M7 - Nenagh to Limerick

dergside

Some alternatives have already been identified as part of the initial phase of the project - route selection.

Not sure about this but are there not easier planning processes now for statutory bodies for key infrastructural projects? That could help reduce the time it takes to get a spade in the ground.

A delay might also mean that they buy some time (for themselves) and avoid them getting caught up in the budgetary squeezes that will prevail for the next year or two anyway.

Sponge Bob

Read this article on the piling

http://www.lloydacoustics.com/lasite.nsf/3726ED87EB47AFA58025751B005D69BA/CC641EC7EFCFE77B802576C800480E97

and remember that Adare Bypass #2 went from route selection to EIS published in a year were that necessary.

123easy

dergside wrote: »

Some alternatives have already been identified as part of the initial phase of the project - route selection.

Not sure about this but are there not easier planning processes now for statutory bodies for key infrastructural projects? That could help reduce the time it takes to get a spade in the ground.

A delay might also mean that they buy some time (for themselves) and avoid them getting caught up in the budgetary squeezes that will prevail for the next year or two anyway.

even it the other route chosen for route selction were adopted by the elected representaives they would have to be developled into a prelim design and an EIS would be necessary as it now a motorway irrespective of length. Plus they prob need to do some GI So all that takes time getting ABP approval on oral hearing takes time and then there is the tender period SO its going to be 4 to 5 years so thats why this path will be avoided if possible

Plus people on the new route might object given as well

123easy

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Read this article on the piling

http://www.lloydacoustics.com/lasite.nsf/3726ED87EB47AFA58025751B005D69BA/CC641EC7EFCFE77B802576C800480E97

and remember that Adare Bypass #2 went from route selection to EIS published in a year were that necessary.

From this it says Hyder were the geotechnical engineers. They are not having a great run the last while back. I believe they were involved on N15 Ballybofey stranolar and the Ballina Bohola scheme. I dont think an Bord Pleanala approved either scheme.

andykells

Drove it today after all the alcoholics from dublin came down for porter. Some road... Now just finish it

JupiterKid

This brings me back to a question I made in my post what remains unanswered.

Could there be the possibility for NRA to construct two temporary motorway termini to connect the unopened stretch of M7 to the old N7 while the bog section is dealt with?

Would it be worthwhile to do this? Could existing rural/local roads between the N7 and M7 be upgraded and simply tied directly into the motorway or is it best just to leave the status quo with the current termini at Annacotty and Birdhill?

Sponge Bob

JupiterKid wrote: »

Could there be the possibility for NRA to construct two temporary motorway termini to connect the unopened stretch of M7 to the old N7 while the bog section is dealt with?

Yeah, in extremis. North of Castleconnell they could build a cutover N7 to the motorway and thence to Limerick, there is a cutover at Birdhill already.

It'd probably be left like that for years if they had to go there.

Chris_5339762

Wouldnt they need an EIS and all that crap for the extra link roads though?

JupiterKid

Does anyone on this thread know exactly where the affected sections of the M7 are located? This would help to determine where the temporary link roads to connect the N7 to the M7 could be built, if they could at all?

IIRC when the M2 in Northern Ireland was being built in the early 1970s, they used a temporary road (Paradise Walk) to connect the motorway to the A6 until the final section of M2 was being built.

Berty

Futile really.

You cannot connect at the Bog Road for obvious reasons.

The next link is at the flyover at the R504 which is actually the Birdhill to Newport Road. However this is futile because the actually connection currently open is only a few miles north so the long and short of it is that its not going to happen.

Sierra Oscar

JupiterKid wrote: »

Does anyone on this thread know exactly where the affected sections of the M7 are located? This would help to determine where the temporary link roads to connect the N7 to the M7 could be built, if they could at all?

The Annaholty bog problematic section is here, basically right behind the Gooig road (the locals would actually refer to the area as Gooig). It is just after the Limerick/Tipperary border and before the Bog Road bridge.

Sponge Bob

North of Castleconnell the motorway is 200m from the N7 and you could cutover there , in extremis like I said, and thence to Limerick.

Berty

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

The Annaholty bog problematic section is here, basically right behind the Gooig road (the locals would actually refer to the area as Gooig). It is just after the Limerick/Tipperary border and before the Bog Road bridge.

Cool Map as half those roads do not exist.

bacon&cabbage

Berty wrote: »

Futile really.

You cannot connect at the Bog Road for obvious reasons.

The next link is at the flyover at the R504 which is actually the Birdhill to Newport Road. However this is futile because the actually connection currently open is only a few miles north so the long and short of it is that its not going to happen.

True.

I think we're being a tad over dramatic about all this.
The road is going to go through the 2 bogs, once they figure out how to fix the problem, whatever form that might be. I just don't believe they are even considering any other option.

Sierra Oscar

Berty wrote: »

Cool Map as half those roads do not exist.

You can be content that the Gooig road exists, my cousins live on it - its off the Gooig road that I get access to the motorway.

Tech3

Drove the new section twice, at night and daytime. Great road some poor landscaping though driving northbound. The cutting towards the Birdhill interchange looks great going either direction. Have they removed the cones yet at J26 yet and the on ramp off the birdhill interchange?

larryone

My brothers suggestion was to float it instead of piling it =0)

pajoguy

Did they use any lightweight aggregate but by the sounds of things it may require much more than this...... I would just be glad if it was definitley open before the end of 2010...

rainbowdash

Why not open it with a 2 ton weight limit???

The trucks take a minor detour on a road they have to themselves and the heavy volume of traffic drives on unhindered?

Deedsie

I drove it today for the first time. Just from Birdhill to the Nenagh junction. That is a savage road, it's just so depressing the other section is not open. You'd do Nenagh to Limerick in twenty minutes at ease. I hope the other section is sorted out, as quick as possible.

Does anyone know of a precedent of this problem? How was it sorted there? Or are bothair hibernian the only contractors that develop over bottomless pits?

AndrewMc

tech2 wrote: »

Have they removed the cones yet at J26 yet and the on ramp off the birdhill interchange?

As of last night, no.

AndrewMc

rainbowdash wrote: »

Why not open it with a 2 ton weight limit??

1) Nobody would obey it

2) The road is collapsing under it's own weight (isn't it?) never mind thousands of regular cars.

road_high

Gee, this does seem like a right disaster alright. The M7 in general seems to be the slowest MIU to get finished (south of Portlaoise,I mean). A few years ago there was a lot of problems with sub contractors not being paid iirc.
Would they not have done a lot of geo surveying and the like before deciding on this route through a bog. Hope this gets sorted sooner rather than later.

-Corkie-

mfitzy wrote: »

Gee, this does seem like a right disaster alright. The M7 in general seems to be the slowest MIU to get finished (south of Portlaoise,I mean). A few years ago there was a lot of problems with sub contractors not being paid iirc.
Would they not have done a lot of geo surveying and the like before deciding on this route through a bog. Hope this gets sorted sooner rather than later.

Disaster is an understatment. Lots of us here said the tunnel and the other schemes would be finished first been sarcastic but now unfortunatley its a stark reality that this road will still be unopen for god knows how long, months, years who knows. Even the best road engineer couldnt answer that question now.

road_high

SARASON wrote: »

Disaster is an understatment. Lots of us here said the tunnel and the other schemes would be finished first been sarcastic but now unfortunatley its a stark reality that this road will still be unopen for god knows how long, months, years who knows. Even the best road engineer couldnt answer that question now.

I never use that road really but I know it is seriously busy. It's a major pity as well economically for Limerick as it badly needs a boost and the early completion of the M7 would have been hugely positive. Hopefully the other 2 sections are progressing better. Think the Portlaoise-Borris in ossary section is due for the Summer at least.

lukejr

The true cause of the collapsing edge won't be known until we find an engineer report on it.

The area that is collapsing now with the cracks, six weeks ago a pile driver was sitting on top of this edge driving in piles. The piles were being placed to support the edge of the motorway.

So if anything was the cause of the collapse it was putting a pile driver at the edge of a road without any banking or supports in place. Such weight on a road with no edge or banking would naturally cause it to collapse and crack.

Photo of pile driver from Feb 13, 2010. Notice how near to the edge it is.


Only one pile done, no support for the pile driver:




Photo of same area from March 28, 2010. Location of pile driver is where surface is cracked.


Notice the little support there was for the pile driver:

Roryhy

That last photo is a great one, showing the way the road is floated on the piles.

lukejr

Roryhy wrote: »

That last photo is a great one, showing the way the road is floated on the piles.

Here's a better close up shot of the road, supported by concrete pads on piles:



IMO the reason for the collapsed edge was that the piles weren't placed wide enough to take into account the raised incline up to the bridge over the bog road. So the road sagged over the pads on the piles, and this problem was compounded when a pile driver was working on it. I would imagine they'll dig out this section, finish placing piles in the banks to support the road edge, and resurface. Max two months work to get it finished, although that is only if they start working on it again.

It'll be three weeks before I get to walk this section again to check on progress.

Deedsie

How close is this section to the roundabout that you take at the end of the section opened at present? Will we be able see if they are working from the open section? Hopefully they will start straight into it?

Tech3

mfitzy wrote: »

I never use that road really but I know it is seriously busy.

The Nenagh-Limerick scheme is undoubtedly the most important bit of the M7 after Naas-Portlaoise. It is known well to be a commuter route busy usually during rush hour and even off peak there can be a serious amount of traffic on it. I'm surprised the boggy sections havnt hit national news that often given the whole media frenzy is driven over how politicians run this country.