Galway traffic

AndrewJRenko

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

For your neighbour maybe, what about the next person they call to and the next. Any home care worker or public health nurse I know have a full boot. Also most travel large distances far longer than would be practical by bike (even forgetting they could be commuting in from long distances outside the city). Then there is the weather etc etc.

All in all an absolutely idiotic suggestion.

What exactly would be in this full boot, given that these companies aren't providing laundry services or medical supplies?

And what kind of distance are they travelling please?

xckjoo

Strangely I know a couple of people that worked for Bluebird Care over the years and they all got around by bike.

But this discussion is moronic. It's certainly possible for a large percentage of people and certainly impractical and nigh on impossible for some. The key is to get make it attractive to the larger percentage that can and free up space for those that can't. And I'm including walking and public transport in that, not just cycling.

McGiver

zell12 wrote: »

Starts Thurs 8th - have your say

Nice, what is this about again? A BRT if I get it right?

BRT is a concept which is popular only mostly in 3rd world countries in Asia, Latin America and somewhat in North America and marginally in the UK. In Europe nobody is contemplating legacy buses as a serious method of transport, that is very old school, or giving it some fancy names.

If you make the buses emission free then perhaps, but they are still...well...buses (with all advantages and disadvantages).

No need to give it any fancy names like "Bus Connect" - it's still an urban bus network, which in Europe is just normal where they still do use buses, and nobody gives it any fancy names or pretends it's something else or better than a bus network.

If we can't do light-rail then just create a proper urban bus network with interconnections, orbital routes and proper weatherproof bus shelters, but saying this is something better or different than a bus is just lowering the bar of what an urban bus network should look like i.e. making BRT/Bus Connect something better that needs more money, our prayers and begging to get finally done etc. It is not - it is European standard of urban bus network and a minimum a city of this size should have!

what_traffic

zell12 wrote: »

Starts Thurs 8th - have your say

Link I have seen - one cannot actually drill into the detailed drawings.
https://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/6414124/7/index.htm
Any idea where one could be able to do this?

what_traffic

what_traffic wrote: »

Link I have seen - one cannot actually drill into the detailed drawings.
https://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/6414124/7/index.htm
Any idea where one could be able to do this?

This is the best PDF I could get on it: https://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/6414124/7/files/BusConnects%20%2006.10.20.pdf

McGiver

what_traffic wrote: »

This is the best PDF I could get on it: https://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/6414124/7/files/BusConnects%20%2006.10.20.pdf

LOL - it's just the Dublin road

OK...that's won't cut it. Yeah any improvement is welcome, but this is very far from complex solution that is needed. Ironic they mention in the intro that Galway will grow 50% and few kms of bus route should fix that???? NTA is in a truly desperate state if they present this as a serious project.

Also, no mention of zero-emission fleet. Low-emission is a smart way out for the Gov - it means dirty diesel-battery hybrid which is too little too late. Need fully electric or hydrogen (that's where the rest of Europe is moving). Actually, hybrid is the worst possible solution as it has issues with both systems (battery AND mechanical issues with the diesel engine).

timmyntc

McGiver wrote: »

LOL - it's just the Dublin road

OK...that's won't cut it. Yeah any improvement is welcome, but this is very far from complex solution that is needed. Ironic they mention in the intro that Galway will grow 50% and few kms of bus route should fix that???? NTA is in a truly desperate state if they present this as a serious project.

It's one part of the overall project. These things are much easier to get through if you split them up into multiple sub-projects.
Bus lanes & junction realignment on Dublin road is one such thing. Also included is changing roundabout at GMIT back to a signalised junction, which is badly needed.

And a segregated cycle lane for most of the route also, which is good.

Most of this is stuff that should've been done a long time ago - but at least it's finally on the cards

xckjoo

McGiver wrote: »

LOL - it's just the Dublin road

OK...that's won't cut it. Yeah any improvement is welcome, but this is very far from complex solution that is needed. Ironic they mention in the intro that Galway will grow 50% and few kms of bus route should fix that???? NTA is in a truly desperate state if they present this as a serious project.

Also, no mention of zero-emission fleet. Low-emission is a smart way out for the Gov - it means dirty diesel-battery hybrid which is too little too late. Need fully electric or hydrogen (that's where the rest of Europe is moving). Actually, hybrid is the worst possible solution as it has issues with both systems (battery AND mechanical issues with the diesel engine).

Page 22 shows a picture of how it fits in relation to the other plans.

I still think the ring road is a stupid idea but good to see some other things in the works

zell12

Btw the GCRR hearing restarts on Monday in the Clayton Hotel
Some TDs are set to outline their views on that day

If anyone finds an online link to watch it, let us know

timmyntc

xckjoo wrote: »

Page 22 shows a picture of how it fits in relation to the other plans.

I still think the ring road is a stupid idea but good to see some other things in the works

Just saw there at the end that planning is to be submitted in 2022?
Depressing how long it takes just to widen some roads and paint a few bus lanes in this country

xckjoo

timmyntc wrote: »

Just saw there at the end that planning is to be submitted in 2022?
Depressing how long it takes just to widen some roads and paint a few bus lanes in this country

Gotta leave time for it to be whittled away to nothing and replaced with some token efforts!

what_traffic

timmyntc wrote: »

Just saw there at the end that planning is to be submitted in 2022?
Depressing how long it takes just to widen some roads and paint a few bus lanes in this country

Imagine it could be far quicker as it is "Non Statutory - Public Consultation".
Compared to the "Ring Road" process it is very fast though.

zell12

what_traffic wrote: »

Link I have seen - one cannot actually drill into the detailed drawings.
https://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/6414124/7/index.htm
Any idea where one could be able to do this?

Have fun
https://www.bcgdublinroad.ie/pages/home.php

what_traffic

zell12 wrote: »

Have fun
https://www.bcgdublinroad.ie/pages/home.php

Thanks, none of drawings have the detailed cross section measurements. Lane widths etc

what_traffic

what_traffic wrote: »

Thanks, none of drawings have the detailed cross section measurements. Lane widths etc

Wrong - I stand corrected. Can see cross section in the
https://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/6414124/7/files/BusConnects%20%2009.10.20.pdf

From a personal perspective, the positives and negatives of the proposed bus connects plan for the Dublin rd

Why its being done (direct quotes, emphasis mine):

• It is anticipated that the population of Galway City will grow by 50-60% - up to 50,000 more people - by 2040.
• Our City cannot function or develop effectively unless we change the way we move.
• Bus priority - ensuring city, regional and national services are reliable and frequent.
• Bus journey time savings of up to 9 minutes.
• The R338 Dublin Road, Galway is one of the primary arterial routes into Galway City Centre. It runs from the Martin Roundabout (Galway Clinic) to Moneenageisha Junction. There are significant landmarks and amenities along the Dublin Road, each of which attract travel. Consequently, it is a very busy road often with traffic bottlenecks, which impact on the frequency and reliability of our public transport network.
• Bus Connects Galway - Dublin Road will deliver 4km of high quality pedestrian, cyclist and public transport infrastructure. It respects the sensitivities of the existing environment while providing high quality multi-modal facilities for people of all ages and abilities.

Positives

• Further acknowledgement of the anticipated growth of Galway over the next 20 years with this statement "It is anticipated that the population of Galway City will grow by 50-60% - up to 50,000 more people - by 2040." While not a gun to the head, it re-enforces that the status quo can't be maintained and significant changes need to be made.
• It references and calls out the connection with the Galway Transport Strategy. While this is a minor thing, the fact that they are using a joined up approach is a nice improvement.
• 1.6 km new pedestrian footpaths.
• Segregated cycleway, including 2.3km off-line at Merlin Park.
• Acknowledgement and emphasis of (a) the inefficiency of the car and (b) the Sustainable Transport Hierarchy. As a result, this places the car at the lowest priority. This is done through the 2 graphics below

In terms of the cycling infrastructure, this is what is being proposed, and my own assessment of each type.

From Martin RAB to Skerritt RAB
- Safe, segregated & protected cycle infrastructure. Its the best type of cycling infrastructure as far as I am concerned



From Skerritt RAB to Moneenageisha JCT
- This is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand there appears to be the same as SQR in terms of infrastructure which I personally don't have an issue with.



Negatives
They revert to painted lines as you get closer to the city. I don't care who you are, a painted line is not going to protect you from a metal box weighing several tonnes especially when you remember the majority of those metal boxes that are beside you will be buses.



As well as this they are going with the bog standard junctions. They literally have a blank sheet to work with in terms of the RAB's and they are going with the same old, same old. It remains to be seen if there will be bike priority & bus priority at the junctions.

All in all, its not bad, with a lot to like in it. If I were a cyclists living in Roscam/Doughiska, I would feel a lot better about using the bike for commuting......... up to a point!

They have to take the paint brush out of their collective toolkit when designing infrastructure for cycling. Its counter-productive as it doesnt provide protection, its not safe, its not segregated. its paint!

I'd love to know what others think

topcat77

I've notice the no right/left turn except for buses at the court house is largely being ignored every time i pass it.

?Cee?view

topcat77 wrote: »

I've notice the no right/left turn except for buses at the court house is largely being ignored every time i pass it.

Good

topcat77

topcat77 wrote: »

I've notice the no right/left turn except for buses at the court house is largely being ignored every time i pass it.

It's stupid so not surprising, hopefully it along with the other plans for that area are thrown in the bin asap.

Laviski

cyclist's getting fresh tarmac on bothar na treabh, lets see if that increases usage....

Galway City Ring Road is not the silver bullet, O'Reilly tells oral hearing

https://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/117522/galway-city-ring-road-is-not-the-silver-bullet-oreilly-tells-oral-hearing

Green Party senator Pauline O'Reilly has told the oral hearing into the Galway City Ring Road that it is not the answer to the traffic probelsm that Galway is experiencing.

She said that while many have awaited news of the Galway City Ring Road for decades, it will not be the silver bullet that politicians have been promising. In fact if this road is built it will change the very essence of both rural and urban Galway making it unrecognisable to us.

“As soon as we have that bypass, homes will start to appear on the far side of the road; homes that are almost entirely dependent on their cars. This is the type of planning common across the US. We have a current challenge, which is congestion in the city, but we need to see a solution that is not going to exacerbate the problem by adding more road traffic. Where transport infrastructure exists, housing, retail, industry will appear and all of these people and businesses will be dependent on that form of transport. We only have to look at history to know that this is true.

Where there is a rail line – homes are built.

Where there is light rail – home are built.

Where there is a massive bypass – homes will be built.

All of this points to sprawl, which is entirely against good planning principals. From that point on, the people living in those homes will be entirely dependent on that form of transport until more transport is found.

“Will another road be needed on the far side of the by-pass when the housing moves further and further away?”

“Only 3% of traffic goes from outside the city to out the other side of the city. The majority of road users in fact do not cross the river. The way we address the issue therefore must be through public transport, which is entirely suitable for this kind of urban congestion.

Galway has a very low uptake for buses and cycling and this is what must be addressed. It has already started with bus connects and cycleways underway. I also believe that a double track from Athenry to the city would has have huge gains, and this was not examined as part of the application. In fact 35% of all traffic during rush hour is school traffic. With school buses and safe routes to school we can dramatically reduce car dependency in our small city. All it takes is political will and I believe we have that.

“Many people are already reliant on their cars. Those are the communities we should be supporting in rural Galway. That means putting electric charging points in place, and building more community hubs and schools. It means ensuring there are bus shelters in all towns and villages like Spiddal and Barna, and making sure that the buses leave on time for school.”

“Fundamentally it comes down to this, with all of the talk of the bypass addressing Galway’s transport problems, it is only estimated to take 5% more traffic off the roads than if the public and active transport elements of the strategy were in place. I believe that over time, it has the potential to increase road traffic through induced demand," she concluded.

"Green Party senator...."

I don't need to read any further than that to know the biased opinions that will be expressed.

?Cee?view

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

"Green Party senator...."

I don't need to read any further than that to know the biased opinions that will be expressed.

Not just that. A failed TD. She couldn't even get elected in the 2019 election to the Dáil, notwithstanding the electoral blip of the Greens' relative success in that election.

serfboard

Pauline O'Reilly wrote:

Where there is a rail line – homes are built.

As the metropolises of Attymon and Woodlawn can attest to ...

Or the three people who get on the train at Ardrahan.

NeftDaslari

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

"Green Party senator...."

I don't need to read any further than that to know the biased opinions that will be expressed.

I feel the same whenever I see your username on this thread!

donvito99

She's spot on. Why would you spend a billion quid to make traffic worse?

gordongekko

donvito99 wrote: »

She's spot on. Why would you spend a billion quid to make traffic worse?

The greens are cancelling the bloody busses. They should be horses out of politics all they want to do is raise taxes.

Mrs OBumble

gordongekko wrote: »

The greens are cancelling the bloody busses.

Where?

cooperguy

donvito99 wrote: »

She's spot on. Why would you spend a billion quid to make traffic worse?

Because it allows you to implement the galway transport plan and implement the best of the public transport...

cooperguy

cooperguy wrote: »

Because it allows you to implement the galway transport plan and implement the best of the public transport...

That's being implemented regardless of the outcome of the ring road. The ring road is a part of it, but the remainder of it is not contingent on the ring road being built.

Also, in the event the ring road doesn't get planning, expect to see a lot more pumped into bus, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure and increased restrictions placed on the private car