Proposed Traffic Management Plans Drogheda

Dingatron

I was just wondering if anyone had seen the new proposals and what their view on it was. I think this would be crazy and has the potential to clog up all traffic into the town further from the Dublin Road which already is pretty bad.

Can't be good for the trading in the town center either pushing all traffic up Laurence's Street with traffic lights at the Tholsel. Maybe if Shop Street became two way along with Dyer Street. Also the new road between Palace Street and Francis Street should have been wider to allow two lanes also to help clear some of the school traffic in this area.

Lord TSC

Why the constant need to change the road system in Drogheda? It's fine as it is. Leave it alone >_<

The change to Shop street is absolutely stupid, forcing people not only up Laurence Street but then up Palace street as well in a bid to escape the town. The Quay can already be frustrating to get accross without the added traffic that system is going to add to it.

CMpunked

This is pointless.
The backlog going down the quay will be doubled if they go through with this.

Why dont they go to problem areas and work out whats wrong there instead of overturning multi-million euro worth of ideas from a few years ago?


For example, I always see problems at the junction at the dublin road where dominos is. I would say get rid of the footpath thats there on the corner and direct pedestrians through the little area with the benches and you can easily fit in 3 lanes there and have a flow of traffic instead of the mess that is caused with those who want to cross over the bridge.

This is the junction i'm on about.

Who do i need to get in touch with to suggest this?

highlandseoghan

The reason there planning the changes is to close laurences gate and this they believe will attract visitors to looking at it properly.

I also heard there plan is to restrict access to West Street. During the day the only traffic allowed down west street will be buses and delivery trucks. I don't know how true this is.

CMpunked

highlandseoghan wrote: »

I also heard there plan is to restrict access to West Street. During the day the only traffic allowed down west street will be buses and delivery trucks. I don't know how true this is.

Ah sure why not. The pedestrians have abandoned the street, keep cars off it and it can be completely deserted. Good plan.

gipi

The lower end of West St (where Tesco is) will be deserted by traffic if this plan goes ahead, because the only way out of it will be via Lawrence & Palace Streets.

Can't see the delivery trucks being happy with that, so what will happen the shops at that end of town?

Cars using the Lawrence Centre carpark who exit onto Peter St will find themselves going right around the block to get out of the town.....cue a big reduction in the numbers visiting the centre! (I know there's another entrance on Palace St, but that's almost as awkward).

D rog

Brilliant, push more traffic up Palace street to a crazy junction which already has two or three schools and is mayhem two to three times a day.
Genius.

Dingatron

Hopefully common sense will prevail here. Without changing a single road they could help with traffic flow by reviewing every traffic light in Drogheda and timing them based on the time of day, amount of traffic and flow of traffic etc.

kormak

CMpunked wrote: »

Ah sure why not. The pedestrians have abandoned the street, keep cars off it and it can be completely deserted. Good plan.

very true... I was on West St. last Saturday afternoon around 3/4ish and it was eerily quiet for a Saturday afternoon!!

kormak

Dingatron wrote: »

Hopefully common sense will prevail here. Without changing a single road they could help with traffic flow by reviewing every traffic light in Drogheda and timing them based on the time of day, amount of traffic and flow of traffic etc.

There was a thread on here before about the traffic lights....
16 in total from Kierans' North Road to Southgate!! absolute joke and a sly way to force people out on to the M1 toll.

Lord TSC

Ah here, I was trying to avoid references to the M1 toll one. All to easy to make comments about people in charge not knowing what they are doing :P

Who is in charge of this anyway? At whom should we be aiming out annoyances?

Also, I don't find the lights too bothersome. If you time it right, you can run right the way through town without hitting a red light. I managed to drive straight through from the bus station out towards the Boyne Valley hitting every green light. If you're at the front of the queue when a light goes green and maintain a decent speed, it is possible. Not probable, but possible...

Dingatron

Shush don't mention the M1 toll. The last thread on it was a disaster.

Cllr. Michael O'Dowd put out the original flyer I copied. While in favor of Laurence Gate closure he is not in favor of the proposed traffic plans and will pass on peoples views on to the council. I'll direct him to this thread. Alternatively there is public consultation process but not sure how that works.

Lord TSC

In fairness, I can completely understand the closure of the gate. I've always found it a bit annoying to get through. I think it might work as a one way system a bit better if these new systems go through. But with that said, these systems should not go through at all.....

Siobh73

Why not reverse the flow on Peter St back to how it was - or even better - get rid of the parking on it and make it 2 way. Gives people more options coming from West Street. Magdalene St is 2 way even though it is shown as just one way on the map.. That crossroads at the Thosel is bad enough as it is without sending more traffic up that way! (I presume with traffic lights there the 4 pedestrian crossings would go - even though 50% of people ignore them anyway!)

Also, make the new road and the bottom part of Francis Street both 2 way. Basically, put it back to how it was before the last messing!

I completely agree that Palace Street/ King Street is not wide enough to take any greater volume of traffic- particularly at school pick-up and drop-off times.

gipi

Took another look at the map. The road from the Chord Rd to the North Quay (not named on map) is shown as 2-way which it currently is. But the map doesn't give any idea of the blind staggered crossroads and the bend in the road at the junction with North Strand/Batchelor's Lane. I use that street regularly and it can be hairy approaching the junction from the river because of the protruding corner on the left and the "kink" in the road which makes Batchelor's Lane traffic invisible.

I know there is no change in direction or traffic flow on these streets, but with extra traffic exiting the town via the new street off Palace St towards the Quay, that junction will be a lot more hazardous in my opinion.

markc1184

The worst part for me is the 2 way system on Dyer Street. That section of road can be a nightmare at the best of times with the court and then people abandoning their cars all over the place because they are afraid of having to park up and walk to the AIB bank.

Now... I'm no big city lawyer... (I can hear ye're gasps!)...


But would it not make sense to remove parking from Shop St. and make it two way? Take the Taxi rank off it and put them on West St. outside Tesco/Dunnes (there is space there for about 10 cars, I'd say. So we'll say 8 cars, leaving enough space for people to get to the boots comfortably with their shopping).

Shift the poorly put together pop-up market away from Tesco/Mahers/etc. and put it in front of the steps at St. Peter's (where there's loads of empty space, so everyone's not squashed into a small section).

Restrict access to West St. between 8am-6pm to commercial and public service vehicles only (delivery trucks, taxis, buses, Garda cars, etc.) and pretty much have an anti-clockwise circle that runs around West. St. (west on Fair St. and east on Wellington Quay. This would mean reversing the direction of Wellington Quay, but I don't see that being a big issue)?


Surely that'd be a winner for everyone?

1. Tesco and Dunnes, Penneys, etc. can hope for more customers as there'll be taxi ranks outside their front doors, making loading/unloading shopping quick and easy (these stores would need to put trolley bays outside, which would infringe on footpath space, but a small price to pay, ultimately, in my opinion).

2. Taxi Drivers aren't sitting a 5 minute walk away from popular shops, or instead driving in circles hoping to catch someone who'll flag them down on West St. by chance.

3. Most importantly (in my personal opinion) Emergency Service vehicles can fly through the town in no time to get to accidents or such on West St. (and to be fair, the east side of West St., near the tholsel, seems to be an unlucky spot). In current traffic, Ambulances, etc. can wail their siren or flash their lights all they like, and they'll sit still in traffic regardless, as the traffic in front can't move anywhere to let them by.

4. More people would be likely to take advantage of the bus services that are operated throughout the town if they can't park their car on West St.


So it seems, to me anyway, like a win-win situation.


Also, that 'new road' that's up from Laurence gate is very wide. Why is that marked as being a one-way road on the map? You could fit three lanes of cars on it if you tried. Why don't they have a bit of cop on and make it a two way road and then just use that road to replace the shoddy two-way system that's currently running under Laurence's Gate?

CRM Ireland

How about they knock all the dilapidated buildings down all around the town and then widen the road and have extra lanes to support the increasing number of vehicles. That would rid the centre of its eyesores and help the flow of traffic. Not a bad idea, I actually go out onto the toll all the time, despite hating having to pay, simply to avoid going through the town daily and depressing myself with the entire ambience of the place.

If I were to add a symbol on Google Maps, Id have a big 3D arrow pointing to Drogheda town centre with the word "The Depression" on it.

CRM Ireland

CRM Ireland wrote: »

How about they knock all the dilapidated buildings down all around the town and then widen the road and have extra lanes to support the increasing number of vehicles. That would rid the centre of its eyesores and help the flow of traffic. Not a bad idea, I actually go out onto the toll all the time, despite hating having to pay, simply to avoid going through the town daily and depressing myself with the entire ambience of the place.

If I were to add a symbol on Google Maps, Id have a big 3D arrow pointing to Drogheda town centre with the word "The Depression" on it.

They add character! :rolleyes:

Lantus

Dingatron wrote: »

Hopefully common sense will prevail here. Without changing a single road they could help with traffic flow by reviewing every traffic light in Drogheda and timing them based on the time of day, amount of traffic and flow of traffic etc.

here is no such thing as common sense. The intelligence a person has and their ability to identify and solve problems is a reflection of the education they have received and their experience.

According to one of the local papers they're having another meeting about this, but it didn't say when or where. Anyone have any idea?

I never hear anything about these meetings being scheduled and I'd love to be the 'concerned citizen' at one (as the proposed traffic plans are terrible, in my opinion).

Lord TSC

The cynical side of me says they'd rather people don't know when or where it's happening :P

event

lads, would i be right in saying that if you were on west street and then had to go to the bull ring you have to:
go up laurence street, up palace street, across the new road, down francis street, down to the quay, across there and then cross over the bridge?

Dingatron

I emailed on a link to the thread to Michael O'Dowd. He got back to me to say he will pass on all submissions to DBC or/and you can also submit using a dedicated email address for submissions

trafficconsultation@droghedaboro.ie

It was in the DI this week that there was 3 meetings that took place, all poorly attended. There is a call for one final meeting before submission. If I hear anything I'll post it up.

I emailed that email address asking about the best way to have an opinion heard.

I hope another meeting gets the go ahead. Would like to attend and hear how people think the new layout will be a good thing. O' Dowd has been on the Leader facebook page. He posted the diagram that's in the OP. It's a poor layout.

highlandseoghan

I don't think there is a date or place set yet for another meeting yet. I understand that there was 3 meetings and because they were so poorly attended some are saying one last meeting is needed but with a lot more notice. I never heard anything about the 3 meetings till I read it in the paper. Why did the council not put up signs about a public meeting? If I hear of a planned meeting on the issue I will post details here.

foglight

I was talking about this to my elderly Aunt who lives in Ulster Terrace in Drogheda . She says all traffic will now pass her door and is very upset about it.

gipi

event wrote: »

lads, would i be right in saying that if you were on west street and then had to go to the bull ring you have to:
go up laurence street, up palace street, across the new road, down francis street, down to the quay, across there and then cross over the bridge?

If you were on the lower part of West St (where Tesco is) then yes, that's your route.

You could turn down Stockwell St and around by the Haymarket if you hadn't passed that turn.

Dingatron

Hi all. I've just heard that the final workshop on the traffic management plans  will be hosted by the Borough Council tomorrow 30th in Tholsel from 4pm to 6.

Dingatron

Dingatron wrote: »

Hi all. I've just heard that the final workshop on the traffic management plans will be hosted by the Borough Council tomorrow 30th in Tholsel from 4pm to 6.

Surely that can't be true? A day's notice?


I can't see it on their website anywhere?

Dingatron

Don't shoot the messenger. Just heard it last night. Personally asides from sort notice I think this should have been held later in the evening as a lot of people are working etc.