Introduction of two way system on Blackthorn Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate

RosieJoe · 22-11-2012 3:28pm #1

This is being changed on the 27th November so be warned.

See here for further details and here for the PDF on it.

omb0wyn5ehpij9 · 22-11-2012 6:11pm

It's going to be a disaster!

RosieJoe · 22-11-2012 6:23pm

They can't even get their details right! First we have

Date of commencement: 27th November 2012

and further down the page we have

The proposed date for the introduction of two-way traffic on Blackthorn Road is Monday, 26th November 2012 at 10.30am.

We'll find out next week when some "loon" is driving towards us.

elleelle19 · 26-11-2012 2:34pm

Thanks for the Info RosieJoe

Should be fun and games this evening :eek:

RosieJoe · 26-11-2012 2:55pm

Was out at lunch and they have a sign up stating that this comes into affect at 10:30 on the 27th.

elleelle19 · 26-11-2012 3:05pm

I actually look out onto this road from my desk and have already seen loads of cars treating it as two way. All the road markings are down so can see why people think it is ok.

When all the cars are trying to get out this evening it will be bedlam

RosieJoe · 26-11-2012 3:50pm

Should (eventually) get rid of all the accidents at the entrance/exit to Mike Murphy's insurance :rolleyes:

omb0wyn5ehpij9 · 26-11-2012 6:32pm

Just about to leave work......it's apparently solid non moving traffic all around the area from this already. I'm actually tempted to stay in work a bit longer to let it die down!!!

RosieJoe · 26-11-2012 6:39pm

Just looked out one of the prison office windows and traffic is moving well past the Microsoft buildings.

MORISH · 26-11-2012 7:21pm

I'm living in the beacon apartments and I'm looking out my window onto carmenhall road looking down towards blackthorn road and the traffic looks mental. My heart goes out to everyone who will have to face this on a nightly basis. It might improve once people get used to it but I think that the introduction of so many traffic lights is going to really slow traffic exiting sandyford every night. hate to be smug but thank god i work shifts and I don't work 9-5 job 

patrickbrophy18 · 26-11-2012 8:00pm

What's the point in making it a two way system?

It sounds like DLRCOCO are on a mission to make motorists lives miserable. Previously, traffic movement was fine and now (going by one or two of the posts) it sound's like it's absolute bedlam. When are the council going to quit trying to fix things that aren't already broken?

The whole point of one way systems is to simplify road functionality by dividing traffic and minimizing tailbacks. Are they trying to make car usage so unattractive and slow that cycling will be the fastest way to get around?

Glencarraig · 26-11-2012 8:10pm

Came down Blackthorn Road at 4.30 today, traffic was backed up to the bend just below Heather Road, this is a total disaster, how DLRCC can think this was a good idea is beyond me. For starters, the cut in for traffic turning left after Microsoft starts too late, it needs another 50-60 yards added, there is ample room for this to be done, God only knows why the planners couldn't have done this. I really dont see how making the road two way will help traffic flow in the estate. I dread to think what the revamped Roundabout/Squareabout at the Leopardstown/Brewery Road junction will do to ease the ridiculous traffic holdups that happen every morning.

Cookie_Monster · 26-11-2012 8:31pm

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

What's the point in making it a two way system?

i would assume it part of the stupid decision to convert the Leopardstown roundabout it a signalled junction and ban certain turning options.

Patrickof · 26-11-2012 8:39pm

I don't know why they don't turn the whole thing into one massive one way system.

ie in at Leopardstown roundabout, left at AVID onto heather Road, then either left at Beacon to M50, or right and merge into 4 lanes going down by Sandyford Opel, then right at the bottom (merging with Kilmacud Road), then across parallel to the Luas, exiting to Stillorgan with only Luas/ped lights, and continue around to Leopardstown roundabout. The Microsoft north/south could remain but in a south only direction. Allow a right turn onto Dunnes car park road, and straight across to the Microsoft corner, again left turn only there.

It's make some journeys a little bit longer, but on average should reduce times considerably.

They could make a full length merge lane from the Beacon towards the M50 so that those lights could be removed (the left turn ones).

It seems quite simple really, wonder why they don't do that - I must be missing something.

Mr. CooL ICE · 26-11-2012 8:53pm

I don't usually go past this area going to/from work so am not as familiar with the rush hour element as others, but this sounds like absolute bollocks.

[Deleted User] · 26-11-2012 9:53pm

Came out of the office (Atrium A) at my usual 6pm. Usually the worst is cleared by 6pm, but tonight it was mental.

Cars just not moving at all, backed up all the way on the Arkle road. I took a right to take my chances by the exit at Dunnes. Every exit was severely congested.

No doubt a knock on effect to the reintroduction of the two way system. Effectively halving the capacity of the main artery Blackthorn Road.

I used to take a left at the end of Blackthorn road as it would move quite fast as most cars would be taking the right up towards leopardstown. Now that its a single lane once the cars taking the right get backed up you are stuck in the same queue even taking the left.

Absolutely ridiculous imo, halving the capacity of Blackthorn road so cars can take a shortcut up the opposite way is ridiculous. I will be very annoyed if its like this every night from now on.

Zascar · 27-11-2012 2:46pm

I just came on to post about this. It's absolutely frickin ridiculous. Traffic was bad enough as it was and now they half the capacity of one of the main through-routes which anyone would know it only going to make it worse. Luckily I don't exit towards the Leopardstown roundabout as it backs up way around the corner most days. This is just going to make an equally bad traffic jam on Blackthorn drive outside the Microsoft buildings. I exit from Arkle road and usually take a left and left again to go right over the Luas lines towards stillorgan. AS already said yesterday it was mental, I too tried going right towards dunnes - it took me 20 mins to go about 200m. Having only one lane on Blackthorn Road madness. Ok I did not know there were a lot of crashes there - I've never seen one - but surely a better solution could have been organised.

The other thing is the absolutely terrible traffic light system at the road over the luas tracks towards Stillorgan. The right lane is always backed up miles and the filter light to turn right over the tracks only lets about 5 cars through sometimes. Ok I appreciate the Luas crosses there but often it's all reds at a standstill when the luas is in the station and not even moving! It's Idiotic. Also, when coming in in the morning from stillorgan into the estate, the lights at the Luas tracks have a mind of their own. They seem to be green, go red for about 10 seconds but then green again - with no reason for the stop. They also should be letting people turn when there is nothing coming from the other side but they don't. If you are in the Aldi carpark and want to cross the lines its a dice of death trying to get into the traffic.

When this all started I was told it was just road resurfacing - but there was nothing wrong with the roads in the first place, they are probably just spending their budgets so they don't lose them. But now this! Seriously I would love to have a conversation with the person who designed this. What were they thinking??

Is there anything any of us can do to write to the people who design the roads or manage the traffic luight signals? Obviosuyl there is no change they are going to undo this, but if it's taking everyone 30 mins to exit and exter the estate where it used to take 5-10 mins, something has to change...

[Deleted User] · 27-11-2012 3:15pm

Took a few photos form the office at lunch. Can be seen here http://imgur.com/a/rdPPC

As you can see in first photo, once 3 cars are waiting to turn right the left hand slip road is completely worthless. It starts so late and sharp.

In the second photo you can see a Opel Zafira trying to squeeze its way down the inside. In the 10 mins i stood looking out the window i seen a pickup mount the path and another truck rub its wheels off the path.

The last two photos shows the traffic backed all the way up to woodies, this is at 13.25 in the day. Can you imagine 16.00 - 18.00.

There is a bunch of roadworkers standing and looking at the mess, as i went to leave i see they have diverted the traffic to the new lane meant to be going the opposite direction. At least i think they realize there is a problem.

RosieJoe · 27-11-2012 3:18pm

This will be fun tonight! Looking at the layout and the lane positioning makes you think they designed this with darts on a dart board!

Coming down Blackthorn Road, if traffic is bad heading towards Leopardstown Roundabout it'll block all traffic on this road even for people turning left.

If you do turn left, the road (Blackthorn Avenue) is one lane to allow for a filter lane coming from the opposite direction. This will be backed up with people who are going to (finally) turn right over the Luas lines towards Stillorgan.

I've been in and out this morning and at lunch time and no matter how quiet the traffic was, it was still backed up the road.

PaulieC · 27-11-2012 5:22pm

Another "benefit" to this new system is that it causes the traffic to back up right down into Stillorgan from where the road narrows at the start of the new two way stretch (at the AIB Bank). Coming across the Luas tracks you now are battling against 4 sets of lights. Took us 30 minutes this morning to get from the bottom of the Kilmacud road into the estate. I really don't understand why DLRCoCo would have done any of this and more to the point, I don't understand how the Sandyford Business associations let them do it, considering how hard it's going to make their lives in general.

Zascar · 27-11-2012 5:25pm

Here are their details. I think as many of us as possible should get in contact and voice our views. www.sbda.ie - Email: sbdassoc@eircom.net
Any idea who else (in DLRcoco) we can contact too?

homer911 · 27-11-2012 5:29pm

It looks like this will simply move the traffic normally queing for the Leopardstown roundabout back into the estate - to Blackthorn Ave beside Stillorgan Luas, and to outside Microsoft. I hope the businesses in the Estate give DLRCOCO a rollicking over this

Patrickof · 27-11-2012 5:30pm

I've just fired of a complaint to the SBDA.

homer911 · 27-11-2012 5:32pm

Zascar wrote: »

Here are their details. I think as many of us as possible should get in contact and voice our views. www.sbda.ie - Email: sbdassoc@eircom.net
Any idea who else (in DLRcoco) we can contact too?

http://www.dlrcoco.ie/aboutus/councildepartments/transportation/contactus/

traffic@dlrcoco.ie
roadprojects@dlrcoco.ie
roadmaintenance@dlrcoco.ie
transportation@dlrcoco.ie

elleelle19 · 27-11-2012 5:55pm

If anyone emailing DLRcoco gets a reasonable answer as to why they did this please post. Would love to know WTF they were thinking :mad:

Ronan|Raven · 27-11-2012 6:47pm

Looking good!

MICKEYG · 27-11-2012 6:53pm

Someone needs to change this quickly. What was wrong wth the old way and mini free flow junctions. Ridiculous. The only thing that needed changing was at the exits to the estate. Internally everything was working fine.

AltAccount · 27-11-2012 7:03pm

Was that road originally two way, or am I thinking of Blackthorn Ave?

I remember when it went from two way to one way and it made a massive improvement to the traffic.

I can't see any reason to do this other than the need to spend the last of their budget on stupid changes before the end of the year.

I severely doubt you'll get any kind of reasonable response from DLRCOCO either, because the money's already spent and the infrastructure installed, so any admission that it was unsuccessful would be an admission of wasting of money.

TBH, the worst part of this is that people who haven't paid the household charge are being told that the local authorities are starved for cash and that not paying the charge will result in playgrounds and civic amenities being closed, but it's still entirely reasonable to do the traditional end of year splurge on road "enhancements"...

It's frustrating and idiotic in the extreme!

/rant

Mullie · 27-11-2012 7:22pm

The changes are utterly ridiculous. The internals of the estate worked fine.
Its complete chaos out there right now even without the huge percentage of people that haven't even left the office because of what its like.

This is worse than the snow, have we this to look forward to every night.
I've dropped an email but I'll be making phone calls too.

Zascar · 27-11-2012 8:22pm

I left way after 6pm tonight on purpose, usually by this time its pretty free but it was still at a standstill. The length of the slip road to turn left towards the luas tracks is about 5m, ridiculous, they should have brought it way back. Then the sequence of the lights to turn right towards Sandyford has got even worse!! Not kidding, the right filter light is green for 5 seconds. One guy was slow off the mark, got beeped, and at least 4 cars then proceeded to break the red and go through anyway. Do these idiots not realise that making a stupid sequence makes people do silly things, increasing the changes of an accident? Honestly we should demand a proper explanation of what this was done, someone should hang for this monstrosity...

patrickbrophy18 · 27-11-2012 10:10pm

Unfortunately, this is following the same fate that befell Marine Road, Ballinclea Road, St. Catherine's Road, Stradbrook Roundabout and Killiney Towers Roundabout. In fact, something similar to this is in the pipeline for consultation at the junction between Carrickbrennan Road and Monkstown Road. This includes junction tightening and making former one way alignments two way. While I do admire the fact that the government are encouraging cycling and walking as a smarter way to travel, I absolutely detest the backwards engineering of roads and junctions.

The former layout of Blackthorn Road was fine and there was ample space to introduce bicycle lanes off the road way. One has to look no further than the grass patches between the pedestrian paths and the road itself where there are widths of 4 to 7 meters. In theory, this would enable the implementation of a two way cycle route on each side of the road. Other minor alterations could have incorporated zebra crossings which would make crossing easier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists. I absolutely dread the thought of seeing the aftermath of the Leopardstown Roundabout replacement with a signalized crossing.

How long did the workers spend in the construction of this so-called "improvement" project?

Introduction of two way system on Blackthorn Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate

Comments