Dublin Bus Connects Blanchardstown->City

Zaph wrote: »

So conceivably you could end up stopped at lights where the roundabout is and then again at the other set 100 yards up the road. I can't see how that will help anybody.

Zaph wrote: »

So conceivably you could end up stopped at lights where the roundabout is and then again at the other set 100 yards up the road. I can't see how that will help anybody.

AlanG wrote: »

The routes around the center are disappointing - it would have been good to have a more dedicated and shorter bus route built. Also the size of the interchange and cycle parking seems quite small for the number of routes going through the center.

Zaph wrote: »

Forget about getting even that far, it's going to make getting to Stoneybatter and Smithfield a right pain in the arse.

Caranica wrote: »

Those roads are already at capacity especially at rush hours.

The scheme is supposed to be going to ABP this month, will keep an eye out for it.

blanchardstownscheme.ie

The Clongriffen and Blackrock/Belfield schemes are already in.

Agree - Removing the Ashtown Roundabout is a terrible idea. Buses and all other vehicles can currently enter the roundabout freely and now they want to change that by installing traffic lights? A few metres up the road you encounter traffic lights at kempton. Strange as busconnects aims are to speed up journey times while also installing more traffic light junctions which then leads to longer queue of vehicles waiting. How does that benefit anyone,

In the last bus corridor update it says the ashtown roundabout is staying... hope it does. Not only does it help the free flow of traffic, the roundabout is very iconic. I cant imagine that junction with no roundabout.

They are also removing the blakestown roundabout which again, is a bad idea and makes no sense at all. I wonder what the NTA is going to say when their 39a buses are sitting in traffic as the roundabout is removed. The left turn lane from blakestown way is also being removed so anyone that wants to turn left towards the mulhuddart interchange will now have to wait at traffic lights. Why not keep the left turn lane freeing up space for those going towards the shopping centre? Its like they did that on purpose to frustrate people, as they are keeping the left turn lane from blanch road south that enters the shopping centre but its being turned into a bus lane... no reason why the left turn lane from blakestown has to go. At the beginning they wanted to keep the blakestown roundabout ? What happened ?

They are removing all the roundabouts in the blanchardstown centre going towards the snugborough interchange and turning them into traffic lights as well. 3 roundabouts in total being removed in the shopping centre according to the bus corridor that they published sometime ago.

Not busconnects related but DART West also proposes removing the clonsilla roundabout and installing a traffic light junction. So that means Blanchardstown Road south is getting an addition of 2 traffic light junctions. The only roundabout remaining on that road will be the one at power city - millenium roundabout. This will definitely 'speed' up bus journey times lol.... so now if take the 37 bus, currently it can fly by the blakestown and clonsilla roundabout but after the removal, i have to sit waiting at traffic lights... thats great.

Diswellstown road is used a lot, the last thing it needs is the clonsilla roundabout being removed. Tailbacks all the way down on both sides. I would love to know how long the traffic light will stay green and how many vehicles can get through.

If congestion arises (which it will), the council should reinstall the roundabout as its their roads. Hopefully common sense prevails.

Has fingal county council made any comments about this..they know the area more than the nta and they installed these roundabouts for a reason. Christmas season and traffic light junctions.... going to be interesting to see the results if this is to continue.

A grade separated junction at auburn avenue/dunsink lane/n3 is needed. Traffic light system there needs removing. No plans for that though. Still, makes sense to work on that when the corridor construction begins to avoid disruption again. Buses pick up speed and then have to wait for a green light.. something needs to be done there.

So they are keeping ashtown roundabout but removing blakestown roundabout ? Where is the sense in that? The blakestown roundabout is smaller than both of the roundabouts you listed so its definitely not a safety issue. Residents on the navan road campaigned for the roundabout to stay so maybe thats why its staying. (dont know the reason for walkinstown) I dont think anyone campaigned for the blakestown roundabout to stay but when its gone hopefully there will be a campaign to reinstall it.

Roundabouts are pedestrian friendly. The blakestown roundabout already has traffic lights - 2 sets of traffic lights. Roundabouts are all over the blanchardstown area and people can cross them with no hassle. Most roundabouts here have traffic lights nearby anyway so what is the problem. I dont see any issue with roundabouts. Converting every single roundabout into a traffic light junction is not the way to go.

Whenever i have had to cross the ashtown roundabout i did so by either going to the traffic lights at kempton or crossing the road when traffic is light/stopped at kempton.

As i mentioned above, the 37 bus can freely pass the clonsilla and blakestown roundabout but now it has to wait at traffic lights? How does that speed up the journey. By the time the green light shows the 37 bus would have entered carpenterstown at that stage if the roundabout was to remain.

Also forgot to mention above but i also agree that it is not necessary to introduce a right turn from phoenix park racecourse when those who want to turn right can do so by going to the parkway overbridge... any reason to introduce more traffic lights.

All these new traffic lights are not necessary and when you add that to the current traffic lights and the snugborough interchange... does not make sense.

The council needs to step in regarding the blakestown roundabout.

The blakestown and clonsilla roundabout have traffic lights nearby where footfall occurs the most yet they are still being removed while other roundabouts in dublin are staying. Even in shankill roundabouts are staying after a local campaign. Looks like the only roundabouts being removed are those that had no campaign against such proposals.

The ashtown roundabout is staying while receiving traffic lights but yet blakestown/clonsilla are being removed while these roundabouts currently have traffic lights nearby?

Well you can say roundabouts are unsafe and thats your opinion but i totally disagree. I have crossed and continue to cross roundabouts in my area and have no struggle with it. Since roundabouts allow free flowing traffic, it reduces build up and tailbacks on the road meaning i can cross without needing to press a traffic light.

If roundabouts were not safe then all roundabouts in dublin would be removed and no new roundabouts being constructed.

New roundabouts are currently planned for the kellystown link road and ongar barnhill road and elsewhere in dublin such as the glenamuck distributor road. If roundabouts were not safe and offer no benefits then why are councils still installing them?

I feel more comfortable and safe crossing a roundabout than a junction.

When on the bus i would prefer to continue on with my journey via the roundabout instead of waiting at traffic lights.

There are trees and other plants on the blakestown roundabout. The ecological impact reasoning can also be used here.

The pedestrian crossing is not far at blakestown or clonsilla. These pedestrian crossings are near the roundabout.

If the blakestown roundabout is being removed why are they also taking away the left turn lane from blakestown while keeping the same left turn lane entering the shopping centre on the opposite side?

I feel like you're just repeating yourself with the roundabout thing. It's not just my opinion that singalised junctions are safer it's an established fact, you read about it in DMURs or any TII design manual. The safety issue presented by roundabouts in urban areas is more impactful on cyclists than pedestrians, try taking the third exit on the Ashtown roundabout on a bike as it is currently, lethal and certainly not suitable for a child, infirm or elderly cyclist. For pedestrians it's more a matter of convenience and journey time. Crossings have to be further from the desire line compared to a signalised junction crossings which also encourages people to cross at unsafe locations.

The problem is there is no distinction made between a high volume junction and a low volume junction.

Ashtown Roundabout is main arterial road. Its not any old junction.

If it was done properly cyclists and pedestrians would have a entirely segregated way around or over this junction.

But as usual they crammed everything into a tiny space, where everything and every solution is compromised.

There one thing to argue for increasing throughput for the bus. But these plans needless choke other traffic by removing filter lanes and adding more signals.

That could have taken some land form phoenix park race course to widen the roundabout and put in bus lanes and segrated cycling lanes.

Feels like they thought that's too much hassle and planning. Just ignore car traffic throughput (especially off peak) and make it a crossroads. For a fraction of the cost and effort.

Well it would also segrate cyclists properly. But we don't do that properly either.

Is there any provision for cycle lane from the roundabout into the park from this new junction? Or will they still be squeezed in the gate and on the road.

I doubt think people mind giving buses priority of it's not done an inconsistent and poorly thought out way.

I assume he meant Coolmine crossing/Bridge and Clonsilla bridge.

Traffic will get also get worse simply due to Kellystown being designed to exit into a known congested black spot. Then all the other new housing into roads with less capacity due to signals and lane reduction due to buses etc.

People will have to find more creative ways to avoid being traffic. Going forward. Driving is going to get harder. More People into finite resources.

Bus connects are one such solution people will have to embrace.

Granard Bridge (the bridge on Castleknock Road) is identified as requiring the bridge deck to be lifted to facilitate the electrification.

There would have be a temporary road closure to facilitate that, but as a general comment bridge lifts are usually completed in a relatively short period of time.

It certainly would not be a long term road closure.

They submitted the corridor to ABP and i had a quick look to see if anything changed... some main points that i noticed.

-Bus lanes removed on mulhuddart interchange bridge. Bus lanes were proposed in the original plan.

-Bus lane removed on blanchardstown road south coming from blakestown roundabout towards mulhuddart interchange. This bus lane as of now is kind of pointless so it makes sense to do so. I think this also is to make up for the removal of blakestown roundabout and the removal of the left turn lane from blakestown way.

-New left turn slip lane on n3 ramp from old navan road

-Removal of left turn slip lane from old navan road onto mulhuddart interchange.

-Blakestown and ashtown roundabout being removed :( Roundabouts in shopping centre are still being removed.

-New left turn slip lane from blanch road south mulhuddart side entering the shopping centre. I think this is to make up for the removal of blakestown roundabout but this lane is going to be blocked by those going straight ahead and from the image it looks quite short and the chances of it being blocked are high.

-Extra left turn lane in the shopping centre with a separate right turn lane. The mcdonalds roundabout area.

-Phoenix park racecourse right turn still going ahead and right turn from navan road into phoenix park racecourse.

-Left turn lane from navan road onto auburn avenue being removed. Those wanting to turn left now have to wait at traffic lights.

-New junction layout at ashtown gate. Those coming from castleknock road can only go straight onto ashtown roundabout. You cant turn into ashtown gate or onto blackhorse avenue. The lane is shaped towards the left forcing those from castleknock road to go to ashtown.

It's on blanchardstownscheme.ie

I was more focused on the city centre end. It seems they've omitted the cycle lane on the north side of the North Circular road for some reason. And put in traffic calming in cabra and put in a really strange new left hand turn from the North circular road to the old cabra Road at St Peters Church. They've missed an opportunity to eliminate the phibsboro bottleneck. But I suppose that's going to come with orbital corridors

According to them the removal of ashtown roundabout is the reason for the introduction of right turns to and from phoenix park racecourse as since the roundabout is being removed you cant perform a uturn anymore to get into phoenix park racecourse.

There will be queues at those areas. im looking at ashtown roundabout and thinking why not introduce a yellow flashing light or yield sign for those turning from navan road onto castleknock road and for those turning from navan road parkway into ashtown etc.

Left turn lane from blakestown way gone is a huge loss.

Interested in seeing how many vehicles are allowed to pass on a green light.

Plenty of space to widen castleknock road on the side from ashtown gate to ashtown roundabout. If the wall is not a protected structure you can knock it down and add a footpath, left turn yield lane (same thing they are introducing on blanch rd south) onto navan road and a lane for those going straight on and a lane for those turning onto navan road.... maybe something for the council to consider in the future.

I like how they removed the bus lane on blanch road south which will allow people to undertake those turning right (which will become a popular entrance to avoid all the traffic lights in the shopping centre) into the new entrance to the shopping centre. Also the only bus stop (4323) on that road is being removed with no replacement and maybe thats another reason for the removal of the bus lane.

I know busconnects only deals with the areas where the corridor is but they should also consider removing the bus lanes all along blanchardstown road north just like what they are doing to blanch road south.. had a look at a random bus stop on that road and the buses serving that road today are arriving at 14:21, 16:21, 18:21 and 3 more arrivals. Or reduce the bus lane time. The times are 7-7 mon-sat. Lane should be returned to general traffic as that bus lane is sitting empty. If that bus lane can handle sharing with general traffic on a sunday then it can handle sharing it on a saturday as well.

The left turn from nrth circular road onto cabra road is necessary i think as cabra road is the main route into the inner city areas. The city centre part is confusing to comprehend but you cant go from navan road onto old cabra road, prussia street stoneybatter etc. Cabra road is the replacement. So left turning onto cabra road seems necessary.

It would be ideal to construct the bus corridor at the same time with the n3/clonee upgrade which seems to be moving along quite quickly with a preferred route chosen. Get the disruptions on the n3 over and done with at the same time as both projects link up with each other.

Yes correct, forgot to look at the new bus map when mentioning blanch road north.

After it passes corduff, the section of blanch road north is to be used by 2 routes and when it reaches the roundabout all exits lead to single lane roads. I think a rush hour bus lane would be a better use than an all day bus lane but thats not up to me. Whoever sets the bus lane times thinks a 7-7 bus lane is needed now.

The new bus routes are not coming anytime soon so theres no harm reducing the bus lane time to allow people to use it now.

Whatever reason was for the removal of bus lanes on blanch road south and the mulhuddart bridge can probably apply to blanch road north. Or even a time reduction would be good.

A few site notices put up along Mill Street the past couple of days. Looks like they want to acquire some land along there. Buses to turn off at the Black Wolf to Connolly hospital maybe?!