M7 - Castletown to Nenagh

lukejr

Furet wrote: »

From what I've seen it's the landscaping and final fixes that are slowing things up. The signing, lining and studding is all done as far as I can tell.

Berty wrote: »

they were working on the onramps/offramps at the Borris in Ossory section at around 5pm this evening. It was dark but they look like line painting trucks.

Even with the cold snap there shouldn't be too much of a hold up with landscaping and clean up. Lets hope we get a date soon.

MidlandsM

lukejr wrote: »

Even with the cold snap there shouldn't be too much of a hold up with landscaping and clean up. Lets hope we get a date soon.

Earth to Luke .........come in Luke?
Course there would be a hold up on landscaping in these artic conditions? Like how would you plant trees in hard frozen ground and expect them not to die? :rolleyes:

lukejr

Most of the tree planting should be done already, it's more of a cleanup that's left to do. I hope they don't wait until the grass is green before they open this road.


Photos from two weeks ago by Furet:

9_Iron

I've been a long-time reader of this thread, but this latest delay has led me to make a first post.
I really cannot fathom how the slow progress on this section of the road has not received more media attention. In fact, but for this thread (and kudos to all who have taken the time to post updates over the preceding months), it would be next to impossible to establish what stage the road is at.

Despite the oft-reported delays in the Nenagh-Limerick section of the M7, that road has been open now for several weeks (and what a blessing it is, btw).
Were it to have opened roughly on schedule (autumn last year, I think, but open to correction on that), the Castletown-Nenagh section would have been 15 months later to open....does such a gap make any sense whatsoever?

I appreciate that the current, relatively minor, delays may be a mix of political grandstanding/employee umbrage etc, but I can't understand why the fact that, even before the latest issues, the progress on this part of the road has so lagged all other sections.
I'm not aware of any serious issues (a lá Nenagh-Limerick bogs) to have held things up; yes, it's a relatively long section, but long enough to justify 12 to 15 months extra work?
Can anyone shed a little light?

Anyway, sorry to start off with a bit of a rant - I'll be much calmer from now on (honest!)......

andykells

Road Safety Audit was last week so all the snags from that need to be completed before any opening will be announced. Most of the work is complete bar this so one would be hopeful of it being open before christmas but at this stage no one knows.

sleepyman

Anyone have the e-mail of the lady in the NRA who answers queries on road openings(I think someone mentioned her first name was Sheila).
Maybe if we all get onto her they'll have to give some indication.

Amtmann

sleepyman wrote: »

Anyone have the e-mail of the lady in the NRA who answers queries on road openings(I think someone mentioned her first name was Sheila).
Maybe if we all get onto her they'll have to give some indication.

Annamarie McNally normally replies to me: info@nra.ie

cson

Are they planning to put in Bollards for the LILO I wonder? Because it's absolutely crazy if they don't imo; massive accident waiting to happen as has been said here before.

lukejr

andykells wrote: »

Road Safety Audit was last week so all the snags from that need to be completed before any opening will be announced. Most of the work is complete bar this so one would be hopeful of it being open before christmas but at this stage no one knows.

Great to hear, thanks for the update.

http://www.nra.ie/NetworkManagement/Safety/RoadSafetyAudits/

Lechien

On Thurs 2nd Dec the M7 Limerick/Dublin Rd will be closed northbound from J26 Nenagh West to J24 Toomevara

Works will be in place from approx 10am to 6:30pm. Traffic will be diverted via the N52/Link Rd and the Nenagh/Toomevara Rd (R445). Traffic from the Nenagh/Ballincurry Rd (R498) will be diverted through Nenagh town and onto the Toomevara Rd. This will add up to 15 mins to your journey. There will also be temporary traffic lights in place on the M7 at J24 Toomevara at this time. These works will be in place to complete the M7 Castletown to Nenagh works.

Deedsie

I received my first email reply from Tipperary North FF TD Máire Hoctor:


I will make an inquiry for you and come back to you.
I am not sure what the problem is although there are several disputes among
contractors for payment from the main
contractor(s) and work may have slowed down as a result.
I will come back to you on this.
Kind regards,

So basically, she doesnt know what's happening at present. Hopefully she will get back to me soon when she does.

Deedsie

Second reply,
I have been in contact with the NRA and I have been advised that there is no definite date set as of yet but it is hoped to be open before Christmas. However, it has been mentioned to me that the section may open the week of December 15th and there's an all-out effort taking place to have the stretch open as soon as possible but current weather conditions are hampering operations.

I will keep in contact with them until a date has been finalised.

Regards,

Yours sincerely,

Noel Coonan TD,

tippilot

For a local TD like Marie Hoctor not to be up to date with the progress of the most important piece of infrastructure ever to pass through her constituency is a terrible indictment of politicians in general.

phog

lukejr wrote: »

Most of the tree planting should be done already, it's more of a cleanup that's left to do. I hope they don't wait until the grass is green before they open this road.


Photos from two weeks ago by Furet:

That looks like a very sharp turn off a motorway, is there any slip roads off the motorway?

Deedsie

tippilot wrote: »

For a local TD like Marie Hoctor not to be up to date with the progress of the most important piece of infrastructure ever to pass through her constituency is a terrible indictment of politicians in general.

I was in no way surprised. Two Dáil terms, she didnt say boo to a goose. Hopefully her time as a TD is up. Worst thing is she would be using the road herself on a regular basis. How hard would it be to ring the contractor for an update.

Deedsie

The exact completion date has not been determined yet, however, we
expect it to open before the end of the month.

Regards,

Annamarie McNally
Programme Administrator

So hopefully it will open before Christmas week. My bet is on December 17th. I am so sick of driving through mountrath. Just give us a date and get it done for the 17th.

clon

From the NRA twitter page.

swingking M7 Castletown to Nenagh - No opening date confirmed as of yet from the contractor. As soon as we know we will make it public. 1:49 PM Dec 1st via web

NFD100

phog wrote: »

That looks like a very sharp turn off a motorway, is there any slip roads off the motorway?

That's an accident waiting to happen!!!

JupiterKid

The sooner this road opens, the better. It'll hopefully open in time for Christmas. There had better not be any pathetic posturing by FF (you know the usual guff - Minister/local TDs/county councillors and the flotilla in some sort of vintage car) in an attempt to get some pre electoral point scoring.

I still think junctions 22 and 23 are far too dangerous for a motorway. There will be accidents at these locations. They will have to be rebuilt or at least modified at some stage.

How they passed the design process at the NRA begars belief.

slinky2000

Deedsie wrote: »

The exact completion date has not been determined yet, however, we
expect it to open before the end of the month.

Regards,

Annamarie McNally
Programme Administrator

So hopefully it will open before Christmas week. My bet is on December 17th. I am so sick of driving through mountrath. Just give us a date and get it done for the 17th.

The 17th would be ideal because that's the last day I head for Dublin until after the new year :P

Deedsie

slinky2000 wrote: »

The 17th would be ideal because that's the last day I head for Dublin until after the new year :P

Just to confirm I may have plucked that date from the sky. But these schemes seem to open on a Friday. I'll have to drive the old road 6 times between now and them. Last thing I want to do

Berty

I wanted it open by the 10th because I have to head to Dublin and back and wont be heading back up for a long time I'd say.

Seems like it wont be opening by then.

That's the weather for you.

MidlandsM

Deedsie wrote: »

I am so sick of driving through mountrath

well don't then, use the M7 motorway.

Deedsie

MidlandsM wrote: »

well don't then, use the M7 motorway.

I work in Portlaoise. Not paying 1:80 for 30km of motorway.

solidwork

To be honest deedsie i just try and get on the motorway as soon as possible and haven't seen the mazy street that is mouthrath since the castletown to portlaoise section opened. 1.80 small price to pay. but to be honest i only drive it every second weekend i'm sure it would be different if working in the area.

Stark

Deedsie wrote: »

I work in Portlaoise. Not paying 1:80 for 30km of motorway.

You're still paying for the same 30km after the M7 Castletown - Nenagh section opens. Don't see why you'd go through Mountrath to avoid the toll now but won't after the new motorway opens.

Deedsie

It's just my preference lads, feel free to pay it if ye want. I decided along time ago I won't use it till it's finished.

Stark

Yeah but you still save €1.80 by going through Mountrath and getting on at the new section.

Berty

Thinking of speed traps. Mountrath would be a goldmine to catch people speeding as people are trying to keep the same timing on their route yet save €1.80 so they will very likely speed.

May not be quite the saving of €1.80 :rolleyes: for some.

Mc Love

Berty wrote: »

Thinking of speed traps. Mountrath would be a goldmine to catch people speeding as people are trying to keep the same timing on their route yet save €1.80 so they will very likely speed.

May not be quite the saving of €1.80 :rolleyes: for some.

And I know one person that was caught and charged 80 euro on the spot