M7 - Nenagh to Limerick

marmurr1916

quirke_folder wrote: »

I am reffering to watergrasshill to Dunkettle. The reason I refer to this is because I was only an Engineer on this road and I know its built to motorway standards so it should be converted right now to a motorway to coincide with the opening on the Fermoy bypass.

Its a glorified expensive speed trap currently.

The NRA have already applied for it to be put under motorway restrictions: the period for objections will end soon and the Statutory Instrument reclassifying it as motorway should be in place before too long.

In the meantime....chillax dude.

That stretch is only about 18km long.

The difference in travel time at the maximum speed-limit (100 km/h or 120 km/h) isn't exactly huge: it'll take 9 minutes at 120 km/h compared to 10 minutes, 48 seconds at 100 km/h.

BluntGuy

quirke_folder wrote: »

I am reffering to watergrasshill to Dunkettle. The reason I refer to this is because I was only an Engineer on this road and I know its built to motorway standards so it should be converted right now to a motorway to coincide with the opening on the Fermoy bypass.

Its a glorified expensive speed trap currently.

It will soon have a 120 km/h limit... (the 120 signs are on the road already - just covered up).

The motorway redesignation should come through come through early next year, with the changes coming into effect sometime mid next year.

The current set-up is ridiculous having the speed limit drop, despite the fact that the N8 Watergrasshill bypass is arguably of an even higher quality than the Fermoy Bypass.

Berty

marmurr1916 wrote: »

In the meantime....chillax dude.


The difference in travel time at the maximum speed-limit (100 km/h or 120 km/h) isn't exactly huge: it'll take 9 minutes at 120 km/h compared to 10 minutes, 48 seconds at 100 km/h.

I am not participating in this thread to respond to personal remarks so please ensure there are no more.

I have not reffered to travel time. Speed, as Im sure you aware, is down to the prevailing conditions and the condition of the road. The road itself is suitable in appropriate conditions to be used at 125kph.

Im glad to hear the NRA has applied to reclassify the road. I do not have an interest in the M8 as this thread specifically refers to the M7/N7

BluntGuy

quirke_folder wrote: »

Im glad to hear the NRA has applied to reclassify the road. I do not have an interest in the M8 as this thread specifically refers to the M7/N7

I was just about to say that... I've just realised this thread has gone off on a tagent. We better move this discussion, if there is one to be had, to one of the many M8 threads.

marmurr1916

quirke_folder wrote: »

I am not participating in this thread to respond to personal remarks so please ensure there are no more.

Ok....dude.

Declan30

Quirke Folder Do not go. U have given great Updates. Ignore anyone who annoys u.

Intersting piece last thursday on the news on how a lot of the contractors on the neangh to limerick road havenot been paid in months.
Some are owed over 100k.
This could and i say will impact on the finish time for the road.Could spell trouble for finishing the rest of the M7.

Berty

I cannot understand how.

All three companies have been around quite a long time. The NRA is footing the bill but I would imagine that all three companies have been using their money in order to prop up other projects that are dwindling.

I did not hear the story so I am just speculating. There has been no noticable lack of work on the project.

I hope that I bump into my friend John soon who is a senior technician on the job responsible for the structures. He should know something but most probably rumours as well.

Amtmann

quirke_folder wrote: »

I cannot understand how.

All three companies have been around quite a long time. The NRA is footing the bill but I would imagine that all three companies have been using their money in order to prop up other projects that are dwindling.

I did not hear the story so I am just speculating. There has been no noticable lack of work on the project.

I hope that I bump into my friend John soon who is a senior technician on the job responsible for the structures. He should know something but most probably rumours as well.

Someone drew attention to this over on the Commuting and Transport forum last week, but I can't find the thread. Apparently a Portuguese subcontractor could not pay its own sub-sub contractors for works done. When asked to comment, the NRA wouldn't, nor would the main building company.

Berty

That company is around over 50 years doing many large scale European projects.

I hope they can pay their workers for fear the project may be delayed. Bear in mind the company must feed and house these workers along with paying them.

clon

http://www.nenaghguardian.ie/news/cash-strapped-subcontractors-block-motorway-1545556.html

this the link from the nenagh guardian with the story on the problems the road contractor is having.

Declan30

Interesting piece clon. More or less what Rte reported last thursday.
Limerick County Council Lead Authority.Seems Nra and Limerick County council could pass the buck on this one.

Declan30

See Update on todays Limerick Leader

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Hauliers-left-without-cash-as.4757948.jp

Berty

Yes

"It seems clear now that, while the NRA are passing on the payment to Limerick County Council, who are overseeing this part of the project, there is a dispute between Bohar Hibernian and RAC Eire as to the further payment for work provided.

It seems after reading this article that LCC are putting their heads in the sand and not getting involved, probably quite rightly.

Its appears to be an internal CJV problem between the main contractor and the sub contractor.

Shame its the suppliers that are feeling the pinch. However, the blue collar man will always have the final say on the finishing date and whether or not the main contractor gets their on time/early finsh bonus.

A strike in inevitable.

D.L.R.

She refers to it as the "N7 dual carriageway". Do some research woman its the M7.

Amtmann

quirke_folder wrote: »

A strike in inevitable.

Really! Wow. Do you think this will be a protracted affair or one that'll be solved easily? I guess what I'm getting is, will this be catastrophic in terms of getting the road built on time?

BluntGuy

May 2009 is the official date...

I think that may be pushed back by 3 months...

Sponge Bob

It is 3 months behind already !

Declan30

3 months behind would be correct. Although looking at it will be 6 months late.
Limerick County Council as lead authority is bad as well.Given the hassle i had with them trying to get my road fixed:(.

Think given the current climate with the goverment and spending cuts a lot of the M7 motorway will be delayed.

BluntGuy

Do you know what? I never thought I'd say this, but part of me almost wishes that the last stretch of MUI opens on January 1st 2011. Just so the government have failed on that promise as well...

ipodrocker

BluntGuy wrote: »

Do you know what? I never thought I'd say this, but part of me almost wishes that the last stretch of MUI opens on January 1st 2011. Just so the government have failed on that promise as well...

you say that now but wouldnt you like to be able to say this time next year the majority of the m7 and m8 is complete.

Amtmann

Can someone post a list of what sections of the M7 are currently under construction etc., and lay it out something like this: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=56334357&postcount=1

I'm not familiar with the N/M7 southwest of Portlaoise.

Declan30

The Nenagh to limerick motorway is due to be finished by may 2009 however as it is being reported it is delayed and may take another 6 months after May.

The rest of it just started in Aug/Sep this year.

Portlaoise/Mountrath to Borris n orrisey section will link up with the M8 Section.

The rest then is from Borris n orrisey to Neangh. The outline of this has been done.Some work has started on this section around moneygall and roscrea u can see the route it will take.

Hope this helps.

Declan30

See Attached links i got from the Nra on the m7 Motorway

http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/LimerickCountyCouncil/N7NenaghLimerick/SchemeName,15456,en.html
http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/LaoisCountyCouncil/N7CastletowntoNenagh/SchemeName,15445,en.html
http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/LaoisCountyCouncil/N8PortlaoisetoCullahillCastletown/SchemeName,15444,en.html

BluntGuy

How will the Nenagh bypass tie-in with the existing N7 while the Nenagh-Castletown scheme is being built?

Berty

As it is now.

EDIT - Sorry name change - the artist formerly known as quirke_folder

BluntGuy

Sometimes I just weep...

Halcrow Barry wrote:

The project comprises 27km of greenfield D2AP motorway and 10km of online widening of existing wide single carriageway to D2AP motorway and 33 structures. Halcrow are in Joint Venture with Arup Ireland to provide the tender consortium with tender and detailed design. Halcrow element of the design work covers highways design.

Links below:

http://www.halcrow.com/html/our_projects/projects/ireland_n7limerick.htm

spacetweek

How can it be D2AP and Motorway at the same time??

BluntGuy

spacetweek wrote: »

How can it be D2AP and Motorway at the same time??

I presume they meant HQDC (D2AP built to motorway standards)...

What saddens me is that a leading firm like Halcrow would not know how to use terminology properly. It's like they just threw in the word "D2AP" to sound fancy. I would've taken "dual-carriageway' over that "D2AP Motorway" rubbish...

The fact that the people designing the actual project don't seem to know what it is, makes me doubt other websites even more...

impr0v

The Project was designed and procured as high quality dual carriageway. It only became a motorway when the minister recently certified it as such. I believe D2AP refers to dual lane all purpose, a current or former cross-section classification used by the NRA.

BluntGuy

impr0v wrote: »

The Project was designed and procured as high quality dual carriageway. It only became a motorway when the minister recently certified it as such. I believe D2AP refers to dual lane all purpose, a current or former cross-section classification used by the NRA.

D2AP - All-purporse dual two-lane carriageway
D2M - Motorway dual two-lane carriageway

D3AP (Naas Bypass) - All-purpose dual three-lane carriageway
D3M (M50) - Motorway dual three-lane carriageway

You can't have a D2AP Motorway... all-purpose motorway? A motorway without motorway restrictions. There isn't such a thing.

You have DC with motorway restrctions (M), or DC without (AP)... that's it.

HQDC is an entirely seperate term meaning dual-carriageway built to motorway standards but without the designation.