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

CorkMan_

No mention of dates be it start dates or timeline in the following taken from Atkins website. Really should have started by now.

Atkins wins M7 Upgrade contract

Atkins is delighted to have been appointed by Kildare County Council to complete Phase 5 Services under the Transport Infrastructure Ireland / TII Project Management Guidelines for the M7 Naas Newbridge Bypass Upgrade and M7 Osberstown Interchange & R407 Sallins Bypass scheme.

Richard Neuling, Technical Director Atkins said ‘I am delighted that Atkins has been successful in securing this commission from Kildare County Council. The section of the M7 Motorway from its interchange with the M9 extending towards Dublin is one of the most important and busiest routes in Ireland. The motorway upgrade and associated new Osberstown Interchange and Sallins Bypass will relieve traffic congestion, improve safety and benefit the environment. We are looking forward to working in partnership with Kildare County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to deliver the next stage of this important project up to the appointment of a works contractor. We expect construction to commence in early to mid-2017 and to be completed by the end of 2019.’

The scheme involves widening approximately 13.5km of the M7 motorway from dual two to three lanes between Junction 9 at Maudlins and the M7/M9 interchange at Junction 11. The scheme includes removal of the existing ramps at Junction 10 Newhall and the construction of two new interchanges, one to replace the existing Junction 10 and the new Junction 9a at Osberstown between Junctions 9 and 10. The Sallins Bypass includes approximately 1.7km of new Type 2 Dual Carriageway and 2.0km of single carriageway, together with a 1.2km single carriageway link road from the Bypass to Sallins town centre. The scheme includes 6 new structures, including two bridges over the River Liffey, a bridge over the Grand Canal, the new Osberstown Interchange bridge over the M7 motorway and a minor road bridge carrying Osberstown Road over the Sallins Bypass. The Sallins Bypass bridge under the main Dublin Cork railway line will be constructed by Irish Rail under a separate contract.

Atkins will undertake services including preparation of a specimen design and tender documents for the design and build contract, tender stage geotechnical investigations, cost estimates, management of the design and build tender process and assessment of pre-qualification and tender submissions.

Mr. David O’Grady, Senior Engineer, Kildare Co Co. commented ‘This significant transport project is a key objective of Kildare County Council and is being realised through the close co-operation of Kildare County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. The upgrade of the M7 motorway will provide the capacity necessary for the motorway to operate efficiently and safely into the future and relieve current congestion. The new M7 Osberstown Interchange will provide improved access to the motorway and, in conjunction with the M7 upgrade, will relieve the peak period traffic congestion currently experienced at Junction 9 (Maudlins) and Junction 10 (Newhall). The Sallins Bypass is a key piece of local infrastructure, which will relieve congestion in Sallins town centre and provide additional connectivity to the M7 Motorway Corridor. Overall, the scheme will facilitate the future development of Naas as a large growth town and primary development centre.’

The_Pretender

Atkins were awarded that last year - they're basically responsible for overseeing the contracts and managing the whole tender process. The tender for the works is to be awarded in September with work beginning before the end of the year.

On a slightly positive note, I see they've shorted the projected completion time to 24 - 30 months from 30 - 36 months.

marno21

The_Pretender wrote: »

Atkins were awarded that last year - they're basically responsible for overseeing the contracts and managing the whole tender process. The tender for the works is to be awarded in September with work beginning before the end of the year.

On a slightly positive note, I see they've shorted the projected completion time to 24 - 30 months from 30 - 36 months.

That's simply down to the delay, the original plan was early 2017 start with funding shortages dragging it out to late 2019 finish. Now that it's starting late it means the funding will be available earlier in the project timeline removing delays.

gilly0512

I honestly give up at this stage, this is the second busiest road in the country, and they're fa**ing around for the last year or more, when they could easily have been half way through this upgrade. Honestly anyone who saw the tailback on the M7/N7 yesterday evening (M50 to J11) caused by the Cork & Waterford supporters would despair, it's easily the longest straightest road in the country, and here we are still putting up with massive tailbacks due to our complete inability to design and build roads properly.

road_high

gilly2308 wrote: »

I honestly give up at this stage, this is the second busiest road in the country, and they're fa**ing around for the last year or more, when they could easily have been half way through this upgrade. Honestly anyone who saw the tailback on the M7/N7 yesterday evening (M50 to J11) caused by the Cork & Waterford supporters would despair, it's easily the longest straightest road in the country, and here we are still putting up with massive tailbacks due to our complete inability to design and build roads properly.

I think there's a total disconnect between Infrastructure and the "ordinary Joe Soap" in this country. They don't get it (how important it is and the impact on their lives) and hence neither do our political class- guarantee you if you had a vote between building a new road and housing some people that will never work, the majority would choose the later.
The M7 is the biggest pain in the arse going and I'm not even convinced the widening will improve things that drastically despite it's obvious essentialness.
Drove it Saturday and the one thing that infuriates me is the awful lane discipline and it's constraining capacity big time.

marno21

The main issue with Cork/Waterford traffic yesterday was the lane discipline. I sat in Lane 1 from Newlands Cross to the Naas exit and was consistantly moving faster than the other 2 lanes bar when I got stuck behind a horsebox. I then used the Naas ring road to escape the massive jams at J9.

The M7 bottleneck doesn't even make sense. The motorway becomes 4 lanes at the M9 exit and is 3 lanes as far as Naas North.

4 lanes -> 2 lanes -> 3 lanes is a problem 99 times out of 100.

roadmaster

marno21 wrote: »

The main issue with Cork/Waterford traffic yesterday was the lane discipline. I sat in Lane 1 from Newlands Cross to the Naas exit and was consistantly moving faster than the other 2 lanes bar when I got stuck behind a horsebox. I then used the Naas ring road to escape the massive jams at J9.

The M7 bottleneck doesn't even make sense. The motorway becomes 4 lanes at the M9 exit and is 3 lanes as far as Naas North.

4 lanes -> 2 lanes -> 3 lanes is a problem 99 times out of 100.

Do you not know how to use a 3 lane motorway according to average irish road user. Lane 1 is the slow lane, Lane 2 is the fast lane and Lane 3 is well we dont know what lane 3 is for so we will just stay in lane 2 at 80 kph never minding the danger we may cause!

roadmaster

Deedsie wrote: »

Has there ever been an national educational campaign on this? Like people complain that people dont know how to use a 3 lane motorway. And they dont, not arguing that. But have they ever been taught how to use a 3 lane road? It plays no part in our driving test.

i think over the last few years the RSA ran ads on TV explaining how to drive on Motorways and how to use roundabouts

roadmaster

Getting of thread a little bit now but i found this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpYX-1rXVg8

Its being 20 years since i did my driving test is there anything in the new test about motorways?

road_high

roadmaster wrote: »

Getting of thread a little bit now but i found this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpYX-1rXVg8

Its being 20 years since i did my driving test is there anything in the new test about motorways?

Many parts of the country have no motorway nearby so I think it would be difficult to incorporate a motorway element.

marno21

road_high wrote: »

Many parts of the country have no motorway nearby so I think it would be difficult to incorporate a motorway element.

Motorway: Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Louth, Westmeath, Offaly, Roscommon, Galway, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Cork, Wexford, Laois, Kilkenny, Carlow
Dual carriageway: Kerry, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo (after 2020), Waterford, Monaghan (Type 3)

None: Longford, Cavan

Given how widespread dual carriageways are it would be no bad idea.

road_high

marno21 wrote: »

Motorway: Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Louth, Westmeath, Offaly, Roscommon, Galway, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Cork, Wexford, Laois, Kilkenny, Carlow
Dual carriageway: Kerry, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo (after 2020), Waterford, Monaghan (Type 3)

None: Longford, Cavan

Given how widespread dual carriageways are it would be no bad idea.

True, but even the relevant test centres in the respective counties may be many mile away from the nearest m-way or dual carriageway. I think it should be handled locally though and if there is a motorway nearby, incorporate into the test.

BuzzFish

Email sent to all KerryGroup Naas Employees this week:

We have been informed by Kildare County Council that work on the new Oberstown Interchange and Sallins by-pass will begin in September. The project is expected to take 18 months to complete.

What impact on will there be on Kerry Staff?There will minimal impact on Kerry staff. You may see contractors on our grounds over the coming weeks to complete preliminary works for the motorway upgrade but after this all work will take place within the secure compound next to our building. Throughout the planned upgrade there will always be 2 lanes open on the M7 during the hours of 6am & 10pm, 7 days a week.

Once complete the benefits to staff will be:

• There will be a new full interchange junction with access to the M7, Dublin/ Cork/ Limerick/ Waterford as you exit Kerry Global technology Centre
• There will be a through road by-passing Sallins, exiting on the Clane road R407
• There will be a link road directly into Sallins off this by-pass 
• There will be a third lane added to both sides of the M7 between Naas North Junction 8 and Junction 10

Anatom

Great news! The traffic jams in Sallins are a serious problem for anyone in the village, or indeed anyone trying to get from Naas over to Maynooth or the northwest. The sooner its finished, the better!

MICKEYG

BuzzFish wrote: »

Email sent to all KerryGroup Naas Employees this week:

We have been informed by Kildare County Council that work on the new Oberstown Interchange and Sallins by-pass will begin in September. The project is expected to take 18 months to complete.

What impact on will there be on Kerry Staff?There will minimal impact on Kerry staff. You may see contractors on our grounds over the coming weeks to complete preliminary works for the motorway upgrade but after this all work will take place within the secure compound next to our building. Throughout the planned upgrade there will always be 2 lanes open on the M7 during the hours of 6am & 10pm, 7 days a week.

Once complete the benefits to staff will be:

• There will be a new full interchange junction with access to the M7, Dublin/ Cork/ Limerick/ Waterford as you exit Kerry Global technology Centre
• There will be a through road by-passing Sallins, exiting on the Clane road R407
• There will be a link road directly into Sallins off this by-pass 
• There will be a third lane added to both sides of the M7 between Naas North Junction 8 and Junction 10

I was hoping this would say 9 and 11

marno21

MICKEYG wrote: »

I was hoping this would say 9 and 11

It should be 9 and 11, typo

Chris_5339762

Also 18 months to complete a totally offline new build is pushing it, 18 months to complete an online widening of one of the countries busiest roads is ridiculous. Add 3 - 6 months to that.

road_high

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Also 18 months to complete a totally offline new build is pushing it, 18 months to complete an online widening of one of the countries busiest roads is ridiculous. Add 3 - 6 months to that.

And they've already wasted 6 of those months fannying about. Stroke of genius to start the roadworks in September just as schools etc head back (not saying there's ever a good time, but surely during the summer with longer days and better weather would help).

marno21

Tender should be awarded here if September start remains correct within the next week or two.

road_high

They have the shells of temp speed limit signs up. I assume for the roadworks.

GhostyMcGhost

Practical question: when finished will this new section of motorway be reduced to 100km/h to junction 11? like the M50

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Mantis Toboggan

It really needs to be 4 lanes until the M9 instead of 3, car use will only increase into the future.

Middle Man

GhostyMcGhost wrote: »

Practical question: when finished will this new section of motorway be reduced to 100km/h to junction 11? like the M50

The M1 (Airport to Lissenhall) reverted to 120kph after it was widened to 6 lanes.

marno21

The widened M7 will be 120km/h same as the M1 widened section.

Tyson Fury wrote: »

It really needs to be 4 lanes until the M9 instead of 3, car use will only increase into the future.

Waste of time. The N7 approaching the Red Cow and the M50 are both car parks at peak times. Usage of the under utilised rail line beside the N7 will have to increase; because there's simply nowhere for this traffic to go

Mantis Toboggan

marno21 wrote: »

The widened M7 will be 120km/h same as the M1 widened section.



Waste of time. The N7 approaching the Red Cow and the M50 are both car parks at peak times. Usage of the under utilised rail line beside the N7 will have to increase; because there's simply nowhere for this traffic to go

Plenty of places for the traffic to go, 2 lanes north on m50 2 lanes south on M50 and 2 lanes into the city.
Having 3 lanes for 3 motorways (M7 M8 M9) will always continue to cause congestion.

marno21

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Plenty of places for the traffic to go, 2 lanes north on m50 2 lanes south on M50 and 2 lanes into the city.
Having 3 lanes for 3 motorways (M7 M8 M9) will always continue to cause congestion.

The M50 itself is overcapacity and has no room for expansion. There is simply no scope for traffic growth along the N7 corridor

pad199207

Tyson Fury wrote: »

It really needs to be 4 lanes until the M9 instead of 3, car use will only increase into the future.

I completely agree. An extra lane in each direction will help, but won't fix the problem. They could at least have a fourth auxiliary lane between Junction 9 and Junction 11.

Anyways once these works start this month we are in for one hell of a horrible time for the next 18 or so months.

roadmaster

i would say the announcement is not that far away as the contractor is putting there site team together as we speak

Chris_5339762

I'm really intrigued to see how this will go. Will it get much worse? Or will an (enforced, hopefully) 60kmh limit for the whole thing actually smooth out flow like a variable speed limit will? Will it stop or reduce shockwave jams?