Limerick improvement projects

Vanquished

The reality is that residential development on this site is entirely compatible with national policy objectives. I.E. the National Planning Framework, which promotes the concept of compact growth and sustainable development principles. That means prioritising residential development on brownfield sites in city and town centres or inner city areas close to transport links and existing amenities and services.

It also encourages increased densities which in turn lead to greater effeciencies in terms of service provision and the development of critical mass, which aids viability. This site ticks all the boxes in terms of the above criteria.

Petty objections based upon generic, templated 'out of character', traffic congestion, 'high rise' faux concerns are just not credible in this instance. No evidence has been provided either for the claims that flooding is an issue in that area. It's a classic case of 'I can live in this area but nobody else can'

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108120#Comment_120108120

In theory you are correct but in practice has it ever actually worked in this country?

All over Dublin you see high rises in former low rise areas, mostly what they do is increase traffic congestion

I mean maybe you're right and limerick will get an underground if enough of these developments get the go-ahead, I personally don't think that will happen though

Also according to the limerick leader article the residents want houses on that plot of land so I'm not sure there you get the 'I can live in this area but nobody else can' part of your argument. Maybe they are making up the part about the flooding, if houses got flooded in that area there would be reports from the fire service so it would be hard to prove them wrong if those reports existed...

Red Silurian

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/1012213/new-owner-for-landmark-site-in-limerick-city.html

Not sure if this counts as news but it's in the news so I'll count it. Parkway Valley/Horizon Mall has changed hands, again, and a developer is making promises to develop it, again...

In 2 years time it will probably be sold again...

Poxyshamrock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120118940#Comment_120118940

There goes Limerick Leader with the word 'Landmark' again. 🙄

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120119109#Comment_120119109

I love that they say that they can 'reveal' the news as if it's some sort of exclusive, even though they have a photo of the Kirkland hoardings that have been up since at least last week and are passed by thousands of people every day.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120119109#Comment_120119109

It's a landmark empty building site on a landmark floodplain and someday will hopefully be a few more landmark warehouse shop units.

We're not exactly Paris but I'm pretty sure Limerick is good enough that we don't need to be relying on an outlet centre for landmarks.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120119109#Comment_120119109

It's been there for almost 20 years, sure it's nearly a listed site now

Next we are going to arrange day trips for the tourists to get their holiday photos out there

mart 23

Has Sisk started the basement work at the Opera site ?.

everydaydisbelief

Is there anyone monitoring the accessibilty of the revitalised O'Connell Street in Limerick? No crossing lights from Bedford Row to Thomas Street or Cruises Street; random street furniture and bollards, trip hazards, sensory paving unclear and some of the new public seating is very low. I can't understand how the needs of anyone with a visual impairment or mobility issue have been considered? Is it too late to raise?

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120138236#Comment_120138236

Try walking along Parnell St, street furniture clashing with "temporary" fencing around a dangerous building and the pavement suddenly becomes very narrow. Add to that cyclists using the pavement and it's very dangerous for anyone with a visual impairment or poor mobility

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120138355#Comment_120138355

I hate this attitude of "just put up some fencing it'll be grand" can be up or even worse fallen all over the path for ages. The street furniture just seems to be randomly thrown up too. I don't see that problem on O'Connell St. though. The furniture seems placed to funnel people towards the safe crossing points.

everydaydisbelief

Part of accessibility is having direct routes from A to B....unfortunately the 'funnels' such as the large triangular planters outside the ex-tourism office mean that you have a choice of steering a longer distance around them or staying in the cycle lane. I don't think the crossings are safe when you are standing in the cycle lane with no pedestrian lights to give you time to cross?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120138236#Comment_120138236

I tripped and nearly fell where the footpath tapers away to a ledge…and only afterwards realised it had a yellow stripe along it. A visually impaired person could easily trip and fall there.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120141273#Comment_120141273

Firstly don't stand in the cycle lane that is dangerous.

And you are contradicting yourself if you want to have pedestrian lights then you would not cross where the planters are anyway because the lights would be inside the planters in the currently defined crossing point.

everydaydisbelief

I have witnessed a few trips and falls which brings back the point about acessibilty.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120141295#Comment_120141295

I saw an elderly lady stumble near those yesterday, luckily, her daughter had her linked and saved her from falling.

The colours of road, bike lane and pavement are all too similar

everydaydisbelief

Lol Good luck pointing that out to the pedstrians syanding at the bollards in the unmarked cycle lane at the crossing points. The lights and planters were mentionned to highlight the lack of design consideration and accessibilty for people with disabilities.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120142628#Comment_120142628

I agree about the colours. They should have used different colours for the road, cycle lane and path.

They should have also put both cycle lanes on the same side which is how countries with proper cycling infrastructure do these things.

Edit: just passed by there now and there are 2 yellow lines one on the kerb and one just off, silver bobbles and a different colour paving on the kerb and a different colour paving on the divide between cycle lanes and road. All this is clearly visible at night and as visible as similar areas like Thomas St. or Nicholas St.

Also there are post holes for lights at the Bedford Row junction so hopefully there are lights going in.

Comhrá

Visually I think the whole street looks a bit monotonous with all the grey, and the curve at the Thomas St. junction really doesn't help it's overall appearance.

Was it intended as a sort of visual feature, supposedly to break up the long straight stretch, or was there some other purpose to it?

Looking up O'Connell St, I think it creates a disjointed look. Patrick St. is straight and imho, it looks far neater.

Those metal bollards also make for a very cluttered look to the street and I imagine that in time, many will become damaged and bent with bumps from cars and vehicles.

Sorry to sound so negative but I really find the whole job a bit drab and sombre-looking. I think if those bollards were omitted, it would have been a little easier on the eye.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120142826#Comment_120142826

The bend is a "traffic calming measure" but to be honest lights are much better.

I would love if we didn't need the bollards but that would require car drivers to follow the rules of the road and not illegally park. Bollards are not a problem but a solution to a problem.

Jofspring

Put higher parking fines on illegal parking on main thoroughfare routes would be a good start to not needing bollards which do really take away from any work going on.

Implementation of said parking fines is the other.

Illegally parked on William Street or O'Connell Street, immediate €150 parking fine. No second chance or time to move on. On the spot fine given.

On the cycle lane, it has already turned into the place people stand to prepare to cross the road. People step out without looking left or right. Can hardly blame them too much though, you can easily find yourself standing in the cycle lane without even noticing due to similarity in pavement.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144177#Comment_120144177

We should bring in double red like the UK. We should also enforce it with cameras.

I was almost hit by a car driving on the path on Wickham St. over the weekend. Had to pin myself to the wall to avoid them. Wouldn't have happened if the bollards were still up.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120142941#Comment_120142941

Another good traffic calming measure would be to reduce the number of lanes on the street from 2 to 1. Put parking on either side then there's no bollards needed as the parked cars can protect the cyclists

Same thing could be implemented on William Street and would yield similar results

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145460#Comment_120145460

For some places I agree but I'm not a fan of parked cars all over the main street.

That's definitely what should have happened on Parnell St.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145506#Comment_120145506

I agree loads of parked cars doesn't look great but realistically how else are you going to get people into the city, considering the bus service is ridiculous?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145527#Comment_120145527

All I'm saying is they don't park on O'Connell St. I wouldn't be advocating for banning them from town.

Also the cure for a ridiculous bus service is to create a not ridiculous bus service not have more parking.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145560#Comment_120145560

Would you advocate for leaving the street as 2-lane then? In my mind parked cars would calm the traffic and provide a buffer for cyclists on the main street

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145603#Comment_120145603

Technically it's going to be 1 bus and 1 general lane.

As I said I don't want any parked cars on O'Connell St. Bollards are less ugly as protection than cars. They should put lights again on Bedford Row and then I don't think any other traffic calming would be needed.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145631#Comment_120145631

If that's the plan the it's a good one and could help with the aforementioned quality of bus service... Provided the rules of the road are followed and enforced of course

Louche Lad

95 FM: "Proposal to ban cars from Limerick's High STREET"

https://www.live95fm.ie/news/live95-news/proposal-to-ban-cars-from-limericks-high-street/

Excellent if it happens IMHO.