OPW proposals for Phoenix Park

daymobrew

The OPW have submitted a planning application for changes to Chesterfield Avenue (the main road) in the Phoenix Park.

The roundabout at Mountjoy Cross will become a permanent one. The area around it will be cut back a bit to make it fit. The cycle path will be rerouted slightly around this - nothing major. A small central median will be added for the entire length of the Phoenix Park to discourage overtaking. See phoenix-park-1.pdf (1 page, 1.3MB).

The big changes are between the Lord's Walk and Parkgate Street. Essentially the hard shoulder is removed and the cycle track drops to the road. There will be bollards between the cycle path and the road. The cycle path will be wide enough for 2 cyclists. Cyclists will pass through the edge of the roundabout at Wellington Road. See phoenix-park-2.pdf (1 page, 1.5MB).

Now the good bit ... :eek: ... this will stir things up...
The last stretch to Parkgate Street has been redesigned to eliminate the commuter parking, reclaiming the park for park users, mainly pedestrians and cyclists. There will be a small number of parking spaces on the stretch but essentially the cycle path has been moved onto the hard shoulder. Again bollards protect the cyclists from motor vehicles on their right. See phoenix-park-3.pdf (1 page, 1.5MB).

For Zoo visitors, there will be a car park on Lord's Walk. It will not open until the zoo opens (9.30am) and therefore not available for commuters.

The engineer I spoke to said that he doesn't see this being implemented until late 2008/early 2009 because the tender process takes a long time.

Bunnyhopper

Thanks for posting that.

It looks interesting. That section down by the Zoo is always a bit dodgy, particularly because there can be so many kids around.

Parking bays right beside a cyclepath: that's going to be interesting if they don't get the layout just right.

Manone

It'll be interesting to see what the specification of the bollards are. I've seen bollards used as a divider of cycle lanes from main roads and they usually leave inexperienced cyclists having accidents on them, for what ever reason they attract accidents for cyclists like bees to honey.

I know that stretch and had an accident with a guy there during the summer. There were a group of foreign teenagers who failed to moved as I came down the path and one numpty managed to swing his arm as I passed and threw me on my back. Thankfully no injuries. The guy had no excuses as he was standing on one of the painted bikes on the ground.

You're less likely to get hit by a car than hitting someone on the cyclelanes as people don't move to get out of the way on the cyclelanes.

niceonetom

thanks for posting the docs daymobrew. it's interesting.

Manone wrote: »

It'll be interesting to see what the specification of the bollards are. I've seen bollards used as a divider of cycle lanes from main roads and they usually leave inexperienced cyclists having accidents on them, for what ever reason they attract accidents for cyclists like bees to honey.

i totally agree. bollards can make a tiny error into a nasty experience. guess we'll see how it works out.

cyclopath2001

Bunnyhopper wrote: »

Parking bays right beside a cyclepath: that's going to be interesting if they don't get the layout just right.

While not legally binding, the original DTO guidelines required a safety buffer between parked cars and any adjoining cycle track.

daymobrew

Manone wrote: »

It'll be interesting to see what the specification of the bollards are. I've seen bollards used as a divider of cycle lanes from main roads and they usually leave inexperienced cyclists having accidents on them, for what ever reason they attract accidents for cyclists like bees to honey.

Yeah, bollards don't leave any room to avoid the unexpected.

There are 4 more PDFs.

• Setup with on road parking (this is mostly unchanged)
• Bollard protected cyclepath
• Bollard protected cyclepath and large central median
• Another view of large central median

Keep posting your views. I've given the engineer a link to the thread. I'll ping him again in a few days.

cyclopath2001

It looks promising.

2.5 metres is a generous width for a cycle track, I would not be so worried about the bollards in that case.

Separation from the footway should ensure much less incursion by pedestrians.

But, be cautious as, we know from experience that what is designed and what is built are often quite different.

There's also the issue of how junction interfaces would be handled.