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

Graniteville

I'll give some information about speed restrictions and why it is 60kmh.

There are over 50 entrance / exit gaps on the mainline.

Some days there can be over 500 vehicle movements in and out of the works, many of which are trucks.

You also have lanes that are 3m wide instead of the standard 3.65m

Then you have no hard shoulder.

The barriers certainly can withstand a collision of over 100kmh as proven last week but you have 50 gaps,, hundreds of vehicle movements in and out of works, narrow lanes, no hard shoulder and a propensity of a small number of Irish drivers to zig zag on lanes to get to a destination a few seconds quicker.

So when you look at the overall picture, a 60kmh is actually quite appropriate.

On the gosafe cans. Two are specifically for this project and they will operate during peak hours and both will be on the same line direction and in any two of 4 areas on each carriageway.

All gosafe observers have safe pass and they purely observe that the equipment is operating. The Gardai in Tipperary make the decision on whether to send a ticket.

As for the comment that there's a query on the validation of tickets issued so far, answer is there's no problem whatsoever with them.


Hopefully these vans will eliminate the ridiculous accidents that have been causing huge tailbacks

Kevtherev1

Lots of speed enforcement today on the M7 roadworks.



https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2018/1126/1013493-speeding-m7/

Muahahaha

Over 100 motorists caught on day one of the GoSafe vans

GARDAÍ HAVE DETECTED over 100 motorists breaking the speed limit on the M7 since deploying two speed vans between junction 8 Johnstown and junction 11 outside Newbridge this morning.

The vans were deployed to deter motorists from breaking the 60kph speed limit after a number of recent incidents have seen very high speeds, poor lane discipline and vehicles breaking through crash barriers since construction commenced on the motorway last week.

Serious numbers there, if this continues they will clock 700 motorists in a week.

serfboard

Muahahaha wrote: »

Over 100 motorists caught on day one of the GoSafe vans

Is this the famous "enforcement" we hear so much about?

prunudo

Shows the level of observation from drivers on our roads these days. Plenty of signage and warning that there was going to be a big clampdown. Unless the majority of those caught don't have Irish licenses so don't care about points.

Mantis Toboggan

serfboard wrote: »

Is this the famous "enforcement" we hear so much about?

Nice easy money for the gards Christmas party!

Graniteville

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Nice easy money for the gards Christmas party!

Or a way to wake people up to their driving stupidity.

Funny how almost every Monday for the past few months has had serious tailbacks due to bad driving or minor accidents.

Today it was free flowing at rush hour.

Coincidence or not?

jmkennedyie

Ground works now underway for south side of bridge over canal.

garbeth

Was on the road at. 8:30 this morning. No go safe vans in sight. Anyone see them

Graniteville

garbeth wrote: »

Was on the road at. 8:30 this morning. No go safe vans in sight. Anyone see them

Yes, both were southbound. One near the M9 junction and the other near Tesco

Be well and win

northbound flowed nicely this morning until I was passed the roadworks and then there were 2 fender benders.

marno21

This exercise is also a lesson to the public on the effectiveness of variable speed limits in advance of their deployment on the M50 next year

SoupyNorman

marno21 wrote: »

This exercise is also a lesson to the public on the effectiveness of variable speed limits in advance of their deployment on the M50 next year

What many seen to deduce from it is, obey the slower limit but once passed hammer it to make up for lost time (on the N7 anyway).

_Kaiser_

marno21 wrote: »

This exercise is also a lesson to the public on the effectiveness of variable speed limits in advance of their deployment on the M50 next year

Except it's not variable.. It's a blanket 60 regardless of traffic volumes or time of day.

At peak times sure it could help but anytime outside of those 4-ish hours it's an exercise in frustration

riddlinrussell

jmkennedyie wrote: »

Ground works now underway for south side of bridge over canal.

I'll try and get a picture of this on Saturday if I can, dark too early after work to get one during the week.

FredFunk

They should teach Traffic Flow Dynamics in school.

KOR101

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/motorists-speeding-through-roadworks-on-m7-warned-to-slow-down-1.3712291

BelfastVanMan

KOR101 wrote: »

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/motorists-speeding-through-roadworks-on-m7-warned-to-slow-down-1.3712291

Whoever wrote that article should do a bit of basic research, first; "triple carriageway"??

Haha

Sam Russell

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Whoever wrote that article should do a bit of basic research, first; "triple carriageway"??

Haha

I think they mean 'dual lane' carriage way to 'triple lane' carriageway. This is proof that they do not employ proof readers - if proof were needed.

AugustusMinimus

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Whoever wrote that article should do a bit of basic research, first; "triple carriageway"??

Haha

I believe some countries do have triple carriageways with 1 of the 3 being reversible lanes

JupiterKid

Sam Russell wrote: »

I think they mean 'dual lane' carriage way to 'triple lane' carriageway. This is proof that they do not employ proof readers - if proof were needed.

The amount of journos who dont have a clue about road classification or typology is a thing to behold. Calling dual carriageways "motorways", mixing up ring roads and bypasses and when it comes to the M50 well then all bets are off...

beertons

Joined earlier off the Rathangan road to Naas earlier. Tis a hard stretch to do 60. Nobody overtook me though, so didn't feel like I was holding anyone up. What's up with the big hole dug out beside bill Cullen's gaff? It seems to be getting bigger as the days go by.

ZX7R

beertons wrote: »

Joined earlier off the Rathangan road to Naas earlier. Tis a hard stretch to do 60. Nobody overtook me though, so didn't feel like I was holding anyone up. What's up with the big hole dug out beside bill Cullen's gaff? It seems to be getting bigger as the days go by.

Looks like it could be a resavour for run off rain water looks similar to one's I saw in Europe.
But I could be a 100% wrong

SoupyNorman

beertons wrote: »

Joined earlier off the Rathangan road to Naas earlier. Tis a hard stretch to do 60. Nobody overtook me though, so didn't feel like I was holding anyone up. What's up with the big hole dug out beside bill Cullen's gaff? It seems to be getting bigger as the days go by.

I don’t think it is at all. The difficult part is adjusting from 120kph to 60kph but once you’re down to speed it’s fine. Most folks seem to be obeying the limit now which makes it 10times easier.

_Kaiser_

SoupyNorman wrote: »

I don’t think it is at all. The difficult part is adjusting from 120kph to 60kph but once you’re down to speed it’s fine. Most folks seem to be obeying the limit now which makes it 10times easier.

Not true. As the asshat in the Merc I encountered last night who didn't want to be delayed and was beeping and tailgating would demonstrate. I had a long subsequent call with Naas gardai about this entire exercise on the rest of the journey

Anyway, as we're not supposed to be discussing the effects these road works are having on the traffic or behavior I'll leave it at that

soundman45

Gatso or Go Safe van on northbound side just at end of roadworks at J8 this evening when i passed after 4pm. Traffic in main 2 lanes were all cruising at 60 in fairness then one we passed the ball where naas traffic merges some cool dude in 09 civic hopped into left lane and cruised up past the flow of traffic and had to be doing at least 100 undertaking everyone. Clown slammed on brakes trying to slow down when he copped the van as he passed it. Normally dont like seeing anyone get done but what was he going to save timewise cutting in and passing everyone in the final 200 yards or so of the works. Muppet of the week for sure.

sdanseo

Bit silly to be hearing stories of the two vans southbound in peak. Sounds like shooting fish rather than trying to positively effect the commuting direction.

But then it's Ireland. We don't understand how or have the will to do transport properly in any form. It's that simple.
And utterly depressing.

marno21 wrote: »

This exercise is also a lesson to the public on the effectiveness of variable speed limits in advance of their deployment on the M50 next year

UK M25 proved this to me 2 years ago when I drove it for the first time. It's amazing effective when coupled with proper enforcement (speed cameras every half mile).

Gatso vans are not this or anywhere and even then are having an effect.

spacetweek

sdanseo wrote: »

Bit silly to be hearing stories of the two vans southbound in peak. Sounds like shooting fish rather than trying to positively effect the commuting direction.

But then it's Ireland. We don't understand how or have the will to do transport properly in any form. It's that simple.
And utterly depressing.

Gatso vans are not this or anywhere and even then are having an effect.

The attitude of people like yourself is very frustrating.
Some people don't want there to be any rules on roads whatsoever. Why don't you think Gatso vans are useful? Any attempt at speed limit enforcement, lane discipline etc. and you have people whining about the Gardai.

sdanseo

spacetweek wrote: »

The attitude of people like yourself is very frustrating.
Some people don't want there to be any rules on roads whatsoever. Why don't you think Gatso vans are useful? Any attempt at speed limit enforcement, lane discipline etc. and you have people whining about the Gardai.

I'm not complaining about the presence of enforcement at all. It's desperately needed. My point is that putting them both southbound at the busiest time Northbound doesn't make any sense.

Chris_5339762

I came down Saturday morning through the roadworks. One camera van about halfway along. Adherance to the 60kmh limit was much improved except people seemed to be going about 50kmh instead of 60. Big improvement for me though.