Galway's traffic issues

what_traffic

Wompa1 wrote: »

Have to wonder what will happen when that traffics gets pushed onto a bypass. How many lanes will the bypass have, presumably more than the motorway?

The proposed Ring Road will have same no of lanes as the motorway. i.e 2 (presuming by motorway you mean the M6/M18/M17)

Wompa1

what_traffic wrote: »

The proposed Ring Road will have same no of lanes as the motorway. i.e 2 (presuming by motorway you mean the M6/M18/M17)

Yes, I did and since the traffic is backed up onto the multi-lane roads today. I guess the bypass will just be a new place to get stuck in traffic on.

Wompa1

Wompa1 wrote: »

Yes, I did and since the traffic is backed up onto the multi-lane roads today. I guess the bypass will just be a new place to get stuck in traffic on.

On the contrary this is exactly why the bypass makes so much sense.

You have pretty much all the traffic from east and south Galway (and even further afield like Clare, north limerick, Westmeath etc all coming into the city through two bottle necks. Basically a dead end at the end of the motorway at the roundabout which leads onto lights and serves the busiest industrial estate in the city (parkmore) and another very busy one in ballybrit.

The alternative route is a maze of lights in along past Merlin park.

All traffic no matter where it’s going in the city has to come this way so naturally you have it backing up, especially as it all end with a bang rather than a slip road. With the bypass and exit slip roads off at various locations across the city you won’t have all the glut of traffic having to move through briar hill that you have now especially as the bypass will allow a new dedicated entrance to parkmore taking a large amount of traffic away from the briar hill junction. This will free up space for people driving to ballybrit industrial estate and other locations on the east while someone working in Westside simply bypass all this and exits the bypass much further along. This will spread out traffic exiting and will keep the bypass moving as cars exit in different locations along its length.

flazio

what_traffic wrote: »

The proposed Ring Road will have same no of lanes as the motorway. i.e 2 (presuming by motorway you mean the M6/M18/M17)

Yes, but have you noticed there's a big green median between J18 and J19 on the M6? That's to allow for expansion to 3 lanes each way should traffic ever require it.

what_traffic

Wompa1 wrote: »

Yes, I did and since the traffic is backed up onto the multi-lane roads today. I guess the bypass City Ring Road will just be a new place to get stuck in traffic on.

True - probably would not see it though until perhaps 10 years of operation (if its ever built that is).

jjpep

Wompa1 wrote: »

I guess the bypass will just be a new place to get stuck in traffic on.

A million times this. All the transport engineering experience in the world tells us this is exactly what what will happen but for reasons unknown there is still people (some of whom are unfortunately in decision making positions) who think that somehow Galway will be different.

cgcsb

Frozen Veg wrote: »

A public consultation survey on the Western Rail corridor which would join the lines at Claremorris-Tuam-Athenry. Have your say whether positive or negative.

https://emea.focusvision.com/survey/selfserve/214c/190513

Personally think it would be a great addition to the West. Could get the train from Galway all the way through to Westport and serviced towns. Also providing link ups to Dublin and other lines.

Yes and a Galway-Westport rail journey via this route would only take 2.5 hours, greatly exceeding the journey time available by bus and of course over providing capacity in the extreme. If you want to improve rail services in the west, demand the money be spend on double tracking Portarlington to Athlone and Galway to Athenry.

cgcsb

Wompa1 wrote: »

Yes, I did and since the traffic is backed up onto the multi-lane roads today. I guess the bypass will just be a new place to get stuck in traffic on.

In a nutshell, yes.

what_traffic

cgcsb wrote: »

If you want to improve rail services in the west, demand the money be spend on double tracking Portarlington to Athlone and Galway to Athenry.

Agree. What are the latest costings on this I wonder
Oranmore to Ceannt Station or Athenry to Ceannt Station?

jjpep

jjpep wrote: »

A million times this. All the transport engineering experience in the world tells us this is exactly what what will happen but for reasons unknown there is still people (some of whom are unfortunately in decision making positions) who think that somehow Galway will be different.

My post above clearly illustrates the massive difference the bypass would make and the reasons why. If a small small few people can’t see the benefits it’s not the majority’s problem.

jjpep

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

My post above clearly illustrates the massive difference the bypass would make and the reasons why. If a small small few people can’t see the benefits it’s not the majority’s problem.

Nope. Your just moving the traffic jam to a new location. For about an estimated cost of 500 million euro (which will probably be in reality more). Waste of money, time and effort and doesn't fix any problems.

Anyway, I know your preference and position. Empirical data is not going to change your mind.

topcat77

The city ring road will never happen. It's being used by politicians to get votes from the car hungry public.

and i'm more than happy about it.

jjpep

jjpep wrote: »

Nope. Your just moving the traffic jam to a new location. For about an estimated cost of 500 million euro (which will probably be in reality more). Waste of money, time and effort and doesn't fix any problems.

Anyway, I know your preference and position. Empirical data is not going to change your mind.

But you aren’t just moving the traffic jam which appears to be the piece you are missing. I’m not saying it will be free flowing traffic at all times when taking various exits from the bypass as naturally there will be a certain amount of traffic but as things stand you are funneling all traffic through one or two junctions (let’s stick with coming from east side for illustration purposes) whereas the bypass will allow traffic to filter off close to its destination and avoid all traffic having to travel the same route.

Having a dedicated entrance exit to parkmore alone will make a massive difference and even for this along makes the bypsss worthwhile.

The bypass itself should remain fairly free flowing at all times also becusee you will joy have any one junction taking all the traffic the way the roundabout at the end of the motorway does now.

?Cee?view

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

But you aren’t just moving the traffic jam which appears to be the piece you are missing. I’m not saying it will be free flowing traffic at all times when taking various exits from the bypass as naturally there will be a certain amount of traffic but as things stand you are funneling all traffic through one or two junctions (let’s stick with coming from east side for illustration purposes) whereas the bypass will allow traffic to filter off close to its destination and avoid all traffic having to travel the same route.

Having a dedicated entrance exit to parkmore alone will make a massive difference and even for this along makes the bypsss worthwhile.

I have to admire your persistence, but to be honest, why do you bother? You're talking to an echo chamber here. They'll never hear you because they don't want to.

xckjoo

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

But you aren’t just moving the traffic jam which appears to be the piece you are missing. I’m not saying it will be free flowing traffic at all times when taking various exits from the bypass as naturally there will be a certain amount of traffic but as things stand you are funneling all traffic through one or two junctions (let’s stick with coming from east side for illustration purposes) whereas the bypass will allow traffic to filter off close to its destination and avoid all traffic having to travel the same route.

Having a dedicated entrance exit to parkmore alone will make a massive difference and even for this along makes the bypsss worthwhile.

The bypass itself should remain fairly free flowing at all times also becusee you will joy have any one junction taking all the traffic the way the roundabout at the end of the motorway does now.

But the destination is the same so unless there's a magical way to increase the ability of the Parkmore Industrial estates (and the equivalents) to handle traffic, the bottlenecks will still be there. It might get you out of their faster I guess, but getting into the estates will be the same.

?Cee?view wrote: »

I have to admire your persistence, but to be honest, why do you bother? You're talking to an echo chamber here. They'll never hear you because they don't want to.

Ironic comment of the day :pac:

Wompa1

Why wouldn't they build 4 lanes though? Account for growth for once!

In my opinion, there will definitely be traffic. The catch area for jobs around the city isn't that big. There'll be a large amount of cars getting off at consecutive exits. It'll wind up just like the fracture that is those junctions.

The exit lane won't be enough for the traffic, it'll back up into the slow lane. Then you'll have people who have to get off at the exit after that needing to get over but not having enough road to do so safely so they'll add to the tailback.

Traffic for the most demanded exits will be akin to traffic at an interchange in the US. Only in most cities there, they have at least 4 lanes + a carpool lane.

That's another thing. Will there be a bus lane and/or carpool lane? If it's only 2 lanes, I assume not.

To me, it seems like they will just be moving the problem, if they don't put in a road with extra capacity.

Wompa1

xckjoo wrote: »

But the destination is the same so unless there's a magical way to increase the ability of the Parkmore Industrial estates (and the equivalents) to handle traffic, the bottlenecks will still be there. It might get you out of their faster I guess, but getting into the estates will be the same.




Ironic comment of the day :pac:

It might be talking out of my @rse, I haven't seen the final map yet but it could be even worse than that if there's an exit for Parkmore and another for Ballybrit Industrial Estate in quick succession. It'll be chaos at those exits and subsequently in the passing lane around those. Then will the junctions at those be the same way they are now?

Will they have lights on and off the bypass? (Not that those help in any huge way, in my experience)

If there's no extra capacity on the bypass, it won't work out well.

Maybe they'll have some sort of system to divide traffic between the bypass and the route that is there today but typically that doesn't happen. Also, it wouldn't account for the growth.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Wompa1 wrote: »

I moved back to Galway after 8 years away. I was living in the US. An interesting observation from me is that Galway doesn't really getting going until at least 9am these days...

There's hardly a sinner in the city centre before 9am.

I've been starting work at 7am. There is no traffic between 6am-7am along the Headford Rd, Prospect Hill, Quinncintennial bridge etc. It's great for me but makes me wonder why the traffic isn't being spread out time wise.

I know the likes of Boston Scientific, Medtronic and Wayfair for example do staggered shifts with some starting later than others but I wonder if looking at where most people are going and then trying to work with employers, schools, colleges etc. to stagger start times could that have a positive impact.

e.g. What if not all secondary schools and primary schools in the city start and finish at the same time. Maybe get the companies in Ballybrit and Briarhill to co-ordinate shift times.

Just an idea.

Personally, I don't see a huge benefit in the bypass. I fear it'll just mean the traffic moving onto the bypass.

People travel from wide areas of County Galway, south Mayo and North Clare (and other places too, I’m sure). That’s a lot of secondary schools and definitely a lot of primary schools. How would staggering school times work, considering that it might not suit many other parents in the various localities?

Wompa1

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

People travel from wide areas of County Galway, south Mayo and North Clare (and other places too, I’m sure). That’s a lot of secondary schools and definitely a lot of primary schools. How would staggering school times work, considering that it might not suit many other parents in the various localities?

I'm coming in on the same road those from South Mayo would use. It's not busy until 8am-9:30am. By staggering, I mean starting some earlier, not necessarily later. Also, have the colleges start earlier or later. Public sector could do the same. Co-ordinate between those and have some start at 7am and others later at the current times.

If this is still accurate:

https://www.galwaychamber.com/galway/

It could definitely help, particularly with more students commuting due to the accommodation issues.

Or you could get people out of their cars and using alternative forms of mass transit (bus, train) or more efficient transit (walking, cycling)

Just saying

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Or you could get people out of their cars and using alternative forms of mass transit (bus, train) or more efficient transit (walking, cycling)

Just saying

As had been said plenty of times, simply not suitable or practical for large numbers of people particularly those who commute in from the county. Driving is and always will be a necessity for many reasons.

Bobeagleburger

Deleted User wrote: »

Or you could get people out of their cars and using alternative forms of mass transit (bus, train) or more efficient transit (walking, cycling)

Just saying

Not feasible for all. I can do it and have tried all alternatives. Here's my figures:

• Drive to work (20- 35 mins each way depending on times of travel).
• Cycle takes 50 mins - 1 hr each way depending on weather.
• Bus journey takes 1.5 hrs ( 2 connecting buses) each way. Has taken up to 2 hours one way.

This is all for a distance of 10.5 miles...

I would love to ditch the car, but it's not practical.

I work with 25 other people. About 4/5 live in the city. Almost all others commute, - Ballinasloe/Loughrea/Headford/Clifden some of the towns.

This is the reality.

Telling people to just "get out of the car" is a lazy argument, and without much substance.

Wompa1

RoboKlopp wrote: »

Not feasible for all. I can do it and have tried all alternatives. Here's my figures:

• Drive to work (20- 35 mins each way depending on times of travel).
• Cycle takes 50 mins - 1 hr each way depending on weather.
• Bus journey takes 1.5 hrs ( 2 connecting buses) each way. Has taken up to 2 hours one way.

This is all for a distance of 10.5 miles...

I would love to ditch the car, but it's not practical.

I work with 25 other people. About 4/5 live in the city. Almost all others commute, - Ballinasloe/Loughrea/Headford/Clifden some of the towns.

This is the reality.

Telling people to just "get out of the car" is a lazy argument, and without much substance.

Agree with that. I'm out by Headford and the bus option is a bit sh1te. There's Burke's and BE. They leave within 25-30 minutes of each other and there's a 2 hour gap between buses at times. Then depending on which one you get, you might have to get another bus to get out to where you work or need to go.

Could do with better coverage for regional buses and around the city.

Absolutely it would not work for every single use case but it would for a heck of a lot of people

As for those living outside the, P&R has the potential to take another large chunk off the main roads.

In addition, if they (eventually) build all the proposed bus lanes and bus priority measures, that will allow for consistent journey times at much higher frequency, which, as seen on the Doughiska route, can lead to a massive uptake in this transport option

Not saying the above will suit everyone but it will suit a lot of people, thereby freeing up road space for additional bus lanes and segregated cycling infrastructure, which in turn will add additional capacity again and so on and so on.

flazio

What idiot went tinkering with the light sequence at the Ballybane junction?
Coming from the dual carriage way heading left for the Ballybane road, Monivea road someone thought it'd be smart to yellow and stop left turning traffic, let forward to Tuam and Bother nbTreabh traffic keep going and let right turning for Boston Scientific and HP go.
Meaning left turning are sitting there confused as to whether they can proceed or not.
I've seen cars ignore the lack of green and turn left anyway, cars move out from the left filter, overtake the waiting cars and turn left and nearly collect a pedestrian who had a green light.
Ridiculous set up.

xckjoo

How do people think it would be easier to custom tailor the inter-dependent start times of thousands of people than to implement a reliable and consistent bus system and get people using their single-occupancy cars less? Madness

what_traffic

flazio wrote: »

What idiot went tinkering with the light sequence at the Ballybane junction?
Coming from the dual carriage way heading left for the Ballybane road, Monivea road someone thought it'd be smart to yellow and stop left turning traffic, let forward to Tuam and Bother nbTreabh traffic keep going and let right turning for Boston Scientific and HP go.
Meaning left turning are sitting there confused as to whether they can proceed or not.
I've seen cars ignore the lack of green and turn left anyway, cars move out from the left filter, overtake the waiting cars and turn left and nearly collect a pedestrian who had a green light.
Ridiculous set up.

Noticed the same today travelling at 12h30 - sequencing has been changed. It is Odd. No longer a Semi Round Robin sequence like previous.

James Forde

flazio wrote: »

What idiot went tinkering with the light sequence at the Ballybane junction?
Coming from the dual carriage way heading left for the Ballybane road, Monivea road someone thought it'd be smart to yellow and stop left turning traffic, let forward to Tuam and Bother nbTreabh traffic keep going and let right turning for Boston Scientific and HP go.
Meaning left turning are sitting there confused as to whether they can proceed or not.
I've seen cars ignore the lack of green and turn left anyway, cars move out from the left filter, overtake the waiting cars and turn left and nearly collect a pedestrian who had a green light.
Ridiculous set up.

They went tinkering with the Briarhill Junction last week also. Evening rush 5pm cars approaching the Briarhill Junction from Parkmore/Monivea side wishing to turn left onto dual carriageway towards clinic had to wait until all sides got the green light before proceeding left.

Normally cars turning left towards clinic get the green arrow when cars are approaching from clinic turning right to Parkmore.

The people operating these junctions simply don't have a clue.

Ashleigh1986

I'm sick to death of saying the traffic lights in galway during rush hours shouldn't been on a sequence.
How can a sequence tell how bad the traffic is on any given artery ?
The lights need to have CCTV cameras on them to be changed depending on how many vehicles are in any given artery .
How these clowns in city hall with all their degrees can't see this ?
Book smarts but street stupid .

Wompa1

xckjoo wrote: »

How do people think it would be easier to custom tailor the inter-dependent start times of thousands of people than to implement a reliable and consistent bus system and get people using their single-occupancy cars less? Madness

How about incentives for companies to permit more work from home? Or would cutoff tailoring where people work from be too mad as well?

I can't understand how cafes and shops (ironically some with the name Daybreak) open at 7:30am or later along major arteries for the city commuter traffic. It's been a while since I worked at an office here but thinking back now, everyone was getting into work at the same time. Everyone had the same break times. Why?...it's pretty strange and isn't what people do in other countries and that was in IT...