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

marno21

Sam Russell wrote: »

There should be a link road going from the N81, across to the N7 at Rathcoole and onto the N4/M4 at Lucan, and continues to south of Dunboyne (N3) and connected on to the N2. It would need to be a grade separated dual carriageway, with 100 km speed limit.

This would allow a large number of vehicles to avoid the M50.

It's a pity there wasn't a foot put down and this built where the R136 currently is.

Of course building a new N4-N3 route west of the Westlink would be a start as well. TII have even admitted there is no viable alternative route to the Westlink. Building one would help the M50 as a current driver going N7-N3 may be inclined to take an alternative route if available. Traffic currently going N7-N3 must use the Westlink anyway so may as well get onto the M50 at the Red Cow.

spacetweek

gilly2308 wrote: »

We need better link roads that don't all gravitate towards the M50, better public transport, but most of all we need to see more jobs going to towns like Naas, Newbridge, Kildare, Portlaoise, Carlow etc some of which are barely surviving, and only do so as they're commuter towns. The amount of traffic on the M7 at 6am is frightening, and only goes to show how far some people are travelling. This is a serious quality of life issue, but our government are perfectly content to see most new jobs go to Dublin, while the rest of the country either dies or barely gets by.

What we need is for people to live in Dublin, not outside it. There is nothing inevitable about having a long commuter belt stretching all that way.
Most of the people living in those towns are transplanted Dubs - the last thing you want is big business parks opening up in them which would generate further traffic as people needed to commute to them from other places.
And what's this about the Government putting jobs in Dublin? Governments don't "put" jobs anywhere. They go where the private market wants them to go and there is little that can be done about that.

spacetweek

Just read the KildareNow article.
It is really shocking the amount of uncertainty and fiddling about that happens here with infrastructure projects. The article states that the project "remains subject to provision of funding". The idea that with only a few months to go it could still be in this funding limbo is really unbelievable, if it's true. I'm hoping it's just bad journalism!

rameire

KildareNow and bad journalism would seem to pop up quite a lot.

gilly0512

spacetweek wrote: »

What we need is for people to live in Dublin, not outside it. There is nothing inevitable about having a long commuter belt stretching all that way.
Most of the people living in those towns are transplanted Dubs - the last thing you want is big business parks opening up in them which would generate further traffic as people needed to commute to them from other places.
And what's this about the Government putting jobs in Dublin? Governments don't "put" jobs anywhere. They go where the private market wants them to go and there is little that can be done about that.

There was a report in last week's Indo which stated that 49% of all economic activity in Ireland was centered around Dublin. This is crazy, even London which is one of the world's great cities only accounts for 32% of all UK economic activity, so more needs to be done to attract companies to other towns and cities around Ireland. You also mention that opening business parks in towns and cities around Ireland would only attract more traffic, no offence but so what? I can only imagine that someone from Portlaoise or Carlow would much rather they were stuck in a traffic jam going to their place of work in any of these towns, rather than sitting in gridlock on the M7 at 6am making a tortuous journey to Dublin every day, and then the same again in the evening as they make their way home. I am also one of these transplanted Dubs that you speak about, but Kildare is now my home, and I would much rather work in or around county Kildare, than spend 3 to 4 hours every day driving to Dublin.

One_Of_Shanks

gilly2308 wrote: »

There was a report in last week's Indo which stated that 49% of all economic activity in Ireland was centered around Dublin. This is crazy, even London which is one of the world's great cities only accounts for 32% of all UK economic activity, so more needs to be done to attract companies to other towns and cities around Ireland. You also mention that opening business parks in towns and cities around Ireland would only attract more traffic, no offence but so what? I can only imagine that someone from Portlaoise or Carlow would much rather they were stuck in a traffic jam going to their place of work in any of these towns, rather than sitting in gridlock on the M7 at 6am making a tortuous journey to Dublin every day, and then the same again in the evening as they make their way home. I am also one of these transplanted Dubs that you speak about, but Kildare is now my home, and I would much rather work in or around county Kildare, than spend 3 to 4 hours every day driving to Dublin.

Good post gilly. Bang on the money. Same boat myself.
On the road at 6am and straight into the same old heap of frustration every day.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had someone in government who actually bothered their ass trying out such a journey just once so they could see what's going on and what a large portion of the electorate have to do every single day?
And then maybe consider doing something about it.

But no. Better chance of streaky bacon flying.

The government's attention/policies all revolve around Dublin so it's inevitable that all the major arteries leading to the heart of the nation become clogged and that is what has happened already really.

More and more will continue to move out this way so it's gonna get worse.
Which is a horrible thought.
The M7 and M50 are already broken, so how much worse does it have to get before the penny drops?

marno21

DTTAS have allocated €7.5m to Kildare CoCo for the Sallins BP in 2017. TII got almost 14m for the M7 elements.

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2017-02-08a.32

He also confirms that the three schemes will start in 2017 and finish up in 2019/2020

Delacent

Preparation work has commenced on the junction 10 change. Junction is being moved 500m south and will use current r445 bridge so probably will be the first element completed

NedNew2

Another article from Kildare Now:

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/e21m-allocated-funds-works-m7-sallins-bypass-osberstown-interchange/144803

marno21

Shane Ross was asked this week about this scheme, confirmed as still starting this year and wrapping up 2019/2020.

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2017-03-22a.63

spacetweek

marno21 wrote: »

Shane Ross was asked this week about this scheme, confirmed as still starting this year and wrapping up 2019/2020.

How do you like that? For the whole of 2016 the scheme was to start in April. Now it's to start "later this year". That's a very nonchalant deadline slippage.

Middle Man

spacetweek wrote: »

How do you like that? For the whole of 2016 the scheme was to start in April. Now it's to start "later this year". That's a very nonchalant deadline slippage.

...and the condition of that road including the Naas Dual Carriageway isn't too good - the surface is falling apart in places - rather pathetic compared to roads like the M1 or M3 motorways. Also, some of the ramps on the older parts of the M7 need some serious revision - far too short!

marno21

Another tender for technical services this wekk

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase.asp?PID=110745

road_high

marno21 wrote: »

Another tender for technical services this wekk

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase.asp?PID=110745

Realistically how long will it take for works to begin on site?- I mean if they're only advertising tenders now for technical services, by the time they're received, assessed and appointed how long are you talking? 6 months plus?

beertons

What work were they doing on the road tonight?

marno21

road_high wrote: »

Realistically how long will it take for works to begin on site?- I mean if they're only advertising tenders now for technical services, by the time they're received, assessed and appointed how long are you talking? 6 months plus?

Shane Ross has stated that construction will start in 2017, and there appears to have been enough money allocated for construction to start as there is no land acquistion etc. with this scheme.

I'd hope a tender is awarded during the summer and work begins in Autumn. I'd like work to start during the summer though as the road would be quieter. When September brings the usual traffic growth the M7 will be borderline unusable between J9-J11 (regular users of J6-J11 will likely say it's unusable already).

I don't hold out much hope for the widening of the M7 to bring any major benefits inbound, and I expect it to be relatively beneficial outbound. Inbound it's only going to deliver the stampede of traffic to the M50, Citywest, Newlands Cross etc quicker so will just move the traffic jam inwards. Outbound though I expect relief as the current situation of:

3 lanes -(J9)-> 2 lanes -(J11)-> 4 lanes

is easily relieved and the M7 and M9 have enough capacity to cope. I expect the new J9A & J10 to be major improvements along with the Sallins BP, mainly localised benefits.

Long term though thinking outside the roads box is needed. Improved rail access along the N7/M7 corridor and moving people closer to Dublin/work is the only thing that'll fix this issue long term. Beyond the current M7 bottleneck the M50 and surface routes into Dublin are already jammed without adding more traffic.

GhostyMcGhost

marno21 wrote: »

Shane Long has stated that construction will start in 2017...

I'd take his word for it any day

3 lanes all the way to tipp

biffoman

GhostyMcGhost wrote: »

I'd take his word for it any day

3 lanes all the way to tipp

he should stick to scoring goals:

marno21

GhostyMcGhost wrote: »

I'd take his word for it any day

3 lanes all the way to tipp

Apologies.

After a long day anything can make sense

jmkennedyie

Prep works have started where new Sallins Bypass will meet the Clane Road near Bodenstown. Possibly archeological surveying.

gilly0512

marno21 wrote: »

road_high wrote: »

Realistically how long will it take for works to begin on site?- I mean if they're only advertising tenders now for technical services, by the time they're received, assessed and appointed how long are you talking? 6 months plus?

Shane Ross has stated that construction will start in 2017, and there appears to have been enough money allocated for construction to start as there is no land acquistion etc. with this scheme.

I'd hope a tender is awarded during the summer and work begins in Autumn. I'd like work to start during the summer though as the road would be quieter. When September brings the usual traffic growth the M7 will be borderline unusable between J9-J11 (regular users of J6-J11 will likely say it's unusable already).

I don't hold out much hope for the widening of the M7 to bring any major benefits inbound, and I expect it to be relatively beneficial outbound. Inbound it's only going to deliver the stampede of traffic to the M50, Citywest, Newlands Cross etc quicker so will just move the traffic jam inwards. Outbound though I expect relief as the current situation of:

3 lanes -(J9)-> 2 lanes -(J11)-> 4 lanes

is easily relieved and the M7 and M9 have enough capacity to cope. I expect the new J9A & J10 to be major improvements along with the Sallins BP, mainly localised benefits.

Long term though thinking outside the roads box is needed. Improved rail access along the N7/M7 corridor and moving people closer to Dublin/work is the only thing that'll fix this issue long term. Beyond the current M7 bottleneck the M50 and surface routes into Dublin are already jammed without adding more traffic.

The only solution is something that's been mentioned on here before, a dual carriageway at Junction 9 or 10, going from the M7 over to the M4. This would take away so much traffic that is forced by bad planning to drive all of the way on the carpark that is the M7/N7 onto an even bigger carpark on the M50, yet the goverment don't care as long as the tax take is up, and the country appears to be booming again.

One_Of_Shanks

Gonna be so much fun when this kicks in properly.
I left work in rathfarnham at 3pm today and was straight into traffic all the way, barely moving for long periods on N7 (heading towards M9, athy).
I was past Athy by 5.50am this morning so cant have hit M7 later than 6.05/6.10 whatever and stopped again for long stretches.

About 18 months ago I would breeze through both those journeys at those times.

So what happens when these roadworks kick in properly?
How early do you have to get up then to avoid being stuck in traffic? 4.30am? Where does it end?

Anyone who knows anyone considering buying out this way and commuting, you should tell them to swerve it.
It's already nuts, God knows what its gonna be like soon.

OldMrBrennan83

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marno21

Patww79 wrote: »

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Provide a proper rail service from the N7 corridor to Dublin city centre and with connections to the suburbs. Then toll the M7 at peak times. Problem solved.

The N7 and M50 are at capacity from Naas in and around Dublin. They can't be widened. It's time for other options.

One_Of_Shanks

Patww79 wrote: »

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Buses? Not many of those these days

testicles

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OldMrBrennan83

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marno21

testicles wrote: »

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Look at the post again "with connections to the suburbs".

Planned DART Underground + Metro would allow Kildare -> Airport, Swords, Santry, Sandyford, Dundrum, Cherrywood, Leopardstown amongst others. Would take a heap of traffic off the N7/M7. Expontential traffic growth cannot continue on the M7/M50. These widening plans are only temporary solutions

marno21

Patww79 wrote: »

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Not everyone currently commuting via the N7 wants to commute via car. A lot have to because the alternatives are no better. Put alternatives in place and the traffic left on the N7 is those who actually want to drive. I'd imagine a lot of people would take a 45 minute Kildare - Sandyford commute via DART/Metro rather than 2 hours in the car on the M7/N7/M50.

spacetweek

It's all about the disruption due to having only 4 lanes but 6 further on. According to the 2016 traffic counts, the number of vehicles at Newbridge isn't even that high - only 40,000. It's just the Naas bypass that is maxed out.

Though the overdevelopment of the corridor for housing is messing everything up.