Galway traffic

blueshark2

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Actually now that I think of it how are people supposed to actually drive to the cathedral at all?? Not just for the facility itself but also since it’s a very important car park for people working in the city.

Drive down from Newcastle Road, same way as you would come from UHG now.

Had a look at that plan and the restrictions start at Salmon Weir Bridge. It means you'll not go down University Road intending to continue through the city, but you can go to the Cathedral and park.

timmyntc

timmyntc wrote: »

:rolleyes:

A perfectly genuine and sensible statement met with the above, shows the level of mentality of the anti-car bridge. Disrupting people lives appears to be a game from what I can see.

blueshark2 wrote: »

Drive down from Newcastle Road, same way as you would come from UHG now.

Had a look at that plan and the restrictions start at Salmon Weir Bridge. It means you'll not go down University Road intending to continue through the city, but you can go to the Cathedral and park.

So a city badly in need of an additional river crossing is deciding to reduce its river crossings. You couldn't make that up its so utterly stupid. Its going to cause havoc in the city, increase traffic and cause people to have to drive multiples of the distance they now to do to from one place to another.

It can be broken down like this:

Infrastructure wise, what's better for motorists is worse for all other modes of travel.

And

Infrastructure wise, what's better for all other modes of travel is worse for motorists.

The council have a choice. Let the status quo remain with streets and roads at or above capacity, or increase capacity by prioritising other modes of travel ahead of the private car.

The commuter in the car will be inconvenienced by having to press the pedals a few times more, having to leave earlier, and probably have to walk a bit further when they park.

Simples choice if you ask me

blueshark2

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

So a city badly in need of an additional river crossing is deciding to reduce its river crossings. You couldn't make that up its so utterly stupid. Its going to cause havoc in the city, increase traffic and cause people to have to drive multiples of the distance they now to do to from one place to another.

The Galway City Ring Road is included in the same plan. As I said above, it's not either/or, especially now with available funding separated for each type of infrastructure.

Edit: Wouldn't expect the ring road in the next 20 years, but no need to hold up the increase of the capacity on the existing bottle necks.

blueshark2

blueshark2 wrote: »

The Galway City Ring Road is included in the same plan. As I said above, it's not either/or, especially now with available funding separated for each type of infrastructure.

The ring road needs to come before anything else. When that's built then it might be more reasonable to start looking at other things.
Ring road or not though its nonsensical to close the salmon weir route to car traffic as it will make people have to drive much further to make a short trip.

Mrs OBumble

zell12 wrote: »

Eglinton Street by September :)

So where will the security guard doing his rounds park?

blueshark2

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

The ring road needs to come before anything else. When that's built then it might be more reasonable to start looking at other things.

But if motorists are at the bottom of the pecking order for modern urban infrastructure, why would they be catered for first?

Also it's contradictory for the country to declare a climate emergency and then start turning the sod on major road projects. We should stop building more roads until the climate emergency has passed or stop the green-washing and remove the declared emergency, acknowledge that we're kicking the can down the road.

ratracer

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

The ring road needs to come before anything else. When that's built then it might be more reasonable to start looking at other things.
Ring road or not though its nonsensical to close the salmon weir route to car traffic as it will make people have to drive much further to make a short trip.

The ring road is 30 years in the making, it is a completely outdated plan by now, doesn’t address future need but rather past need, and still won’t be open in 20 years time. I fully agree with the need for an outer bypass, and another river crossing point urgently, but that doesn’t mean that other options shouldn’t be developed.

You’re line of thinking is also the same way city manager has operated for a long time and it is short sighted in the here and now, and not for future need. It’s going to take a brave official, elected or otherwise, to come up up with a long term vision for the way the city moves, and it won’t be fixed in one election term, which in itself is the problem.

zell12

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So where will the security guard doing his rounds park?

Walk or cycle

We'll find out soon, as the street will be bikes, taxis, buses only. That car is parked against traffic flow too

ben.schlomo

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So where will the security guard doing his rounds park?

In a car park or a designated spot, what entitlement has he over anyone else?

ratracer

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So where will the security guard doing his rounds park?

Jeez, when the cars are removed it really is such a dreary looking streetscape. The computer generated image in the top pic looks so much better, and this is what entices people into an area to shop and spend money, not having to contend with vehicles abandoned wherever the selfish drivers feel ike.

timmyntc

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

A perfectly genuine and sensible statement met with the above, shows the level of mentality of the anti-car bridge. Disrupting people lives appears to be a game from what I can see.



So a city badly in need of an additional river crossing is deciding to reduce its river crossings. You couldn't make that up its so utterly stupid. Its going to cause havoc in the city, increase traffic and cause people to have to drive multiples of the distance they now to do to from one place to another.

Fair enough concern for access to the cathedral, but seeing it as just a very important car park for people getting into the city?

That attitude is why we have the traffic problems we have - people seeing it as a god given right to drive right into the city center. You can park outside the city and get a bus or park & ride into the center.


And for the record I'm not anti-car brigade, but I want the traffic to improve for my own sake - I recognise the only way for that to happen is to give people an alternative to driving, bus lanes, car restrictions and removal of some car parks is the only way to do that.

One issue I do have with the bus only over salmon weir is how difficult its going to be to get to Rowing clubs in woodquay from West of the corrib - going over QCB and down the ever jammed headford road will be a nightmare.

zell12

timmyntc wrote: »

One issue I do have with the bus only over salmon weir is how difficult its going to be to get to Rowing clubs in woodquay from West of the corrib - going over QCB and down the ever jammed headford road will be a nightmare.

Walk, cycle, bus

ratracer

timmyntc wrote: »

One issue I do have with the bus only over salmon weir is how difficult its going to be to get to Rowing clubs in woodquay from West of the corrib - going over QCB and down the ever jammed headford road will be a nightmare.

Is it not a case that cars just can’t turn right from the salmon weir into town? Can still go straight on to Headford road, and hence also around Woodquay? At least in this first phase anyway?

Mrs OBumble

zell12 wrote: »

Walk or cycle

We'll find out soon, as the street will be bikes, taxis, buses only. That car is parked against traffic flow too

Yeah, you have the conversation with his boss about guards on a schedule walking between jobs, in a town full of drunks. Good luck with that.

And unfortunately contra flow parking is allowed here. It shouldn't be, I agree. But it is.

blueshark2

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

And unfortunately contra flow parking is allowed here. It shouldn't be, I agree. But it is.

On a double yellow?

blueshark2

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Yeah, you have the conversation with his boss about guards on a schedule walking between jobs, in a town full of drunks. Good luck with that.

How does it work for the businesses on Shop Street?

I know there is a loading/deliveries time, same may apply on Eglington/Forster.

timmyntc

timmyntc wrote: »

That attitude is why we have the traffic problems we have - people seeing it as a god given right to drive right into the city center. You can park outside the city and get a bus or park & ride into the center.

.

Park and ride is a joke shop I have less than no interest in it, adding extra time and hassle and not having my car with me is not acceptable as I often need to get around to different places at lunch or after work, shopping etc requires the car, I have stuff with me in the car that I may or may not want/need but too much to carry etc etc.

I also just dont want to sit beside people in a bus I like my own space in the car to relax and listen to the radio (I dont even like having passengers), don't want to get wet going between busses and work when I can park 2 metres from the door etc etc etc.

blueshark2

blueshark2 wrote: »

The council are woeful at communication. The regular Joe on the street doesn't know the details of their strategic plans. If they start to implement parts of their plans they should run an information campaign alongside it.

I might have to eat my words a bit - was checking out the latest City Tribune and they (with Arup) have links to a new public consultation on the new Salmon Weir pedestrian and cycle bridge.

https://virtualengage.arup.com/salmon-weir/

Video: https://virtualengage.arup.com/salmon-weir/Videos/SalmonWeirBridgeFlyThrough.mp4



It looks great! Would open up that side of the cathedral to a nice plaza.

flazio

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Park and ride is a joke shop I have less than no interest in it, adding extra time and hassle and not having my car with me is not acceptable as I often need to get around to different places at lunch or after work, shopping etc requires the car, I have stuff with me in the car that I may or may not want/need but too much to carry etc etc.

I also just dont want to sit beside people in a bus I like my own space in the car to relax and listen to the radio (I dont even like having passengers), don't want to get wet going between busses and work when I can park 2 metres from the door etc etc etc.

You do not speak for the majority of rural Irish people.

flazio

flazio wrote: »

You do not speak for the majority of rural Irish people.

I would think it would be few and far between who would disagree with me.

timmyntc

zell12 wrote: »

Walk, cycle, bus

Try taking a rowing boat or a kayak on the bus.

ratracer wrote:

Is it not a case that cars just can’t turn right from the salmon weir into town? Can still go straight on to Headford road, and hence also around Woodquay? At least in this first phase anyway?

No idea what phased basis is, but end result is no private cars across salmon weir IIRC.

Jazmin Harsh Gold

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Park and ride is a joke shop I have less than no interest in it, adding extra time and hassle and not having my car with me is not acceptable as I often need to get around to different places at lunch or after work, shopping etc requires the car, I have stuff with me in the car that I may or may not want/need but too much to carry etc etc.

I also just dont want to sit beside people in a bus I like my own space in the car to relax and listen to the radio (I dont even like having passengers), don't want to get wet going between busses and work when I can park 2 metres from the door etc etc etc.

The same excuses were trotted out when Shop Street was pedestrianised and evidence has shown they don't hold true. Anyone old enough will remember what Shop Street was like before with cars having free reign driving down the street and parking whereever on the street. The current status is a much more inclusive setup for all (except motorists).

It may not suit some motorists but the changes made to that street were very welcome for most including pedestrians, cyclists, elderly, disabled etc. and disliked by some businesses and most motorists. Today, there is not a single business that would advocate for a return to cars on that street

There is little doubt in my mind that the current and future changes planned for mobility in Galway city will further improve the mobility situation for all (except motorists).

xckjoo

timmyntc wrote: »

Try taking a rowing boat or a kayak on the bus.



No idea what phased basis is, but end result is no private cars across salmon weir IIRC.

Don't think they're going to stop local access so GRC and The Bish RC will still be able to bring boats to/from the clubhouses. Failing that there's always Dangan. Unless they build a big road through that.... :pac:

blueshark2

xckjoo wrote: »

Don't think they're going to stop local access so GRC and The Bish RC will still be able to bring boats to/from the clubhouses. <...>

How would that be enforced?

xckjoo

blueshark2 wrote: »

How would that be enforced?

Dunno. But there's plenty of housing down there so they'll need access. Not sure if there'll even be bollards controlling access. Might be mainly honor based.

Electric Sheep

xckjoo wrote: »

Dunno. But there's plenty of housing down there so they'll need access. Not sure if there'll even be bollards controlling access. Might be mainly honor based.

Good luck with anything honour based in Ireland.

blueshark2

blueshark2 wrote: »

I might have to eat my words a bit - was checking out the latest City Tribune and they (with Arup) have links to a new public consultation on the new Salmon Weir pedestrian and cycle bridge.

https://virtualengage.arup.com/salmon-weir/

Video: https://virtualengage.arup.com/salmon-weir/Videos/SalmonWeirBridgeFlyThrough.mp4



It looks great! Would open up that side of the cathedral to a nice plaza.

There's a lot of great info on that site about future plans arising from the GTS such as

Located 24m south of the existing Salmon Weir Bridge, the newpedestrian and cycle bridge will, in time, be complemented byschemes including the pedestrianisation of Newtownsmith, the creation of a public plaza on Gaol Road in front of the Cathedral, upgrades to the existing Salmon Weir Bridge, and the NunsIsland Masterplan. These projects will proceed under separate funding and planning applications.

So it looks like the Council car park near the Cathedral is due for the chop if I read that right but hard to know without seeing the planning doc's

Mrs OBumble

[Deleted User] wrote: »

There's a lot of great info on that site about future plans arising from the GTS such as



So it looks like the Council car park near the Cathedral is due for the chop if I read that right but hard to know without seeing the planning doc's

What exactly would you see a plaza down there used for?

blueshark2

Deleted User wrote: »

So it looks like the Council car park near the Cathedral is due for the chop if I read that right but hard to know without seeing the planning doc's

I think they mean the area where the new bridge joins. The transport strategy document I was looking at has that road closed off and the road on the other (west) side of the Cathedral car park becoming two-way with the car park being maintained.

EDIT: From a 2018 City Tribune article on a draft plan...