It's a long long road to Tipperary!!!

steveon

I was dreading the traffic chaos that was going to emerge when they finally turned on the lights on the bridge heading to Tipperary over the dual carriageway but omg I never expected it to be as bad as it actually is. What idiot came up with this system....

Its certainly was a long road to tipp but now an extra 10mins just to travel 5metres ...I wonder how long before a few accidents occur further out the road from drivers becoming frustrated from the large buildups of traffic now happening...

In all the time its taking for this light system to be build they'd have had a ramp build and probably for a lot less money...a total disgrace in my opinion...

Pikasso

I agree. This system will be an example to road building engineers all over the world on how NOT to do it.
How on earth can the people who designed this remain in their jobs? Or, more importantly, how did they secure their jobs in the first place. Is there no accountability for this debacle?

steveon

There excuse for the rubbish system they put in place has to be the funniest thing I ever heard " We didnt expect as much traffic to hit this junction until 2011" OMG hello there is 4 million people in Ireland with 2 or more cars in their ownership so potential of over 8million cars a day coming here....plus its a main feckon road so 1 and 1 tells you provide as many safe access points as possible...

Amazotheamazing

steveon wrote: »

There excuse for the rubbish system they put in place has to be the funniest thing I ever heard " We didnt expect as much traffic to hit this junction until 2011" OMG hello there is 4 million people in Ireland with 2 or more cars in their ownership so potential of over 8million cars a day coming here....plus its a main feckon road so 1 and 1 tells you provide as many safe access points as possible...

Perhaps, if we ever work out how to drive two cars at once...

zuroph

steveon wrote: »

There excuse for the rubbish system they put in place has to be the funniest thing I ever heard " We didnt expect as much traffic to hit this junction until 2011" OMG hello there is 4 million people in Ireland with 2 or more cars in their ownership so potential of over 8million cars a day coming here....plus its a main feckon road so 1 and 1 tells you provide as many safe access points as possible...

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Perhaps, if we ever work out how to drive two cars at once...

lol, and if the portion of the 4 million that are still in primary school are all given licenses.:rolleyes: that has to be the worst maths ive ever read

the lights need yellow flashing feeder lights for all turns.

rosboy

zuroph wrote: »

the lights need yellow flashing feeder lights for all turns.

Exactly. Its inexcusable that these aren't in place.

lolipop2005

Also there are road works on the Dublin road at the moment too, which has diverted people living in Castletroy to access their area via the older part of the Tipperary road. Also there has been delays on this road anyway since that roundabout opened at Pat Keogh's garage.....

Xennon

Its truly a disgrace and someone has to be held responsible for this. But Im afraid that as with all things in this country, the organizations that make these decisions do not have to answer to anyone.
That junction should be pulled apart and replaced with a proper road system. But this wont happen, it will remain like other fine works carried out on our behalf like the Parkway roundabout, the placement of pedestrian crossings at the exit points of roundabouts, the dock road that has two lands that merge into one, and this is just in Limerick.
Wonder if we'll ever see a day when an "Engineer" will be held responsible for his/her designs.

/end rant

RINO87

spun towards the tipp road from the groody roundabout to get on the dualer instaed of being diverted around UL during the works, not just bad lights but the most confusing roadsigns ive ever seen! and i had an idea of where i was going!

ah well it was alot better than that detour around the technology park!

Pikasso

I wonder will anybody in the Limerick County Council Roads Dept read this?
If anyone knows anybody that works in the above will they please bring this topic on Boards to their attention!

Or will it make any difference now all that money has been spent?

Not a good way to start a Monday - despair!

um7y1h83ge06nx

Xennon wrote: »

the placement of pedestrian crossings at the exit points of roundabouts

That really wrecks my head. Sometimes I'm afraid to stop if traffic is travelling quickly through the roundabout. One could stop, the driver behind not being fully alert and able to stop in time, and smash, get rear-ended and possibly damage your neck from the force.

It's such a stupid idea it's almost comical.

Pikasso

Flynn Powerful Card wrote: »

That really wrecks my head. Sometimes I'm afraid to stop if traffic is travelling quickly through the roundabout. One could stop, the driver behind not being fully alert and able to stop in time, and smash, get rear-ended and possibly damage your neck from the force.

It's such a stupid idea it's almost comical.

+1
The crossings are too close to the roundabout exit.

Stab*City

+1 to everything mentioned above..

1huge1

Disgrace of a system, I was turning onto the dual carriageway heading in the dublin direction, there was no cars coming at all and I was still waiting there for over a minute. In the end I just drove on regardless of the lights which I'm suprised took me a minute to do.

Pikasso

1huge1 wrote: »

Disgrace of a system, I was turning onto the dual carriageway heading in the dublin direction, there was no cars coming at all and I was still waiting there for over a minute. In the end I just drove on regardless of the lights which I'm suprised took me a minute to do.

Ooh dear! Like that chap who admitted cheating in his exams you have just admitted to an offence! I hope this doesn't come back to haunt you!!!

the drifter

Flynn Powerful Card wrote: »

That really wrecks my head. Sometimes I'm afraid to stop if traffic is travelling quickly through the roundabout. One could stop, the driver behind not being fully alert and able to stop in time, and smash, get rear-ended and possibly damage your neck from the force.

It's such a stupid idea it's almost comical.

i refuse to stop at these there a joke...the parkway is one example and the doc road roundabout...

zuroph

the lights seemed to work a little better today, drove through them twice, have they changed the sequence, or was i just lucky??

but yeah, why is there a red light to turn left onto dual carraigeway!?!? theres NO pedestrians, and the yield right of way was working fine.

bazz26

zuroph wrote: »

the lights seemed to work a little better today, drove through them twice, have they changed the sequence, or was i just lucky??

but yeah, why is there a red light to turn left onto dual carraigeway!?!? theres NO pedestrians, and the yield right of way was working fine.

They were actually playing with them this morning when I was going to work so I imagine they adjusted their sequence.

Pikasso

bazz26 wrote: »

They were actually playing with them this morning when I was going to work so I imagine they adjusted their sequence.

OMG! One gets instant but disturbing visions of Oompah Loompahs in reflective jackets dancing around and whooping with glee when their boss changes the lights and makes the traffic stop for no apparent reason. :eek:

Builderfromhell

Stopped at lights coming back from Pallasgreen last night. Not a car in sight but had to wait for red light to change.
Coming out from Limerick was stopped at lights. Lights went green, I was last across junction as lights changed to orange. Cars had already started coming from right. I presume they had green light. we all had to stop then as cars going into lane for turning right had both lanes blocked. This was not rush hour so I dread what to think it's like at 5.30pm.
I've noticed a lot of cars by passing junction by going around by Morriseys.
I'm sure a major accident is in the offing.

steveon

Builderfromhell wrote: »

I've noticed a lot of cars by passing junction by going around by Morriseys.
I'm sure a major accident is in the offing.

Ya I reckon ina few weeks time another set of lights will be placed at this junction ....I swear there like trees how fast new traffic lights appear lately around the city.....

1huge1

Pikasso wrote: »

Ooh dear! Like that chap who admitted cheating in his exams you have just admitted to an offence! I hope this doesn't come back to haunt you!!!

I really believe anyone else in the same situation would of done the same.

Just waiting there for over a minute with no car in sight. come on like

yayamark

Like all stupid red light junctions it will come to stage what people will learn rat runs around all these.

I for one allways drive on rat runs to avoid these ****ty junctions. I'd rather drive 10 mins out of my way than sit for ten minutes waiting for the lights to change

zuroph

my father once told me a red light could be treated the same way as a red light. as long as you came to a complete stop, you could proceed if the way was clear. he was wrong, but itd be great if that was true

Pigglywink

The system is a joke! It has added an extra 10 mins to my journey :mad:. Wots the deal with the space they left for the cresent turn off coming from limerick????Wot a disaster, i was held up in traffic on friday cos there wasnt enough room for all the cars that were turnin off for the cresent.

Aesop

Well whoever is responsible certainly couldn't care less if there is a forum on boards.ie registering complaints. My advice get in contact with Limerick County Council and ask them what the hell they are doing?

http://www.lcc.ie/Contact_Us/Roads/

Failing that

http://www.limerickleader.ie/contactus.aspx

bazz26

The National Roads Authorities (NRA) designed and built the Southern Ring Road but afaik the Limerick County Council would have been responsible for the erection of the traffic lights at the Tipperary Road interchange.

The interchange was poorly designed from day one. Adding traffic lights afterwards is a poor effort at a quick fix. These civil servants are as bad as those in the HSE, no accountability whatsoever.

zuroph

having passed it twice a day for the last few days, i have to say its not as bad as when they were first turned on. the light sequences are now faster, and once u get one green heading out of town, the others change green as you approach them (at first they turned red). the space to turn right hasnt been cluttered since the sequence change, and the slip roads OFF the dualcarraigeway arent as busy as they were.

still doesnt explain why there is no yellow flashing feeder lights. but at least its been improved a bit.

steveon

well I pass thought there on a regular basis and I don't see any improvement. If anything its getting worse as theres now a constant string of cars waiting on the bridge when before there was at most 1 or 2...

Mr. CooL ICE

The council must have stocked up on cheap lights from Aldi due to the erratic placement of them around the city. Ever count the number of lights on the entrance to Dunnes on Childers Road? That's merely a T-junction, and there's 13 lights there. 13 FFS!!!

Jumpy

LordChessington wrote: »

The council must have stocked up on cheap lights from Aldi due to the erratic placement of them around the city. Ever count the number of lights on the entrance to Dunnes on Childers Road? That's merely a T-junction, and there's 13 lights there. 13 FFS!!!

Its done properly. Lights in visible places across the junction. It must not have been an Irish company that did those ones, since it was actually done right.

Aesop

http://www2.limerickpost.ie/fullnews.elive?id=28&category=news

zuroph

passed through today at 13.05, again with minimum fuss.

Aesop

Has it improved for anyone at peak times?

1huge1

Never been through it at peak time but heard it has caused huge tailbacks and has made the situation worse.

Been through it a few times and it has been handy coming off the slip road alright, still though id hate to go near the place at rush hour.

Mr E

I only ever use that junction coming from the slip road, and i have to say its very handy - better playing russian roulette trying to slip out between lines of cars.

Can't imagine its much fun trying to get through the junction during rush hour, though.

Xennon

If the junction was designed properly day one then there would be no issue. These lights are a blatant attempt to cover up a c*ckup. The traffic there from 5pm is simply ridiculous. It backs up all the way into town and chokes the roundabouts. As for this "oh we didn't expect so much traffic" excuse, are these people complete imbeciles???

Grrrrr

Pikasso

Xennon wrote: »

As for this "oh we didn't expect so much traffic" excuse, are these people complete imbeciles???

Yes!

the drifter

anyone tried to make there way through the mess they have made at the lights at spa in castletroy... the new bus lane causing huge confusion there.... as far as i can tell when coming from the dublin you stay in the outside lane leaving the bus lane free then swithc back in before the lights to allow for a right turn lane then switch back out again really quickly once through the lights to allow for the bus lane again...id love a go at doing this in an artic at 30mph..

steveon

and as if things arent bad enough now they are working on the roundabout alongside Pat Keogh's Bmw centre, blocking the lane to go right. Took me 15 mins just to get through the roundabout at 6pm. When is this council going to give us a break.....do one road at a time and let the traffic move....this is a relatively new roundabout....i only hope they actually widen the lanes leading in and out of it as I'm seriously starting to lose the plot with traffic jams...

Builderfromhell

I'm driving in and out to Pallasgreen a lot lately and noticed something interesting at Traffic lights today.
Coming from Pallasgreen, before you drive up hill to the lights there is a speed limit sign for 50hkp.
Closer to lights a speed limit sign for 60 kph.
After lights a speed limit sign for 80 kph.
The next sped limit sign is at Hegarty's recycling for 60kph and the last at Heiton Buckleys for 50kph.
So thats 50, 60, 80, 60, 50. Some of these roads are very busy with loads of traffic turning on and off to road and yet speed limit is high.
Should I slow to 50kph at bottom of hill before lights??

Pikasso

Yes, it's a joke, but remember the speed limits are top legal limits and not goals to be achieved. Any decent driver will drive only as fast as they think it is safe to do so - for themselves and other users.

steveon

I would like to send out my deepest condolences to the family of man killed at this junction whilst traveling by bike when he was struck by a truck at around 1.50pm.