M7 motorway (Republic of Ireland)
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- This article concerns the M7 motorway in the Republic of Ireland.
There is an M7 motorway in Hungary, too (see M7) as well as in Sydney, Australia (see Westlink M7).
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| M7 motorway | |
| Length | 40 miles 63 km |
| Direction | Northeast-Southwest |
| Start | (N7 from Dublin) Naas |
| Primary destinations | Newbridge, Kildare, Monastervin, Portlaoise (N8 to Cork) |
| End | Mountrath (N7 to Limerick) |
| Construction dates | 1983 (Naas Bypass/J7-J8) 1993 (Newbridge Bypass/J8-J10) 1997 (Portlaoise Bypass) 2003 (Kildare Bypass) 2004 (Monasterevin Bypass) - |
| Motorways joined | 9 -  M9 motorway |
Route
Junction numbers start at 7. J9 is a restricted junction, there is no access for non-motorway traffic, and traffic from the M9 may only access the eastbound carriageway - to access the westbound carriageway, they must travel to J8 and exit and re-enter the motorway there.
The junction numbering scheme was devised when it was believed that a motorway would be built from Naas to the yet-to-be-constucted Junction 8 on the M50. While a motorway reservation still exists, it is now unlikely to be built, having being superseded by the widening of the N7 between Newlands Cross and Naas to three lanes and the grade separation of this section. Once this project is finished the existing M7 J7 will be renumbered J9 according to signage being erected, and hence it is likely that other junctions will be renumbered too.
| M7 Motorway
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| Southbound | Junction | Northbound
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| Start of motorway | 7 | Naas R445 |
| Newbridge and Togher services | 8 | Newbridge and Togher services |
| The SOUTH EAST M9 - Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford, Athy | 9 | No access |
| The Curragh | 10 | The Curragh, Newbridge R445 |
| Kildare R445 | 11 | Kildare R445 |
| Monasterevin | - | Monasterevin |
| Portlaoise | - | Portlaoise |
| N80 Carlow, Tullamore | - | N80 Carlow, Tullamore |
| N8 Cork, Cashel | 17 | N8 Cork, Cashel |
| End of motorway | - | Start of motorway
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Future developments
The next sections of the existing N7 route due to be bypassed and replaced by motorway is a section of route south of Portlaoise (a joint route project with the M8 diverging half-way along is planned). A burial site from the 7th century has been uncovered along the route south/west of Portlaoise, with more than 500 skeletons uncovered. The NRA have been accused of "desecrating" the site after removing the remains. [link]. The M7/M8 joint project is also likely to be tolled.A section of the N7 route from Limerick to Nenagh is also due to be constructed as a high quality dual carriageway. This project is the subject of considerable local controversy, with the main detractions being the prospect of it being tolled, and/or the necessity for a full motorway along that route. Like many of the new routes under construction it has been decided (perhaps as a result of the controversy) to build this route as high quality dual carrigeway, to effectively the same engineering standard as a motorway, but without the Motorway Regulations that go with it. This means that prohibited traffic such as slow vehicles and pedestrians will be permitted and signage and road markings will be to national road, not motorway specifications. Also emergency telephones will not be required. As of 2006, the Limerick–Nenagh dual carriageway is under construction.
The Nenagh bypass will be rebuilt as a standard dual carriageway, as this will be constructed out of the existing bypass. The status of the section between this road and the M7/M8 project has yet to be announced, but will be either full motorway or high quality dual carriageway specification.
External links
| National Primary Routes of the Republic of Ireland |
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| N1(M1) - N2 - N3(M3) - N4(M4) - N5 - N6(M6) - N7(M7) - N8(M8) - N9(M9) - N10 - N11(M11) - N12 - N13 - N14 - N15 - N16 - N17 - N18 - N19 - N20 - N21 - N22 - N23 - N24 - N25 - N26 - N27 - N28 - N29 - N30 - N31 - N32 - N33 - M50 |
| Roads in Ireland - National Secondary Routes - Regional Roads |
| See also: National Development Plan, National Roads Authority |
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