Galway traffic

Laviski

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117950687#Comment_117950687

no chip here, must be you but thanks for asking

Also i don't have any hatred for cyclists that follow rules of the road, i do it myself.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117951267#Comment_117951267

And what % of cyclists, in your view, follow the rules of the road...?

I saw a video from the Galway Chamber about the ring road decision being this Friday. I knew it was October but does anyone know details of how or when that'll be announced?

Ring Road decision delayed AGAIN!! Ffs.

https://www.rte.ie/news/connacht/2021/0928/1249540-galway-ring-road/

Laviski

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117951311#Comment_117951311

Can't give a %, buts it's a small set, no more than amount of horrific motorist.

Q, what do the scooters fall under?

Scooters fall under scooters, or am I misunderstanding the question?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117951477#Comment_117951477

It depends on who you ask

Gardai say they are mechanically propelled so require insurance etc

Users say they are akin to ebikes

and so on

Personally I think they have a role to play in terms of mobility, just need the legislation to catch up

Laviski

In complete agreement,

Models that allow to fold up will facilitate those to hop on a bus in bad weather, or complete a leg of journey not serviced.

xckjoo

Those scooters look super handy but I'd like to see more cycle lanes for them to be in. I don't think they really fit on footpaths or on the road among cars.

Edit: as in I think they'd work best among bikes and not among cars or pedestrians.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117953001#Comment_117953001

Scooters are part of the two-wheeler continuum, which ranges between high-powered motorcycles to kiddie toys with no power, seats, brakes or no suspension.

We absolutely need to cater to them all. But it's tricky, with many things now which look like traditional bicycles but are petty much fully electric powered, and also scooters which have significant power. Laws are struggling to keep up with the speed with which new feature combinations are coming on the market.

Well the laws simply aren't there. Fully electric bikes or e-scooters aren't legal on the roads (or paths) yet but that's being worked on.

When e-scooters do become legal we'll see lots of on-street rental options pop up. I hope the council/laws are ready to enforce that these use dedicated drop-off stations so they're not left on paths as obstacles.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117951318#Comment_117951318

"The proposed ring road would cost €600 million"

That was the proposed cost nearly a decade ago, cannot see it costing anything like that anymore considering the way construction inflation is going.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117954660#Comment_117954660

Yeah, its already been stated its likely to be much closer to 1 billion

https://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/122021/city-ring-road-likely-to-cost-1-billion-by-the-time-it-is-eventually-built-td-claims

https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/transport-minister-says-cost-of-galway-city-ring-road-likely-to-be-much-higher-than-planned/

Quite insane when you remember its not going to actually lead to any improvement over the long term

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117951258#Comment_117951258

I know a family who cycle from Knocknacarra to a city centre school via the Prom on a daily basis right now, without waiting for a Salthill Cycleway. The main reason they do it is that the behaviour of drivers on Taylor's Hill is too reckless for them to consider that option, even though they are all confident on bikes. In a sample journey from Joyce's in Knocknacarra to the Jes primary school the difference in travel time is only 4 minutes between going down Taylor's Hill and going via the Prom. Not having to climb up Kingston Road in the morning and Taylor's Hill on the way back makes for a much more pleasant journey and helps to equalise the journey times. There are many secondary school kids cycling through Salthill every morning when I pass through. So, definitely, if safe cycling facilities were provided along the Prom, I believe there would be a big uptake.

Galway has 170 precipitation days a year but that doesn't mean that you're going to get wet on 170 days of the year. It just means that at least 1mm of rain falls on those days. The number of days when rain actually falls during the half hour you're cycling to work, or the half hour you're cycling home again, are far fewer. And even on many of those days it will be a light rain that won't really bother you. In the four years since I switched to cycling to work in Galway I can safely say that ice has made me leave the bike at home on many more days than rain has. And we all know how few icy days we get in Galway so that will give you an idea of the real impact of the rain. Dublin has 129 precipitation days, so still has 76% of what Galway has. Amsterdam is a bit higher again and Copenhagen has 93%. So clearly the kind of rain levels actually experienced in Galway are not an insurmountable disincentive to cycling.

I really don't understand what you're trying to say in this sentence:

"Covid has played its part in keeping people home with their cars, that probably was the biggest benefit than any action said here or done elsewhere which allowed to fudge numbers on cyclists."

But I would be interested in what you mean by "fudge numbers on cyclists" if you'd care to explain?

Laviski

the fudge is simply what you provided, hearsay and stats that cannot be independently verified and also car journeys are not back to previous levels as not everyone back to work so shouldn't be used in comparisons.

If i were to take a look, it would say galway rains alot more than than 170 days, i never gave a number cause i couldn't back that up with verified proof hence just said rains alot more than dublin. Only found a few weather stations around galway giving figures but none as low as 170. Can you provide the source data which says 170?

The example of the family provided going from joyce's, via car or bike i would probably travel along by the prom myself. However if coming from western distributor road roundabout to taylors hill junction with the jes as my destination, i cannot see any majority taking the on both legs (return) scenic route. as a % travelled it just make's no sense compared to the route you mentioned.

But you do raise a point, we have people living west of the corrib to work on the east and vice versa, but main bulk of jobs are on the east side with the main the IDA/Industrial sites (mervue, ballybrit,parkmore,oranmore etc) . Schools the same way, obviously we need to exclude the personal circumstances from your example, but going from joyce's to the Jes primary there is at least 5 primary school's closer. May not apply in this case but there are parent's who can't enroll kids to the school that's closest to them. From a jobs's perspective, housing estates are constantly going up on the east but no IDA site's to anchor some big employer's. I guess we need to bridge the gap, when's the new date again?

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117954999#Comment_117954999

Ya the outcomes are nearly irrelevant at this point.

A huge chunk of there own documentation discussed at the Oral Hearing showed this as well.

I guess getting to spend 1 billion euro is pretty alluring - that in itself can be the main goal for many up in City Hall.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117955420#Comment_117955420

Seen a few figures about, last one it was 243 days, but the same argument you make stands.

The amount of days you truly get caught in a heavy downpour on a school run/commute per year.

All the new NTA bus shelters have certainly helped in recent years for me, now can just step under one for 5 mins to avoid a heavy shower.

Surface water I find is actually a bigger issue. Galway City Roads Engineering Dept maintenance has never been a strong suit.

They rather spend more time looking for the next silver bullet.

The example of the family provided going from joyce's, via car or bike i would probably travel along by the prom myself. However if coming from western distributor road roundabout to taylors hill junction with the jes as my destination, i cannot see any majority taking the on both legs (return) scenic route. as a % travelled it just make's no sense compared to the route you mentioned.

I can't speak about the various starting points but I will say cycling on Taylors Hill Rd is not for the faint hearted, in fact its downright terrifying. I haven't done that route in years and have zero plans to do so anytime soon

Cycling up it is also a long slog.

If there is a safer and easier route to take, that route is going to win every day of the week.

To be honest, I've always thought a one-way on that road should be brought in as even the footpaths are dangerously narrow in a lot of parts

Laviski

i don't think anyone could argue against of how unsafe that road is for anyone, pedestrian , cyclist or motorist alike - witness to a few tips at ardilaun hotel on my bike no less. If there was any where a CPO is needed in the city to widen the road, this is where it be should done but i don't think it's possible as some structures would be protected and i'm sure you would have a few people object to save the trees.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117956610#Comment_117956610

Agreed, its one location in the city where the only option to improve the safety level, for all users, would be a one way, but flowing which way?

Also not sure the political will would be there to do it either

Laviski

can't see that day happening.

what_traffic

Could not see the widening ever happening on this road.

Re one way on the existing footprint of the road/footpath.

It does not have to flow all in the one direction.

Could have flow in either direction as far as Rosary Lane?

zell12

One way would turn Taylors into a race track

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117957747#Comment_117957747

Exactly.

The whole suggestion reeks of total lack of understanding of what is needed for successful one-way (parallel alternative with lots of cross streets).

As problems go, it isn't.

The solution to the issue which sparked this is discussion is to attend local schools,or catch the bus.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117957747#Comment_117957747

Could be designed to reduce speeds. Keep the one-way lane narrow and other traffic calming methods. Wider footpaths and bike lane.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117958259#Comment_117958259

Yeah, it wouldn't be difficult to design for lower speeds. Chicanes, lane narrowing, bumps etc have all been used for this purpose for years.

zell12

You do remember the College Road - Lough Atalia Road experiment?

Also residents on Dr Mannix Road sought to have speed humps installed, then successfully whinged that they were too steep causing too much slowing, had them lowered

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117959566#Comment_117959566

Nothing worth doing is ever easy

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117959594#Comment_117959594

True - but this road should be way down list of interventions right now?

One priority there should be Maunsells Road junction footpaths and perhaps improving the links into Highfield.

Another topic - Council have ad in todays Galway Advertiser for the Canal Greenway and Doughiska South, will be posted tomorrow 1st October on the Galway City Website https://www.galwaycity.ie/active-travel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117959670#Comment_117959670

Yeah, like I said, doubt if there will be political will to do anything with Taylors for a long time.

Agree re: Maunsells Rd. I remember walking & cycling through that junction as a child. Its insane that it has never been improved

Another topic - Council have ad in todays Galway Advertiser for the Canal Greenway and Doughiska South, will be posted tomorrow 1st October on the Galway City Website https://www.galwaycity.ie/active-travel

Looking forward to seeing what is envisaged. Hopefully they remember that paint is not infrastructure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117959566#Comment_117959566

Yeah, they made a two lane circuit track, there was no narrowing of lanes or traffic calming measures.