Temp ban on general traffic threads

biko

That's cool. Anyone who agrees with Spong Bob please thank his post.
If he gets more than 8 thanks before 1st of June we'll extend it until SQR is done, and no later than 1st of July.

what_traffic

biko wrote: »

If he gets more than 8 thanks before 1st of June we'll extend it until SQR is done, and no later than 1st of July.

Will restrictions kick in again in the later half of the year, once work commences on the rest of the N6 junctions + other schemes that are in the pipeline for the City?

biko

At the moment there is no plans.
We know how it was before the temp ban, we know how it has been during the temp ban.
It remains to see how things will develop after it's gone again.

biko

Ok it's the 1st of June. Sponge Bob's post didn't get more than 8 thanks, although it did get 8.
Therefore I'm lifting the temp ban now.
Feel free to discuss general traffic issues in this forum again, but please be mindful that this is not a carte blanche, normal civility rules still apply and will be enforced.

?Cee?view

biko wrote: »

Ok it's the 1st of June. Sponge Bob's post didn't get more than 8 thanks, although it did get 8.
Therefore I'm lifting the temp ban now.
Feel free to discuss general traffic issues in this forum again, but please be mindful that this is not a carte blanche, normal civility rules still apply and will be enforced.

Good luck!

I'm sorry I didn't see SB's post until now because you definitely deserved another month off from this!

Sponge Bob

I suppose the good news is that the secondary schools close today which always reduces the morning traffic by a lot, especially around SQR.

I don't think the light 'timings' and integration of traffic lights to traffic control will be finished for quite some time and debating indiviually messy situations absent all that is just a bit pointless in June.

The new lights in Balybrit/Tuam Road should be well tuned up by the end of June too.

I am certain that when the SQR is finally finished up to Dúnarus by c.15th of June matters will improve somewhat but I am equally certain that undertaking by Salthill/Barna bound traffic of the backed up traffic intending upon turning up the cemetary road by weaving into the buslane and out again at the Oaks hotel will be common practice by then....and so.....

I simply cannot see them finish the Dunárus - Fort Lorenzo stretch before mid June and amd getting increasingly sceptical of any June finish there however it is not a heavily congested stretch unlike lower down.....except there is a Connacht Semi Final in Pearse Stadium on Sunday the 9th of June which could prove a tad <cough> tricky.

?Cee?view

Sponge Bob wrote: »

I am certain that when the SQR is finally finished up to Dúnarus by c.15th of June matters will improve somewhat ...

Why the certainty? Before all the works there was one traffic lane in each direction. After the works there's...one traffic lane in each direction. Same amount of traffic = same amount of delays. The whole bloody scheme is insanity!

ronnie3585

churchview wrote: »

Why the certainty? Before all the works there was one traffic lane in each direction. After the works there's...one traffic lane in each direction. Same amount of traffic = same amount of delays. The whole bloody scheme is insanity!

You forgot to add in 'more traffic lights'.

It's very difficult to see how and where appreciable gains will be made with the 'upgrage' of this stretch of road. Will the introduction of a bus lane increase the general public's use of public transport in Galway to such an extent that there will be a marked reduction in the number of cars being used everyday.....I think not.

It will hopefully clear up that nasty snarl up that used to arise when the traffic going into Dunnes Stores car park would back up onto the SQR but other than that the above comments of Churchview seem to sum it up. We still have a single lane, we still have the same volume of traffic (albeit the busses will now be in a bus lane) and now we have many many new traffic lights along that short stretch of road.

Lest we forget the exorbitant price tag attached, it's hard to see how this can be classed as much of an 'upgrade':(

Sponge Bob

churchview wrote: »

Why the certainty? Before all the works there was one traffic lane in each direction. After the works there's...one traffic lane in each direction.

There are filter lanes for the Rahoon traffic to get out of the way of the Westbound traffic is why, lots of snarl ups at the top end were caused by people backing up behind right hand turners.

Course the longest SINGLE filter lane leads into a development site owned by a former FF mayor of Galway and not actually somewhere useful, that being the coned off one visible to your right as you approach the Dunnes turn from Rahoon.

There is no extra road space between Dunnes and the Corrib park roundabout ....ie the finished bit.

I have commented elsewhere on the cost, €333 a square metre, for the whole job and they already owned nearly all the land.

As the new road space for motorists (ie 3 usable filter lanes) is around 2000 Sq Meters in total at (500m linear x 3.5m wide located either side of the Rahoon turn) and a few little bits hither n yon ..... they will have spent €16m to gain 2000 square metres of usable surface from a drivers point of view..... and that means the cost will be €8,000 a square meter and the 3 filter lanes will have cost €5m if you will.

Of course on that basis you could reduce their cost to a still eye watering €4m each, if you allow the 4th lane in there as a direct €4m subsidy to a former FF Mayor of Galway.

There are other viewpoints but as they are exempt from Road Tax and Exorbitant running cost taxes they do not pay for this road space, only motorists do.

?Cee?view

Sponge Bob wrote: »

As the new road space for motorists (ie 3 usable filter lanes) is around 1000 Sq Meters in total at (300m linear x 3.5m wide) they will have spent €16m to gain 1000 square metres of usable surface ..... that means the cost will be €16,000 a square metre and each filter lane will have cost €5m if you will.

It all makes sense now. It's been a cunning plan to make the Eyre Square "refurbishment" look like a bargain

galwaycyclist

Sponge Bob wrote: »

There are other viewpoints but as they are exempt from Road Tax and Exorbitant running cost taxes they do not pay for this road space, only motorists do.

Yea pesky public transport users coming over here stealing our roads. Why can't they go back where they came from? If it wasn't for them I bet there'd be no traffic jams.

Sponge Bob

Consider yourself Well Indulged GC. And what public transport, 2 buses an hour??

galwaycyclist

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Consider yourself Well Indulged GC. And what public transport, 2 buses an hour??

Why Bob. If was your intent to suggest that I, or any other car owning cyclist, deliberately evades motor tax. Or if it was your intent to suggest that I deliberately evade or avoid excise duty on the fuel that I put into my car. Then perhaps you might care to repeat that allegation under your own name in a different forum? I am perhaps not the only one being indulged here?

?Cee?view

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Why Bob. If was your intent to suggest that I, or any other car owning cyclist, deliberately evades motor tax. Or if it was your intent to suggest that I deliberately evade or avoid excise duty on the fuel that I put into my car. Then perhaps you might care to repeat that allegation under your own name in a different forum? I am perhaps not the only one being indulged here?

Sponge Bob specifically used the word exempt. Now how do you make the leap from him saying you're exempt to you thinking he suggested you were evading anything?

You'd be laughed out of the "different forum".

Maybe try addressing points raised rather than taking umbrage at imagined insults?

Malice

churchview wrote: »

Maybe try addressing points raised rather than taking umbrage at imagined insults?

This part is definitely worth highlighting.

Doc Ruby

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Consider yourself Well Indulged GC. And what public transport, 2 buses an hour??

This is the thing, if you're desperate or masochistic enough to go anywhere near westside and lucky enough to make it past the terrified motorists nudging one another around Rahoon, you'll be greeted by permanent extended lines of traffic sitting next to an empty bus lane.

Its bad planning, bad development, and a deliberate effort to make driving harder, slower and more expensive in my opinion. Its as though the council were given money to develop "stuff" and couldn't come up with anything better.

Now I'm after reading in the papers that traffic calming measures are being put in the Gratton road and the Menlo roundabout is getting lights in - what fresh horrors await?

Sponge Bob

Things will improve a lot in around 2 weeks when the 2 major lights and 3 filters are activated.

snubbleste

Doc Ruby wrote: »

Now I'm after reading in the papers that traffic calming measures are being put in the Gratton road and the Menlo roundabout is getting lights in - what fresh horrors await?

Congestion charge, odd/even number plate days to drive, random potholes created daily, night driving tests every year..

Iwannahurl

Doc Ruby wrote: »

This is the thing, if you're desperate or masochistic enough to go anywhere near westside and lucky enough to make it past the terrified motorists nudging one another around Rahoon, you'll be greeted by permanent extended lines of traffic sitting next to an empty bus lane.

Its bad planning, bad development, and a deliberate effort to make driving harder, slower and more expensive in my opinion. Its as though the council were given money to develop "stuff" and couldn't come up with anything better.

Now I'm after reading in the papers that traffic calming measures are being put in the Gratton road and the Menlo roundabout is getting lights in - what fresh horrors await?

1. There seems to be a perception that the new SQR bus/bike/pedestrian/car layout has a lower capacity than the old design (or lower than might be expected at any rate). Bearing in mind the now well-established principle that moving larger numbers of people rather than larger numbers of motorised single-occupant personal transportation vehicles per square metre of finite road space is the more efficient and sustainable objective, I wonder what the new passenger volumes are, when bus, car, bicycle and pedestrian capacities (and movements) are combined? I have no data, but my hunch would be that the allegedly "empty" bus lane is still a more efficient use of space in transportation terms.

http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/wiki/Highway_robbery



2. Traffic calming, pedestrian crossings, a speed table and new footpaths along the Claddagh Quay and part of Grattan Road? I'm shocked.

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/300512_01.pdf

Whatever next? They'll be making cars go slower alongside Grattan Road beach before you can say "hard-pressed motorist"...

http://archive.galwayindependent.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25174





.

?Cee?view

Iwannahurl wrote: »

1. There seems to be a perception that the new SQR bus/bike/pedestrian/car arrangement has a lower capacity than the old SQR (or lower than might be expected at any rate). Bearing in mind the now well-established principle that moving larger numbers of people rather than larger numbers of motorised single-occupant personal transportation vehicles per square metre of finite road space is the more efficient and sustainable objective, I wonder what the new passenger volumes are, when bus, car, bicycle and pedestrian capacities (and movements) are combined? I have no data, but my hunch would be that the allegedly "empty" bus lane is still a more efficient use of space in transportation terms.

http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/wiki/Highway_robbery



2. Traffic calming, pedestrian crossings, a speed table and new footpaths along the Claddagh Quay and part of Grattan Road? I'm shocked.

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/300512_01.pdf

Whatever next? They'll be making cars go slower alongside Grattan Road beach before you can say "hard-pressed motorist"...

http://archive.galwayindependent.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25174





.

Is this a riddle? What are you on about?

Iwannahurl

What specifically do you not understand?

Iwannahurl

Sponge Bob wrote: »

There are other viewpoints but as they are exempt from Road Motor Tax and Exorbitant running cost taxes they do not pay for this road space, only motorists do.

Here's a less simplistic analysis from Canada:

"Whose Roads? Evaluating Bicyclists’ and Pedestrians’ Right to Use Public Roadways" (http://www.vtpi.org/whoserd.pdf )

Many people believe that non-motorized modes (walking, cycling, and their variants) have less right to use public roads than motorists, based on assumptions that motor vehicle travel is more important than non-motorized travel and motor vehicle user fees finance roads. This report investigates these assumptions. It finds that non-motorized modes have clear legal rights to use public roads, that non-motorized travel is important for an efficient transport system and provides significant benefits to users and society, that less than half of roadway expenses are financed by motor vehicle user fees, and pedestrians and cyclists pay more than their share of roadway costs. Since bicycling and walking impose lower roadway costs than motorized modes, people who rely on non-motorized modes tend to overpay their fair share of roadway costs and subsidize motorists.

A North American slant, perhaps, but at least some of the principles apply here, I imagine.




.

ben.schlomo

Iwannahurl wrote: »

1. There seems to be a perception that the new SQR bus/bike/pedestrian/car layout has a lower capacity than the old design (or lower than might be expected at any rate). Bearing in mind the now well-established principle that moving larger numbers of people rather than larger numbers of motorised single-occupant personal transportation vehicles per square metre of finite road space is the more efficient and sustainable objective, I wonder what the new passenger volumes are, when bus, car, bicycle and pedestrian capacities (and movements) are combined? I have no data, but my hunch would be that the allegedly "empty" bus lane is still a more efficient use of space in transportation terms.

http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/wiki/Highway_robbery



2. Traffic calming, pedestrian crossings, a speed table and new footpaths along the Claddagh Quay and part of Grattan Road? I'm shocked.

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/300512_01.pdf

Whatever next? They'll be making cars go slower alongside Grattan Road beach before you can say "hard-pressed motorist"...

http://archive.galwayindependent.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25174





.

Mock up of the Claddagh paths look very good, badly needed too.

what_traffic

Sponge Bob wrote: »

There are other viewpoints but as they are exempt from Road Motor Tax and Exorbitant running cost taxes excise duty on fuel they do not pay for this road space, only motorists do. like all other taxpayers do:(

Corrected that for ya Sponge Bob. Sentence still does not make sense!

Sponge Bob

It might had you concentrated on readibility.

How is your Supertram Project coming along What Traffic and how long will the SQR be dug up for _this_ time. ???

what_traffic

Sponge Bob wrote: »

It might had you concentrated on readibility.

How is your Supertram Project coming along What Traffic and how long will the SQR be dug up for _this_ time. ???

Ha ha. Didnt know I owned a Supertram - did you sign over the deeds to me, a fellow boardie just right now?

Sponge Bob

Lets get back to news instead shall we.???

Sadly neither Joe Tansey or Ciarán Hayes were reported as speaking at this important event launch this morning.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/26145-city-council-makes-big-push-cycling

It strikes me that _someone_ expects the Séamus Quirke Road to be finished by the 15th of June so they can start a cycling festival on the 16th of June. This sounds sort of sensible....except that ....ah never mind.

Bike week was last held in June 2011 (but announced in April 2011 in Galway) ...they are leaving it a tad late this year.

According to Cathy Joyce, of the transportation unit of Galway City Council, speaking at the launch of Galway Bike Festival, an all-ages cycling festival that aims to bring more Galway people out on their bikes this month.

The Council believes that with cycle lanes on the Seamus Quirke Road, due for completion by June 18th, and a major advertising campaign on bus shelters there, that Galway people can be convinced onto their bikes.

The ten day Galway Bike Festival runs from Saturday week the 16th of June, and there are biking activities across the city and county.

Mayor of Galway Hildegarde Naughton was on a penny farthing bike at today's launch in Eyre Square.

But Joe Tansey said the SQR would be finished on the 15th of June and that only in the last few days and all. Who is this Cathy woman to contradict El Joe so soon eh???

And what is this about the 11th ( see below) and why was Sponge Bob not invited?????

List of events, on yeer bikes and enjoy them!

Galway City and County



Galway (City and County)
For any of these events please contact Cathy Joyce, Galway City Council cathy.joyce@galwaycity.ie 091 894332

10 minute Cycle Challenge
Wednesday 6th June to Tuesday 26th June 2012
Galway City and County
Staff in organisations including NUI, Galway, Boston Scientific, Galway University College Hospital and others will participate in the 10 minute cycle challenge over 3 weeks.
For more information www.cyclechallenge.ie

Green Schools Bike Maintenance
Monday 11th June to Friday 22nd June 2012
For Schoolchildren
In preparation for Bike Week 2012, pupils in Galway City and County will be taught how to maintain their bikes through cycle maintenance workshops.

Like your Bike Media Campaign
Commencing Monday 11th June 2012
Westside and Galway City Centre
Display of high impact Galway visuals during Galway Bike Festival which coincide with the opening of the Seamus Quirke Road.

Arrival of Cradle Cycle 2012 from its Round Ireland Cycling Trip
Saturday 16th June, 2012 at 5.00pm.
Eyre Square, Galway
Come and welcome cyclists arriving in Eyre Square following their 6 day cycle around Ireland in aid of Cradle and the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Galway Bay Criterium and Family Fun Day
Saturday 16th June 2012 Start 4.00pm
Claddagh Hall, Galway City
Children's races in South Park, Galway City Criterium on closed roads around Claddagh. All welcome.

Installation of New Bike Parking
Galway Transportation Unit will install new bike racks in Southpark, Fishmarket Square, Salthill Carpark and other areas of high demand during June and July 2012.

Cycle in my Park Events
Saturday 16th to Sunday 24th June 2012.
During Galway Bike Festival a number of Cycle in my Park Events take place throughout Galway City and County including: Terryland Forest Park, Merlin Park Woods, Moycullen, Craughwell, Ardrahan and Oranmore.

Photographic Exhibition
Saturday 16th June to August 2012
Westside Library, Galway
Come and view the highly popular collection of 50 photographs depicting the significance of cycling in Galway during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Wild West Tour (Sportif)
For experienced cyclists
Sunday 17 June 2012. Registration from 8.00am. Cycle events commence at 9.00am.
Kingfisher Sports Complex, NUI, Galway
The Wild West Tour will take in the most scenic parts of Connemara. Two distances available 45k and 120k. To participate in this event, entry details are available at: www.galwaybaycycling.com

Terryland Cycle Picnic
Sunday 17 June 2012 from 2.00pm to 5.00pm.
Centra Foodstore, Bothar na Choiste, Headford Road, Galway.
Enjoy a leisurely group cycle from Castlegar Castle to Terryland Castle ending with entertainment and a family picnic.

Family Fun Cycle
Sunday 17 June 2012 at 10.30am
Maldron Hotel, Oranmore.
A short Oranmore to Clarenbridge cycle (10km) and a longer cycle from Oranmore to Kinvara (40km) will take place. All funding raised in aid of Corrib Lions Club.

what_traffic

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Lets get back to news instead shall we.???

Nah - tell us more about these Supertram's Sponge Bob that I now own?

antoobrien

Iwannahurl wrote: »

1. There seems to be a perception that the new SQR bus/bike/pedestrian/car layout has a lower capacity than the old design (or lower than might be expected at any rate).

Maybe - we could ask Belfast what they think. In 2009 they opened a bus lane on the Lisburn Rd.

It took longer to travel into Belfast along the Lisburn Road yesterday morning after a new bus lane opened — even if you commuted by bus.

That was the finding of a Belfast Telegraph experiment comparing traffic congestion before and after the launch of the new lane which gives priority to buses between 7.30am and 9.30am Monday to Friday.

It took 27 minutes to drive a car from the King’s Hall to the front of the City Hall yesterday morning — more than double the 14-minute run of last Thursday. Yet it took even longer for a bus to make its way from the bus stop opposite the King’s Hall to the final stop at Wellington Place yesterday — 31 minutes as opposed to 25 minutes last Friday.

Besides with a 250% increase in the number of traffic lights on the road, it's highly likely that traffic will be stopped more often than was previously the case. Sounds like lower capacity.

snubbleste

In fairness now, the bike event was announced at the beginning of May. You could have applied for funding towards your own bike event be it a fun children's cycling race or perhaps a challenge the motorist to a race on your commute home.