Bodkin / Headford Road roundabout replacement [Lights are on!]

MaxFlower

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

..... bodkin roundabout was an utter disaster for cars, pedestrians and cyclists. The only people who seemed to like it were aggressive drivers who can bully other road users out of the way........

The roundabouts could have worked much more efficiently if drivers ever learned or were 'educated' through garda intervention. Some drivers were always of the opinion that no other user had the right to filter into the roundabout in front of them...ever. They tried to enforce this with hard acceleration and speed which is why you see the pedestrians running in the image above.

The local authorities never bothered to modify the designs from day 0 either so it just got progressively worse for everyone. Would it have been such a disaster to add a few pedestrian crossings, yellow boxes or even the number of entry and exit lanes that have been designed into the new junctions.

Remember, we didn't just have roundabouts in Galway City, we had poorly designed roundabouts. It remains to be seen if the design of the signalised junctions will prove itself in the long term. For example there is already a design flaw with the inbound inner lane on the Font junction, Tuam Road. It is never used. Why? Because the immaturity of a proportion of drivers and their determination not to allow anyone who uses it to rejoin once you pass the junction.

zarquon

MaxFlower wrote: »

The local authorities never bothered to modify the designs from day 0 either so it just got progressively worse for everyone. Would it have been such a disaster to add a few pedestrian crossings, yellow boxes or even the number of entry and exit lanes that have been designed into the new junctions.

Lights on arms of the junction. Pedestrian crossings on arms and you also require a yellow box on the entry and exit points! That sounds an aweful lot like a junction rather than a roundabout,

huggs2

some videos from this morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYFClERwIwg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo68-ZLIqbU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44gLXL4mH58

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJA4cilnPhE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCX1hgweKk

spiritcrusher

Ugh, shambles coming back across the bridge this evening. Traffic in the left lane backed all the way back to about the college. I know it'll take a while to get things properly going though so I won't complain too much. I will complain about the large numbers of asshole drivers trying to drive all the way down in the middle lane and cut in, further holding up everyone. They can wait their turn like everyone else.

Iwannahurl

huggs2 wrote: »

some videos from this morning.

You missed one (due to error in tags).

Note the way the "pedestrian crossing" on the left is actually functioning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy5WfiKiBFE

dastardly00

spiritcrusher wrote: »

Ugh, shambles coming back across the bridge this evening. Traffic in the left lane backed all the way back to about the college. I know it'll take a while to get things properly going though so I won't complain too much. I will complain about the large numbers of asshole drivers trying to drive all the way down in the middle lane and cut in, further holding up everyone. They can wait their turn like everyone else.

It worked pretty well going the other way for me. I came from Bothar na dTreabh and turned right at the new junction to go over the bridge. Way quicker than usual

slideshow bob

Junction ok this evening by the look of it. Cycling was fine until I went to cycle lane on bridge to be confronted with this...


4 lads in hi-viz chatting about the road about 10m away. I hope they were discussing how to make it safer for cyclists.

KevR

Drove through the new junction at around 7pm. No tailbacks whatsoever in any direction.

Quite a few people being extremely indecisive with picking a lane. Should settle down in a week or so. Throughput will improve further as people become more familiar/decisive.

Saw a few f**kwits turning left onto the Headford Road from the straight ahead lane (for the Sean Mulvoy road) after coming over the bridge. Really really stupid. I don't understand why that when people realise they are in the wrong lane, they don't just commit to making a legal manoeuvre through the junction (even if it's not the direction they want to go) and then correct it safely later. Those illegal left turns will cause a crash. Hopefully, the Gardai will setup shop on that traffic island periodically in the weeks ahead and fine anyone that is stupid enough to make that illegal turn.

Glad to see that those ancient dim pedestrian lights at Dunnes have been turned off and replaced with new lights that are clear to see from a good distance. The old pedestrian lights were a death trap. Far too old and dim. They should have been fully replaced 10 years ago, especially after a number of people were knocked down there.

Iwannahurl

KevR wrote: »

Those illegal left turns will cause a crash. Hopefully, the Gardai will setup shop on that traffic island periodically in the weeks ahead and fine anyone that is stupid enough to make that illegal turn.

Glad to see that those ancient dim pedestrian lights at Dunnes have been turned off and replaced with new lights that are clear to see from a good distance. The old pedestrian lights were a death trap.

A speed check would be good too, but I doubt they'll bother. Has anyone seen any enforcement on the SQR since it opened? I haven't been on it frequently enough to offer an informed view on that particular subject.

Good point re new pedestrian lights. The previous lights were indeed awful.

dr.bollocko

6:15PM dead quiet. No traffic. 1:30pm, nothing. Just super quiet. No tailbacks up to the pillo hotel at lunchtime for the first time in ages.

Also finally get to leave Dun Na Coiribe turning right without having to go around that greasy bastard Menlo roundabout.

dr.bollocko

KevR wrote: »

Drove through the new junction at around 7pm. No tailbacks whatsoever in any direction.

Quite a few people being extremely indecisive with picking a lane. Should settle down in a week or so. Throughput will improve further as people become more familiar/decisive.

Saw a few f**kwits turning left onto the Headford Road from the straight ahead lane (for the Sean Mulvoy road) after coming over the bridge. Really really stupid. I don't understand why that when people realise they are in the wrong lane, they don't just commit to making a legal manoeuvre through the junction (even if it's not the direction they want to go) and then correct it safely later. Those illegal left turns will cause a crash. Hopefully, the Gardai will setup shop on that traffic island periodically in the weeks ahead and fine anyone that is stupid enough to make that illegal turn.

Glad to see that those ancient dim pedestrian lights at Dunnes have been turned off and replaced with new lights that are clear to see from a good distance. The old pedestrian lights were a death trap. Far too old and dim. They should have been fully replaced 10 years ago, especially after a number of people were knocked down there.

I think the reason why people weren't using the slip road to the left today was because they thought they could get around the traffic build up on the slip road by turning left at the junction like everyone used to do when it was a roundabout.

Eeden

KevR wrote: »

Saw a few f**kwits turning left onto the Headford Road from the straight ahead lane (for the Sean Mulvoy road) after coming over the bridge. Really really stupid. I don't understand why that when people realise they are in the wrong lane, they don't just commit to making a legal manoeuvre through the junction (even if it's not the direction they want to go) and then correct it safely later. Those illegal left turns will cause a crash. Hopefully, the Gardai will setup shop on that traffic island periodically in the weeks ahead and fine anyone that is stupid enough to make that illegal turn.

I think it might be a bit unfair to call them stupid. The old slip road that was there was suicide. You had to turn your head around nearly 180 degrees to see if it was safe to continue. People remember that, so I'd say it's still ingrained in folks not to use it. No doubt it won't take long to get the message.

KevR

dr.bollocko wrote: »

I think the reason why people weren't using the slip road to the left today was because they thought they could get around the traffic build up on the slip road by turning left at the junction like everyone used to do when it was a roundabout.

There was no build up on the slip road when I passed through. There was actually more of a queue to go straight.

The left turn gets a much longer green light than straight ahead.

KevR

Eeden wrote: »

I think it might be a bit unfair to call them stupid. The old slip road that was there was suicide. You had to turn your head around nearly 180 degrees to see if it was safe to continue. People remember that, so I'd say it's still ingrained in folks not to use it. No doubt it won't take long to get the message.

Hopefully people will realise pretty quickly. It's really dangerous. The left turn slip lane has a green light at the same time as straight ahead so there is a lot of potential for an accident if people are making that illegal left turn.

fergiesfolly

Bit off topic...
Huggs2, What camera are you using? Very good picture

WallyGUFC

MaxFlower wrote: »

The roundabouts could have worked much more efficiently if drivers ever learned or were 'educated' through garda intervention. Some drivers were always of the opinion that no other user had the right to filter into the roundabout in front of them...ever. They tried to enforce this with hard acceleration and speed which is why you see the pedestrians running in the image above.

The local authorities never bothered to modify the designs from day 0 either so it just got progressively worse for everyone. Would it have been such a disaster to add a few pedestrian crossings, yellow boxes or even the number of entry and exit lanes that have been designed into the new junctions.

Remember, we didn't just have roundabouts in Galway City, we had poorly designed roundabouts. It remains to be seen if the design of the signalised junctions will prove itself in the long term. For example there is already a design flaw with the inbound inner lane on the Font junction, Tuam Road. It is never used. Why? Because the immaturity of a proportion of drivers and their determination not to allow anyone who uses it to rejoin once you pass the junction.

No. There is no need for an inner lane. That's a lane that wasn't there before. Why create a lane that can hold about ten cars, only to have it merge into one lane right outside a busy petrol station? Nothing to do with attitudes, all to do with s**t planning.

huggs2

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Bit off topic...
Huggs2, What camera are you using? Very good picture

I have just changed the quality setting and you should be able to watch it on full
1080P quality now. The cam is this one.
http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2013/7/8/the-mobius-camera-the-do-it-all-mount-anywhere-1080p-micro-c.html
but this one came out since i bought the mobius and i think its better.
http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2013/8/31/the-mini-0801-tiny-1080p-gps-car-camera-with-an-lcd-screen.html
Check them both out and see what you think yourself.
I love the new lights and the new turn right exit from the Galway retail park should be finished by the end of the week.:)

joeKel73

Cycled through the junction this morning; Bridge -> Sean Mulvoy Rd. The junction seems to be handling the throughput of traffic brilliantly and the crossing was a joy compared to the old RAB!

Only issues were;

• cars pulled across the cycle lane waiting for the left turning slip road. Anyone know are they going to colour the on-road cycle lanes as per drawings? That would help.
• I saw several cars take a left from the center of the junction. They really need to put a no left turn sign on the traffic light pole there.
  
  

So I had no major problems with the junction, just incompetent drivers! Looks like there could be an issue with the queue for turning left blocking the straight through road though.

antoobrien

Initial comments

No difference to traffic at 8.10. Traffic eastbound over the bridge still backed way up. Headford Rd (south), very little queuing, but then it's generally not that bad at the that time of the morning, so lets see what it's like at 9.

zarquon

There needs to be a no left turn sign on the junction eastbound from the bridge. Plenty of idiot drivers making illegal left turns here. Also quite a number of lane skippers trying to bully their way accross 2 or more lanes at the junction to make the slip road after avoiding the tailback across the bridge. I'm all for patient driver etiquette but drivers need to make a stance and refuse to let those drivers back in the lane. 2 cars this morning held up traffic as they tried to cross 3 lanes of traffic. One was unsuccesful in his attempt so proceeded to make an illegal left at the junction instead of using the slip road :mad:

A lot of people complain about these junctions compared to roundabouts but there is an infuriating incompetency in Galway drivers that makes these changes all the more troublesome. I really wish the Gardai would park at this junction for a while and start ticketing everyone doing illegal or dangerous maneuvers. If people refuse to change their £rsehole driving habits then they need to be forced by legal repercussions

Mahogany Gaspipe

zarquon wrote: »

There needs to be a no left turn sign on the junction eastbound from the bridge. Plenty of idiot drivers making illegal left turns here. Also quite a number of lane skippers trying to bully their way accross 2 or more lanes at the junction to make the slip road after avoiding the tailback across the bridge. I'm all for patient driver etiquette but drivers need to make a stance and refuse to let those drivers back in the lane. 2 cars this morning held up traffic as they tried to cross 3 lanes of traffic. One was unsuccesful in his attempt so proceeded to make an illegal left at the junction instead of using the slip road :mad:

A lot of people complain about these junctions compared to roundabouts but there is an infuriating incompetency in Galway drivers that makes these changes all the more troublesome. I really wish the Gardai would park at this junction for a while and start ticketing everyone doing illegal or dangerous maneuvers. If people refuse to change their £rsehole driving habits then they need to be forced by legal repercussions

FFS has it occurred to you that being a new layout, drivers may find themselves in the incorrect lane?

Regardless, how is this blockade of yours going to work? No changing of lanes 200 metres from the junction whatsoever on penalty of a €60 fine and a couple of points on the licence: or will you by rolling down the window looking for legitimate excuses?

antoobrien

GBFM are referring to the junction using the name "Sean Mulvoy Junction" so it'll probably stick (just like Flemming's & Digital stuck to the nearby roundabouts).

Unrealistic

Mahogany Gaspipe wrote: »

FFS has it occurred to you that being a new layout, drivers may find themselves in the incorrect lane?

As has already been pointed out above if you find yourself in the wrong lane with no possibility of changing into the correct lane you should just go in the direction of the lane you are in and then find a legal way to get back onto your route. Even if the layout is new that doesn't excuse dangerous illegal manoeuvres. If someone finds themselves on the Sean Mulvoy Road instead of on the Headford Road it is no great inconvenience. They can either divert back to the Headford Road via Sandy Road or, if they were intending to get onto Bothar na dTreabh, get there via the Tuam Road instead.

Storm 10

In my humble opinion the left lane off the bridge is now going to be the morning and evening traffic jam, on the old roundabout you had two lanes coming off the bridge with on lane going left and a slip lane going left, you now have two lanes off the bridge with both going straight ahead and right and the slip lane for left which means you want to go left but will be stuck in the straight ahead lane until near the junction. The slip lane should have been way further towards the bridge to allow for cars going left not to be getting caught in the straight ahead lane.

paulgalway

Just caught a bit on GBFM, some guy from the council talking about the new junction.

• People turning left of the bridge to go to Menlo park is causing problems. Extra signage is going to be put up back along the bridge.

• They expect to hand it over to the control centre some time to-morrow, probably in the evening.

• Some bushes/trees which are blocking existing signs will be cut back.

• All signage relating to the roundabout will be removed soon.

antoobrien

Storm 10 wrote: »

In my humble opinion the left lane off the bridge is now going to be the morning and evening traffic jam, on the old roundabout you had two lanes coming off the bridge with on lane going left and a slip lane going left, you now have two lanes off the bridge with both going straight ahead and right and the slip lane for left which means you want to go left but will be stuck in the straight ahead lane until near the junction. The slip lane should have been way further towards the bridge to allow for cars going left not to be getting caught in the straight ahead lane.

This behaviour is the exact same thing as happened at the approach to the ballybane junction when coming from the Tuam rd, people expected to be able to go straight on and got caught in a right turn lane (which still happens when this backs up).

Adequate signage of the changes was the problem then, looks like it is a problem again.

dr.bollocko

8:45am. There was quite a large tailback on the bridge looking to turn left at the junction going out towards pillo hotel direction. Much worse than would be expected at that time of the morning.

zarquon

Mahogany Gaspipe wrote: »

FFS has it occurred to you that being a new layout, drivers may find themselves in the incorrect lane?

Regardless, how is this blockade of yours going to work? No changing of lanes 200 metres from the junction whatsoever on penalty of a €60 fine and a couple of points on the licence: or will you by rolling down the window looking for legitimate excuses?

There is a huge difference between being in the incorrect lane on approach by accident and skipping a 400m tailback to zip to the top of the queue in the outermost lane and then try to cut through 3 lanes into the slip lane. :rolleyes:

Obviously you can't fine someone for changing lanes but there can be penalty points for illegal left turns and these should be dished out. If you are in the correct lane or one lane removed then it's easy to get into the slip road. If you are in the outermost lane it's difficult to bully your way to the slip lanes hence why the car i observed this morning gave up quickly and decided on the illegal left turn.

It's also not a complicated junction so don't see why excuses need to made. If you are in the wrong lane, proceed ahead on the Sean Mulvoy and on towards the tuam road or down via the sandy road or a u-turn at joyce even. There are plenty of options rather than having to make illegal maneuvers so there are no excuses!

spurscormac

As has been said already, filter lane off the bridge towards Headford Road is too short. Traffic is backing up way worse than at the previous roundabout.
Issue is that there used to be two left turning lanes off the roundabout, plus the filter lane. The short filter lane which is the only legal option to go left, is far too short and can't accommodate the same amount of traffic.

This morning I just went up the Sean Mulvoy & out the Tuam Rd, I suspect that will be my route of choice to avoid the buildup until they find a resolution.

zarquon

...