Planned roadworks on Coolagh RAB and Briarhill Junction

Taken from the Galway City Council website

Further to the Bothar na dTreabh (N6) Multi-Modal Corridor Improvement Scheme please note that work to extend the right turn lane at the Briarhill Junction from the N6 to the Monivea Road will commence this week. It is not anticipated that this work will disrupt traffic, as traffic on the N6 will be transfered to the hard shoulder to keep two lanes of traffic operating on the N6.
Coolagh Roundabout
Commencing Monday 26, 2012, work will begin on the Coolagh Roundabout aimed at narrowing the central island of the roundabout and realigning some of the splitter islands at the roundabout entries. As this work is on the central circulating carriageway of the roundabout, some traffic disruption can be expected, but all attempts will be made to keep this disruption to a minimum.

desaparecidos

Two things that should have been done right in the first place. Such waste.

Storm 10

Its crazy to think after all that was spent on this that they have to re-visit and change the layout, it just shows how wrong they are in City Hall I am surprised that Padraig C has not been on about another waste of public money.

Another one that is silly is when driving on Lough Atalia towards the docks is the large hatched area that prevents you from turning right towards the station, this should be changed to a right turn lane and not have cars wanting to turn right being in the straight ahead for the docks and Salthill.

galah

so many things wrong still. It also seems that they repainted the lanes outside the firestation, but somehow changed them, so that coming from Salthill, you don't really have 2 lanes anymore after the traffic light (before, people turning left down Raven Terrace could do so while other traffic could go straight). Accident waiting to happen.

Also, Westside is still not right, traffic does not flow properly. Why on earth they gave that estate (Glenoaks or whatever it's called) it's OWN traffic light, stopping the main flow every few minutes (instead of simply making it 'left turn' only, sending people who want to turn right up to the roundabout) but not giving the old Rahoon Road it's own junction (causing a lot of hassle around there), is beyond me. Light sequence still doesnt work (or people simply keep running red lights, I dont now), and it seems that you can use the bus lane as long as you indicate left for long enough (and noone gives a feck) :rolleyes:

Seriously, this town could be minted if they simply started enforcing and fining people for traffic offences (and pocketing the cash)...Fish in a barrel...

And two more things while I am at it - anyone notice this weird sequence of the traffic light along the Tuam Road, outside the AIB? Coming from town, the traffic light is green for a while, then goes red, then goes green again for 2 cars, and goes red again. Very random, very annoying (cause for the second part, it forces you to break hard as the sequence is so short, if you are coming down the hill expecting a longer green light).

Following on from that - is it REALLY necessary for a town to keep ALL the traffic lights running at night? Even the pedestrian ones (I always seem to get caught at the ones in Eyre Square, if I catch that t*t who presses the button while there's no cars around at 6 am, I'll kick him/her), and obscure lights that may have validity during the day, but defo not at night when there's hardly anyone around? :mad:

galah

galah wrote: »

Following on from that - is it REALLY necessary for a town to keep ALL the traffic lights running at night? Even the pedestrian ones (I always seem to get caught at the ones in Eyre Square, if I catch that t*t who presses the button while there's no cars around at 6 am, I'll kick him/her), and obscure lights that may have validity during the day, but defo not at night when there's hardly anyone around? :mad:

People walk at night too

pleasant Co.

galah wrote: »

if I catch that t*t who presses the button while there's no cars around at 6 am, I'll kick him/her

....and while you commit your foolish crime some other scumbag steals your car , luckily there are plenty of CCTV cams around there.

Col200sx

Didn't Conor Faughnan of the AA say last night on the transport discussion on The Last Word with Matt Cooper that:

"Traffic problems are worse in Galway than in Dublin".

Interesting, and this is with all the "improvements" made over the years......

galah

galah wrote: »

And two more things while I am at it - anyone notice this weird sequence of the traffic light along the Tuam Road, outside the AIB? Coming from town, the traffic light is green for a while, then goes red, then goes green again for 2 cars, and goes red again. Very random, very annoying (cause for the second part, it forces you to break hard as the sequence is so short, if you are coming down the hill expecting a longer green light).

That is an odd one - it is connected to the pedestrian lights - for some reason the pedestrian crossing isn't slotted in between the regular cycles of the lights, it goes green on the Tuam road for a few seconds and then red for the pedestrian crossing.

galah wrote: »

Also, Westside is still not right, traffic does not flow properly. Why on earth they gave that estate (Glenoaks or whatever it's called) it's OWN traffic light, stopping the main flow every few minutes (instead of simply making it 'left turn' only, sending people who want to turn right up to the roundabout) but not giving the old Rahoon Road it's own junction (causing a lot of hassle around there), is beyond me. Light sequence still doesnt work (or people simply keep running red lights, I dont now), and it seems that you can use the bus lane as long as you indicate left for long enough (and noone gives a feck) :rolleyes:

I think the long term plan is to reroute the old rahoon road back to the other set of lights through Higgins/potential tesco. There is a phantom right turning lane at those lights.

biko

Please stay on topic, the works on the junction and rb.
General traffic threads don't have a great history in this forum.

galah

Deleted User wrote: »

People walk at night too

yes, but they seems to be perfectly capable of crossing the road and NOT waiting for their lights to go green, yet still press the flipping button...

anyhooo. Don't want to get banned.:D

Sponge Bob

The roadworks on the brand new roundabout are because the surface there is notoriously slippy and it is way too narrow...Duh! . City Council not responsible for that design for a change so we can't point the finger for once.

The County Council designed and supervised the Motorway of which that RAB is part.

antoobrien

Sponge Bob wrote: »

The roadworks on the brand new roundabout are because the surface there is notoriously slippy and it is way too narrow...Duh! . City Council not responsible for that design for a change so we can't point the finger for once.

The County Council designed and supervised the Motorway of which that RAB is part.

In fairness Sponge Bob, the ridiculously short right turn lane is something the council were responsible for, so they deserve that portion of the criticism.

But you're right, the council seem to be a magnet for blame - valid or not.

Sponge Bob

So On the record, Mainly Not the fault of the City Council, m'kay!

Cleahaigh

Sponge Bob wrote: »

The roadworks on the brand new roundabout are because the surface there is notoriously slippy and it is way too narrow...Duh! . City Council not responsible for that design for a change so we can't point the finger for once.

The County Council designed and supervised the Motorway of which that RAB is part.

Nope, the PPP company designed the roundabout and approaches. The original design had a much wider circulatory carriageway and also suggested measures on the M6 approach from 400m out to include distance plate marked roundabout warning signs every 100m as well as yellow bar markings over the 400m length. The Employer's Representative was RPS.

Sponge Bob

Well the road design office that supervised them is under the county council.

KevR

Col200sx wrote: »

Didn't Conor Faughnan of the AA say last night on the transport discussion on The Last Word with Matt Cooper that:

"Traffic problems are worse in Galway than in Dublin".

Interesting, and this is with all the "improvements" made over the years......

"Over the years"?? Galway has seen sweet damn all investment in roads (or transport in general) over the years especially when you consider the population boom which took place over the past few decades.

Prior to the very recent SQR upgrade and roundabout replacements, I can't remember anything significant in the past 10 - 15 years.. The Western Distributor and Ballybrit DC are going back quite a while!

Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford are all bypassed. None of them have traffic problems as bad as Galway. Also, there is no redundancy in Galway's road network - one incident and the whole town is crippled because there is zero spare capacity.

Sponge Bob

All True Kevr. The most farcical situation was when the Minister of Health had to get out and walk nearly 2 miles to the MAIN HOSPITAL FOR THE WHOLE WEST earlier this year for a meeting.

Imagine were that an ambulance with critically ill patients he was in.

But the Coolagh Roundabout is a crap design anyway, way too tight and too slippy in the wet. It is only 3 years old and of all places on earth ....Galway should know how to build a roundabout in 2009.

galwaycyclist

KevR wrote: »

"Over the years"?? Galway has seen sweet damn all investment in roads (or transport in general) over the years especially when you consider the population boom which took place over the past few decades.

Exactly - if you were of a cynical frame of mind you might think it would appear to suit some in authority that the traffic situation would get steadily worse.

KevR

Sponge Bob wrote: »

All True Kevr. The most farcical situation was when the Minister of Health had to get out and walk nearly 2 miles to the MAIN HOSPITAL FOR THE WHOLE WEST earlier this year for a meeting.

Imagine were that an ambulance with critically ill patients he was in.

But the Coolagh Roundabout is a crap design anyway, way too tight and too slippy in the wet. It is only 3 years old and of all places on earth ....Galway should know how to build a roundabout in 2009.

When I used to cycle Westside to Ballybrit daily in evening rush hour, I sometimes was able to keep pace with ambulances (sirens on) over a distance of a couple of miles. It would be funny if it wasn't true.

Ballybrit junction change moving along quick. They are at the road marking stage already

Iwannahurl

KevR wrote: »

When I used to cycle Westside to Ballybrit daily in evening rush hour, I sometimes was able to keep pace with ambulances (sirens on) over a distance of a couple of miles. It would be funny if it wasn't true.

Problem, and partial solution, all in one...

Sponge Bob

crossbar to the cancer ward....is it?

Iwannahurl

Sponge Bob wrote: »

crossbar to the cancer ward....is it?

I knew you were going to say that.

No, to A&E of course.

I've edited my earlier post to highlight the relevant bits.

The point, though not the primary one intended by the poster, is that the mode of travel in question was clearly the best one for keeping pace (suggesting a partial solution). The large number of cars impeding the ambulance (most of them single-occupant, for sure) are clearly the problem.

antoobrien

Sponge Bob wrote: »

crossbar to the cancer ward....is it?

Based on this, best not to be living in town.

Road-traffic fumes linked to autism in children
Living near a busy road is associated with a dramatic increase in the risk of childhood autism, a study has shown.

Early exposure to traffic pollution, either in the womb or during the first year of life, more than doubled a child's chances of having the disorder, scientists found.

Children from homes with the highest air pollution levels were three times more at risk than those from the least exposed homes.

Link to full study

antoobrien

Deleted User wrote: »

Ballybrit junction change moving along quick. They are at the road marking stage already

How far down have they come, it looks about 150m?

Just about 150 I'd say, maybe slightly less

Should make it safer in the mornings

yer man!

antoobrien wrote: »

Based on this, best not to be living in town.



Link to full study

Sure the stress from Galway traffic alone is damaging to health....

KevR

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Problem, and partial solution, all in one...

Not a proper solution in my opinion. I wouldn't wish the cycle I used to do on my worst enemy. It was soul destroying in the wind and/or rain.

KevR

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Exactly - if you were of a cynical frame of mind you might think it would appear to suit some in authority that the traffic situation would get steadily worse.

What I really don't understand is why there are no traffic counts available for Galway City. The City Council undertake a massive traffic counting exercise on almost every road in the city every October/Novemeber but never publish the results.

I have written to them asking for figures but I got back some rubbish response saying the voulme of data was too great and I wouldn't be able to get anything useful from it :rolleyes:

Sponge Bob

Yeah but obviously you never leant in the window of the ambulance and offered the patient the lend of your bike Kev...so you will never know whether it could have solved the issue on occasion or not.

In other words Hurl may be right but we'll never know.

Iwannahurl

KevR wrote: »

Not a proper solution in my opinion. I wouldn't wish the cycle I used to do on my worst enemy. It was soul destroying in the wind and/or rain.

Doesn't bother me, or me wains.

Then again, our current cycle journey is under 4 km (as it is for around half of city commuters IIRC). I used to commute around 12 km across town in all weathers, but I was being stubborn then. Your soul may be destroyed but the cardiac payoff on its own is a real corporeal benefit...