9a. They have stated in their reply:

"In relation to Junction 9a, please be advised this is not scheduled to open this weekend. This is scheduled to open with the rest of the Sallins Bypass in Spring 2020. I understand there are a number of facebook and other social media posts suggesting otherwise, however these posts are incorrect."

Its a complete farce that they not open this. The traffic coming out of Naas to the "bundle of sticks" is crazy at the moment. J9a will remove this immediately.

Madness not to open this when it looks completely done or almost done ... traffic around the bundle of sticks last weekend was a nightmare and again today the traffic is all over the place on the two half done roundabout before bundle of sticks. A lot cars don’t know where they are going. Saw two minor accidents on that approach to Naas in the last 4 days.

antietam1

Would l love to join the m7 at Allenwood Kildare, instead I turn left just before Allen and come on to the m7 at exit/entry 10.

BuzzFish

BuzzFish wrote: »

http://www.kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/PressReleasesAdverts/TemporaryRoadWorksSpeedLimitOrderM9M7N7.html
Other than a Facebook post from local councillor still no official confirmation of J9a opening next friday published. Surely it will though.

I raised a signage error with the contractor and at the same time asked about J9a. They have stated in their reply:

"In relation to Junction 9a, please be advised this is not scheduled to open this weekend. This is scheduled to open with the rest of the Sallins Bypass in Spring 2020. I understand there are a number of facebook and other social media posts suggesting otherwise, however these posts are incorrect."

Its a complete farce that they not open this. The traffic coming out of Naas to the "bundle of sticks" is crazy at the moment. J9a will remove this immediately.