Leopardstown Road Works

Glencarraig

Anybody know whats gonna happen on Leopardstown Road, I see the poles in the middle of the road are gone, I know they are doing some work up at the new path to the Luas, possibly pedestrian lights going there and the lights at the Leop Road/Leop Ave junction being taken away, any chance they might restore the right turn from Leop Road to Ave and right from Ave to Road?

Larbre34

No the right turns to/from Leop Ave are not being restored, its a new pedestrian/cycle crossing to serve the greenway path between Leopardstown Road and Brewery Road. You will see a corresponding set of lights going in on Brewery Road at the moment also.

Glencarraig

Pity that, it's a real pain in the arse not being able to turn right off Leop Road but I will probably do as hundreds of others do every day.....ignore the no right turn sign. What concerns me more is that before they removed the poles there were gob****es driving up the wrong side of the poles and turning right, now some morning one of them is going to meet me head on as I am coming left out of Leop Ave and getting into the outside lane to turn onto Torquay Road. if there is nothing replacing the poles in the middle of the road the situation is only going to get more dangerous, but of course the priveliged ones who live in the two houses opposite the junction get freedom to turn whatever way they like, even had a nice gap left in the poles to accommodate them!

Larbre34

Dont worry, the poles, like Arnie, will be back. In a far more permanent and unbeatable arrangement

homer911

They call it a Toucan (Two can cross) as it serves both pedestrians and cyclists

Dubl07

They seem to have shortened the green light heading for Sandyford as well as allowing only one lane of cars to proceed at the Torquay Road junction. Only three or four cars at a time can get through. It's a major pain in the rear. :mad:

Glencarraig

Larbre34 wrote: »

Dont worry, the poles, like Arnie, will be back. In a far more permanent and unbeatable arrangement

Oh yes, the poles are back....I couldnt believe my eyes this evening when I saw the same bent, old and dirty poles that they removed have been put back down, what a joke, I know times are bad but surely DLRCC could afford to buy a few new plastic poles. As I mentioned in a previous post on this matter, the poles, new or otherwise need to be extended further down Leopardstown Road towards the Torquay Road junction to stop the gob****es who drive up the wrong side of the poles and make an illegal right turn into Leopardstown Avenue. This is a really dangerous practice which will result in somebody getting badly hurt. I come out of Leopardstown Avenue every morning and am obliged to turn left because of the poles and the no right turn onto Leop Road and get in the outside lane to turn right to Torquay Road and some morning one of those gob****es will meet me head on because when they start the run up the wrong side of the poles they have no idea that I have a green light to turn left. I have sent letters to both the Gardai and DLRCC but of course, never received a reply. There is also a gap left in the poles for the two privileged residents to cut across Leop Road to Leop Ave OR turn right down Leop Road, why should they have this facility if I cannot turn right to Leop Ave to get to my house?

Glencarraig

Larbre34 wrote: »

Dont worry, the poles, like Arnie, will be back. In a far more permanent and unbeatable arrangement

Just to resurrect this post, Nothing changes, apart from making the gap in the poles even wider !!!. More worrying is the new junction at the previous Sandyford Roundabout, which is to be opened to traffic on Feb 2nd which will not allow traffic on Leopardstown Road to turn right onto Brewery Road. DLRCC in their wisdom? have decided that any traffic exiting the Racecourse, Central Park or the hospital will access Brewery Road via Leopardstown Avenue !!!!!. I find this beyond comprehension, routing huge numbers of cars through a high density residential area, including a creche. As usual, not a word of protest or information from the Leopardstown & Brewery Road Residents Association. They are too busy campaigning against the proposed food takeaway on Leopardstown Road to be concerned about the safety of residents of the area.

djemba djemba

Glencarraig wrote: »

Just to resurrect this post, Nothing changes, apart from making the gap in the poles even wider !!!. More worrying is the new junction at the previous Sandyford Roundabout, which is to be opened to traffic on Feb 2nd which will not allow traffic on Leopardstown Road to turn right onto Brewery Road. DLRCC in their wisdom? have decided that any traffic exiting the Racecourse, Central Park or the hospital will access Brewery Road via Leopardstown Avenue !!!!!. I find this beyond comprehension, routing huge numbers of cars through a high density residential area, including a creche. As usual, not a word of protest or information from the Leopardstown & Brewery Road Residents Association. They are too busy campaigning against the proposed food takeaway on Leopardstown Road to be concerned about the safety of residents of the area.

Would they not continue down Leopardstown Road and on to the N11 that way.

spyderski

There was no right turn out of the racecourse, presume that will have to be changed now?

awec

spyderski wrote: »

There was no right turn out of the racecourse, presume that will have to be changed now?

That has already changed. There are traffic lights at what used to be the racecourse entrance. The entrance now also serves the south county business park.

There will be no right turn coming from Leopardstown road onto brewery road, and there will be no right turn coming from Sandyford ind estate on to the leopardstown road (up toward the Clayton hotel), instead you will have to use the new road they opened.

As for the Leopardstown Avenue issue, I am not sure this will really be a huge problem. With these new rules the only reason you would go down Leopardstown Avenue to Brewery Road would be if you live down there. You can join the n11 at the Leopardstown road junction.

That said, the Lep Road N11 junction will have to change, because the current situation if you are going left at this junction (city-bound n11 traffic) is ridiculous. I suspect that long queues could develop here.

coylemj

awec wrote: »

That said, the Lep Road N11 junction will have to change, because the current situation if you are going left at this junction (city-bound n11 traffic) is ridiculous. I suspect that long queues could develop here.

Why would the new layout affect the amount of traffic arriving at the junction of the Lep Road/N11?

People coming off the M50 will still be able to drive into Brewery Road, it's only the people coming from Lep Road (east) that won't be allowed to get into Brewery Road but hardly anyone does that these days anyway - I drive from Whites Cross to Sandyford Ind Estate and anyone who was turning right at the roundabout was always going into the Ind Estate, you hardly ever saw someone swing all the way round and go into Brewery Road.

Most of the traffic arriving at Whites Cross from the M50 is either going straight ahead into Newtownpark Ave or turning right towards Foxrock Church. People coming off the M50 heading to Stillorgan/Mount Merrion/Booterstown go via Brewery Road and can continue to do so.

whiskeyman

awec wrote: »

As for the Leopardstown Avenue issue, I am not sure this will really be a huge problem. With these new rules the only reason you would go down Leopardstown Avenue to Brewery Road would be if you live down there. You can join the n11 at the Leopardstown road junction.
.

Issue would be whereby those coming out of South Co Business Park want to go Northbound on the N11.
The N11 junction at Leopardstown road is majority right turning southbound traffic, and the filter lane for left turn if very small. Much quicker to go via Leopardstown Ave and then left at bottom of Brewery Rd.

All in all, things seem to be going quite well.

Larbre34

Two alternatives, proceed up past the Clayton Hotel and u-turn on the roundabout, or proceed into Sandyford Business Estate and loop around by the Luas and rejoin for a left turn onto Brewery Road. Not ideal, but theres no need to sit on Leopardstown Road at Whites Cross for an age.

The Council themselves seem to be suggesting Torquay Road and Westminster Road to the N11 as one diversion route. Personally I think the traffic will dissipate so much that the knock-on effects will be negligible.

Still seems to be a lot of work to do on the junction, pedestrians seem to be worst off for the moment

coylemj

whiskeyman wrote: »

Issue would be whereby those coming out of South Co Business Park want to go Northbound on the N11.
The N11 junction at Leopardstown road is majority right turning southbound traffic, and the filter lane for left turn if very small. Much quicker to go via Leopardstown Ave and then left at bottom of Brewery Rd.

As I understand it, the prohibition on turning into Brewery Road only applies to traffic coming from Lep Road east i.e. as if coming from Whites Cross or the racecourse, I don't think there was/is any plan to block people coming out of the Ind Estate from turning left onto Brewery Road.

That's according to this post on a parallel thread, partially quoted below .....

rameire wrote: »

The existing Leopardstown Roundabout, at the junction with Brewery Road, will be permanently replaced with a new signalised junction on Tuesday 2nd February. Switch-over will take place after the morning peak period (10:00am)
It should be noted that following the switch-over, there will be no right turn allowed from Leopardstown Road East (from N11) onto Brewery Road or from Burton Hall Road onto Leopardstown Road West (towards the M50).

Full post here ....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=98534781&postcount=38

Rackard

Completely ridiculous what they've done here putting traffic lights in instead of the roundabout. Absolutely guaranteed to be held up in traffic no matter what time you arrive.

Then there's a backlog of cars queuing at the lights which leads to a bigger backlog at the end of Brewery Road/N11 junction. The same if you head in the opposite direction but worse in the evening when I hit it.

It will lead to a case where you won't be able to exit off the N11 onto the Brewery Road as it's completely backed up all the way. How the planners didn't see this I do not know!

Larbre34

Rackard wrote: »

How the planners didn't see this I do not know!

You're kidding aren't you? The planners did it on purpose.

I did a bit of work on the Microsoft development in the business park beside the racecourse. They are consolidating thousands of staff on one site. Basically, if the pedestrian and cycle facilities/ priority/safety wasnt improved, there would have been no planning granted. The same applies to the massive increase in projected development within the Sandyford estate.

Essentially, the private car is pushed to lowest priority to allow for jobs and investment. Thats not even a local thing, its citywide and even national policy.

I wouldnt worry anyway, the roadworks arent even done yet, see what its like when its all open.

Tabnabs

The fact that two lanes become one, before going back to two - for Leopardstown Rd East and over to Leopoardstown Rd West, seems an amateur solution when previously it was two lanes uninterrupted. They seem to have forgotten what way the roads were built and where the traffic is going. A lot of very angry drivers queueing and a lot of cutting going on to get onto LR West.

RacoonQueen

Went through this yesterday morning going to the gym and so very confusing. Traffic built up at the lights before 7am!

Rackard

Larbre34 wrote: »

You're kidding aren't you? The planners did it on purpose.

I did a bit of work on the Microsoft development in the business park beside the racecourse. They are consolidating thousands of staff on one site. Basically, if the pedestrian and cycle facilities/ priority/safety wasnt improved, there would have been no planning granted. The same applies to the massive increase in projected development within the Sandyford estate.

Essentially, the private car is pushed to lowest priority to allow for jobs and investment. Thats not even a local thing, its citywide and even national policy.

I wouldnt worry anyway, the roadworks arent even done yet, see what its like when its all open.

I'm talking about traffic flow problems that it contributes to further on. It will add to the craziness of the M50 merge as instead of somewhat staggered traffic before, it will now create more M50 blockage.
Likewise onto the Brewery Road/N11 junctions and beyond.
Grand, sort out staff access, public safety etc but it looks like they've disregarded any consequences to the worsening traffic around Dublin altogether.

Larbre34

Rackard wrote: »

Grand, sort out staff access, public safety etc but it looks like they've disregarded any consequences to the worsening traffic around Dublin altogether.

I understand what you're saying, but the limit of new capacity for car traffic has been reached. The carrot has been put away, the stick is being employed. From here on, people can either sit in cars in worsening traffic or decide on an alternative, there will be no more easing of the situation, road space is being given over to bikes and public transport in many instances. I also know the alternatives arent really there yet in most cases so they next decade will be difficult for motorists.

Happily, its election season, feel free to badger the candidates about it!

djemba djemba

Went through it twice today. Seemed to work well. One thing I say both times was coming from the m50 and proceeding straight down Brewery Road. Is there two lanes or just one? Could be just people getting used to the layout but saw two close calls.

astrofool

Larbre34 wrote: »

I understand what you're saying, but the limit of new capacity for car traffic has been reached. The carrot has been put away, the stick is being employed. From here on, people can either sit in cars in worsening traffic or decide on an alternative, there will be no more easing of the situation, road space is being given over to bikes and public transport in many instances. I also know the alternatives arent really there yet in most cases so they next decade will be difficult for motorists.

Happily, its election season, feel free to badger the candidates about it!

Which is fine for Sandyford if you live on or near the Luas line, otherwise, you're hosed Work in south county and had a colleague who had to take public transport due to car being serviced (Adamstown), turned from a 20 minute drive to a 90 minute public transportathon to get to work (train, walk, luas).

JazzyJ

djemba djemba wrote: »

Went through it twice today. Seemed to work well. One thing I say both times was coming from the m50 and proceeding straight down Brewery Road. Is there two lanes or just one? Could be just people getting used to the layout but saw two close calls.

There will be 2 lanes going straight, but at least as of last Friday, the left one hadn't opened. There's 2 lanes going right.

Plans are here:

http://www.dlrcoco.ie/files/Leopardstown_Link_Road/Drawing_2_03.pdf

Tabnabs

JazzyJ wrote: »

http://www.dlrcoco.ie/files/Leopardstown_Link_Road/Drawing_2_03.pdf

Christ, they really haven't thought out the Leopardstown Rd East - LR West access at all, it was a complete disaster last Friday again. :mad:

Larbre34

From the look of that drawing, the final arrangement isnt in place yet, they are still building a free flow lane from Leopardstown Rd E to W that wont have the same red light as the lanes heading for Sandyford

Tabnabs

Larbre34 wrote: »

From the look of that drawing, the final arrangement isnt in place yet, they are still building a free flow lane from Leopardstown Rd E to W that wont have the same red light as the lanes heading for Sandyford

They were queuing back about a km last friday all because they have taken away the ability of two lanes to access the continuation of the Leopardstown Rd. That's where the majority of the traffic goes, not into Sandyford estate. Also, the free flow lane has traffic lights, as opposed to a yield junction, so it's really no better than going straight ahead...

Awaaf

I haven't been through this location for a few weeks but I think roundabouts like this (and the one at Sallynoggin) don't work as they become dominated by aggressive driving styles. If all drivers drove (or had to drive) at say 20kph or less on roundabouts you would allow all drivers to conduct their passage through the roundabout correctly and safely and keep the traffic flowing. I think Irish drivers have no-one to blame but ourselves when lights are imposed.

Larbre34

Awaaf wrote: »

I think Irish drivers have no-one to blame but ourselves when lights are imposed.

This is very true.

Also, cyclists and pedestrians weren't properly catered for safely at all at that junction before. Roundabouts of that type are only suitable for trunk road interchanges where there are no people

astrofool

Larbre34 wrote: »

This is very true.

Also, cyclists and pedestrians weren't properly catered for safely at all at that junction before. Roundabouts of that type are only suitable for trunk road interchanges where there are no people

I used to exit from South County, and you would sit there waiting for someone on the leopardstown exit to hesitate slightly to get onto the roundabout, a wonder there wasn't more accidents there (and there was a few). When on the roundabout, I'd purposely slow down to let the other exits get moving, but there's always some maniacs who spin the wheels and get irate when traffic on the round about already blocks them.

awec

Rackard wrote: »

Completely ridiculous what they've done here putting traffic lights in instead of the roundabout. Absolutely guaranteed to be held up in traffic no matter what time you arrive.

Then there's a backlog of cars queuing at the lights which leads to a bigger backlog at the end of Brewery Road/N11 junction. The same if you head in the opposite direction but worse in the evening when I hit it.

It will lead to a case where you won't be able to exit off the N11 onto the Brewery Road as it's completely backed up all the way. How the planners didn't see this I do not know!

Did you ever see that roundabout at rush hour?

It was a disaster. Queues down Leopardstown Road East, queues out of the south county business park, queues out of sandyford estate, queues coming from m50.

It absolute had to go. The exits were too close together to allow traffic to flow freely.