N7 - Newlands Cross upgrade

tomflynn

Update from Sean O'Neill of NRA on George Hook Newstalk last Friday - listen from c. 48:45 at http://www.newstalk.com/player/listen_back/9/13585/17th_October_2014_-_The_Right_Hook_Part_2 ....a meandering discussion re: M50 and Newlands Cross. Flyover to open before Christmas, and hope to have an exact date within next couple of weeks.

ttenneb

D Trent wrote: »

That image can be deceiving.
You're looking at 2 different walls

I've been away for a few weeks and haven't been near the junction until yesterday. I'm surprised there are so few comments about this "handcrafted" wall. It seems quite absurd that from a time and expense aspect this option was chosen. Dry stone walls are very attractive used in appropriate places, but very few drivers will be taking much notice when negotiating lane changes or driving straight through. Whose bright idea was this?

jd

ttenneb wrote: »

I've been away for a few weeks and haven't been near the junction until yesterday. I'm surprised there are so few comments about this "handcrafted" wall. It seems quite absurd that from a time and expense aspect this option was chosen. Dry stone walls are very attractive used in appropriate places, but very few drivers will be taking much notice when negotiating lane changes or driving straight through. Whose bright idea was this?

This wall will border the new access roads at the side of the bridge and the land currently taken up by the temporary lanes, and presumably there will be pedestrians on the pavement who will get a close look at the new wall.

jd

jd wrote: »

This wall will border the new access roads at the side of the bridge and the land currently taken up by the temporary lanes, and presumably there will be pedestrians on the pavement who will get a close look at the new wall.

I would say that it's the fact that it goes through a semi residential area as well. Plain concrete is OK on "out of sight" sections of infrastructure.

ttenneb

So the not inconsiderable extra expense and the delay in completion was to benefit occasional pedestrians and had no relevance for motorists? I'm glad I'm not paying for any of it. Oh, silly me . . . I am.

ukoda

ttenneb wrote: »

So the not inconsiderable extra expense and the delay in completion was to benefit occasional pedestrians and had no relevance for motorists? I'm glad I'm not paying for any of it. Oh, silly me . . . I am.

What extra expense?? Do you know any of the figures and can you attribute them to this wall in particular?

And what delay? The road will open ahead of schedule.

The wall was probably part of the planning terms as no one wants to look at a **** concrete wall.

robert muldoon

I must sayi I think they have done a great job in keeping the traffic flowing over the construction period, really when you consider it there has been minimum disruption with 3 lanes kept open both ways , well done BAM!!

AndyBoBandy

robert muldoon wrote: »

I must sayi I think they have done a great job in keeping the traffic flowing over the construction period, really when you consider it there has been minimum disruption with 3 lanes kept open both ways , well done BAM!!

I'd have to agree,

I've driven through the junction (not daily), but probably 12-14 times over the last 2 months, and I've been fairly impressed with the progress they've been making, while keeping the disruption to a minimum.

worlds apart form the infrastructure construction free for all's of years gone by, where delays & issues were no fault of the contractor, and just meant bigger bills for us!

spacetweek

ttenneb wrote: »

I've been away for a few weeks and haven't been near the junction until yesterday. I'm surprised there are so few comments about this "handcrafted" wall. It seems quite absurd that from a time and expense aspect this option was chosen. Dry stone walls are very attractive used in appropriate places, but very few drivers will be taking much notice when negotiating lane changes or driving straight through. Whose bright idea was this?

Bit mystified by this - concrete structures like this are often very drab looking, isn't it good that they made the effort to make it look more like a building rather than just a purely functional structure. I remember noticing in Canada that their highways often had decorative features and it looks so much better.

cargo

Whats the latest update on progress now after the weekend?

Any further update on whether the ramp will open this coming weekend?

cgcsb

ttenneb wrote: »

So the not inconsiderable extra expense and the delay in completion was to benefit occasional pedestrians and had no relevance for motorists? I'm glad I'm not paying for any of it. Oh, silly me . . . I am.

Pedestrians matter. You want this mega road going through an area just for your benefit, but people live there you know, and passing traffic makes no contribution to their area other than noxious fumes. Build a flyover in your own backyard if you fancy it.

Geogregor

cgcsb wrote: »

Pedestrians matter. You want this mega road going through an area just for your benefit, but people live there you know, and passing traffic makes no contribution to their area other than noxious fumes. Build a flyover in your own backyard if you fancy it.

Somehow I'm not convinced how elaborately handmade stone wall is going to improve pedestrian realm

But seriously, modern architectural concrete can be very aesthetic. Concrete doesn't have to be drab and boring. It only has to be properly designed and executed.
I have a feeling that by building this dry stone wall designers are trying to create illusion that it is somehow still part of green and pleasant countryside.
Is it really going to fool anyone? It is major interurban road. Treat and design it as such.

NEDDURC

Well they've already built a similar wall over beside the golf course. So the new one fits in with that.

I think it looks quite good. Coming together nicely now. Given that I go by everyday I'd hope it would hurry up and get done but can't really complain too much as others have said.

listermint

Geogregor wrote: »

Somehow I'm not convinced how elaborately handmade stone wall is going to improve pedestrian realm

But seriously, modern architectural concrete can be very aesthetic. Concrete doesn't have to be drab and boring. It only has to be properly designed and executed.
I have a feeling that by building this dry stone wall designers are trying to create illusion that it is somehow still part of green and pleasant countryside.
Is it really going to fool anyone? It is major interurban road. Treat and design it as such.

Ridiculous, you obviously dont live either in belgard direction of clondalkin direction. But sure dam the locals and that. :rolleyes:

paulbok

Doesn't ~5% of the budget of a road project have to go on the 'aesthetics' of the road. Usually this is in the form of trees along the side of the road and a wacky piece of artwork, so maybe the stone wall is it for this project?

ttenneb

cgcsb wrote: »

Pedestrians matter. You want this mega road going through an area just for your benefit, but people live there you know, and passing traffic makes no contribution to their area other than noxious fumes. Build a flyover in your own backyard if you fancy it.

I've lived in the area for over 50 years and have witnessed the many changes that have taken place. As a local resident I've used and continue to use the amenities as a pedestrian, cyclist and motorist. When I want to enjoy the scenery I use the great facilities in Corkagh Park. So the argument that I'm critical of the manual stone work because I don't appreciate aesthetic architectural values is futile. I derive great pleasure in visiting historic as well as modern buildings where ancient and new materials are appropriately used.

Let's remember it's a motorway, designed to facilitate heavy volumes of traffic. And let's not forget the colossal waste of money and energy when the Red Cow interchange had to be demolished and rebuilt. Let's hope the final layout of Newlands Cross won't have the equivalent to the Kamikaze-influenced layout for the Clondalkin slip lane on the outbound N7 at Red Cow.

spacetweek

spacetweek wrote: »

Bit mystified by this - concrete structures like this are often very drab looking, isn't it good that they made the effort to make it look more like a building rather than just a purely functional structure. I remember noticing in Canada that their highways often had decorative features and it looks so much better.

It is much better to build a wall with a bit of "style" rather than leave it plain, as the local "artists" would presented with a blank canvas!

mackerski

ttenneb wrote: »

Let's remember it's a motorway

No it isn't.

jd

ttenneb wrote: »

Let's remember it's a motorway

Pedant bites tongue

rameire

Looking at the Green Isle camera, looks like some small lane movement has occurred

omicron

Anyone reckon it'll be open by friday?

spacetweek

ttenneb wrote: »

Let's remember it's a motorway, designed to facilitate heavy volumes of traffic. And let's not forget the colossal waste of money and energy when the Red Cow interchange had to be demolished and rebuilt.

The Red Cow wasn't actually demolished - they reused all the existing bridges in the new layout. But in any case if the point you're making is that it's important to get these things right the first time then surely that's an argument in favour of aesthetic touches and landscaping - so that we don't have to add them later when we realise we should have.

D Trent

omicron wrote: »

Anyone reckon it'll be open by friday?

No I highly doubt it

rameire

omicron wrote: »

Anyone reckon it'll be open by friday?

The east side of the flyover still requires further tar mac to be laid.

I think the best we can Hope for is for the inbound lane that goes to the right of the flyover will be removed.
in replacement one lane will be opened going up and over inbound,
and lane two that is to the left of the flyover inbound will facilitate the right turn onto Belgard Road.

paulbok

They have realigned the right-hand inbound lane for Belgard slightly to facilitate the marrying of the new and existing road surfaces, Naas side, but as of yesterday evening, the median barriers don't seem to be any further than the hump of the flyover. With line markings and barriers to be competed as well, I wouldn't be optimistic about any of the flyover opening this weekend, which is disappointing.

csd

paulbok wrote: »

They have realigned the right-hand inbound lane for Belgard slightly to facilitate the marrying of the new and existing road surfaces, Naas side, but as of yesterday evening, the median barriers don't seem to be any further than the hump of the flyover. With line markings and barriers to be competed as well, I wouldn't be optimistic about any of the flyover opening this weekend, which is disappointing.

As of 18.00 this evening, the centre barrier was complete on most of the western side. A gap of about 75 metres was still present near the top of the bridge, but the rest was done. They were preparing the tie in on the eastern side using the space made available by the lane slew noted by paulbok.

/csd

rameire

Green wind / sound metal barriers have now been installed on the eastern side of the flyover on the side closest to the houses and petrol station.

paulbok

csd wrote: »

As of 18.00 this evening, the centre barrier was complete on most of the western side. A gap of about 75 metres was still present near the top of the bridge, but the rest was done. They were preparing the tie in on the eastern side using the space made available by the lane slew noted by paulbok.

/csd

seen that yesterday evening, huge difference on the previous day, I didn't think the slipforming machines could lay that fast.
It does appear they are going to try and make this weekend. I wonder do they have permission to work over the weekend as it would be the best time to re-align either end and finish the tarmac?

Edit;
Passed it going outbound and it doesn't look too far off being ready.
The tarmacing seems to be complete on the M50 side except for 1 small patch and is almost complete on the Naas side.
The lighting (fitting of the lights to the posts) is substantially done and the last gaps in the side barriers are complete.
It's mainly line markings that is left and as you drive outwards from the M50 it now looks like/lines up like you should be driving over the flyover.


It's been noticeable of the construction process of the project (imo), that work progresses for a week or 2 without much appearing to happen and then over a day or 2 there appears to be huge progress.

eyeball kid

Is this still opening this weekend?

rameire

eyeball kid wrote: »

Is this still opening this weekend?

No.