Galway traffic

cooperguy

cooperguy wrote: »

A bunch of the plan cant be done until there is another river crossing, like closing central streets to everything but public transport. Doing nothing because we're afraid we wont get everything on the plan doesnt seem like the best strategy.

FYI, the Salmon Weir bridge will be closed to private cars within a year or so. Only Buses, taxis & cyclists will be using it after that point

JCX BXC

[Deleted User] wrote: »

FYI, the Salmon Weir bridge will be closed to private cars within a year or so. Only Buses, taxis & cyclists will be using it after that point

A good idea, but I cannot wait to see the traffic chaos!

Mrs OBumble

[Deleted User] wrote: »

FYI, the Salmon Weir bridge will be closed to private cars within a year or so. Only Buses, taxis & cyclists will be using it after that point

A great big Fûck You to the very city centre residents who should be looked after.

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

A great big Fûck You to the very city centre residents who should be looked after.

Isn't everything

gordongekko

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

A great big Fûck You to the very city centre residents who should be looked after.

And the same to the population of Newcastle rahoon shantalla etc

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

FYI, the Salmon Weir bridge will be closed to private cars within a year or so. Only Buses, taxis & cyclists will be using it after that point

I still hold out hope that either someone will get sense or sense will be forced upon these making these decisions and this absolutely idiotic idea will be scrapped.

what_traffic

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

I still hold out hope that either someone will get sense or sense will be forced upon these making these decisions and this absolutely idiotic idea will be scrapped.

There is something of a tragic comedic value to your post as it is coming from a big advocate of the Ring Road.
Personally I do hope common sense and oversall sense will prevail and the Salmon Weir Bridge will become a Bus Gate. Got to note it is the ONLY large City Centre element of the Galway Transportation Study. If public transport Corridor from College Road (another Bus Gate to be installed here) to UHG is built it will increase modal share for public transport into the City Centre and along this corridor.
I would be an advocate of the Ring Road if this and far far more was been done for public transport and cycling.

what_traffic

gordongekko wrote: »

And the same to the population of Newcastle rahoon shantalla etc

As a Rahoon resident - am looking forward to it. More of my neighbours walk and take public transport than ever before. Our day to day lives are far more affected by the volume of car traffic from further afield.

And let us all remember now the people who live along the proposed Ring Road Route.
I think that is probably a bigger F U if one is using any kind of yardstick for measurement.

what_traffic

https://connachttribune.ie/proposed-city-bus-corridor-on-dublin-road-to-go-to-public-consultation/
Skerritt Roundabout (GMIT) will be removed based on this proposal.

gordongekko

what_traffic wrote: »

As a Rahoon resident - am looking forward to it. More of my neighbours walk and take public transport than ever before. Our day to day lives are far more affected by the volume of car traffic from further afield.

You are only one person and a lot of residents in the area are of the older kind and they're not mobile enough to be cycling across the salmon weir bridge and into town, they are predominately car drivers and the car is their independence and the removal of the salmon weir bridge will impact their standard of life as will the forcing of traffic down their neighbourhood which will become rat runs as people will be stuck in greater traffic. At the end of the day there is no logic in asking an elderly person who wants to go to the likes of wellpark to be forced on a bus into town and onto another one out to wellpark. I suspect and councillors who allow this to happen will not be councillors the following election.

gordongekko

gordongekko wrote: »

You are only one person and a lot of residents in the area are of the older kind and they're not mobile enough to be cycling across the salmon weir bridge and into town, they are predominately car drivers and the car is their independence and the removal of the salmon weir bridge will impact their standard of life as will the forcing of traffic down their neighbourhood which will become rat runs as people will be stuck in greater traffic. At the end of the day there is no logic in asking an elderly person who wants to go to the likes of wellpark to be forced on a bus into town and onto another one out to wellpark. I suspect and councillors who allow this to happen will not be councillors the following election.

The Arts Festival is alive and well with the amount of drama in this thread lol

The closing of one bridge to private car traffic does not eliminate access to the city centre for private cars. Just means a detour.

In addition a new pedestrian/cycling bridge is being built a few feet away from the current bridge.

Lastly nobody is being forced to walk, cycle or bus but provision is being made to prioritise those who wish to do so as these are far more efficient forms of transport but almost every measure.

xckjoo

So many good Samaritans in this thread concerned for the elderly. But yet not worried about the health impacts for the elderly who are forced into sedentary lives because it's too difficult to walk anywhere (which is a real issue and not made up out of faux concern for others)

timmyntc

gordongekko wrote: »

You are only one person and a lot of residents in the area are of the older kind and they're not mobile enough to be cycling across the salmon weir bridge and into town, they are predominately car drivers and the car is their independence and the removal of the salmon weir bridge will impact their standard of life as will the forcing of traffic down their neighbourhood which will become rat runs as people will be stuck in greater traffic. At the end of the day there is no logic in asking an elderly person who wants to go to the likes of wellpark to be forced on a bus into town and onto another one out to wellpark. I suspect and councillors who allow this to happen will not be councillors the following election.

If you live in Rahoon you can just drive into town via Mill Street or the Claddagh surely? Hardly the end of the world

gordongekko

timmyntc wrote: »

If you live in Rahoon you can just drive into town via Mill Street or the Claddagh surely? Hardly the end of the world

That's the problem. Increased traffic in residential areas and onto roads thats aren't fit for an increased volume of traffic.

timmyntc

gordongekko wrote: »

That's the problem. Increased traffic in residential areas and onto roads thats aren't fit for an increased volume of traffic.

The majority of people who live in Rahoon and the surrounding area can walk into town. These elderly people who cant walk far are in the vast vast minority - so they wouldn't have a significant impact on traffic.

One wonders what all these barely able to walk people would be doing once they drive into town anyways - if they cant walk from Rahoon into town, can they really walk all along shop/quay street through busy crowd filled streets?

Honestly it seems like yourself and others on this thread who constantly use it as an excuse are grasping at straws. The reality of urban transportation is that its designed for the majority, not the minority. Limited car/taxi access for those with impaired mobility is fine, but designing the whole city transport system around the needs of a tiny minority is not ok.

what_traffic

timmyntc wrote: »

The majority of people who live in Rahoon and the surrounding area can walk into town. These elderly people who cant walk far are in the vast vast minority - so they wouldn't have a significant impact on traffic.

One wonders what all these barely able to walk people would be doing once they drive into town anyways - if they cant walk from Rahoon into town, can they really walk all along shop/quay street through busy crowd filled streets?

And they do, loads of the elderly take the bus. The odd occasion I would take the bus into town. The old and the young I see, its middle aged people like myself that are noticably absent. Some are walking, some are cycling but majority are driving.

Mrs OBumble

what_traffic wrote: »

And they do, loads of the elderly take the bus. The odd occasion I would take the bus into town. The old and the young I see, its middle aged people like myself that are noticably absent. Some are walking, some are cycling but majority are driving.

They did.

I'm not sure that they're doing so any more.

Public transport is now supposed to be for necessary journeys only. Not for browsing in Woodies.

timmyntc

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

They did.

I'm not sure that they're doing so any more.

Public transport is now supposed to be for necessary journeys only. Not for browsing in Woodies.

Maybe at the start of lockdown that was the case - currently public transport is for everyone provided you wear a mask.

Anyways thats besides the point - covid risk will be short term in the grand scheme of things. Public transport planning should have a long term focus. Long term there won't be restrictions/risks like covid to discourage PT use.

gordongekko

timmyntc wrote: »

The majority of people who live in Rahoon and the surrounding area can walk into town. These elderly people who cant walk far are in the vast vast minority - so they wouldn't have a significant impact on traffic.

One wonders what all these barely able to walk people would be doing once they drive into town anyways - if they cant walk from Rahoon into town, can they really walk all along shop/quay street through busy crowd filled streets?

Honestly it seems like yourself and others on this thread who constantly use it as an excuse are grasping at straws. The reality of urban transportation is that its designed for the majority, not the minority. Limited car/taxi access for those with impaired mobility is fine, but designing the whole city transport system around the needs of a tiny minority is not ok.

I'm actually pro a balanced approach with is lacking here. Closing off a bridge while attempting to spend 600million to build a new bridge as there isnt enough capacity on the current bridges defies logic. Making it more difficult for the vast majority of the region who are forced to go to NUHG for services that are missing elsewhere deflies logic. And of course i never mentioned walking into town i mentioned people who wish to go from one side of the town to the other will be forced down poorer roads and rat runs which will reduce the quality of life for the people living on these roads.

When there was a positive opportunity to build a cycle lane to salthill and they didnt bother the logic to close a major artery of the city is completely flawed and doomed to failure.

xckjoo

gordongekko wrote: »

I'm actually pro a balanced approach with is lacking here. Closing off a bridge while attempting to spend 600million to build a new bridge as there isnt enough capacity on the current bridges defies logic. Making it more difficult for the vast majority of the region who are forced to go to NUHG for services that are missing elsewhere deflies logic. And of course i never mentioned walking into town i mentioned people who wish to go from one side of the town to the other will be forced down poorer roads and rat runs which will reduce the quality of life for the people living on these roads.

When there was a positive opportunity to build a cycle lane to salthill and they didnt bother the logic to close a major artery of the city is completely flawed and doomed to failure.

There's plenty of capacity on the bridges for the number of people they serve if everyone isn't in their own car. That's the logic here. If everyone traveled by bus we would probably only need one bridge. That's not really realistic so we need a multi-faceted approach. Use of public transport is low because it's a far worse option that taking the car. It takes longer, it's less convenient and rarely punctual because they're stuck in the same traffic as everyone else.

But if we had dedicated bus infrastructure, suddenly 2/3 of those problems disappear and it's far more attractive. Most people will go for whatever gets them home fastest so suddenly there's less cars on the road. And I'm sure all the people on here deathly worried about the elderly and less mobile will gladly do their part by leaving the car at home if they have a viable alternative

gordongekko

gordongekko wrote: »

I'm actually pro a balanced approach with is lacking here. Closing off a bridge while attempting to spend 600million to build a new bridge as there isnt enough capacity on the current bridges defies logic. Making it more difficult for the vast majority of the region who are forced to go to NUHG for services that are missing elsewhere deflies logic. And of course i never mentioned walking into town i mentioned people who wish to go from one side of the town to the other will be forced down poorer roads and rat runs which will reduce the quality of life for the people living on these roads.

When there was a positive opportunity to build a cycle lane to salthill and they didnt bother the logic to close a major artery of the city is completely flawed and doomed to failure.

Not at all. The Salmon weir closure to private cars, and removal of private cars from Eglington & Francis Street, Eyre Square, Forester St & College rd all form part of the bus priority corridor. The biggest issue with buses at the moment is the last of prioritisation they are given. These changes aim to fix that so they are not snarled up in traffic and are given free movement through the city center as they are FAR, FAR more efficient people movers than private cars

I'd recommend you review the GTS to learn more

what_traffic

gordongekko wrote: »

When there was a positive opportunity to build a cycle lane to salthill and they didnt bother the logic to close a major artery of the city is completely flawed and doomed to failure.

I actually understand where you are coming from here, am always very sceptical myself of City Councils plans based on the track record to date. I believe it when I see it. The recent case of the Cycle path in Salthill is a good example, they could have built it on the Sea Side(this was there original plan they themselves had for the Costal Greenway) and kept car parking on the City side, but no they went for the nuclear option of removing car parking all along the prom.
Is there an English term for when you plan something with the intention that it will fail?
Closing Salmon Weir Bridge as a Bus Gate will only work if the bus service frequencys are increased. Dont even have the City Direct services operating at the min....
https://connachttribune.ie/no-end-in-sight-for-galway-city-bus-service-crux/

gordongekko

Deleted User wrote: »

Not at all. The Salmon weir closure to private cars, and removal of private cars from Eglington & Francis Street, Eyre Square, Forester St & College rd all form part of the bus priority corridor. The biggest issue with buses at the moment is the last of prioritisation they are given. These changes aim to fix that so they are not snarled up in traffic and are given free movement through the city center as they are FAR, FAR more efficient people movers than private cars

I'd recommend you review the GTS to learn more

The bus corridor can only work if they can get to the corridor. They'll be stuck in gridlock further out now and unable to reach the corridors as the traffic won't be able to move as the new routes aren't able for the traffic.

gordongekko

gordongekko wrote: »

The bus corridor can only work if they can get to the corridor. They'll be stuck in gridlock further out now and unable to reach the corridors as the traffic won't be able to move as the new routes aren't able for the traffic.

So what you are saying is private cars are clogging up the city?

Mrs OBumble

timmyntc wrote: »

Maybe at the start of lockdown that was the case - currently public transport is for everyone provided you wear a mask.

That is simply not true.

Right now, the Bus Eireann and NTA websites are very clear: plublic transport is for necessary journeys onlly. Read about it here: https://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/covid-19-service-information-update/

Masks are only allowing services to operate at 50% capacity: it was a lot lower when they were operating with 2m physical distancing. Even then, its still risky: masks aren't really a replacement for distancing, and public transport generates a LOT of common touch points.

We don't know how long Covid will be an issue for but right now the indication is that it's not a short term thing. Any plan which is based in shared transport needs to be revised.

gordongekko

Deleted User wrote: »

So what you are saying is private cars are clogging up the city?

I never said that. Im saying closing off one of the bridges in the city to allow exclusive motorised use to expensive taxis or 5 busses an hour is ridiculous.

donvito99

gordongekko wrote: »

I never said that. Im saying closing off one of the bridges in the city to allow exclusive motorised use to expensive taxis or 5 busses an hour is ridiculous.

seeing as all bridges are open to cars at the moment and the city is at gridlock i don't see how closing one of them and attracting more on to public transport is ridiculous.

cooperguy

gordongekko wrote: »

I'm actually pro a balanced approach with is lacking here. Closing off a bridge while attempting to spend 600million to build a new bridge as there isnt enough capacity on the current bridges defies logic. Making it more difficult for the vast majority of the region who are forced to go to NUHG for services that are missing elsewhere deflies logic. And of course i never mentioned walking into town i mentioned people who wish to go from one side of the town to the other will be forced down poorer roads and rat runs which will reduce the quality of life for the people living on these roads.

Getting from one side of the city to the other is exactly what the ring road is for. Central roads for public transport also makes sense. There is no defying logic here unless you're actively avoiding trying to see the logic

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

That is simply not true.

Right now, the Bus Eireann and NTA websites are very clear: plublic transport is for necessary journeys onlly. Read about it here: https://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/covid-19-service-information-update/

Masks are only allowing services to operate at 50% capacity: it was a lot lower when they were operating with 2m physical distancing. Even then, its still risky: masks aren't really a replacement for distancing, and public transport generates a LOT of common touch points.

We don't know how long Covid will be an issue for but right now the indication is that it's not a short term thing. Any plan which is based in shared transport needs to be revised.

These are medium term plans, I dont think there is anyone on the planet suggesting we should scrap public transport as the preferred method of transport in cities. Plans still need to be made and executed

gordongekko

cooperguy wrote: »

Getting from one side of the city to the other is exactly what the ring road is for. Central roads for public transport also makes sense. There is no defying logic here unless you're actively avoiding trying to see the logic

This is exactly the point. A balanced approach is required. The ring road hasn't even gone through planning yet. It's crazy to think of blocking one of the bridges until this happens.

gordongekko

gordongekko wrote: »

This is exactly the point. A balanced approach is required. The ring road hasn't even gone through planning yet. It's crazy to think of blocking one of the bridges until this happens.

That is the opposite of balanced.

That is saying, do not inconvenience private cars until there is a ring road, in the meantime, leave buses stuck in traffic, cyclists afraid to cycle and pedestrians being relegated to third class citizens.

That pov also does not take account of the fact that the roads were at or above capacity prior to covid and with the reduced numbers using buses due to dfistancing, some other solution is required.

Sorry, the day of the private car having primacy in terms of Galway city center are numbered.

Galway city has simply run out of time and can no longer sit on its collective hands.

The new "balanced approach" is as follows

1. Pedestrians first
2. Cyclists second
3. Buses third
4. Private cars last and only as an afterthought once all of the above have been catered for

Note, I say this as someone who lives out in the county and uses a private car to access the city center currently. I am dreaming of the day when I can park outside the city, unlock my bike from secure storage and cycle the rest of the way in.