Galway traffic

Mrs OBumble

what_traffic wrote: »

Even from a services perspective one example as I know your a fan of Pubs.
How many suburban pubs do we have in 2020?
Pub wise everything is concentrated in the Centre.
How can localisim fit the vast numbers commuting from the Rural hinterland outside the City.... thats going to be the difficult NUT to crack.

Pubs: the Half-Barrel, Clayton, Merlin, Connaught, Flanneries, Trappers, the G, Huntsman - and I see that even the Lantern just got its license back to facilitate sale.

Hmm ... west is best? Yeah ...


Re the vast numbers commuting from the rural hinterland: that's a tough nut indeed. Cycling ain't going to do it, 'cos of the distances. Park and ride will suit some. And I'm a firm believer in targeted hiring: make it attractive for employers to hire as local as possible. It's mad that someone drives from Mayo daily to work as a product-builder, for instance. At very least, we should stack the incentives so they are more likely to be hired closer to home.

what_traffic

what_traffic wrote: »

Disagree but I understand where you are coming from. It depends on ones cultural definition of anti-social behaviour.
Throwing rubbish out of motor vehicle window, breaking speed limits, tailgating other motor vehicles. This and more like it are all anti-social behaviours.

Anti social behaviour has drastically increased on our City roads in 2020

https://connachttribune.ie/gardai-note-sharp-rise-in-speeding-across-city-despite-drop-in-general-crime/

Panda5000

That's because it's easier to speed now with less traffic on the roads as some people are working from home. The heavier traffic before limited opportunity to speed.

Kingp35

cooperguy wrote: »

There are days when we both would not travel home from work at the same time. We are both turned off using public transport regularly from the complete lack of reliability of the bus on the days either of us attempt to use it. Waiting 40 mins for a bus in the rain is not how I like to end my work day

Why would you ever stand in the rain for 40 mins? Use the real time app which tells you where the bus is so you can judge when to go to the stop.

Mrs OBumble

Kingp35 wrote: »

Why would you ever stand in the rain for 40 mins? Use the real time app which tells you where the bus is so you can judge when to go to the stop.

'Cos it only kinda works. It's only correct on some routes, sometimes.

cooperguy

cooperguy wrote: »

Yes, that's what I said, the internal roads need more dedication to public transport. However the way to do that successfully is to also build the ring road so that all the people not directly serviced by bus routes are not entirely ground to a halt.

Honestly I once held this opinion too (I mentioned this several times) until I dug into it. It really doesn't stand up to any scrutiny as it requires that the status of quo is maintained for the road network while all other factors change.

Thankfully, the council, the NTA, TII, CIE, Dept of Transport etc etc etc all disagree with waiting and are ploughing ahead, albeit slowly, with reprioritising of commuters in the following order

- Pedestrians
- Bike users
- Bus users
- Taxi users
- Private motorists

Johnny_BravoIII

Deleted User wrote: »

Honestly I once held this opinion too (I mentioned this several times) until I dug into it. It really doesn't stand up to any scrutiny as it requires that the status of quo is maintained for the road network while all other factors change.

Thankfully, the council, the NTA, TII, CIE, Dept of Transport etc etc etc all disagree with waiting and are ploughing ahead, albeit slowly, with reprioritising of commuters in the following order

- Pedestrians
- Bike users
- Bus users
- Taxi users
- Private motorists

There's hope if E Ryan is left there for 5 + years that the above approach will be implemented. The improvements will generate the momentum to move people in the only direction that exists for a LT solution.

serfboard

cooperguy wrote: »

Yes, that's what I said, the internal roads need more dedication to public transport. However the way to do that successfully is to also build the ring road so that all the people not directly serviced by bus routes are not entirely ground to a halt.

Like DaCor, I've also been on a journey in relation to my views on the bypass. My views used to be bypass first and public transport after, then I went to let's do them in parallel.

Now, my views are that the bypass is not coming for a decade (if ever), and we have to get moving on public transport now. That will mean discommoding motorists but there is no alternative. I'm not too bothered about cycle lanes, but if you are going to re-do roads somewhat (like the BCG Dublin Road project), you might as well put in proper segregated cycle lanes.

I also believe that the design of the proposed ring road is all wrong - I think it should be a dual carriageway all the way from Doughiska to the Barna Road with three freeflow junctions only at the M6, the N59 and the R336, and with Park n' Ride built beside all junctions. That way, long-distance travel is completely taken out of the city. Currently, if you need to drive from Tirellan Heights to the Galway shopping centre, or if you want to go from Clifden to Dublin, you still have to trundle up and down the Headford Road at Terryland.

(And before anyone comes back to me with "Why would you need to drive from Tirellan Heights to the Galway Shopping Centre?", one, you may be someone with mobility issues and two, it's an exaggerated case to make a point).

Finally, is it just me, or does the rate of development on transport items seem absolutely glacial?

• A load of gravel was dumped on the Menlo Park roundabout several months ago, and nothing has happened since. I know that there were pipes needing to be diverted, but I thought all that was done.
• The SQR Roundabout was supposed to be removed.
• The Cemetry Cross roundabout was also supposed to be removed.
• "Bus-Gate" at the Salmon Weir bridge. We know it's happening for what seems like years now, and still ... nothing.

serfboard

serfboard wrote: »

Finally, is it just me, or does the rate of development on transport items seem absolutely glacial?

• A load of gravel was dumped on the Menlo Park roundabout several months ago, and nothing has happened since. I know that there were pipes needing to be diverted, but I thought all that was done.
• The SQR Roundabout was supposed to be removed.
• The Cemetry Cross roundabout was also supposed to be removed.
• "Bus-Gate" at the Salmon Weir bridge. We know it's happening for what seems like years now, and still ... nothing.

To answer your points about the pace of delivery

1. The gravel dumped at Kirwan RAB is there for 7 months to compact the ground underneath as the RAB itself never had any major weight on it so would sink over time following redevelopment. With covid, expect the time line to slip

2 & 3. Both are scheduled for removal, along with the Galway clinic one, and all the Western distributor Road ones. Again this is a key part of the aim to reprioritise junctions. Expect to see specific light signals for buses going into all these junctions once built

4. Salmon weir is progressing and is due to start construction on the new pedestrian bridge in 2021 but likely 2022 due to covid. See here for info on the design https://virtualengage.arup.com/salmon-weir/

serfboard

Deleted User wrote: »

1. The gravel dumped at Kirwan RAB is there for 7 months to compact the ground underneath as the RAB itself never had any major weight on it so would sink over time following redevelopment. With covid, expect the time line to slip

Yes, this makes sense. All that area around there is very marshy.

Deleted User wrote: »

2 & 3. Both are scheduled for removal, along with the Galway clinic one, and all the Western distributor Road ones. Again this is a key part of the aim to reprioritise junctions. Expect to see specific light signals for buses going into all these junctions once built

When, though?

cooperguy

Kingp35 wrote: »

Why would you ever stand in the rain for 40 mins? Use the real time app which tells you where the bus is so you can judge when to go to the stop.

Because its terrible. Buses disappear from it, buses stay at "15 mins" for half an hour etc.

serfboard wrote: »

Like DaCor, I've also been on a journey in relation to my views on the bypass. My views used to be bypass first and public transport after, then I went to let's do them in parallel.

Now, my views are that the bypass is not coming for a decade (if ever), and we have to get moving on public transport now.

I'm happy to keep progressing with the public transport stuff in parallel, which is what they are doing at the moment, assuming they continue with the public consultation and keep moving onwards after that.

Mrs OBumble

In case anyone is unsure what the effects of the "bypass" will be - check out this proposal for a complete new suburb just inside it.

https://www.galwaydaily.com/news/plans-for-new-urban-district-in-galway-city/

Key phrase:
"Currently the primary access point to this site is off the Tuam Road, but the application notes that the proposed N6 Bypass will cross the N83 Tuam Road “immediately north” of this development, and it is proposed that main access would be off the Ring Road."

Panda5000

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

In case anyone is unsure what the effects of the "bypass" will be - check out this proposal for a complete new suburb just inside it.

We have been looking into buying a house around Galway city/county over the last couple of years and easy future access to the ring road comes up a LOT from estate agents. Especially for properties west of the city.

what_traffic

Panda5000 wrote: »

That's because it's easier to speed now with less traffic on the roads as some people are working from home. The heavier traffic before limited opportunity to speed.

So more people will engage in Anti-Social behaviour if the optimum conditions allow for it.

Its not Galway, but it is Ireland and shows the new costal mobility route where a single lane was removed for motorised traffic and a two-lane protected cycle way was introduced.

Results speak for themselves

https://twitter.com/robertburns73/status/1317330042381389824?s=20

https://twitter.com/robertburns73/status/1317341488859222016?s=20

Imagine this in Salthill, going from the Claddagh, through salthill and onwards

But parked cars r de bestest!1!1!

Ruhanna

cooperguy wrote: »

I dont because it is unreliable. But I absolutely would if they sorted out a ring road and dedicated more internal space to public transport. I imagine i'm the exact demographic they are trying to convert. Before working from home myself and the wife were considering getting a second car so we can both commute independently. A reliable public transport route makes it a no brainer that we do not add yet another car to the roads in Galway and in reality take the main car off the road on the straight forward commute days of just straight in and out to work as well (obviously we live on a bus route).

There are days when we both would not travel home from work at the same time. We are both turned off using public transport regularly from the complete lack of reliability of the bus on the days either of us attempt to use it. Waiting 40 mins for a bus in the rain is not how I like to end my work day

Please correct me if I am wrong here, but are you saying that (con)currently:

• Traffic congestion is so bad in Galway that a major new road is needed;
  
• Public transport is so unreliable because of traffic congestion that you opt to drive instead;
  
• A major new road would make traffic flow freely and would make space for public transport;
  
• If there was a major new road, and traffic was free-flowing, you might even stop using your car.

Is that what we should expect from a significant number of commuters who currently drive despite chronic traffic congestion?

That if traffic was free-flowing they would use their car less and might even stop commuting by car altogether?

Seriously?

Ruhanna

Deleted User wrote: »

You do realise that the very delays to buses that you are pointing out are caused by private motorists being prioritised on the road network and the only way to eliminate those delays and make buses more attractive is by reducing the access and priority of private cars.

Anyone who claims that a major reason for road building (in Galway or anywhere else) is to prioritise public transport, and that when buses are delayed less, because drivers can travel faster and easier in their private cars, more people will travel by bus, is either naive or spinning yarns for some reason.

Thargor

Deleted User wrote: »

Its not Galway, but it is Ireland and shows the new costal mobility route where a single lane was removed for motorised traffic and a two-lane protected cycle way was introduced.

Results speak for themselves

https://twitter.com/robertburns73/status/1317330042381389824?s=20

https://twitter.com/robertburns73/status/1317341488859222016?s=20

Imagine this in Salthill, going from the Claddagh, through salthill and onwards

But parked cars r de bestest!1!1!

Jesus after all the lies and bullsh1t posted by certain people in this thread and elsewhere...

Wompa1

Deleted User wrote: »

Its not Galway, but it is Ireland and shows the new costal mobility route where a single lane was removed for motorised traffic and a two-lane protected cycle way was introduced.

Results speak for themselves

https://twitter.com/robertburns73/status/1317330042381389824?s=20

https://twitter.com/robertburns73/status/1317341488859222016?s=20

Imagine this in Salthill, going from the Claddagh, through salthill and onwards

But parked cars r de bestest!1!1!

Jaysus yeah, that would be great for the benefits for the ambulances alone. I always feel awful seeing an ambulance trying to go through the traffic on the Headford Rd. This would be great in Galway.

cooperguy

Ruhanna wrote: »

Please correct me if I am wrong here, but are you saying that (con)currently:

• Traffic congestion is so bad in Galway that a major new road is needed;
  
• Public transport is so unreliable because of traffic congestion that you opt to drive instead;
  
• A major new road would make traffic flow freely and would make space for public transport;
  
• If there was a major new road, and traffic was free-flowing, you might even stop using your car.

Is that what we should expect from a significant number of commuters who currently drive despite chronic traffic congestion?

That if traffic was free-flowing they would use their car less and might even stop commuting by car altogether?

Seriously?

You've missed a couple of key points. What would be guaranteed would be that I would not be introducing another car so myself and wife can commute separately. 2 car households are very common, but many people would happily remove that cost if it made sense.

I didnt say "traffic would flow freely and would make space for public transport". I said it would allow the city streets to be far more dedicated to public transport. I absolutely didnt gaurantee that cars would equally flow freely through the centre of the city. I expect they wouldnt, but the whole place wouldnt be entirely ground to a halt by removing so much capacity for cars in the centre without adding another river crossing.

You seem to think driving in chronic traffic is some sort of contradiction. It's not, I can choose the route I take on a daily basis depending on current traffic conditions, it is a better option than the bus and much quicker

Johnny_BravoIII

Deleted User wrote: »

Its not Galway, but it is Ireland and shows the new costal mobility route where a single lane was removed for motorised traffic and a two-lane protected cycle way was introduced.

Results speak for themselves

https://twitter.com/robertburns73/status/1317330042381389824?s=20

https://twitter.com/robertburns73/status/1317341488859222016?s=20

Imagine this in Salthill, going from the Claddagh, through Salthill and onwards

But parked cars r de bestest!1!1!

Bridge or no bridge, can anyone disagree that this type of approach is the starting point?

If we implemented the above, would another bridge be required?
My view is that it would not. This has been the experience with countless other cities who have adopted best practice urban planning.

This is not about pro-car or anti-car. It's about developing Galway in a manner that allows the city to continue growing I.e. Being an attractive place that people choose to live.
Honestly, in a pre-Covid world, I couldn't see why a large employer would choose to locate in Bonham Quays once finished. How would people get to work?
In a post-Covid world, we have yet to see the fall-out for cities. That's a bigger conversation.

McGiver

Deleted User wrote:

Its not Galway, but it is Ireland and shows the new costal mobility route where a single lane was removed for motorised traffic and a two-lane protected cycle way was introduced.

This is a Copenhagen style cycle path with kerbs separating it from both the pavement and the road. Absolutely brilliant.

Ok, finally, some more details about this

Plan for new cross-city public transport corridor go on display

https://connachttribune.ie/plan-for-new-cross-city-public-transport-corridor-go-on-display/

Galway City Council is hopeful that a proposed new public transport corridor – linking the western and eastern suburbs through the city centre – could be ready to go for planning permission next year.

This week, a six-week public consultation process began on the ‘Cross-City Link’.

The Council is hopeful that a planning application could be submitted to An Bord Pleanála next year, and if approved, it would take 12-18 months to construct.

The Cross-City Link begins at the junction of University Road and Newcastle Road and continues across the Salmon Weir Bridge, through St Vincent’s Avenue, St Francis Street, Eglinton Street, Eyre Square, Forster Street, College Road and on to the Dublin Road.

“Through traffic, with no specific destination in the city centre, will be diverted,” the City Council said.

Uinsinn Finn, Senior Engineer with the Council said: “This corridor will connect homes with places of work, study, retail and recreation, with improved public transport journey times and reliability.

“High-quality public spaces, new and upgraded pedestrian and cyclist facilities and public transport priority will be provided, making it easier to move through the city, and to access destinations by sustainable means.

“This will create a safer place for pedestrians, cyclists and the mobility-impaired, and public transport services will move more freely. Deliveries and access to carparks will be facilitated, as will access to homes or businesses.

“The Council invites the public, landowners and other stakeholders to review the proposals, and to share their feedback,” said Mr Finn.

He said that schemes such as the new corridor are key projects and are “essential” to keeping the city moving.

"They are key to supporting sustainable travel modes and to support the ambitious targets for Galway as set out in the National Development Plan,” Mr Finn added.

He said it is anticipated the proposal can be submitted for planning consent next year, and subject to permission being granted, it would take 12-18 months to complete.

More info from Galway City Council

https://www.galwaycity.ie/news/1813/59/BusConnects-Galway-Cross-City-Link-University-Road-to-Dublin-Road-Public-Feedback-Invited/d,News%20Detail

The virtual information room is here - https://virtualengage.arup.com/busconnects-galway-cross-city-link/index.html

BusConnects Galway: Cross-City Link (University Road to Dublin Road) – Public Feedback Invited

Galway City Council, in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA), welcomes public feedback on the BusConnects Galway: Cross-City Link (University Road to Dublin Road) proposals, as part of non-statutory consultation commencing this week.

The Cross-City Link is a public transport corridor linking the western and eastern suburbs, through the city centre. This corridor will connect homes with places of work, study, retail and recreation, with improved public transport journey times and reliability. High-quality public spaces, new and upgraded pedestrian and cyclist facilities and public transport priority will be provided, making it easier to move through the city, and to access destinations by sustainable means.

Non-Statutory Consultation

Galway City Council invites members of the public, landowners and other stakeholders to learn more about the proposed scheme, and to share their feedback, through the virtual information room.

The purpose of this non-statutory consultation is to invite feedback, questions and support for the Emerging Preferred Option, to help inform the scheme design as it proceeds through the planning process.

Consultation commences on the 22nd of October 2020, and will run for a minimum period of 6 weeks.

Accessibility – For those who cannot access the project website to review proposals, alternative arrangements will be facilitated. Please contact Galway City Council by phone - 091 536 400; or email - busconnects@galwaycity.ie

The Cross-City Link is supported by significant public investment, through the National Transport Authority.

At the Cathedral car park they're proposing 14 "set down and pick up only" bus spaces so does that mean that the buses would have to go elsewhere if they weren't in the process of dropping or picking up? I don't know where else a bus would park, usually they seem to just leave them there for a few hours at a time. I assume a lot of the drivers can't just set down because if they stop driving after a certain number of hours, they have to take a lengthy enough break before driving again, right? Given how parked up that car park is on a daily basis, getting rid of 100 spaces seems like a lot. Do buses pay to park there? I assumed that they didn't currently but if the city is giving up 100 car parking spaces to make more bus spaces surely they would have to charge them or find another way to make up for the amount of money they'll lose on the other spaces

I didn't read anything about a proposed park and ride outside the city in any of this. I think thats the secret to getting to people to use public transport more, not just making it frustratingly difficult to use your own car.

Did I read the plans wrong or is college road only open for local access? Does this mean that you have to be living/working there to access the road or have I misunderstood the meaning of the term? If it means that you're only supposed to use the road if you have to do something on that road, how will they enforce that?

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Given how parked up that car park is on a daily basis, getting rid of 100 spaces seems like a lot.

Only because its cheap as hell. Coming down the line eventually, is a significatn price increase for all council owned car parks. The days of "a couple of quid for the day" are going the way of the dodo, again as a disincentive to private motoring.

Do buses pay to park there? I assumed that they didn't currently but if the city is giving up 100 car parking spaces to make more bus spaces surely they would have to charge them or find another way to make up for the amount of money they'll lose on the other spaces

Unlikely and any lost revenue would be small when compared to the economic benefit bus loads of people can bring to the city.

Its also very good to see the City Council doing something like this with their parking. A council who has a large portion of revenue coming from parking, is not encouraged to prevent usage of said parking

I didn't read anything about a proposed park and ride outside the city in any of this. I think thats the secret to getting to people to use public transport more, not just making it frustratingly difficult to use your own car.

Nor should you read about that in this. That's a different part of the GTS which will be addressed as a series of separate projects. This part is focused on the cross city link route, nothing more.

Did I read the plans wrong or is college road only open for local access? Does this mean that you have to be living/working there to access the road or have I misunderstood the meaning of the term? If it means that you're only supposed to use the road if you have to do something on that road, how will they enforce that?

Through the use of a bus gate just before the city council grounds. It will be what's called "filtered permeability" allowing only pedestrians, cyclists and buses, (and possibly taxis, not sure). As for control, I'm guessing something like this

Next up, school streets a.k.a restricted access for private cars during school start & finish times in the areas surrounding schools

Pilot initiative will restrict car traffic around Galway City school

https://connachttribune.ie/pilot-initiative-will-restrict-car-traffic-around-galway-city-school/

Councillors have backed a proposal to restrict car traffic around Scoil Iognáid on Raleigh Row as part of a ‘School Streets’ pilot project.

The initiative, which involves a time-specific curtailment on cars at school drop-off and pick-up times, will result in the pedestrianisation of Raleigh Row, Palmyra Park and Palmyra Avenue – closed to traffic from 8.15am to 9.15am; and 1.15pm to 2.45pm.

Due to start on November 2, residents in the area will still be allowed access, but have been asked to “avoid using their car during the periods of pedestrianisation”, while those with blue badges will also be permitted to drive in the area.

Signage indicating the restrictions will be erected, while Gardaí and community wardens will enforce the pedestrianisation and parking respectively.

‘Park and Stride’ will be encouraged for getting children to school when no alternative is available, whereby parents park a short distance from the school and finish the remainder of the journey by foot – with registration enabling city school-goers’ parents to park for free in over 20 car parks.

Arlene Finn of the City Council’s Transport Department told councillors that 145 parents at Scoil Iognáid had already registered for this initiative, and by introducing the School Streets programme, the area would become infinitively safer and more appealing to parents and children wishing to walk or cycle to school.

As these are rolled out, I'll be updated the underlying data in Openstreetmap (to assist in navigation) and adding the restrictions to this map

cooperguy

Loads of info and maps on the Bus corridor website

cooperguy

cooperguy wrote: »

Loads of info and maps on the Bus corridor website

Actually I just realised everything is available through the one page on the GCC site

GTS Projects

Panda5000

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Do buses pay to park there? I assumed that they didn't currently but if the city is giving up 100 car parking spaces to make more bus spaces surely they would have to charge them or find another way to make up for the amount of money they'll lose on the other spaces

This is so wrong but sadly true. The council, entrusted with transforming the city into a modern scalable urban space that works, also has the biggest invested interest in keeping it clogged with cars.

Parking fees are a huge chunk of the councils income. I think it explains a lot of the reluctance to change and why they either drag their heels or do token efforts designed to fail.

Have they stated any plans to transition away from parking income onto an alternative source of funding?