Porterstown road to roundabout connection under way

clubcrown

BostonB wrote: »

Well if the aim was to move the congestion from elsewhere to here. Its achieved its aim.

The problem of course is that they have moved that congestion smack bang into the middle of 3 school runs, along with the existing traffic going to Coolmine train station and through to Castleknock.

I can see loads of people from Clonsilla are now going to go back to using Clonsilla Rd / Coolmine Cross, congesting that level crossing even more that it already is. It what I'll have to do myself from now on to get to Laurel Lodge in time.

I tried the junction again just after 10:15 or so; there still were cars queuing on both sides, one hour after rush hour had ended.

BostonB

I think that highlights the poor planing and enrolment policies that mean kids can't get into local schools they can walk to, and/or the transport infrastructure for cycling is so poor that people don't see it as an attractive option for a 10 min car journey.

Also that theres something wrong with a transport plan that requires you to use a main residential road through housing estates with a bunch of schools on it, as a major traffic route.

clubcrown

BostonB wrote: »

I think that highlights the poor planing and enrolment policies that mean kids can't get into local schools they can walk to, and/or the transport infrastructure for cycling is so poor that people don't see it as an attractive option for a 10 min car journey.

Also that theres something wrong with a transport plan that requires you to use a main residential road through housing estates with a bunch of schools on it, as a major traffic. route.

Oh I know, for example my kids can't get into Mochtas. I live in Limelawn, not 50 yards away from the school gate.

They could have left the roundabout where it was though, that was in their control. They fixed one thing and made 5 other things much worse. Irish planning in a nutshell.

BostonB

I could be wrong but they seem to be making junctions over elaborate lately, doing mountains of work, installing lights, new pavements, kerbing, markings when something similar would probably work much better. Its like they are trying to spend as much as they can before money runs out.

Bus lane in Laurel Lodge is a good example. So much work to widen and put in junctions and lights, only to design two bottlenecks where it narrows to a single lane in two places. Completely defeating the whole point of it IMO. But the cost must have been staggering.

Consider the amount of space at the bottom of this bridge I would have though a massive roundabout with some pedestrian crossing set back from it would have worked better. Thats what is at power city. That seems to work ok. I don't really care though, I was against the whole thing anyway, its bringing too much traffic into another area not suitable for it.

PopTarts

Where do the 2 roads go...

Coming from Riverwood Rd I guess turning left goes towards Castleknock.

Where will continuing straight bring you? Porterstown?

clubcrown

PopTarts wrote: »

Where do the 2 roads go...

Coming from Riverwood Rd I guess turning left goes towards Castleknock.

Where will continuing straight bring you? Porterstown?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rOTl46L3sZ4/Sbj105zcrtI/AAAAAAAAAew/htrYJ5aV1eY/s1600-h/Porterstown+Link+Road+Map2.jpg

hotmail.com

BostonB wrote: »

I could be wrong but they seem to be making junctions over elaborate lately, doing mountains of work, installing lights, new pavements, kerbing, markings when something similar would probably work much better. Its like they are trying to spend as much as they can before money runs out.

Bus lane in Laurel Lodge is a good example. So much work to widen and put in junctions and lights, only to design two bottlenecks where it narrows to a single lane in two places. Completely defeating the whole point of it IMO. But the cost must have been staggering.

Consider the amount of space at the bottom of this bridge I would have though a massive roundabout with some pedestrian crossing set back from it would have worked better. Thats what is at power city. That seems to work ok. I don't really care though, I was against the whole thing anyway, its bringing too much traffic into another area not suitable for it.

Great post. A lot of the road markings, signs etc seem completely unnecessary and a complete waste of money.

I don't like the new junction as it means I will have to leave my house two minutes earlier for work in case I'm stuck at the lights there.

Traffic lights, traffic lights...Dublin is ruined by them.

clubcrown

hotmail.com wrote: »

Great post. A lot of the road markings, signs etc seem completely unnecessary and a complete waste of money.

I don't like the new junction as it means I will have to leave my house two minutes earlier for work in case I'm stuck at the lights there.

Traffic lights, traffic lights...Dublin is ruined by them.

Two minutes is optimistic depending on where you live - it added 30 mins to my commute this morning, at just after 8:40am or so.

One can only hope that it won't always be this bad, but I wouldn't be too confident given the school and creche runs.

BostonB

I have a bicycle for commuting to work, (which I should do more) but its not really suitable for short trips locally and leaving outside the local shops, or Blanch center. But I'm considering buying a 2nd basic bare bones bike for just getting around locally.

Driving around D.15 is just a miserable experience these days. Its quite remarkable how they've managed to increase journey time of local journeys.

JoePie

I came down Blanch Road south, straight through the roundabout and over the bridge. Sat at the lights a bit longer than I would've liked, had to wait through 2 sequences, and then straight through onto the back road past the new school this morning. This was at 8:30am. Took about ten minutes less than usual. At least.

Other than the light sequences being a little too long, I'm fine with it. The lights at the far end of the new road will make turning left there a lot easier as well when they get switched on. Hopefully.

Past30Now

hotmail.com wrote: »

Traffic lights, traffic lights...Dublin is ruined by them.

In 1992, I regularly drove from Delwood Road, to Westmanstown Sports Centre, via Coolmine Road and Clonsilla Road. There was one set of lights on the journey at the junction of Clonsilla Road and Sheelerin (sp?) Road. The journey took 8 or 9 minutes. It takes at least 15 minutes now, and can take longer.

There are now eight sets of lights on the same stretch. The powers that be in Dublin clearly have a fascination with them.

dodzy

Past30Now wrote: »

There are now eight sets of lights on the same stretch. The powers that be in Dublin clearly have a fascination with them.

at least 8 sets on huntstown way / blakestown way combined with the removal of the roundabout at the junction of blakestown road / way. The planners are gob****es, the lot of them. They are bringing the complete area to a standstill. :mad:

Murt10

Anyone else having difficulty when going through the new intersection in distinguishing between the bus lane and the road.

I imagine someone is going to end up using the unmarked bus lane kerb as a ramp and turn their car over on its roof unless the kerb is painted a different colour, or in some way distinguished from the other white lines.

Good thinking to stick a ramp and a kerb into what appears to be the middle of the road.

Particularly hard to distinguish at night/dusk and when it is just after raining, or is it just me?

daymobrew

Murt10 wrote: »

Anyone else having difficulty when going through the new intersection in distinguishing between the bus lane and the road.
...
Good thinking to stick a ramp and a kerb into what appears to be the middle of the road.

There isn't a bus lane - I think you are seeing the off road cycle lane. It comes down onto the road when close to the junction.

BostonB

I couldn't see what you meant either.

Not a fan of these up down ramps for cycle lanes. The one in Laurel Lodge is truly inexplicable.

canihave

This road is useless for pedestrians if you have to take on four dogs tormenting walkers from the travellers site. People are now avoiding walking up there as the dogs are running wild and go straight for the ankles. Anyone got any thoughts on what can be done there? Thanks

BostonB

Here I guess

Local authorities may operate their own dog control services or make arrangements with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA).

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/environment/animal_welfare_and_control/control_of_dogs.html

daymobrew

canihave wrote: »

This road is useless for pedestrians if you have to take on four dogs tormenting walkers from the travellers site. People are now avoiding walking up there as the dogs are running wild and go straight for the ankles. Anyone got any thoughts on what can be done there? Thanks

A few years ago I was jogging by the halting site and two dogs chased me. I rang FCC Dog Warden section. They said that they'd pass it onto the Traveller section.

The behaviour of the dogs is not something new - the new road layout is not at fault.

canihave

daymobrew wrote: »

A few years ago I was jogging by the halting site and two dogs chased me. I rang FCC Dog Warden section. They said that they'd pass it onto the Traveller section.

The behaviour of the dogs is not something new - the new road layout is not at fault.

I didn't say it was the fault of the new road layout, I am just pointing out that I know quite a number of people (including myself) who avoid walking on that part of the road because of the dogs.

FCC dog Warden must not have had much impact on them when the dogs are still aloud to run wild

wildlifeboy

well one of the ankle biters tried a car on for size last week and came out the worst. I have never had hassle off them and walk by there a good bit.

BostonB

I assume those dogs would be a problem for the kids walking to school right beside there.

clubcrown

The latest act of genius is that the ESB are down there this morning with Kangos digging up all the nice new tarmac that was laid down only one week ago.

Why can't they all do this stuff at the same time? Now a road that is only one week old will have patches on it, which will inevitably sink over time.

I got on to the council about the traffic lights; they told me that the traffic officer had been out to inspect it and determined that traffic volumes were as expected, so no changes will be made. He apparently made this inspection at 11am, 2 hours after rush hour and the last of the school runs.

I give up

MrJoeSoap

clubcrown wrote: »

The latest act of genius is that the ESB are down there this morning with Kangos digging up all the nice new tarmac that was laid down only one week ago.

Why can't they all do this stuff at the same time? Now a road that is only one week old will have patches on it, which will inevitably sink over time.

I got on to the council about the traffic lights; they told me that the traffic officer had been out to inspect it and determined that traffic volumes were as expected, so no changes will be made. He apparently made this inspection at 11am, 2 hours after rush hour and the last of the school runs.

I give up

:mad:

daymobrew

clubcrown wrote: »

I got on to the council about the traffic lights; they told me that the traffic officer had been out to inspect it and determined that traffic volumes were as expected, so no changes will be made. He apparently made this inspection at 11am, 2 hours after rush hour and the last of the school runs.

I give up

This is how the local authority wears you down. You have to keep calling them. Contact the councillors too.

Murt10

clubcrown wrote: »

The latest act of genius is that the ESB are down there this morning with Kangos digging up all the nice new tarmac that was laid down only one week ago.

Why can't they all do this stuff at the same time? Now a road that is only one week old will have patches on it, which will inevitably sink over time.

I got on to the council about the traffic lights; they told me that the traffic officer had been out to inspect it and determined that traffic volumes were as expected, so no changes will be made. He apparently made this inspection at 11am, 2 hours after rush hour and the last of the school runs.

I give up

You wouldn't seriously expect him to check between 8.00 and 9.00 am. Sure the traffic is mad then. He would be held up for hours.

Much easier to do the checks when things have quietened down a bit,

daymobrew

How about this idea to help the flow of traffic going from Clonsilla to Carpenterstown - enable the left turn filter while traffic from Carpenterstown is turning right onto the bridge.

This is done in Chapelizod for traffic on Main Street turning left onto Chapelizod Road.
Obviously you can get unlucky that those ahead of you are turning right. This could happen on Diswellstown Road but it can work out.

Any thoughts?

BostonB

I was wondering why it doesn't work like that, as I would guess that much more of the traffic goes in those directions most often.

Zaph

daymobrew wrote: »

How about this idea to help the flow of traffic going from Clonsilla to Carpenterstown - enable the left turn filter while traffic from Carpenterstown is turning right onto the bridge.

This is done in Chapelizod for traffic on Main Street turning left onto Chapelizod Road.
Obviously you can get unlucky that those ahead of you are turning right. This could happen on Diswellstown Road but it can work out.

Any thoughts?

Makes perfect sense, I was just thinking the same thing as I was sitting at the lights waiting to turn left this morning.

Gaspode

You see, that's the problem, you're trying to apply common sense and logic to it, something the powers that be will never do.

clubcrown

BostonB wrote: »

I was wondering why it doesn't work like that, as I would guess that much more of the traffic goes in those directions most often.

Anecdotaly (i.e. what I've seen myself while queuing to turn left :-) its about 10 cars turning left to 1 car going straight through or turning right. Particularly as most of the traffic is probably going to schools/ creches in Castleknock and Laurel Lodge, and the rest is going into town for work.

So yeah it would make a lot of sense. But it would require some thought. And someone to come out and change the sequence.

So its never going to happen.