Clontarf to City Centre Cycle & Bus Priority Project discussion (renamed)

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122282928#Comment_122282928

to be fair we were at a red light, although i didn't think cyclists stopped at red lights

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122282928#Comment_122282928

I already switch to the road to pass a lot of people out. I'm generally on it outside of peak commute times.

I've said before that the path will actually slow my commute, which I'm ok with, but sometimes I leave it very tight to get to work. Takes me ten minutes by bike, but I can do it in seven if I have to. If I drive, I need to allow 45 minutes, at times, for the journey. But actually can't remember the last time I drove into work.

bk

While this cycle path is very welcome, it is actually designed to an insufficient capacity.

This cycle path varies between 1.5m to 2m. However the Cycle Design Manual set out that busy cycle lanes like this are to ideally use 2.5m and at a minimum 2m.

2.5m/2m would allow for space for overtaking by faster cyclists, etc.

Unfortunately I believe this project was designed prior to the Cycle Manual being published.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122283625#Comment_122283625

Yeah, I've frightened a few cyclists while overtaking. I always announce that I'm passing on the right. Not everyone is set up to hear me though.

For all the money that it's cost, there's a good few issues with the whole thing. DCC won't hear any of it though.

Thelonious Monk

Seem to be resurfacing the seville place junction tonight, the cycle lanes are a kind of beige colour crossing the roads.

Another dull men's club update.

Tenzor07

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122283625#Comment_122283625

Was in the UK recently where they're building new cycle lanes through the city and this looks more like it:

Sir Galahad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122283123#Comment_122283123

Someone must have told them they had to stop for the photo.

Los Cafeteros

Saw numerous "teams" out today working on planting, paving- the 'nice bits'.. On foot today and it was really noticable how perilous for cyclists the outbound route is with ongoing construction- a segregated lane cant come soon enough.

Thelonious Monk

No way its finished in September as they are just not working on the outbound at all. And what the actual f**k are they doing with the Alfie Byrne East wall road bike lane? Hasn't been touched in like 2 months and F all needs to be done.

Gloomtastic!

The Malahide Road/St Aidan’s Park Road Junction beside Sparkle is not for the faint-hearted. Proper cross-country driving for a second or two. Turning onto Marino Crescent is just as bad.

I would worry about fartcans and their lowered suspension but f@ck ‘em! 😝

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122308295#Comment_122308295

They are definitely still working on it outbound, but the leaving cert was still going on up until yesterday, which will have limited the amount of areas that they could work on.

On the East Wall Road bike lane, I've no idea what the hold up here is, I wonder if they're waiting on the lights to be commissioned?

CatInABox

Drove out from the city this morning, there was loads of people working on it from Newcomen Bridge all the way out to the Howth Road junction.

Speaking of the Howth Road junction, the works are finished! The path is complete anyway, with the pedestrian tiles down and everything. There is still work going on in the cycle lane, looked like a small enough hole there, but I only got a fleeting glance at that. Looked like it could open fairly shortly.

downtheroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122283625#Comment_122283625

Don't worry they can dig it all up again next year to add in the additional width. Works to be completed in 2027.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122321566#Comment_122321566

Yes, I believe within 10 years that we will be back upgrading it and expanding it.

The good news is that would be a relatively straight forward job. Remember it isn't building a bike lane that is taking so long and causing so much disruption, it is upgrading the water and sewage pipes that is taking all that time and disruption.

Widening the cycle path would barely be noticed for the most part and could be done in much smaller sections.

Disco24

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122324712#Comment_122324712

I think it will be a victim of its own success and they'll have to. Lot of pinch points on the road unless you divert cars through ballybough and take road space.

LXFlyer

Good luck in finding the space to maintain footpath width, some parking at locations, a bus lane and a traffic lane in either direction and a wider cycle lane on top of that!

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122325706#Comment_122325706

Well if they had built it as a two way cycle path in the first place, this would have been less of a problem!

2 x 2m lanes versus a single 4 meter wide two way lane, both take up the same road space (actually slightly less for the two way lane as only one buffer). The extra space of a two way lane makes overtaking easier and is particularly useful in a cycle lane that sees different cycling flow direction in morning versus evening like this one definitely does.

But yes, in time car parking will continue to be removed and cars redirected, etc.

cgcsb

Like Ireland's attempts at decent public transport infrastructure, completely swamped from day 1.

It was clear the design lacked ambition but it was a good proposal for it's day, it's just that this was proposed about 10 years ago and times have moved on. It just takes so long to get things done in Ireland. I expect the bus connects corridors will also be over subscribed from day 1 when they are eventually complete.

The clontarf scheme was clearly set up to maximise road space for cars. We still have 6 lanes of traffic in Fairview ffs. I could see a supplementary scheme to reduce the traffic lanes and provide some wider footpaths and bike lanes for some sections.

Thelonious Monk

I don't think space will be an issue on these lanes, they're wide enough in most parts. The fact this scheme actually went ahead was unbelievable to me, I never thought they'd have the balls to do it, yet here we are.

It actually looks like there's not that much left to do now, finally, large parts of the outbound are pretty much done, so we may have it up and running completely in the next few months. I'm just worried there'll be constant digging afterwards to do things they missed, tarmac put down and never replaced with paving etc., in true DCC style.

cgcsb

The public realm in fairview is still crap, that's my main issue. The building side is very isolated from the park side. You have to use a motorway style ped over bridge to get across. There needs to be a lot more ambition.

bennyx_o

Drove through Fairview during rush hour for the first time this morning (had to drop my car to Annesley Place) and the amount of cars/vans that just sailed up the bus lane must've been close to double the number of busses & taxis. Having kept somewhat up to date on this thread (and living on a one way street and seeing countless cars just fly up the wrong way) I'm not surprised it's happening and there's feck all enforcement, but just surprised at the sheer numbers of people doing it, but again, without enforcement, it'll keep increasing.

I assume the road surface itself isn't close to being finished? Some of the shores must be a good 4-5 inches above the surface

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122329524#Comment_122329524

really it should have a pedestrian crossing or two instead of the footbridge, I don't think it would even slow traffic down that much in the grand scheme of things.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122329500#Comment_122329500

While it is wider then the rubbish new cycle lane on Griffith Avenue, it still goes down to as little as 1.75m wide, which is well below the 2.5m ideal, 2m minimum laid out by the National Cycle Infrastructure document.

1.75m makes it quiet difficult to overtake cargo bikes.

Also many cyclists are cycling the wrong way on it every day, basically using it as a two way cycle lane!! Hopefully this will be reduced once the outbound section opens, but that remains to be seen.

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122329627#Comment_122329627

I wouldn't be happy trying to cross that road on a pedestrian crossing. To many people happy to break lights, drive up buslanes and park wherever they like. Wouldn't be safe imo

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122329838#Comment_122329838

There are multiple at grade crossings on this road, in addition to the bridge. I cross at Malahide Road or by Westwood and down by Fairview strand every other day and it is fine.

Of course there should be red light cameras and other traffic calming steps to make it even safer to cross.

bikeman1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122329627#Comment_122329627

Well that's exactly what is in the plan from my reading of the documents. The junction at Edge's corner when finished will be completely different. It will a single straight across pedestrian crossing. This compared to the horrible go halfway across and be stuck in a metal cage with 5 lanes of traffic around you before crossing all the way.

In addition to the footbridge, which is useful for many (obviously not wheelchairs or less mobile), there is a new level ped crossing going in at Marino Mart beside the Greenland coffee shop per the plans.

DCC also need to add Fairview to their pressure washing programme. The new paving needs regular washing to look good. At the moment around there it looks like a dump with litter and filthy paving.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122329866#Comment_122329866

Many drivers seem to respect red lights (bar the obligatory first 5 seconds still count as amber, naturally) if there are conflicting car movements, i.e. there is a reasonable chance damage could come to their car. If it is just a pedestrian crossing, the lights don't count at all.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122332101#Comment_122332101

I wouldn't agree. Motorists break the lights regularly here.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122332101#Comment_122332101

If seen many a car plough through reds while texting not even close to Orange