WTF is going on with the Briarhill roundabout?

triciah_99

Massive tailbacks on the roundabout and dual carriageways due to people trying to get into work in Ballyrit...
Why is it so backed up? Why can't they open up more access roads (to these companies and factories?

If its like this now - at 7.45 and the schools are off....:eek: god help us

biko

It's a well-known bottleneck in the mornings and evenings. If you can start work earlier or later traffic will be lighter.

Stench Blossoms

If you're coming from the dual carrige way side it doesn't seem to be as bad.

what_traffic

triciah_99 wrote: »

Massive tailbacks on the roundabout and dual carriageways due to people trying to get into work in Ballyrit...
Why is it so backed up? Why can't they open up more access roads (to these companies and factories?

If its like this now - at 7.45 and the schools are off....:eek: god help us

You think its bad now - wait till they start installing the traffic lights on the current junction.
http://www.galwaynews.ie/19931-city-council-votes-remove-briarhill-roundabout
"
Work will begin in late August early September and will take three months.
"

When the lights go in that's when the fun will really start. The area will have to be avoided.

mchammer

Randy Microscopic Plaster wrote: »

When the lights go in that's when the fun will really start. The area will have to be avoided.

lights will really sort the problem out alright... like they did at the moneenageisha roundabout... try coming down college road at 5 o'clock in the afternoon when its raining - absolute joke of a junction coming from lough atalia and college road --- not too bad coming from other sides and for pedestrians...

my car was getting fixed for about a week there and was getting the bus to parkmore and sitting on college road for up to 20 mins, in the rain, on a bus really makes you want to be in your own car! so long public transport for another while at least

Morgoth

One of the companies in Parkmore West (Merit medical I think) has an en-masse start at 8am, I guess it's a shift-work manufacturing plant? They are building a new plant across the road in Parkmore East as well so I guess expect more of the same when that's finished! (see here, I presume the on-going construction is still related to that).

I cycle in past it every morning at around 7:50 and it's pretty bad. But it's all gone by 8:10. Also for those coming into either Parkmore estate, coming via the Tuam road means there's no traffic. If you're just heading out the dual-carriageway though and have to go through Briarhill roundabout, not much to be done.

Stench Blossoms

Yeh actually I was there at about 7.45 this morning and it was 10times worse than what it usual is at about 8.15.

kiwipower

It did seem extra buzy for school holidays yesterday. Came through at about 8:05 from the limerick side, was backed up past the M6/N6 roundabout before it. Worst bit is Im heading for the UHG.

kiwipower

what_traffic wrote: »

You think its bad now - wait till they start installing the traffic lights on the current junction.
http://www.galwaynews.ie/19931-city-council-votes-remove-briarhill-roundabout
"
Work will begin in late August early September and will take three months.
"

WTF I just read your link! My understanding was the whole reason roundabouts where invented was that they allowed for better traffic flow than lights!!!!

Why are these sorts of decisions being put in the hands of politicians? Where are the road/traffic management experts that should be dealing with this???

snubbleste

WTF I just read your link! My understanding was the whole reason roundabouts where invented was that they allowed for better motorist traffic flow than lights!!!!!!!!

Fixed that for you.
Also roundabouts are the least maintenance required junction from a cost point of view.

snubbleste

snubbleste wrote: »

WTF I just read your link! My understanding was the whole reason roundabouts where invented was that they allowed for better motorist traffic flow than lights!!!!!!!!

Fixed that for you.
Also roundabouts are the least maintenance required junction from a cost point of view.

Yawn!

Sick of the anti-car brigade at this stage.

kiwipower

kiwipower wrote: »

Why are these sorts of decisions being put in the hands of politicians? Where are the road/traffic management experts that should be dealing with this???

Eh the road/traffic management experts [NRA, city engineers,consultants] were the ones pushing for this as far as I could see - it was the politicians who needed to be convinced.

johnnyk66

Randy Microscopic Plaster wrote: »

Yawn!

Sick of the anti-car brigade at this stage.

Is that the best you can do :rolleyes:

stampydmonkey

New junctions means new designs carried out for the Council by consultants...which means a few consultant engineers get to keep their jobs...the council staff that would otherwise be getting paid for doing f""k all get to supervise the consultants and somehow justify their ridiculous salaries, politicians get to say they are doing something for the pedestrians and cyclists of the city and everybody is happy...bar the road traffic which so many of the cities employees rely on because the public transport is overpriced and inefficient...

...rant over!

snubbleste

You should've put that in fancier writing and sent it in when they were seeking public submissions on the revamp of the N6

stampydmonkey

Prob should have but back then I was one of those consultant engineers ...albeit an employed one !!

antoobrien

Randy Microscopic Plaster wrote: »

When the lights go in that's when the fun will really start. The area will have to be avoided.

Not to mention the knock on effect on Claregalway when all the rat-runners realise that Carnmore Cross & Glennascaul are no longer options for trying to avoid that bottleneck

kiwipower

stampydmonkey wrote: »

Prob should have but back then I was one of those consultant engineers ...albeit an employed one !!

As one of them Engineer you might be able to explain to me...The lights and lanes on the terryland round about?

1. I know Im asking is God real and all that but.....
2. I can kinda understand controlling traffic entering a roundabout with lights so that it doesnt get blocked up, (we all see everyday that the yellow hatches in Ireland dont work.) But why put the lights IN the roundabout? Surely having red and amber left arrows at the Entrance to the round about would make sense? ie if its red you cant enter the roundabout, if its amber you can only enter the roundabout if its safe. (No traffic coming from the right, no traffic impeding your entrance/exit)
3. The lane marking, what standard practice did Irish lane painters follow when painting lanes around roundabouts in this country? Because the layout of lanes make no sense. Either the entrance lanes (like coming from the Quincentenual Bridge) or those guiding you round the round-about.

johnnyk66

johnnyk66 wrote: »

Is that the best you can do :rolleyes:

I've had it up to my eyes at this stage with certain posters and their constant anti-car/motorist drivel. If I actually spoke my mind on the subject I'd be banned more than likely so I just couldn't be bothered.

galwaycyclist

Randy Microscopic Plaster wrote: »

I've had it up to my eyes at this stage with certain posters and their constant anti-car/motorist drivel. If I actually spoke my mind on the subject I'd be banned more than likely so I just couldn't be bothered.

Yes you're right, in the late 1990's Ireland achieved the distinction of having the highest child pedestrian death rate in western europe.

Those who would question such achievements and the infrastructural/roads design and management policies that enabled them are clearly luddites.

<sarcasm switch off>

paconnors

at that particular time when the op was stuck, there was a Garda Checkpoint in operation at the back of the Racecourse in Parkmore.

dell1211

snubbleste wrote: »

WTF I just read your link! My understanding was the whole reason roundabouts where invented was that they allowed for better motorist traffic flow than lights!!!!!!!!

Fixed that for you.
Also roundabouts are the least maintenance required junction from a cost point of view.

there is a tunnel under the dual carriageway leading to Tom Hogan/Burkes. I struggle to imagine a real life scenario at that roundabout where that tunnel does not adequately deal with pedestrians/cyclists

galwaycyclist

dell1211 wrote: »

there is a tunnel under the dual carriageway leading to Tom Hogan/Burkes. I struggle to imagine a real life scenario at that roundabout where that tunnel does not adequately deal with pedestrians/cyclists

How about at night? (As one scenario)

cats.life

galwaycyclist wrote: »

How about at night? (As one scenario)

wouldnt go down there at night, walked through there in day light there was bottle,s of bear,wine ,cider, CONDOMS:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:. i was shocked to see the CIDER:D:D:D:D.

Mrs OBumble

dell1211 wrote: »

there is a tunnel under the dual carriageway leading to Tom Hogan/Burkes. I struggle to imagine a real life scenario at that roundabout where that tunnel does not adequately deal with pedestrians/cyclists

You need to develop your imagination: try local teenagers hanging around, waiting to have a "conversation" with whoever walks through next. Agree it doesn't happen all the time. But sometimes it does.

We don't need to rehash the whole lights vs RAB argument here, it's been had before: summary is that RABs are best for equal flows from all directions, lights when the flows are biased to one direction. Lights allow the controllers to give priority to public transport, which is one of the ways of making it more efficient and reliable. And they provide safer options for non-car people.

And that's all I'm saying here...

Iwannahurl

I never had a difficulty with traffic congestion on that junction or on the Parkmore Road, back in the day (except as a bus user).

The main problem I encountered was high speed traffic and dangerous driving on the roundabout, as on many roundabouts in Galway City and elsewhere.

The new traffic signals will improve things for bus users especially, one hopes. I'll reserve my judgment on the situation for cyclists.

the untitled user

dell1211 wrote: »

there is a tunnel under the dual carriageway leading to Tom Hogan/Burkes. I struggle to imagine a real life scenario at that roundabout where that tunnel does not adequately deal with pedestrians/cyclists

think about it, around 50% of all pedistrians/cyclists have to cross the roundabout to get to that tunnel.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

The new traffic signals will improve things for bus users especially, one hopes. I'll reserve my judgment on the situation for cyclists.

As someone who cycles 20k on our city streets every day I can confidently say traffic lights are safer and easier for cyclists.

Iwannahurl

the untitled user wrote: »

As someone who cycles 20k on our city streets every day I can confidently say traffic lights are safer and easier for cyclists.

I would certainly agree that Irish roundabouts, such as those endured by Galway City cyclists, are not cycle-friendly.

However, given the long-established ignorance and/or apathy about cycling among Irish roads engineers I have difficulty trusting them to do the job right. The safety of vulnerable road users on (newly) signalised junctions will also depend on responsible road behaviour and compliance with road traffic law. That's not something you see every day in this country...

lucianot

I live in the Roscam area and have to be at work in Ballybrit at 8. If I leave 5 minutes later than usual it takes me about 20 mins instead of 5 to reach the office. The funny part is that when you reach the roundabout at the entrance of Parkmore Business Park there is no blockage, accident or zombi attack,just people driving very slowly. The problem is there is only one line to accomodate por cars turning left and right at the roundabout.
Also usually there is a bus parked blocking the other side of the road because nobody in 10 years had the initiative to open a bay for the buses at the stop nor to mention building up a shelter for all the workers that use the service.
Rant!:D

dell1211

the untitled user wrote: »

think about it, around 50% of all pedistrians/cyclists have to cross the roundabout to get to that tunnel.

You have completely missed my point, you have to think about that specific roundabout and the roads leading up to it,
-Road coming from the airport/parkmore can cross at the lights before the roundabout,
-Road coming from Oranmore; Very very few cyclists/pedestrians use this road and anyways any that to do can simply use the traffic lights either at the parkmore road or outside the briarhill shopping centre,
-Road coming from Tom Hogans; Use the tunnel,
-Road coming from Dougiska can cross using the pedestrian lights that already exist across from the shopping centre.

JustMary wrote: »

You need to develop your imagination: try local teenagers hanging around, waiting to have a "conversation" with whoever walks through next. Agree it doesn't happen all the time. But sometimes it does.

Hold on a second, what ever bit of antisocial behavior occurs in that tunnel does so late a night, that tunnel is perfectly safe to use during the day(especially during the busy traffic times, and ive used it many many times). The whole reason the car haters want traffic lights at this roundabout is to help public transport move freely during busy times(which I cant see happening but thats not my point here, my point is that the traffic lights will ad very little benefit over what the tunnel already ads), which is only during the day so your argument about the tunnel being dangerous and not safe does not stand up for me as its only dangerous(if at all) during the night when
1.there is very little traffic about which will mean that lights will slow up the buses anyway and
2. there is very little pedestrian/cyclist movement at that junction at night anyway.