M7 - Castletown to Nenagh

highlydebased · 01-01-2011 6:45pm

blackwarrior wrote: »

I've noticed that signposting for motorways on minor roads is very poor. WHen I'm navigating abroad, I'm always looking for signs to the nearest motorway, and can often easily pick these up 15-20km out. These signs are an essential part of navigation.

I live in Limerick, and signposting around the city for the M7 (i.e. how to get to Dublin) is non-existent.

If not the NRA's responsibility, then who's?

Much of the very recently installed new signage has accurate directions to the M7.

oddiot · 03-01-2011 12:19am

Berty wrote: »

I had a look at the LILO's and thought that they were very similar to those on the M18 Ennis bypass section and although it would be better to have standard on/off ramps they are not that dangerous looking.

I would wonder if there are stats as to how dangerous the M18 LILOs are.

I travelled Limerick to Dublin this evening, and there was a minor incident at the Roscrea LILO northbound. Looked like a car had a minor knock at the junction, and a Garda car was there to assist. It looked like there may have been damage to a pole on the island, but it was dark, so maybe someone else can confirm?

Funkstard · 03-01-2011 2:26pm

Drove the new section over new years, thought junction 22 and 23 were wild. For someone expecting the usual slow-down speed and turning radius for coming off the motorway, these are totally different.

Also, how far is McDonalds from the motorway now?

CrowdedHouse · 03-01-2011 2:33pm

Funkstard wrote: »

Also, how far is McDonalds from the motorway now?

2 Km at the most

Berty · 03-01-2011 6:51pm

Funkstard wrote: »

Also, how far is McDonalds from the motorway now?

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

2 Km at the most

For some that's far too far. I don't like stopping once I get going so If I have to leave the Motorway, to go further than an online services, then forget about it.

Bye Bye Roscrea

Funkstard · 03-01-2011 7:25pm

Berty wrote: »

For some that's far too far. I don't like stopping once I get going so If I have to leave the Motorway, to go further than an online services, then forget about it.

Bye Bye Roscrea

Same, I can see myself deciding to do the drive (Dub-Lim) in a sprint from now on instead of stopping. Nowhere convenient enough on the journey at the moment.

-Corkie- · 03-01-2011 7:27pm

Berty wrote: »

For some that's far too far. I don't like stopping once I get going so If I have to leave the Motorway, to go further than an online services, then forget about it.

Bye Bye Roscrea

When you have pregnant wife on board with cravings and sprogs in the back roaring youll be delighted to see McDonalds..:D

ClareVisitor · 03-01-2011 7:51pm

Well I finally got to drive the whole thing over the holidays, brilliant bit of road, we didn't stop until well inside the M50 all the way from Clare (except for paying tolls) last night. Great stuff. This takes at least 45 mins off the journey from Dublin Port to West Clare. I'm sure it will fill up eventually, but driving it at night as we do is great, you don't see a car for several miles at a stretch sometimes.

Berty · 03-01-2011 7:52pm

Funkstard wrote: »

Same, I can see myself deciding to do the drive (Dub-Lim) in a sprint from now on instead of stopping. Nowhere convenient enough on the journey at the moment.

I'm doing Limerick - Dundalk - Cork tomorrow. Can you believe it? Not one town between here and there to slow me down. I only have to put up with the assholes who arrive onto the Motorway from Carlow during rush hour.

-Corkie- wrote: »

When you have pregnant wife on board with cravings and sprogs in the back roaring youll be delighted to see McDonalds..:D

I can still buy a 3 door. Sucks to be you!!

piskins72 · 03-01-2011 8:16pm

Drove down to Kerry last tuesday, not many cars on road, door to door 3 hours, so its knocked a half hour off my journey, from Monasterevin Exit to end of motorway before Adare it was 1hour 15 mins I think, OH was driving and didnt go over speed limit. Coming back yesterday it was fairly busy but still just over the 3 hours .. Happy Days

slinky2000 · 04-01-2011 1:20am

Drove it tonight, a journey that used to take over 3 hours how took me 1hr 45min door to door sticking to the 120 speed limit.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Clonshaugh+Ave&daddr=52.6434328,-8.6643805+to:Lower+Cecil+St&hl=en&geocode=FardLgMdkDih_w%3BFWhGIwMdxMp7_yl1HvZ2oFxbSDF2K8FumzmVrw%3BFauQIwMdlU98_w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1&sll=52.643272,-8.604527&sspn=0.054476,0.154324&ie=UTF8&ll=52.902276,-7.613525&spn=1.732863,4.938354&z=8

Well happy now.

On another note, Those LILO's, especially the off-ramp (Limerick bound) at Moneygall is ridiculously short! The Roscrea one looked longer. Can anyone confirm this?

bernardo mac · 04-01-2011 1:38am

slinky2000 wrote: »

Drove it tonight, a journey that used to take over 3 hours how took me 1hr 45min door to door sticking to the 120 speed limit.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Clonshaugh+Ave&daddr=52.6434328,-8.6643805+to:Lower+Cecil+St&hl=en&geocode=FardLgMdkDih_w%3BFWhGIwMdxMp7_yl1HvZ2oFxbSDF2K8FumzmVrw%3BFauQIwMdlU98_w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1&sll=52.643272,-8.604527&sspn=0.054476,0.154324&ie=UTF8&ll=52.902276,-7.613525&spn=1.732863,4.938354&z=8

Well happy now.

On another note, Those LILO's, especially the off-ramp (Limerick bound) at Moneygall is ridiculously short! The Roscrea one looked longer. Can anyone confirm this?

Very good to read about major improvement re.journey.Many thanks but what is a LILO?

liogairmhordain · 04-01-2011 1:51am

was driving charleville - dublin earlier this evening, first time on the new section of motorway.
decided to come off at roscrea for some provisions, the 'lilo' junction is ridiculous. even getting onto the n62 at the top of the junction is a mess as someone said earlier in this thread.

bernardo mac · 04-01-2011 12:44pm

Lilo=left in left out? I'm definitely green

spacetweek · 04-01-2011 4:57pm

bernardo mac wrote: »

Lilo=left in left out? I'm definitely green

Yep that's it - refers to the fact that instead of a long acceleration/deceleration lane, you have to turn left to get in or out. Much more dangerous when you're trying to enter or exit from fast moving traffic.

veryangryman · 04-01-2011 5:01pm

Question on these junctions - has anyone used them same as the ones on Roscommon side of N6 (J12 and J13)

Are they any worse than these?

Granted Athlone Bypass has lower speed limit but the junctions are alright once you get used to them

dergside · 04-01-2011 5:23pm

veryangryman wrote: »

Question on these junctions - has anyone used them same as the ones on Roscommon side of N6 (J12 and J13)

Are they any worse than these?

I've only used the Roscrea exit, eastbound, so far on the M7. Its not too dissimilar to the eastbound Roscommon exit on the N6 in terms of the abruptness of the angle of turn-off. However, the on ramp to the N6 at the same junction is a more gentle curve than Roscrea. Roscrea seems to have a fairly abrupt and angular left turn on to the M7 carriageway.

As a result of this difference it means that the off bound and on bound traffic at Roscrea get closer to one another at the point of turning on/off the M7 than at the N6 east in Athlone.

I think that familiarity will help minimize the extent of the difficulties that this junction type causes. If it proves troublesome then it shouldn't be too difficult to put an armco in place to keep the lanes of traffic apart if someone overcooks it on exit or entry. Having said that, it does seem like an anomoly in terms of the consistency of design of the rest of the road.

lovelyhurler · 04-01-2011 6:29pm

Hi all,
Finally got to use this piece of roadway over the weekend. Went to Roscrea to see the mother. First thoughts of the LILO junction was 'Bloody hell how has nobody crashed yet coming off the motorway'. Then the greater shock was coming up onto the N62. The markings to STOP are very poorly laid out. If you are unfamiliar with it - be very careful. You could easily be half way across the Roscrea Templemore road before you realise it.

Also noticed that when leaving Roscrea for the M7, there is no signs to direct you out the N62 toward Templemore for the motorway. All the sinage is for the old N7.
Me thinks that there is still some work needed to be finished up.

popebenny16 · 05-01-2011 12:33pm

sometime yesterday the last motorway signs on the N62 at the junction had the silver paint removed from them (the stuff they use to obsure the signs when they are not operational) which, coming a couple of weeks after the junction opened, was about time.

the thin red sticks (not sure of the technical term) they have at the Newcastle/Rathcoole interchage on the N7 are mostly in place, but there are still bollards and tied to them at the LILO to go to Dublin/from Limerick there is a handy blue arrow sign just to make sure you dont go down the wrong side.

Also, the people who own property on the templemore side of the junction are getting really brassed off by the number of people who, feeling disorentated by the junction, head off in the wrong direction and are using their enterances to do a turn in.

Stark · 05-01-2011 12:52pm

popebenny16 wrote:

Also, the people who own property on the templemore side of the junction are getting really brassed off by the number of people who, feeling disorentated by the junction, head off in the wrong direction and are using their enterances to do a turn in.

Serves them right for building private entrances onto a national route miles from anywhere.

kilinick · 05-01-2011 1:04pm

Sorry if this has been covered already but i was looking at google Maps on Iphone and coming from Kerry to Durrow it gave a route using Junction 20 at Aghaboe which doesnt exist as far as i can see...

Must be very confusing for tourists.

Anyone know what the plans are for Junction 20?

popebenny16 · 05-01-2011 1:11pm

Stark wrote: »

Serves them right for building private entrances onto a national route miles from anywhere.

those houses and their enterences are there for over a hundred years. long before it was a national route or any kind of route.

roosterman71 · 05-01-2011 3:10pm

kilinick wrote: »

Sorry if this has been covered already but i was looking at google Maps on Iphone and coming from Kerry to Durrow it gave a route using Junction 20 at Aghaboe which doesnt exist as far as i can see...

Must be very confusing for tourists.

Anyone know what the plans are for Junction 20?

Was removed due to money, and also it would mean lots of people using the road through Ballacolla and Abbeyleix for toll dodging. That road wouldn't be able for the extra traffic.

Hopefully, in the future, they'd build those junctions so you can move between the M7/M8

Mc Love · 05-01-2011 6:19pm

The new section is great. A good bit still has to be finished (roadside/hard shoulder areas). I saw the unfinished overpass on the way down this afternoon.

I have to say thought this section is a lot better than the Borris - Portlaoise section apart from the LILO sections, particularly exit 22 northbound. And it looks as someone has had an accident already!

Amtmann · 05-01-2011 6:24pm

How is the McDonalds at Roscrea doing now? Have they put up advertising along the M7?

Mc Love · 05-01-2011 7:04pm

The only advertising I saw was on the LILO for J22

L1011 · 05-01-2011 9:52pm

Furet wrote: »

How is the McDonalds at Roscrea doing now? Have they put up advertising along the M7?

The advertised their distance from the junction extensively along the old N7 before the motorway opened and gave out voucher books with a map on them. Obviously hoping to retrain the regulars beforehand.

NedNew2 · 05-01-2011 11:00pm

Just wondering (as I am not familiar with the area), if those two dodgy junctions (22 and 23) were to be 'corrected', how big a job would it be? Is there any physical characteristics of the area that may prevent it or make it difficult?

Danke.

NewHillel · 05-01-2011 11:36pm

roosterman71 wrote: »

Got my first look at the junctions in Roscrea today. To say they are a joke doesn't do them justice. An absolute travesty in terms of design. 90 degree turn off a motorway, and then a 90 degree turn the opposite way - all up hill. Coming onto the motorway is worse. In the frosty conditions they'd be a nightmare, downhill and 2 sharp turns onto a motorway. Who the hell designed/signed off on that? Whoever it is shouldn't be let near any sort of design project again. :mad:

I agree with you, the engineer who signed off on this should be fired, along with his/her manager. The pictures taken during construction, informative as they are, simply cannot show the full scale of the problem. Add in a combination of ice and frost and they're a death trap.

At the very least, high-visibility warning signs should be installed well in advance. Not the right solution, but better than the current situation.

Geogregor · 06-01-2011 1:52am

NewHillel wrote: »

At the very least, high-visibility warning signs should be installed well in advance. Not the right solution, but better than the current situation.

If those junctions are as crap as everyone here posts such signs are really needed. They use them a lot in US when ramps are tight.
Big, yellow reflective boards with suggested low speed and some diagrams explaining how tight the ramp ii.

Mc Love · 06-01-2011 2:45am

Geogregor wrote: »

If those junctions are as crap as everyone here posts such signs are really needed. They use them a lot in US when ramps are tight.
Big, yellow reflective boards with suggested low speed and some diagrams explaining how tight the ramp ii.

Sign posts wont do enough as there needs to be suitable slowing down lanes and acceleration lanes

JupiterKid · 06-01-2011 3:47am

These junctions will have to be remodelled or rebuilt, sooner or later. They are very, very dangerous in their current form.

ongarboy · 06-01-2011 1:49pm

I have to admit I got a fright on the new stretch of M7 heading down for Christmas when a car came off the sideroad on one of those LILOs onto the joining lane at fast but legal speed. They didn't do anything wrong but as I had the road to myself and was cruising at 120 along the inside lane, it is a bit disconcerting to suddenly see a car come out of no-where looking like it is coming straight at you at a right angle. Of course it isn't actually doing that as it just continued onto the merging lane before joining the main carraigeway safely.

My initial instinct was to veer onto the outside lane abruptly which of course is not safe if there were overtaking cars on that lane. I didn't do that but I wonder if other drivers who also see cars coming at high speed, seemingly directly towards them at a right angle could make such a dangerous swerve. Perception is often everything! My sister who was with me also expressed shock of what the hell is that car doing coming at us even though it was doing exactly what the LILO is designed for. I am also now not a fan of these LILOs and also question why they were put there instead of the typical merging lanes on all other M-Ways.

ongarboy · 06-01-2011 2:05pm

bernardo mac wrote: »

Very good to read about major improvement re.journey.Many thanks but what is a LILO?

The Sticky Thread at the top of the Roads forum entitled TLAs Three Letter Acronyms gives definitions of all sorts of Road terms including LILOs. I have found it helpful in the past!

Berty · 07-01-2011 12:17am

I drove from Limerick to Dundalk and back to Limerick the other day and had a close look at those LILO's and surprise surprise two of them were damaged.

One had the right support pole completely ripped from the ground. It's like the low slung car had taken out the pole and managed to avoid hitting the sign itself. Madness.

I now have a car with cruise control and the journey back down was a freakin dream.

no1beemerfan · 07-01-2011 12:28pm

I went to a friends house in Toomevara last night and went to there from Roscrea on the old N7 but coming out of Moneygall coming home I decided to go back on the M7.

The LILOs will take a bit of getting used to as you HAVE to take it slow right up until you get to the join-in lane on the M7. I see the sign at the Roscrea exit has been hit too.

I don't think they have half enough signs/warnings up to let people know the exits etc for Roscrea and Moneygall are so sharp and mabey it would help if they could put up decent warning signs.

Sponge Bob · 07-01-2011 3:00pm

They need to educate people on the new 90 degree left exit signs they have on the LILOs. As most junctions will be like this in future they should do so immediately.

popebenny16 · 07-01-2011 5:16pm

driving on the n62 today i spotted a car stopped on the LILO southbound with its hazards on, thus blocking the entire off ramp in a fairly blind bend.

Spongebob - do you mean LILO's will be all the junctions for the M20 ect or just for improved N roads?

NewHillel · 07-01-2011 8:55pm

Sponge Bob wrote: »

They need to educate people on the new 90 degree left exit signs they have on the LILOs. As most junctions will be like this in future they should do so immediately.

Well shame on whoever approved this, then. By no stretch of the imagination are they appropriate, or safe, for motorways. Just because we're broke doesn't mean we should abandon good engineering practice.

Mr E · 07-01-2011 9:15pm

Just FYI, I was supposed to go to Carlow from Limerick tonight. Got as far as Nenagh (took 40 mins) and turned around to come back. The road markings and catseyes are covered.

The M7 is brutal.... Take care if you need to drive tonight.

I had a steak in Carlow with my name on it.

blackwarrior · 07-01-2011 10:48pm

ACCIDENT!

Passed J23 (Moneygall) on the N7 south tonight at 7:45 and there was a car stuck in the barrier. Looked like it couldn't slow down sufficiently to take the exit, went straight through the red/white sticks and hit and damaged the armco barrier where it was wedged when I passed. Garda directing traffic on the LILO.

crucamim · 07-01-2011 11:12pm

This LILO. Does that mean that, at those entrance points and exit points, there are no slip roads and merely sharp turns?

Amtmann · 07-01-2011 11:37pm

blackwarrior wrote: »

ACCIDENT!

Passed J23 (Moneygall) on the N7 south tonight at 7:45 and there was a car stuck in the barrier. Looked like it couldn't slow down sufficiently to take the exit, went straight through the red/white sticks and hit and damaged the armco barrier where it was wedged when I passed. Garda directing traffic on the LILO.

Wow - that's a lot of misadventures only recently reported here in relation to J22 and J23. A newspaper article is imminent, where some local councillor will criticise the NRA and the NRA will defend itself, just as what happened when the Ennis Bypass was redesignated.

blackwarrior · 08-01-2011 12:11am

Furet wrote: »

Wow - that's a lot of misadventures only recently reported here in relation to J22 and J23. A newspaper article is imminent, where some local councillor will criticise the NRA and the NRA will defend itself, just as what happened when the Ennis Bypass was redesignated.

My worry is that they will need to designate both of these exits as 100 km/h - a pity, but will be necessary to save lives...

highlydebased · 08-01-2011 12:33am

blackwarrior wrote: »

My worry is that they will need to designate both of these exits as 100 km/h - a pity, but will be necessary to save lives...

They will probably do that as a method of "resolving" the problem and it will do very little in reality. The junctions are a mess, end of.

NewHillel · 08-01-2011 12:40am

blackwarrior wrote: »

My worry is that they will need to designate both of these exits as 100 km/h - a pity, but will be necessary to save lives...

My fear is that lives will be lost before anything is done. One doesn't have to be a Civil Engineer to see that these exits are extremely dangerous. Imagine a situation where there is ice and fog on that section and its an accident waiting to happen. I've now driven it four times and each time I feel stronger that a formal complaint is required. Anyone know who I should write to. (EU/national, I don't care at this stage.)

L1011 · 08-01-2011 2:24pm

blackwarrior wrote: »

My worry is that they will need to designate both of these exits as 100 km/h - a pity, but will be necessary to save lives...

Just needs what they have on sharp exits on NI DCs (which are 70mph generally). The exit itself has a cornering speed with no change on the mainline, "max exit speed 25mph" for the corner.

marmurr1916 · 08-01-2011 3:49pm

MYOB wrote: »

Just needs what they have on sharp exits on NI DCs (which are 70mph generally). The exit itself has a cornering speed with no change on the mainline, "max exit speed 25mph" for the corner.

I've seen those signs often on LILOs on British dual-carriageways. They're usually advisory speed limits.

LILOs like those are acceptable on British dual-carriageways because there are so many of them that drivers expect them.

They're not acceptable on motorways because they're so rare and drivers don't expect them.

IMO, these M7 LILO junctions should be closed pending re-engineering works.

The reports of crashes etc show that it's only a matter of time before someone is killed.

ItHurtsWhenIP · 08-01-2011 4:11pm

Berty wrote: »

I now have a car with cruise control and the journey back down was a freakin dream.

Good for you! But it's as useless as a condom in a convent on the M50 and N7 out as far as the M7 past Kildare!

But you're right, for the rest of the road it' feckin awesome, I get lots of sleep from that point on. :eek:;):p

JupiterKid · 08-01-2011 8:17pm

I think a formal campaign to get J22 and J23 on the M7 redesigned should get underway. They are a fatal accident waiting to happen.

I'm seriously considering writing a letter to the NRA.

M7 - Castletown to Nenagh

Comments