M7 - Naas/Newbridge Bypass Upgrade [Junction 9a now open]

_Kaiser_

Still looks like a LOT of work to be done yet? I would say December if we're lucky

riddlinrussell

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Still looks like a LOT of work to be done yet? I would say December if we're lucky

Seems like the bulk of the work is between Osberstown road and the bridge over the canal, and then getting the top surface on, I would presume that section was left to last as they knew it was an easier section to do, without having to worry about environmental boundaries/major structural work (once the rail bridge and osberstown road deck were in) so can be built up very quickly. I'm not holding my breath for the stated opening date of end of October, but I also dont think it will be too far off that, finishing works definitely will be longer though

IrishZeus

Update on Rte this morning:

https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2020/0928/1168019-sallins-bypass-kildare/

MYSTICA1

This doesn’t look like a road that will open this month!

pad199207

MYSTICA1 wrote: »

This doesn’t look like a road that will open this month!

Absolutely unbelievable

D13exile

As usual with “can't see further than the end of their bloody noses” Kildare Co Co, all this bypass will do is shunt the bottleneck to Clane. Yeah Sallins will benefit greatly from reduced traffic but Clane, where I live, will have tailbacks stretching back to the bypass as traffic and HGV’s try to negotiate a very narrow Main Street that is already a nightmare to negotiate for those of us living here. I’m sure the Council will adjust the lights to provide longer through times for those going up the Main Street towards Kilcock and Maynooth but the rest of us who live on roads feeding onto the Main Street will be stuck. Would it have been too much to ask to build a bypass around Clane at the same time and thus allow traffic unimpeded access from the M7 to the M4? What? That never occurred to the geniuses who built the Sallins by pass? This is akin to completing the M50 but slapping toll booths in the middle to stop traffic flowing freely and thus forcing cars off the expensive new road onto back roads.

This country just can’t plan ahead!

WishUWereHere

D13exile wrote: »

As usual with “can't see further than the end of their bloody noses” Kildare Co Co, all this bypass will do is shunt the bottleneck to Clane. Yeah Sallins will benefit greatly from reduced traffic but Clane, where I live, will have tailbacks stretching back to the bypass as traffic and HGV’s try to negotiate a very narrow Main Street that is already a nightmare to negotiate for those of us living here. I’m sure the Council will adjust the lights to provide longer through times for those going up the Main Street towards Kilcock and Maynooth but the rest of us who live on roads feeding onto the Main Street will be stuck. Would it have been too much to ask to build a bypass around Clane at the same time and thus allow traffic unimpeded access from the M7 to the M4? What? That never occurred to the geniuses who built the Sallins by pass? This is akin to completing the M50 but slapping toll booths in the middle to stop traffic flowing freely and thus forcing cars off the expensive new road onto back roads.

This country just can’t plan ahead!

I don’t know much about traffic volumes heading to the M4. But trying getting onto the Main Street at the Circle Kjunction can be a nightmare. Surely something has to be done there?

D13exile

WishUWereHere wrote: »

I don’t know much about traffic volumes heading to the M4. But trying getting onto the Main Street at the Circle Kjunction can be a nightmare. Surely something has to be done there?

I live on the Prosperous Road where all the schools are and it’s backed up to the Millicent crossroads most mornings with school traffic. That tailback will be in Prosperous if they further delay the lights to allow more through time for the traffic coming from Sallins.

The Cirlce K Junction is an accident waiting to happen as frustrated motorists from 4 roads try to squeeze on to it. Bloody stupid not to by pass Clane at the same time as Sallins

MYSTICA1

There is talk about making the Main Street one-way. That would be very frustrating for some. They may have to do it though if huge traffic volumes materialise approaching the bridge. No forward planning, but there never seems to be with any infrastructure in this country.

riddlinrussell

MYSTICA1 wrote: »

There is talk about making the Main Street one-way. That would be very frustrating for some. They may have to do it though if huge traffic volumes materialise approaching the bridge. No forward planning, but there never seems to be with any infrastructure in this country.

I imagine that would somewhat make sense, traffic both ways on the relief road on the Straffan/Maynooth side, then vehicles from M4 direction have to go around the relief road rather than turning down main street would probably make the most sense for now? Movements M4 towards Prosperous would become a total nightmare then though... although I suppose the R408 can be used to get over that direction...

Looking at the picture you put up MYSTICA1, that looks like the currently least finished section between the Canal and the Osberstown bridge, and it looks like the base surface for the under-layer to go down on is ready to go from your picture, I'm not going to try and claim that it will be all done and dusted by end of month, but laying the actual road-bed can be a quick enough job and I'd say could be fairly easy done over the next 2 weeks, the rest of the route is ready to take the top layer, which is a very quick job on a closed road, on the order of a few days for something of the size of the bypass.

Cazale

Is there any plans to properly link the m7 and m4 in the future?

BelfastVanMan

Cazale wrote: »

Is there any plans to properly link the m7 and m4 in the future?

The only one was the M45, linking the M1 at Drogheda with the N2, M3, M4 and joining the M7 roughly where the M9 starts, but this seems to have fallen completely off the back burner and down the back of the cooker.

WishUWereHere

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

The only one was the M45, linking the M1 at Drogheda with the N2, M3, M4 and joining the M7 roughly where the M9 starts, but this seems to have fallen completely off the back burner and down the back of the cooker.

If I remember correctly, that was Bertie’x idea. And at the time it was laughed at as it was felt totally unnecessary. Prior to events since March, I think it could well have been needed.

But like OP says, I don’t know if it has been mothballed completely.

MYSTICA1

riddlinrussell wrote: »

I imagine that would somewhat make sense, traffic both ways on the relief road on the Straffan/Maynooth side, then vehicles from M4 direction have to go around the relief road rather than turning down main street would probably make the most sense for now? Movements M4 towards Prosperous would become a total nightmare then though... although I suppose the R408 can be used to get over that direction...

Looking at the picture you put up MYSTICA1, that looks like the currently least finished section between the Canal and the Osberstown bridge, and it looks like the base surface for the under-layer to go down on is ready to go from your picture, I'm not going to try and claim that it will be all done and dusted by end of month, but laying the actual road-bed can be a quick enough job and I'd say could be fairly easy done over the next 2 weeks, the rest of the route is ready to take the top layer, which is a very quick job on a closed road, on the order of a few days for something of the size of the bypass.

Yes, in fairness, the picture shows by far the most unfinished part of the bypass. There is a lot of machinery on site, if that is any indication of intentions, so hopefully they can push on and get it completed in the next few weeks if that's possible.

riddlinrussell

MYSTICA1 wrote: »

Yes, in fairness, the picture shows by far the most unfinished part of the bypass. There is a lot of machinery on site, if that is any indication of intentions, so hopefully they can push on and get it completed in the next few weeks if that's possible.

I can hear the work from my house and its pretty constant from about 7am till 7pm, they are definitely firing on all cylinders with it.

trellheim

After driving this road several times it is very good by and large. The major issue I have with it is the very bad sightlines and behaviour at Junction 10 Naas South on-ramp heading southbound

It was on a curve hidden by a slope beforehand, and its still on a curve hidden by a slope beforehand. If you are doing motorway speed in the inside lane as normal you are quickly presented with traffic that is slowly merging and usually you have nowhere to go.

Sam Russell

trellheim wrote: »

After driving this road several times it is very good by and large. The major issue I have with it is the very bad sightlines and behaviour at Junction 10 Naas South on-ramp heading southbound

It was on a curve hidden by a slope beforehand, and its still on a curve hidden by a slope beforehand. If you are doing motorway speed in the inside lane as normal you are quickly presented with traffic that is slowly merging and usually you have nowhere to go.

You could always go slower.

But I get your point - it is an accident waiting for the unwary.

Truckermal

trellheim wrote: »

After driving this road several times it is very good by and large. The major issue I have with it is the very bad sightlines and behaviour at Junction 10 Naas South on-ramp heading southbound

It was on a curve hidden by a slope beforehand, and its still on a curve hidden by a slope beforehand. If you are doing motorway speed in the inside lane as normal you are quickly presented with traffic that is slowly merging and usually you have nowhere to go.

The major issue I have is the amount of morons especially Truck drivers driving in the middle lane and not keeping left even some taking the M9 exit. I know that's off topic but I cannot believe how prevalent it is!

Tomrota

Truckermal wrote: »

The major issue I have is the amount of morons especially Truck drivers driving in the middle lane and not keeping left even some taking the M9 exit. I know that's off topic but I cannot believe how prevalent it is!

Seems even worse than the N7 on the M7 stretch. It’s mad the amount of people, even at 1 or 2am, that enter the N7 empty and go straight to the middle lane. I think there’s a serious misunderstanding about how to drive on two or three lane roads in this country which is actually quite dangerous cause sometimes you have to go from the driving lane into lane 2 and then lane 3 and back just to overtake one vehicle because of the idiots in the middle lane. Sorry if this is off topic, just had to be said.

harr

Tomrota wrote: »

Seems even worse than the N7 on the M7 stretch. It’s mad the amount of people, even at 1 or 2am, that enter the N7 empty and go straight to the middle lane. I think there’s a serious misunderstanding about how to drive on two or three lane roads in this country which is actually quite dangerous cause sometimes you have to go from the driving lane into lane 2 and then lane 3 and back just to overtake one vehicle because of the idiots in the middle lane. Sorry if this is off topic, just had to be said.

Pointless even putting down a third lane because it’s not used . I have seen traffic Jams in middle and outside lane while left lane completely empty.
I have been with people who use the middle lane only and they seem to have the mind set that left lane is only to used for existing the motorway only and the driving lanes are middle and outside lane only for overtaking.

sameoldname

trellheim wrote: »

After driving this road several times it is very good by and large. The major issue I have with it is the very bad sightlines and behaviour at Junction 10 Naas South on-ramp heading southbound

It was on a curve hidden by a slope beforehand, and its still on a curve hidden by a slope beforehand. If you are doing motorway speed in the inside lane as normal you are quickly presented with traffic that is slowly merging and usually you have nowhere to go.

That ramp has to be one of the worst for people refusing to drive above 80kph when merging. I don't understand some people's aversion to accelerating quickly. I mean, if you're going to end up at ~120kph anyway could you not just be at that speed at the merge rather than 3km further down the road?

Sam Russell

There has been tremendous work to improve the level of driver training with stricter rules for getting a Learner Permit, and the rigour of requiring driving lessons before the test and the test itself. Good work, and showing results with reduced death toll on the roads.

Driver behaviour needs altering - not just the centre lane hogging motorway drivers.

However, no attempt is made to improve the driving of qualified drivers - not even those who never took a test. Nor is there any attempt to verify the eyesight of drivers until they reach 70 years of age.

Much done - more to do.

_Kaiser_

sameoldname wrote: »

That ramp has to be one of the worst for people refusing to drive above 80kph when merging. I don't understand some people's aversion to accelerating quickly. I mean, if you're going to end up at ~120kph anyway could you not just be at that speed at the merge rather than 3km further down the road?

A lot of them never get to 120. I regularly see cars being overtaken by all manner of vehicles on the M7.

As I've said before, if you're being overtaken by buses and trucks on a regular basis, you're doing it wrong!

BelfastVanMan

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

A lot of them never get to 120. I regularly see cars being overtaken by all manner of vehicles on the M7.

As I've said before, if you're being overtaken by buses and trucks on a regular basis, you're doing it wrong!

Nothing wrong with driving at 80kph on the Motorway... as long as it's in the correct lane. The left one.

_Kaiser_

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Nothing wrong with driving at 80kph on the Motorway... as long as it's in the correct lane. The left one.

Disagree.. at that speed (up to 40 km/h less than the general speed of other traffic) you're effectively a rolling roadblock to everyone around you and it means other vehicles have to get around you which impacts on the traffic in the other lane as well.

If you can't drive at motorway speeds when there's no reason not to (and you're not driving a speed-limited truck or bus etc), then stick to the secondary routes.

wildwillow

I use the left lane unless overtaking and it annoys me when I have to go to the third lane to overtake some idiots in the middle lane, dawdling along at under 80. I see so many people undertake them.

It also means that it's impossible to move to the centre lane to allow traffic merge easily, for example, at the Circle K in Kill, because they are holding a queue behind them and not making enough progress to get past the traffic in the inner lane.

I wish pentalty points were introduced for misuse of lanes.

One advantage is that one can travel at the speed limit but have plenty of room in front and behind so no frontend collisions.

BelfastVanMan

wildwillow wrote: »

I use the left lane unless overtaking and it annoys me when I have to go to the third lane to overtake some idiots in the middle lane, dawdling along at under 80. I see so many people undertake them.

It also means that it's impossible to move to the centre lane to allow traffic merge easily, for example, at the Circle K in Kill, because they are holding a queue behind them and not making enough progress to get past the traffic in the inner lane.

I wish pentalty points were introduced for misuse of lanes.

One advantage is that one can travel at the speed limit but have plenty of room in front and behind so no frontend collisions.

I agree with all your points there, apart from the last one, which i know is purely selfish of me;
My old camper van won't even do 90 kph on some stretches of the M7...

Damien360

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Nothing wrong with driving at 80kph on the Motorway... as long as it's in the correct lane. The left one.

If a truck has to move lane to overtake you, you are going too slowly. At the very least maintain the same speed as the trucks and buses.

wildwillow

Not a problem with your camper van, use the left lane and I will happily overtake you when it's safe. The left lane should cause one to expect slower moving traffic and be prepared to match the speed or overtake.

I don't expect everyone to be driving to the limit, but it seems the slower drivers prefer the middle lane!

BelfastVanMan

Damien360 wrote: »

If a truck has to move lane to overtake you, you are going too slowly. At the very least maintain the same speed as the trucks and buses.

How exactly do I do that, then, if I'm already flatout up a hill?