Local Authorities - Get the finger out!

fishy fishy

phelant wrote: »

So I am dropping someone over to the races when I have come across this on the way in.

Now I work in Parkmore West so this is not the first time I have had to drive through this flood but you would think it could have been sorted by now. This is going on for years. And you would think that during this very important economic event that local authorities would be doing all they could to make sure punters get to and from the races safely and speedily.

BTW, don't bother saying 'unusual weather condition, downpour etc'., this was a few heavy showers. I drove home and back across the city numerous times and no where else did I have to risk damage to my car to get to my destination.

So, Galway City/County Councils, quit the messing and sort this problem out.



And yes, there are two cars on the wrong side of the road, on the footpath, trying to navigate through the deep water.

that looks very insignificant compared to others I have seen around Galway. footpaths (or excuses for footpaths included)

antoobrien

fishy fishy wrote: »

that looks very insignificant compared to others I have seen around Galway. footpaths (or excuses for footpaths included)

You can't tell from that photo but the flooding is up 3 feet deep at the deepest. The only way of getting through is at the very centre of the road (and hope nobody decides to be an ass and comes against you), so for practical purposes impassible to a nervous motorist (a lot of galway drivers fall into this category).

Mrs OBumble

Where exactly is it?

galah

It's up in Parkmore, right outside the SAP building on approach to the roundabout (when you go up that steep hill from the Tuam road).

And yes, you cannot see it in the picture, the water is actually very deep - even as an experienced driver I am slightly scared of that bit!

antoobrien

galah wrote: »

It's up in Parkmore, right outside the SAP building on approach to the roundabout (when you go up that steep hill from the Tuam road).

right here

Mars Bar

It's horrible trying to navigate your way through the flood on foot. Had to do it once. Now I just ring someone for a lift if it's raining.

ScumLord

It's all down to terrible planning and complete disregard for the facts. I always have to laugh when I look at the OSIs old maps. Find somewhere on them that clearly states "floodplain", skip to the modern map and you'll find someone's built an estate on it. This is ancient knowledge that everyone knew so they couldn't argue ignorance.

phelant

fishy fishy wrote: »

that looks very insignificant compared to others I have seen around Galway. footpaths (or excuses for footpaths included)

When it first started to flood, lots of drivers misjudged it like you, and ended up 100 yards down the road with steam coming from their bonnet. I've seen recovery trucks there also and I spoke to one guy in a modified car who went through and needed an engine rebuild after water got into the cylinder.

So in terms of damage and inconvenience caused to drivers of this relatively new stretch of road and the length of time this has been going on (years!) its a pretty bad flood and those in charge of fixing are not up to the task judging by their response so far.

Mrs OBumble

One of the challenges here is that road in question is very close to the city/county boundary. It clearly sits in the county - at least according to the city's map as shown on the last page of this document (That was the first good-looking link that Google found me.)

But many of the people using it would be heading to work in the city - ie just over the border in one side of Parkmore West. (How did anyone every manage to build an industrial estate with the border 1/2 way down the middle???)

And I'm guessing that dealing with the drainage issue would require co-operation of both authorities too.

Iwannahurl

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

How did anyone every manage to build an industrial estate with the border 1/2 way down the middle???

And I'm guessing that dealing with the drainage issue would require co-operation of both authorities too.

Perhaps this arrangement allows each authority to blame the rain in their own administrative area and the drainage in the other?

antoobrien

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

And I'm guessing that dealing with the drainage issue would require co-operation of both authorities too.

Why would it, it's a county road - the city ends at the RAB - so the problem lies entirely within the county council's purview.

I don't see how this can be easily fixed as some people think as it's in a significant dip. They'd have to raise the bottom of the dip to roughly the height of the walls to fix it properly (with run off going into attenuation ponds either side of the road.

galah

well if it's a dip, would not proper drainage help? I'm no roads engineer obviously, but some proper large size drains that take the water away to somewhere less obstructive (that pond in SAP, or some meadow somwehere?

Or flatten the road a bit so that the water distributes more evenly (or at least gets dristributes around the drains more evenly?)

This flood has been there for the past 8 years. It used to be really bad down the Tuam Road as well, opposite that DIY shop - but whatever they did, the road hasnt been obstructed even in heavy rainfalls since.

snubbleste

I don't believe this thread and won't until I see pictorial evidence of our dear Mayor fresh from Milwaukee, standing at the boundary pointing a ringed finger at the event.

antoobrien

galah wrote: »

well if it's a dip, would not proper drainage help? I'm no roads engineer obviously, but some proper large size drains that take the water away to somewhere less obstructive (that pond in SAP, or some meadow somwehere?

Or flatten the road a bit so that the water distributes more evenly (or at least gets dristributes around the drains more evenly?)

This flood has been there for the past 8 years. It used to be really bad down the Tuam Road as well, opposite that DIY shop - but whatever they did, the road hasnt been obstructed even in heavy rainfalls since.

It's been there for a lot longer and no drainage won't help, the road is the lowest point, meaning there's nowhere for the water to drain to.

phelant

antoobrien wrote: »

It's been there for a lot longer and no drainage won't help, the road is the lowest point, meaning there's nowhere for the water to drain to.

But wasn't all this known to the council/engineer when the road was built/improved all those years ago. Are we saying that in the year 2013 that there is no fix for this problem.

Funny thing is there is drainage because the flood disappears almost as quick as it comes (provided the rain stops or eases). Maybe its a case lack of maintenance of the drainage channels?

antoobrien

phelant wrote: »

But wasn't all this known to the council/engineer when the road was built/improved all those years ago. Are we saying that in the year 2013 that there is no fix for this problem.

Funny thing is there is drainage because the flood disappears almost as quick as it comes (provided the rain stops or eases). Maybe its a case lack of maintenance of the drainage channels?

As quick as it comes? Sure if you only come around every 8 hours.:rolleyes:

The problem is becuase of the dip the road is in. The works done 2/3 years ago have improved it - slightly (it takes 4 hours to clear instead of 8), but the only way to fix it permanently is to raise the level of the road to be significantly (min. 12") higher than the level of the surrounding land.