Seamus Quirke roadworks merge

DanielI

Happy New Year!

I see they finally got the gravel out in front of Westside Dunnes. Maybe they are finished with the drainage.

gerregan

Amhran Nua wrote: »

Anyway, given the imho inevitability of an outer bypass being set up at some stage in the future, hopefully near, it might be a waste of effort turning the Séamus Quirke road into a main artery. I'd be curious as to the reasoning behind the bus lanes though, is there an expectation of increasing bus traffic from the Knocknacarra area soon, or just evening out the existing traffic?

Sorry for getting to the discussion so late (and haven't seen a reply to this), but it's basically a "build it and they will come" scenario. The Doughiska / Mervue routes are by far and away the most successful routes in the city, primarily because they are so reliable due to the bus lanes on that side of the city. The west of the city does not currently have these facilities, which means that people are less likely to use the bus, as they can't rely on them to get them into work on time etc.

I've a hunch that the bus lanes being built (and future lanes if they get the funding for them) will have a much greater effect on congestion than even the Dublin Road bus lanes. This route would have more local traffic on it than the inter-urban traffic that would use Dublin Road, and if a portion of this traffic can be relocated onto the bus service, it will significantly reduce congestion in the area, once a change in public public perception towards public transport starts to happen.

snubbleste

I argued that before gerregan, a reliable fast bus will take a lot of cars away from the road.

Meantime for the drivers using this road, if you so much splash me with dirty mud-coloured street water along this road tonight, i will get my witch to curse ye!
I got soaked last night not from the rain but by deliberately displaced streetwater by smug motorists. Must look up the definition of assault.

KevR

gerregan wrote: »

Sorry for getting to the discussion so late (and haven't seen a reply to this), but it's basically a "build it and they will come" scenario. The Doughiska / Mervue routes are by far and away the most successful routes in the city, primarily because they are so reliable due to the bus lanes on that side of the city. The west of the city does not currently have these facilities, which means that people are less likely to use the bus, as they can't rely on them to get them into work on time etc.

I've a hunch that the bus lanes being built (and future lanes if they get the funding for them) will have a much greater effect on congestion than even the Dublin Road bus lanes. This route would have more local traffic on it than the inter-urban traffic that would use Dublin Road, and if a portion of this traffic can be relocated onto the bus service, it will significantly reduce congestion in the area, once a change in public public perception towards public transport starts to happen.

I presume you mean the Number 9? Yes, the bus lane is a factor in its success but I personally wouldn't regard it as the primary factor. If you look at the locations served by the No. 9 then it's quite clear that the routing of the bus is the primary reason for the large number of passengers.

It serves the City Centre, Wellpark, Renmore, GMIT, Doughiska/Roscam, Galway Clinic and Parkmore.

On most bus routes (everywhere, not just in Galway) you will have half of the fleet going against the tide of passengers at any one time. For example, on the Knocknacarra route the vast majority of passengers are heading into town in the morning; very few people travel from the city centre to Knocknacarra in the morning. In the evenings, the majority of people are heading out of town.

In the morning on the Parkmore route you have people heading from Doughiska/Roscam into GMIT and town; people from Renmore heading into town; and you also have people heading from the City Centre out to work in Parkmore. There is a strong tide of passengers going in both directions at the same time.

The bus lane does improve journey times and reliability, it's certainly a factor in the No. 9's success. But let's not fall into the trap of thinking that every route will become as successful as the No. 9 if we simply put down bus lanes because that won't be the case.

gerregan

All valid points, but I would say in the case of BoD / SQ Roads, the design, including the inclusion of (safe) cycle facilities, will, assuming they are maintained appropriately, give 2 additional means of transport that may not be considered by many to be currently feasible. This will surely help ease congestion, bearing in mind that you don't have to, say, half traffic numbers to double capacity. Small improvements can have big benefits.

There would be a large amount of school-based trips in the area (and even more should a secondary school be provided in Knocknacarra), there is no reason why a lot of these trips cannot be done by bus or bicycle. And in fairness, neither modes of transport are as yet good for younger users in this area.

By the way, just in case you think it, I don't work for the council!

pleasant Co.

snubbleste wrote: »

I got soaked last night not from the rain but by deliberately displaced streetwater by smug motorists. Must look up the definition of assault.

Didn't someone in the UK get done for deliberately soaking a pedestrian?

EDIT: Yup, this is what I was thinking of: Daily Mail

ciotog

gerregan wrote: »

All valid points, but I would say in the case of BoD / SQ Roads, the design, including the inclusion of (safe) cycle facilities, will, assuming they are maintained appropriately, give 2 additional means of transport that may not be considered by many to be currently feasible. This will surely help ease congestion, bearing in mind that you don't have to, say, half traffic numbers to double capacity. Small improvements can have big benefits.

There would be a large amount of school-based trips in the area (and even more should a secondary school be provided in Knocknacarra), there is no reason why a lot of these trips cannot be done by bus or bicycle. And in fairness, neither modes of transport are as yet good for younger users in this area.

By the way, just in case you think it, I don't work for the council!

The cycle facilities aren't safe - one simple example is the failure to account for the roundabout at either end of the scheme. There are several others but I won't burden the thread for now.

gerregan

Roundabouts are a difficult one for cyclists, I agree, and were they not 5 arm roundabouts to begin with, I would imagine they would have been changed to traffic signals as part of the works.

As a matter of interest, what do you consider to be the other safety issues with the works?

ciotog

gerregan wrote: »

Roundabouts are a difficult one for cyclists, I agree, and were they not 5 arm roundabouts to begin with, I would imagine they would have been changed to traffic signals as part of the works.

As a matter of interest, what do you consider to be the other safety issues with the works?

A couple of the issues:
- when you approach from Fort Lorenzo, accessing the cycle way requires a 90 degree left turn off the roundabout arm to mount the dished kerb. So there's a danger to both cyclists and pedestrians with that one.
- A cyclist who ramps back down onto the road at a junction is put into a cycle way inside of left turning traffic. This scenario is where most fatal accidents involving cyclists occur.
- A number of other arrangements will put cyclists in dangerous road positions in relation to other road users, I'll see if I have links handy from GalwayCycling.org (I'm a committee member there) which provide more detail.

DanielI

Three significantly deep holes are located in front for the TOPAZ Station. They are close to the kerb and affect traffic moving away from the city.

In the same direction the hole 50m before the T junction at the Oaks Hotel is slowly creeping towards the middle of the lane.

KevR

Was just going to post about the potholes - they are really bad on that stretch.

I'm actually avoiding driving on the SQR at the moment because I don't want to damage my tyres..

GekkePrutser

Yes the potholes are seriously deep, I felt a huge bang underneath the car yesterday and I was going dead slow because of the traffic. I never saw the actual pothole, it was probably underneath a puddle.

In other news, I saw them taking plastic bags off the diversion signage this morning, at the Deane Roundabout. So they'll probably close off the Bishop O'Donnell road again towards the westside

snubbleste

Those potholes were filled with something on friday but were back a day later bigger than ever with the filler contents spread on the adjacent footpath along with some liberated hub caps, potholes still there this morning.

DanielI

Immediately after the signalled junction at Old Seamus Quirke Rd: two close to each other, one on the left one on the right.

Then after the bus stop, right abouth where the metal fence is ending: one on the left, but not making contact with the kerb.

T junction with B. Le Cheile: two one on the left and one on the right; I usually stay in the middle of Lane 1 and miss them every time.

T junction with Rahoon Rd: a few mostly in contact with the kerb.

Keep calm and carry on...

snubbleste

Few more have opened up, in addition to the above.
massive one in the middle of the road at the junction of Rahoon Rd and Circular Rd.
They do wonders for keeping motorists travelling under the maximum permitted speed limit.

snubbleste

Seems to be taking awfully long...how much is this project costing again and estimated timeframe of completion?

inisboffin

Not sure about exact cost, but eta of completion is end of October this year.

ciotog

snubbleste wrote: »

Seems to be taking awfully long...how much is this project costing again and estimated timeframe of completion?

It's down for 10 million.

serfboard

Well it seems they've done an awful lot more than just build the bus lanes - with all the piping that they've been laying/re-laying.

Passing it today there's a lot more gravel on it than previous, and the holes seem to be covered up, so it looks like they're getting ready to start laying some tarmac (or whatever it is they'll be using).

snubbleste

Noticed they've removed all the traffic islands/restrictions on Siobhán McKenna Road, yet left the markings on the road..

DanielI

snubbleste wrote: »

Noticed they've removed all the traffic islands/restrictions on Siobhán McKenna Road, yet left the markings on the road..

It was about time... They are going to close Bóthair le Chéile for a month after Easter. This is to lay more pipes.

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/050411_01.html

snubbleste

Another incident with the water supply during the roadworks.

A large part of the city has been left without water today due to a burst water mains. The burst happened during works in the Séamus Quirke Road this morning.

Sponge Bob

Massive pipeburst making ****e of traffic right now just at the hotel. Should be fixed for the rush hour...but maybe not

Madame Razz

These roadworks are really starting to get on my wick:mad:

Malice

Madame Razz wrote: »

These roadworks are really starting to get on my wick:mad:

I'm avoiding the area like the plague. How are the roadworks progressing? I'm guessing not a lot.

inisboffin

Hard to tell with the untrained eye!

Madame Razz

Malice wrote: »

How are the roadworks progressing? I'm guessing not a lot.

You would guess correctly.

The roadworks appear to exist solely to compound traffic in all surrounding areas, make noise, and achieve very little. It's a joke. And wait 'til they close off lower Dominick street; the REAL fun starts then:rolleyes:.

snubbleste

In fairness they are progressing with the longer days. If you look across what should be the new lane, it's taking shape relatively nicely.
It does'nt help that they had all of easter week off with bank holidays to bookend it, nice for some.

Iwannahurl

My guess: they hit the water main because either (a) there was no proper record of where the pipe was or (b) they had the map but did not, or could not, interpret it properly.

Speaking of which, is there any indication of where the planned cycle lanes/paths are to go? On Bothar na dTreabh the cycle paths are actually just the surface over conduits for ESB cables. I'm wondering whether the same might be done on the Seamus Quirke Road.

jkforde

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Speaking of which, is there any indication of where the planned cycle lanes/paths are to go?

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GTU/220910_01.pdf