City centre traffic mad due to Challenge Triathlon [Sunday 26th June]

Mrs OBumble

So right now, traffic in the city is close to gridlock. Bus journeys from Doughiksa taking approx 1 hour - and that's with no pickups or drop-offs on the Dublin Rd after Roscam.

This is because the Challenge Triathlon has closed Lough Attalia Rd, Dock Rd, part of College Rd, the inbound bus lane on the Dublin Rd - and on the part where there's no bus lane, the existing traffic lanes are restricted to allow the tri cyclists to use the regular lane.

There are guards protecting the closed lanes, but none that I could see directing regular traffic.

If you were thinking of coming in to watch the football in town - don't. Find a place in the suburbs.

Who-ever approved the traffic management for this should be fired for incompetence.

Ditto the woeful public information: there have been signs dotted around town saying "advance notice - road closures, see this website" - but with no hints about timing or scale, who's going to be looking up a website!

biko

It's all here but it's easiest to consider in city centre off limits for today
www.challenge-galway.eu/traffic-information

kieran26

All road closures were detailed in the local papers for the last few weeks too.
although a few bigger signs on the approaches to town would have been advisable.

biko

It's difficult to send information to everyone. Not all read the local papers or drives past the signs (and looks at them).

I suggest keeping an eye on Twitter https://twitter.com/GalwayCityCo
and facebook https://www.facebook.com/GalwayCityCouncil/

for notifications of things that goes on in the city

Both twitter and FB were updated yesterday

LoonyLovegood

I saw something on the real time signs on Eyre Square Friday about the 409 not serving the Dublin Road. Really badly advertised, shutting down the busiest roads in the city

jam83

Proper signage should have been put up on the Dublin road for the past week or two advising of road closures and delays, it happens for road works.

There'll be no accountability here because it never happens at council level.
I was on a bus from Doughiska and had to walk from renmore to make it to town in time for the Ireland game. And I gave it a full hour before kick off.
Galway just cannot handle bus lanes or roads being closed for a day, traffic is bad enough on a normal weekend.
As much as I love Galway, the traffic is a bloody disgrace. What roads have been built in 20 years since all the new estates were built?

In the height of summer, Galway city doesn't need the bit of business a triathlon brings, when it's offset against road closures. It's not worth it.

The triathlon should have been in clifden/cong or any regional town that needs the business and can handle road closures like what happened in Galway today.

Storm 10

One hour from the House Hotel to Eyre Square, I don't care what event is on this was a bloody disgrace how could this be allowed to cause such disruption to people's lives

ratracer

Yawn!!!

jam83

ratracer wrote: »

Yawn!!!

Good contribution

Gremlinertia

Race week or closures for novena or arts fest events have never seemed this disruptive, i was aware of the event but the impact over the whole day has been immense.

MarysCurtins

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

If you were thinking of coming in to watch the football in town - don't. Find a place in the suburbs.

Who-ever approved the traffic management for this should be fired for incompetence.

Didn't think you'd know about the football as you have no interest in ball sports and have to ask people about these things.

But you're right about one thing, closing one or two streets shouldn't bring the city to a standstill. If that happens then you're doing the plannning wrong

gifted

Took me 35min to get from briar hill to coast road in oranmore....all roundabouts entrances were blocked off....used the turn off for lidl in oranmore but roundabout at tesco was closed, had to drive back onto dual carriageway and headed up to maldron roundabout, proceeded to bawl the head off some garda there about lack of information....told me to calm down....told him i had three kids at home and no way of getting to them....let me threw the barrier so I could get home via super valu in oranmore.....some garda at that junction then tried to send me back into oranmore village....ended up screaming at him that i live in the coast road....an absolute joke of a set up if ever i saw one

jam83

Clare county council rejected the application to close roads in the burren for it. They apparently considered it too busy at this time of year to close roads off.
Yet Galway seem to welcome everything to the city and have about 10 gardai out to manage the whole thing

Bazzy

I'm in south galway and was out for a spin today plenty of marshals around and gardai I can only imagine the turmoil in the city

youngrun

There was loads of information about this in local press and on multiple websites etc people need to inform themselves about what's going on in the city . More signs definitely needed alright
Big event brings a lot of people and competitors in to town . People always give out about traffic why not cycle bus or walk to town . if you are living within two miles or so of the city as most city residents are Sunday is an ideal day to get out and ditch the damn car. Young lads and ladies have no excuse get fit as well .

Gremlinertia

I walked into town early, in plenty of time to get various buses from the centre to the east side.. I was aware of the road closures, had read up on the times etc however the backlog was still heavier than anything i could have anticipated or expected over my years living here..

joeKel73

There'll be fireworks going off from the docks for the final finisher in a couple of minutes, check them out if you're around.

jam83

youngrun wrote: »

There was loads of information about this in local press and on multiple websites etc people need to inform themselves about what's going on in the city . More signs definitely needed alright
Big event brings a lot of people and competitors in to town . People always give out about traffic why not cycle bus or walk to town . if you are living within two miles or so of the city as most city residents are Sunday is an ideal day to get out and ditch the damn car. Young lads and ladies have no excuse get fit as well .

The bus lane from gmit inwards was reserved for competitors, so there was no advantage being on any bus from oranmore inwards, as we were sitting in traffic like everyone else. Bus/car whatever, everyone was in the one line of traffic today. Hardly great foresight.

There should be no need for anyone to go out of their way checking local papers to see if there's anything there that might be a future concern. If you use a road regularly, roadworks are flagged well in advance.
I didn't see any major warnings about road closures myself and it was very very annoying today.

ratracer

jam83 wrote: »

The bus lane from gmit inwards was reserved for competitors, so there was no advantage being on any bus from oranmore inwards, as we were sitting in traffic like everyone else. Bus/car whatever, everyone was in the one line of traffic today. Hardly great foresight.

There should be no need for anyone to go out of their way checking local papers to see if there's anything there that might be a future concern. If you use a road regularly, roadworks are flagged well in advance.
I didn't see any major warnings about road closures myself and it was very very annoying today.

So you got delayed today, get over it!!

jam83

ratracer wrote: »

So you got delayed today, get over it!!

Being delayed isn't my point, it's the lack of warning/signage that is the issue. But hopefully the council or gardai will learn from it.

Gremlinertia

Delays don't bother me once i have some idea of what to expect, all the digital(?) signboards made no indication of it, mentioned another road closure instead. Due to the amount of travel and varying times i am around the city i keep up to date with everything from local matches, college open days, religious occasions etc. I don't usually get caught out as badly as i was today.

youngrun

http://www.galwaycity.ie/

Always info here on upcoming road closures and city events etc.

Afaik all the free papers have the closures listed as well.

Agree the big signs and digital boards should be up as well.

Even a text messaging system where you sign up and get automatic notes of road closes etc .

Even with all that, as Galway has such a small city centre network of roads and everyone drives all the time closures will always lead to traffic . Driving in town does my nut, live 4 miles from town, I would just drop the car at NUIG northside and walk in at weekends not worth the pain!

flazio

gifted wrote: »

Took me 35min to get from briar hill to coast road in oranmore....all roundabouts entrances were blocked off....used the turn off for lidl in oranmore but roundabout at tesco was closed, had to drive back onto dual carriageway and headed up to maldron roundabout, proceeded to bawl the head off some garda there about lack of information....told me to calm down....told him i had three kids at home and no way of getting to them....let me threw the barrier so I could get home via super valu in oranmore.....some garda at that junction then tried to send me back into oranmore village....ended up screaming at him that i live in the coast road....an absolute joke of a set up if ever i saw one

The two Gardaí you talked to did nothing to deserve verbal abuse. Absolutely nothing. If this is the attitude of the residents of Galway City then I hope Waterford wins the Capital of Culture bid because Galway just wants to stay quiet and go about day to day mundane selfish lives without caring for anyone else or getting involved.

Redhairedguy

flazio wrote: »

The two Gardaí you talked to did nothing to deserve verbal abuse. Absolutely nothing. If this is the attitude of the residents of Galway City then I hope Waterford wins the Capital of Culture bid because Galway just wants to stay quiet and go about day to day mundane selfish lives without caring for anyone else or getting involved.

Woman gives out to members of gardai... Galway loses Capital of Culture.

Loverly slippery slope there! :pac:

snubbleste

Redhairedguy wrote: »

Woman gives out to members of gardai... Galway loses Capital of Culture.
Loverly slippery slope there! :pac:

Is it too late to object to Galway getting ECC2020 on the basis of appalling motor traffic issues? Anyone?

flazio

I was thinking more about the general tone of posts on this thread.
The event happened on a Sunday, organised long before anyone even knew Ireland would be in the Euros. It was just one day. The road is open all other 365 days of this year (it's a leap year) get over yourselves.

gifted

flazio wrote: »

The two Gardaí you talked to did nothing to deserve verbal abuse. Absolutely nothing. If this is the attitude of the residents of Galway City then I hope Waterford wins the Capital of Culture bid because Galway just wants to stay quiet and go about day to day mundane selfish lives without caring for anyone else or getting involved.

Yeah your right...they did nothing...just stood there and watched people going around in circles and circles and circles.....but your right...they did nothing. ....

charlie_says

Loads of cones still around some major junctions today. No visible roadworks. Noticed them around big Tuam Road crossroads with one forward lane coned off.

Are these from the traffic management from yesterday simply not removed?

endagibson

jam83 wrote: »

In the height of summer, Galway city doesn't need the bit of business a triathlon brings, when it's offset against road closures. It's not worth it.

An interesting perspective. I take it this applies to all events equally, yes? Don't care what it is, the roads must stay open at all costs.

westgolf

charlie_says wrote: »

Loads of cones still around some major junctions today. No visible roadworks. Noticed them around big Tuam Road crossroads with one forward lane coned off.

Are these from the traffic management from yesterday simply not removed?

no,pipe laying and junction boxes for cable for wind farm connection to ESB.

gordongekko

flazio wrote: »

I was thinking more about the general tone of posts on this thread.
The event happened on a Sunday, organised long before anyone even knew Ireland would be in the Euros. It was just one day. The road is open all other 365 days of this year (it's a leap year) get over yourselves.

I don't think anyone is actually complaining about the closing of a road. It's the lack of notification that's the issue. I was aware of the event taking place but had no idea of the road closures. I went into town about 7pm and it took about and hour to get from oranmore to Eyre square.

Can anyone point out what page of this week advertiser the details of the event, the route and the road closures are on?