WARNING: Be Prepared For Long Delays Through Mountrath (Laois)

laoisfan

WARNING: Be Prepared For Long Delays Through Mountrath (Laois)

Laois County Council has activated the new set of lights in Mountrath, Laois.
The new sets (3 off) are located 1. Just after the old set at the pedestrian crossing in the town, 2. On the sharp corner as you enter the town coming from Dublin/Portlaoise direction and 3. A set on the minor road (from Ballyfin) which joins the major or main road.

They have been turned on now for 2 days so far and the tail back is at least 1 mile in both directions. The old set of lights are still active. So it should be fun tomorrow, Friday, to see how the traffic goes with people heading home from Limerick and/or Dublin for the weekend.

BTW, there are roadworks in progress on the N7 (Castletown, immediately after Mountrath). Now this evening they were not working so I was able to pass through without any delays, but not sure about tomorrow or the weekend.

So there ye go. I just thought I would share that with you. I travel up/down everyday from near Borris-In-Ossory to Kildare/Dublin. It is bad enough with these stupid lights!!! :mad:

--laoisfan

laoisfan

BTW

The new lights were put in so as to make life easier for traffic attempting to come in from the minor road (Ballyfin direction).

To be honest, it just seems to have caused one big mess in my opinion!!

--laoisfan

laoisfan

there is a wee shortcut one can take just before you are on the last mile or two into mountrath.

there is a left turn more or less on the last hill (it is kinda awkward as more people brake quick as local indicate at the last moment). if you take this left, travel down the road for a small bit and then take the very first right you come too. the road then travels more or less parallel to the N7. this will bring you into the back way to mountrath...might cost you 5 or 10 mins but at least you will be moving...did it last night...was fine...

Tarabuses

Do local councils take delight in creating tailbacks, especially if the main victims are "outsiders" travelling through their area with no interest in it other than as the way to their ultimate destination?

laoisfan

laois county council have not a clue. instead of solving a little problem they have now caused one massive headache for people!!

flanzer

Oh my fcuking god!! Travelled down to Tipp on Friday evening and the tailback was deffo more than a mile into Mountrath (at least 3miles at a guess). That was at about 18:00. They're were some drones at the control box commisioning them alright, and my god, were they a subject to a torrent of abuse!!

I thought Friday was bad enough, on Sunday on the way back up it was twice as bad. It added another hour onto my journey. Even the locals were out on their doorsteps wondering what in the name of jaysus was goin on!!

To make matters worse, as a regular motorist on this road for the past 4 years, Mountrath was never really a bottleneck. Even in the days before the Kildare and Monastereven by-pass.

Who were the drongos and mongos that decided on these? Was it an accident prone junction?? (Don't think so!!) This is a downright joke....Line the council up and shoot the b@stards I say!

Rovi

All switched off now, and back to the 'old ways.'
The intent was to give the traffic coming in on the Mountmellick road a chance to join the N7, but it appears to have been implemented very poorly.

.

Cerdito

Was also stuck in this for at least an hour coming back from Limerick to Dublin on Sunday evening...thought it was an accident or something...couldn't believe it was all caused by new traffic lights! Tailback must have been at least 3 miles

flanzer

Hurra hurra!! Obviously someone in the Council saw this post and changed it back!!!

Pataman

I was stuck too. are the turned off by design or accident. Has anybody contacted Laois Co Council to find out the story?

Rovi

An item from last week's Leinster Express (September 14, 2005)-

Traffic lights in Mountrath switched on at last

Deputy Sean Fleming is delighted to announce that the new traffic lights on the main Dublin to Limerick N7 roadway in Mountrath are being switched on this week.

Since the opening of the Monasterevin By Pass last year, Mountrath is the first town traffic travelling to Limerick from Dublin meets after leaving Dublin. This has resulted in major traffic congestion in the town and local traffic especially on the Ballyfin road in Mountrath have found it impossible to get onto the Main Street in Mountrath which is part of the Dublin/Limerick roadway.

These new lights which are being switched on today should help regulate the traffic flow in a more orderly manner through the town. These lights have been erected on the sharp turn as one enters Mountrath on the main road from Dublin. Deputy Fleming has fought hard for funding from the National Roads Authority for these lights and other traffic calming measures in Mountrath.

Finally he is calling on the National Roads Authority to provide funding in 2006 for further traffic calming measures and the upgrade of the surface of the Main Street in Mountrath.

The next edition is out tomorrow, I'll let you all know if Deputy Fleming makes any further announcements

.

tetsujin1979

Got caught going both ways this weekend, didn't realise it was because of traffic lights, hope it goes back to the older way, it was the only bottleneck I hit on the way back on Sunday.

Our man in Havana

Rovi wrote:

An item from last week's Leinster Express (September 14, 2005)-

The next edition is out tomorrow, I'll let you all know if Deputy Fleming makes any further announcements

.

He has lost my vote now!

Dutchboy

Well one of His *Traffic calming measures* really worked very well dont you think! :rolleyes:

laoisfan

thank god the lights were turned off!! somebody saw sense!! for a day or so if i was heading in from donaghmore (near rathdowney) i would head in via abbeyleix (only a mile or two extra). on the way home though i would go the old route (but take a left at the last hill before mountrath, then the very first right, this road runs parellel to the N7 and brings you right into the centre of the town, near what looks like a roundabout but actually is not).

some info for ye...in the next 2-3 years (not sure about the time line now...so do not go shouting at me), mountrath, castletown and borris-in-ossory will be bypassed!! yeah say all the kerry, limerick and clare drivers!!! about time too. castletown and borris-in-ossory do not really create problems, but mountrath can be a bit tedious especially with poorly placed traffic lights and especially if a truck breaks down near that corner!!

so there you go....another bypass is on the way. poor lovely laois will be totally bypassed!!

--laoisfan

mike65

Pat kenny on RTE radio loves this sort of thing (he'd shoot every speed cop in Dublin and mow down every member of the NRA I think!), he read out a few e-mails on this matter so if the lights gets turned back on just write to Pat at pk@rte.ie

Mike.

laoisfan

supposedly the lights are meant to be turned back on this thursday (22nd) and friday (23rd). they were not on today when i was passing through mountrath (both times). all the locals complained to the garda and to Laois County Council. basically everyone agrees that Laois County Council made a mess of things!! they are looking at an alternative now, perhaps a roundabout. people reckon only a roundabout will work if the building on the corner (a pub i believe) is taken out. according to the latest info from the local region paper "The Leinster Express" the owners of the pub have offered to sell it to the council or the NRA for this very purpose (no price mentioned but I am sure they would want a pretty penny or two). the NRA have refused to purchase the pub and have also refused to be drawn into this issue (they believe it is Laois County Council's problem....i kinda agree with them on this...just my opinion of course!!)

going through mountrath today (both times) traffic was fine. i sometimes head home through Ballyfin (if coming from Mountmellick) and believe me there is never more than 3-5 cars trying to enter onto the N7 from the Ballyfin (minor road) side, sometimes there are no cars at all!! personally speaking i do not believe lights were ever needed in the first place. a minor road is minor for a specific reason and a major road is a major road for a specific reason too...now if they were both roads of equal standing i could understand the requirement for lights or some sort of traffic control system...but then again i do not work for the council......maybe that is a good thing!!

is laois county council just a bunch of idiots or are most of the councils around the country the same? surely to god...they cannot all be as thick as the one in lovely laois!!

--laoisfan

Our man in Havana

Laois CC are the idiots here, but the NRA should take some resonsibilty here, they are the ones funding this mis adventure.

They will do nothing more with that junction as the by pass will come along and the main street will be very quiet indeed. When is the bypass meant to be built?

I used to travel from my house near Rathdowney to Portlaoise via Mounrath, not anymore, it is now far quicker to travel via abbeyleix which has alot of traffic too.

I hope the lights in Mountrath are put out of action for good.

Rovi

With apologies for the delay, here's what appeared in last week's Leinster Express (September 21, 2005) [main story, front page]-

Mountrath sees red over traffic lights
Pat Somers reports

CHRONIC traffic tailbacks forced the turning off of newly installed traffic lights in Mountrath last Monday afternoon. After almost a week in operation Laois County Council took the decision to switch off the lights following a week of long tailbacks, and outrage from motorists and local residents.

Sunday evening was the straw that broke the camel's back with traffic queues extending four miles, as far as the Pike-of-Rushall, from 5.30pm to 10pm. A complete rethink on the matter is now underway by the Council but the lights will be turned back on this Thursday and Friday. A public meeting of Mountrath residents on the issue will be held in the Macra Hall tonight, Wednesday at 8.30pm.

Peter Kenny, Senior Executive Engineer Road Design, said that the lights were placed at the junction in Mountrath for road safety. "From a road safety point of view they worked, but from a traffic flow viewpoint they did not," he said. "Road safety and traffic flow are not two features that are necessarily complementary," he pointed out.

"To use a medical analogy the operation was a success but the patient died. The public's request for a free traffic flow superseded road safety. We may radically change it, we are looking at all possibilities. We are trying to improve traffic flow without compromising road safety. The lights will be turned back on this Thursday and Friday, but will be turned off on
Saturday to accommodate match traffic."

"The situation was terrible," said Seamus O'Brien of Castletown. "The new lights meant that 1,000 cars were delayed for 20 minutes, for ten cars on the Ballyfin Road. We were car locked in Castletown."

Garda Superintendent Noel McCarthy said that the lights had caused problems since their launch last Tuesday week. "There were long tailbacks and it was the fault of the lights. We received loads of calls on the matter. The Gardai did traffic duty in Mountrath over the weekend."

Deputy Sean Fleming who welcomed the switching of the lights last week, branded the situation a 'disgrace' yesterday (Tuesday).

"Even though I welcomed it last week, I did not realise the mess the Council had made of it. "The lights that the Council put up were not the ones requested by public representatives. "A continuous flow on Main Street, Mountrath was needed, with an occasional release on the Ballyfin Road.

"What the Council did was wrong and a disgrace. It stopped entire traffic going one way, with the inevitable tailbacks. It was a crazy decision to stop two flows.

"Now a consultant from England, who specialises in traffic flow management, is being brought back to reassess the situation. All you have to do is stand on the street for a while to understand what is happening. It is simply common sense. The solution is worse than the problem.

"The pub on the corner of that junction, Mullins, has been offered for sale to the Council or NRA. If that building was taken off the corner, a roundabout could be accommodated. If that premises was purchased I would go straight to the Minister and the NRA to seek funding for a roundabout."

Cllr Michael Lalor said the situation had got completely out of hand. "I was never for traffic
lights in Mountrath. I always fought the battle for a small roundabout, but the Council would not give it any thought.

"There is a problem for people coming off the Ballyfin and Rushin Roads. The Monasterevin bypass finished it altogether. The pub on the corner is for sale and a roundabout could be placed there," he suggested.

Bond-007 wrote:

When is the bypass meant to be built?

As a landowner affected by the M7/M8 project, my information is that I'll get a growing season out of my land for next year (2006), but that possession will probably be taken in the last quarter of 2006, with the road scheduled for opening in late 2008.

Time will tell.

.

laoisfan

Hi

According to this weeks' local paper (the Leinster Express), Laois County Council plan to turn the lights back on next week and see how it goes for a few days.

They have done some road re-alignment (basically painted a few white lines as guides).

Should be fun if and when they are turned back on!!

More later...

--laoisfan

Our man in Havana

If they are turned back on there will be bloodshed on the streets of Mountrath. The locals won't stand for this.

laoisfan

that is more or less the general consensus among the locals and the general public (well those that have to travel through the town).

it was bad planning to start with and does not look like it will improve. to be honest, the new lights are not needed. the town is going to be bypassed soon enough.

i guess laois county council do not understand the word 'minor road' and 'major road' !!!

--laoisfan

Rovi

The latest from this week's Leinster Express (September 28, 2005)-

Switch on again for Mountrath lights
Pat Somers reports

THE future of the controversial traffic lights in Mountrath continues to hang in the balance with Laois County Council determined to turn them on again within the coming week. The lights have remained off this week as the Council undertook a temporary junction layout in Mountrath.

"The lights will remain off this weekend," confirmed Senior Executive Engineer Road Design Peter Kenny. "We hope to do some trial tests with new settings early next week," he stated.

However, the consensus at a packed public meeting in the Macra Hall, Mountrath last Wednesday night was that a roundabout was needed at the junction. Opinion at the meeting was unanimous that the lights should remain turned off until some satisfactory resolution was reached.

The lights were switched off last Monday week following chronic traffic tailbacks on the N7. The severe delays, which saw four mile traffic queues on the previous Sunday evening, sparked outrage from motorists and local residents alike.

Local Councillors met with the County Manager Peter Carey, Senior Executive Engineer Peter Kenny and Director of Services Gerry Gibson last Monday morning.

"They are anxious to give them another go, and they are entitled to do that," said Cllr Michael Lalor. "The street has been realigned and the lights will be turned back on at a normal time. There is bound to be some buildup. We also received word that the upgrade of the lighting in Main Street is to take place within the next week," added Cllr Lalor.

Deputy Sean Fleming acknowledged that new markings had been installed at the junction with the view to getting traffic to take a different swing around the bend. "The lights have not been on since, and I do not know what the Council intend doing," said Deputy Fleming. "The crunch issue is to keep traffic flowing in both directions."

Cllr John Joe Fennelly said that the Councillors emphasised to the Council officials importance of buying the pub on the corner. "The Council said that they would contact the NRA to see would they buy the pub," said Cllr Fennelly. "This process will take a while.

"There are new road linings on the junction to facilitate traffic taking a wider swing. The lights will be switched back on early next week and monitored. If there is any buildup we have told the Council that that would be unacceptable."

At last Wednesday night's meeting Cllr Martin Phelan outlined that the Council had stated that there was not space for a roundabout at that junction. Cllr Bill Delaney said that there was a safety issue with roundabout. "There is no easy solution to this," he said.

Another issue was that at Clonenagh National School. The meeting heard that articulated trucks were mounting the kerb near that location making it extremely dangerous for pedestrians.

Deputy Sean Fleming said that one quarter of the NRA's budget for the N7/N8 motorway scheme would solve the problem.

.

Victor

Rovi wrote:

Deputy Sean Fleming said that one quarter of the NRA's budget for the N7/N8 motorway scheme would solve the problem.

Wow, I'm guessing thats a quarter of about €3bn to buy a pub and build a roundabout.

laoisfan

i believe the lights were turned back on this morning :mad:

however, the council are believed to be only testing them with the new road layout during off-peak times.....so.....that would say they should be off during peak times ....hopefully...

--laoisfan

laoisfan

the lights were still on this morning as i drove through mountrath :mad: albeit they were green for me. my initial guess is that they have changed the timing; meaning that traffic entering mounrath from either dublin or limerick side still flows as per normal. however when the lights kick in (for both directions) then traffic from the minor road (ballyfin) can join. they have also altered the road layout slightly (i guess to make it easier for trucks to take that corner!!!

--laoisfan

Our man in Havana

I passed thru at 11am yesterday morning, the lights were green for me heading from Portlaoise towards Borris. There was a number of cars waiting on the Ballyfin road. Everything seems fine now but a Friday evening will see the real story.

laoisfan

was passing thru mountrath yesterday evening (around 7:25pm) heading home (towards Borris direction). as i was coming towards the lights they went red (both directions) and lights went green for the Ballyfin direction. i was only held up for maybe 15-20 secs (maybe 30...i was not counting). but so far so good.

but you are right....friday and sunday evenings will tell the true story!!

--laoisfan

Rovi

Make the most of those Friday and Sunday evenings, Mountrath is CLOSED all next week :eek:

From this week's Leinster Express (October 5, 2005)-

Major delays expected in Mountrath
Grace Halford reports

FURTHER major traffic delays are expected in Mountrath next week, as Laois County Council announced that road works are due to commence in the area beginning at 6.30am on Monday, October 10 and concluding on Friday, October 14 at 7pm.
Laois County Council state the road repairs, which will take place on Main Street, are essential.
Traffic diversions will be in place throughout the week and the Gardai will be assisting with this.
Traffic from Limerick will divert at Derrin Cross, Borris-in-Ossory along the R434 to Dublin (my edit- this should read 'Durrow'), where it will join the N8 traffic to Portlaoise and onto Dublin.
Traffic from Dublin will divert at the Togher roundabout, Portlaoise along the N8 to Durrow where it will turn right along the R434 to Derrin Cross near Borris-in-Ossory, and onto Limerick using the N7.
Traffic from Portlaoise to Mountrath will be required to use the N8 also.
Laois County Council have apologised for any inconvenience caused.

Here's the official notice-


Have fun on the detours!

.

Our man in Havana

That detour is wrong.

Limerick Traffic should detour along the R434 as far as Ballacolla where it should turn left onto the R433 to Abbeyleix to meet the N8 to Portlaoise. Why add miles on detouring to Durrow?

Rovi

Bond-007 wrote:

That detour is wrong.

Limerick Traffic should detour along the R434 as far as Ballacolla where it should turn left onto the R433 to Abbeyleix to meet the N8 to Portlaoise. Why add miles on detouring to Durrow?

I was wondering about that too.
I have no idea why they're sugesting this particular route, perhaps the lads who used to handle 'Traffic Light Timing' have been moved to the 'Detours' section

It IS possible to go around Mountrath, but it's a maze of little twisty local roads with middling/poor signposting, and I'd hesitate before trying to give directions.
Take a look at a map and you'll see alternatives.

.

Rovi

I've just spoken to a very nice lady in the road works section, and the council are postponing the closure of Mountrath until the week beginning Monday 24th October.
I think this is to coincide with the half-term holidays (Halloween).

There you go, a couple of extra weeks to plan alternative routes

.

laoisfan

going home through mountrath yesterday evening (around 7:20pm) it was ok. gt caught at the lights but only for something like 20-30 seconds.

--laoisfan

laoisfan

hi

just a heads up!! those roadworks are starting this monday coming (see previous edits to this thread for details). diversions have remained the same as far as i can tell from the local paper this week.

--laoisfan

Our man in Havana

Just don't follow the mad diversions, Simply turn left in Ballacolla and head to Abbeyleix.

civdef

Getting out onto the road from Ballacolla at Abbeyleix can be a nightmare when traffic is heavy.

Our man in Havana

civdef wrote:

Getting out onto the road from Ballacolla at Abbeyleix can be a nightmare when traffic is heavy.

Same story at Durrow.

Going to Durrow just adds needless miles and takes you on a very bad road. The Ballacolla-Abbeyleix road is straight for the most part and is shorter. I can't see it being any more of a problem turning left onto the N8 at Abbeyleix as opposed to Durrow.

Pataman

Lads what happened on the M7 today. Was detoured through portlaoise, going south only.

Our man in Havana

There is some amount of Gardai tied up with managing the diversions. They have every back road that can get you to Mountrath blocked.

I was travelling to Rathdowney yesterday from Abbeyleix and I received the spanish inquestition when I wanted to turn off for Ballacolla. :eek:

Pataman

I know there was a cattle mart in Mountrath today but there was an earlier diversion on the M7 just at the cork turn off.