Re-opening of the Castleknock Gates

PauloMN

Email from Joan Burton:

Joan Burton Welcomes the News of the Re-opening of the Castleknock Gate's

I am delighted to confirm that the Castleknock Gate’s of the Phoenix Park will reopen on Monday 23 rd November, following discussions with the Office of Public Works Superintendent Gormley of the OPW said "I would like to advise that the Castleknock Gate & Mountjoy Roundabout in the Phoenix Park will re-open to vehicular traffic from Monday, 23rd November.

In addition, the Ashtown and Cabra Gates will revert to two-way traffic and the routes which were temporarily opened to accommodate traffic movement within the Phoenix Park will be re-closed.

A gas light will be installed in the centre of the Mountjoy Cross roundabout early in the new year with no inconvenience to the general public.

I would like to thank all of those affected for their patience and forbearance over the last eight weeks and acknowledge the inconvenience caused by the essential works which have been completed ahead of schedule".

pvt.joker

great news, took them long enough too

PauloMN

pvt.joker wrote: »

great news, took them long enough too

Absolutely, and with the N3 road works going on also, couldn't have been worse timing. Just glad the Park will be open again before the young guys and gals from Templemore come up to do their stuff for Operation Freeflow.

bf

About time!!

xzanti

I'm gona keep going home through Chapelizod tbh.. much quicker from town to Blanch

athtrasna

What route do you take through Chapelizod?

xzanti

athtrasna wrote: »

What route do you take through Chapelizod?

Out onto Park Gate Street and straight up past the bus depot, it's just a straight run the whole way which brings you to Knockmaroon hill and up into castleknock..

amdublin

It was open today....

athtrasna

PauloMN wrote: »

Email from Joan Burton:

Compare the text of this email to this link...http://www.phoenixpark.ie/newsevents/title,11997,en.html

Looks very familiar :rolleyes:

PauloMN

athtrasna wrote: »

Compare the text of this email to this link...http://www.phoenixpark.ie/newsevents/title,11997,en.html

Looks very familiar :rolleyes:

Quotes are like that, they tend to look familiar. :rolleyes:

athtrasna

D'oh!! When I got the email I only glanced over it and then saw the Phoenix Park website. Sorry JB

fptosca

That's excellent news and it will reduce the traffic in Knockmarron Hill and Chapelizod, which is the route I actually use.
Also great news that Scots roundabout on the N3 has been removed. Traffic is moving so much better now after weeks of nightmares.

Random

Shame the park is still a bloody mess in terms of road quality. If that roundabout is the only reason they closed it for so long then it was a waste of everyones time.

athtrasna

Anyone else find the new roundabout slightly too big for the junction? It's quite tight to drive around IMO?

GSF

athtrasna wrote: »

Anyone else find the new roundabout slightly too big for the junction? It's quite tight to drive around IMO?

Its designed to slow traffic down as pedestrians should have priority crossing the road in a public park anyway

sogg

athtrasna wrote: »

Anyone else find the new roundabout slightly too big for the junction? It's quite tight to drive around IMO?

Yeah the road is at such a funny angle when you're coming off! Really irritating!

EdwardHopper

GSF says: "Its designed to slow traffic down as pedestrians should have priority crossing the road in a public park anyway"

BUT: the fact is pedestrians don't currently have priority there. There is a "stop" painted in the pedestrian crossing marks on approach to the roundabout on the main road. These pedestrian markings are so close to a junction that I wouldn't choose to use them particularly as you can't trust what the cars in the vicinity are going to do, I'd be worried the one that stopped for me when not required to do so would get rear-ended. Most don't indicate at all, of those that do some clearly haven't read the rules of the road re roundabouts so you can't trust them either. When walking in the park I cross much earlier that the roundabout as I can see what cars are doing better. As a motorist I find the roundabout very tight, most vehicles (specially trucks and vans) encroach on either the grass, the kerb or the cobbled cats-eyes no matter how slowly they are going. Combined with the desperate road surface all around which should have been repaired during the closed period it's all in all not a great job. Better than what was there before? Not a lot, maybe not better, just more permanent.

GSF

EdwardHopper wrote: »

GSF says: "Its designed to slow traffic down as pedestrians should have priority crossing the road in a public park anyway"

BUT: the fact is pedestrians don't currently have priority there. There is a "stop" painted in the pedestrian crossing marks on approach to the roundabout on the main road. These pedestrian markings are so close to a junction that I wouldn't choose to use them particularly as you can't trust what the cars in the vicinity are going to do, I'd be worried the one that stopped for me when not required to do so would get rear-ended. Most don't indicate at all, of those that do some clearly haven't read the rules of the road re roundabouts so you can't trust them either. When walking in the park I cross much earlier that the roundabout as I can see what cars are doing better. As a motorist I find the roundabout very tight, most vehicles (specially trucks and vans) encroach on either the grass, the kerb or the cobbled cats-eyes no matter how slowly they are going. Combined with the desperate road surface all around which should have been repaired during the closed period it's all in all not a great job. Better than what was there before? Not a lot, maybe not better, just more permanent.

The park should primarily be a recreational resource rather than a commuter thoroughfare. The OPG seem to be as inconsistent as DCC in terms of designing facilities for cyclists & pedestrians, but at least this new roundabouts forces drivers to slow down by sheer force of its awkwardness. Not an idea situation but them Irish street & road design is far from perfect.

EdwardHopper

Agree with what you're saying.
OPW, like DCC, appear to think that sometimes 2 wrongs will make a right.

So, after all their construction, it's made no difference to my experience of the park whether in a car or walking. Trust no-one, assume they're going to do something weird, assume they're not going to do what they're indicating.

Gaspode

EdwardHopper wrote: »

Trust no-one, assume they're going to do something weird, assume they're not going to do what they're indicating.

That's my No. 1 rule for driving, something I carried over from my cycling days and it hasn't failed me yet.