Dun Laoghaire main street being pulled up

Cookie_Monster

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council intends to temporarily close Lower Georges Street, Dún Laoghaire from its junction with Patrick Street to St. Michael’s Hospital to facilitate the removal of the existing granite setts and the complete resurfacing of the roadway. It is intended to carry out this work from Thursday 3rd June to Thursday 24th June 2010, both dates inclusive.

The alternative route will be via Upper Georges Street, Park Road, Queens Road, Crofton Road and Clarence Street.

A Traffic Management Plan will be in operation and diversions will be signposted.

So a few years ago after spending a lot of money to put down "cobbles" for want of a better description, they are going to pull them all up and re-tarmac the whole road. What a waste of time and money.

There is no real need for this at a time when funding for pretty much everything has been cut, sure they probably slow traffic down but I would argue this is a good thing in this area.

crushproof

I noticed this at the weekend and sent an email to the transport department to try and clarify whether it will be re-layed with tarmac. I'm still waiting on so I'll let you know asap.

I'd be much more in favour of preserving the cobbles, much more aesthetically pleasing and I doubt the cobbles cause as much trouble to cars and buses then the potholes that litter the county.

Between this and the proposed car parking on the sea front you really got to wonder what goes on in the council.

Morlar

crushproof wrote: »

I noticed this at the weekend and sent an email to the transport department to try and clarify whether it will be re-layed with tarmac. I'm still waiting on so I'll let you know asap.

I'd be much more in favour of preserving the cobbles, much more aesthetically pleasing and I doubt the cobbles cause as much trouble to cars and buses then the potholes that litter the county.

Between this and the proposed car parking on the sea front you really got to wonder what goes on in the council.

I agree re-digging that road at this point is irresponsible.

Can I ask what's the proposed issue about parking on the seafront ?

Fratton Fred

the cobbles slow cars down, the last thing you want are cars speeding through that section.

Fratton Fred

Morlar wrote: »

I agree re-digging that road at this point is irresponsible.

Can I ask what's the proposed issue about parking on the seafront ?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055909048

xia

Morlar wrote: »

Can I ask what's the proposed issue about parking on the seafront ?

Have look at this thread

Looks like the council has different priorities than people living here. The cobbles look nice and don't seem to be in need of repair, 30km/h is fast enough with all the shops and pedestrians and there are streets that are much more in need to get fixed. (my 2cents)

bullpost

The surface of the road in the estate where I live in Dun Laoghaire is so bad it looks like there's been a recent earthquake. No sign of them doing anything about it and yet they can afford to rip up a perfectly good road and resurface it.

helimachoptor

I'm all for the cobbles staying i have to say, council.... idiots.

Clementine

DLRCoCo really don't get it. When they put the cobbles down a few years ago it destroyed the custom of the shops of DL. And now with the half the shop units in DL empty they decide to go back on their decision. Ugh.

They should just knock the Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre while they're at it. Get all the building works done at the same time and have a new Dun Laoghaire to launch all at the same time.

crushproof

Still no response from the transport dept, how difficult is it give a yes or no answer....Is it or is it not being relayed with tarmac or re-cobbled?!

crushproof

Very strange, I was expecting the opposite from the Greens...they're actually supporting the removal of the cobbles
http://www.ciarancuffe.ie/greens-say-good-riddance-d%C3%BAn-laoghaire-cobbles

On the plus side of things, people complained to me about the uneven granite cobbled surface and at least the works would provide a smoother walking surface.

Erm...a smoother walking surface?! Why would people be walking on the road in the first place?!
This really is a joke, surely it would be cheaper to mend the parts that are in need of repair rather then uprooting the cobbles and resurfacing the entire street. From what I've seen the road is in pretty good condition.

Cookie_Monster

More Green Idiocy.

Would part of their mandate as a green party not be reduction in traffic and pedestrianisation in the first place?

Pulling up perfectly good surfaces (for the most part) and replacing them is hardly green either, the amount of work and emmisions to put them in in the first place is now to be repeated twice, to take them all up and resurface.

From a purely green point of view its moronic never mind the multitude of other reasons against it, with little or no benefits to anyone from doing it that I can see.

HavingCrack

This sums up the complete and utter idiocy of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council to be honest...

dynamick

crushproof wrote: »

Erm...a smoother walking surface?! Why would people be walking on the road in the first place?!

They would be walking on the road because it is a heavily pedestrian area with many people crossing from shop to shop. The cobbles were laid when the street was pedestrianised a few years ago. They were a poor choice for a pedestrianised street and unsuitable for old or blind people. Most people stuck to the footpaths rather than walk on the street.

The street was depedestrianised in 2008 in the hope that putting more car traffic through the middle of Dun Laoghaire might attract back business that had gone to Dundrum. The Dundrum town centre does very well because they let people drive up and down the centre of the mall. Shoppers love that. It makes it nice to walk along past the shop windows with your kids when there are cars whizzing past.

The cobbles are not standing up to car traffic and have started to break up at the joints.

Cookie_Monster

dynamick wrote: »

They would be walking on the road because it is a heavily pedestrian area with many people crossing from shop to shop. The cobbles were laid when the street was pedestrianised a few years ago. They were a poor choice for a pedestrianised street and unsuitable for old or blind people. Most people stuck to the footpaths rather than walk on the street.

they were put done in the first place to define the road from the footpath, ie where all the buses were still going along. The street was never truly pedestrianised.

The cobbles are not standing up to car traffic and have started to break up at the joints.

amazing that they stood up to years and years of bus usage and only since cars have been allowed back they are suddenly breaking up...

dynamick

Yes, the pedestrians + buses didn't work.

Every couple of meters along the cobbles there are flat pieces of stone which make it easy to cross from one side of the street to the other so the argument that they're not easy to walk on is mute. It's a road. People should be crossing said road at appropriate places.

It is a complete waste of money to rip up a whole street. Never mind the hassle it is going to cause for the shops which managed to stay open after the last time. It's a bloody disaster, I really just don't understand why they would do it. A bit of forward planning would be nice for once.

Run_to_da_hills

As a motorcyclist I am glad to see the back of them, they were poorly laid down in the first place and were unable to cope with heavy bus traffic particularly the tri axles on the 46A route.

One only has to look at the loose cobbles and flag stones at the pedestrian lights corner of St Michaels church, its a lawsuit waiting to happen.

If they were of historical significance I would be up in arms but no, this was just another waste of taxpayers money during the financial height.

Cookie_Monster

Lower Georges Street, Dún Laoghaire from its junction with Patrick Street to St. Michael’s Hospital

I think that would suggest that the junction will remain as it is with a ramp down from the cobbled level to a lower level like all the other levels.

Run_to_da_hills

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I think that would suggest that the junction will remain as it is with a ramp down from the cobbled level to a lower level like all the other levels.

The Junction is in tatters.

Agent Smith

Anyone else starting to think Dún Laoghaire Needs to be put to sleep?

Ron DMC

Agent Smith wrote: »

Anyone else starting to think Dún Laoghaire Needs to be put to sleep?

The village is dying, but the renovated penny's and the good weather this summer might cheer things up a bit.

Was out walking the pier this evening and had a lovely teddy's, so the whole town isn't a write off at least.

Run_to_da_hills

Agent Smith wrote: »

Anyone else starting to think Dún Laoghaire Needs to be put to sleep?

An old New Zealand saying can apply here, "Last to leave can switch out the lights"

dynamick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwv1qbK8pE4

short video from Ciarán Cuffe about Dun Laoghaire main street

crushproof

Also I just realised, funny how the cobbles on part of Marine Road and on Georges Street outside Easons havn't been destroyed after 9 years of constant "wear and tear" from buses, cars and trucks.

I sent off an objection letter anyway to the council, I know it's not gonna make any difference but I just find this whole idea absolutely absurd

Cookie_Monster

crushproof wrote: »

I sent off an objection letter anyway to the council, I know it's not gonna make any difference but I just find this whole idea absolutely absurd

+1 If any road in DL needs to be replaced its the one from the People Park to Sallynoggin roundabout. Its really stated to come apart in the last few months

Run_to_da_hills

In Ennis at the moment, cobbled streets that were laid down at around the same time are suffering the same faith. It would not surprised if these are also ripped up and replaced. Heavy traffic and modern cobbles do not go hand in hand.

Cookie_Monster

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

In Ennis at the moment, cobbled streets that were laid down at around the same time are suffering the same faith.

Oh Lord-y



What funny to notice in the CC vid is the worst bit you could see was the drain slabs at the side, the bits that shouldn't even be driven on!

Run_to_da_hills

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Oh Lord-y



What funny to notice in the CC vid is the worst bit you could see was the drain slabs at the side, the bits that shouldn't even be driven on!

HGV's and busses do when cutting corners.

crushproof

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

HGV's and busses do when cutting corners.

You mean the same HGVs and busses (and cars) that have also been driving on the Marine for years yet that part of the cobbling seems to be in the best nick?
I'm sure it would cost very very little to repair those damaged areas then pintlessly resurface the whole street.

And where are the cobbles gonna go after they're dug up? Wouldn't mind getting a few and get the driveway done

astrofool

They also put some cobblestone crossways in Cornelscourt, that subsequently sunk in places and now have tarmac poured into the hole.

The Park carrickmines also has cobblestone on the way in/out. What better way to get an expensive appliance home, then by shaking it rapidly

Cookie_Monster

astrofool wrote: »

The Park carrickmines also has cobblestone on the way in/out. What better way to get an expensive appliance home, then by shaking it rapidly

they're great fun, very easy to slide the car around on

Tabnabs

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

HGV's and busses do when cutting corners.

If they did cut the corner they'd know all about it as there are large stone bollards centimetres from the drain slabs.

Maybe these same HGV's and buses cut the curb that caused the paving slabs to rise and break just across the road outside the Ulster Bank?

crushproof

I got a reply from the council today.
The letter totally ignored my objection to the plan and the points I raised - such as the costs involved (and how the money could be spent on repairing more worthy roads), the lack of evidence of signifcant wear and tear from cars and the general sense of character the cobbles bring to the town centre.

All the letter mentioned was

• The council intends to close the road from 8th June to 25 June

• Pedestrian access wil be maintained

• And questions related to the traffic management plan will be provided to business reps on May 28th (today)

So basically, f**k all acknowledgement of the points I raised. :mad:

Cookie_Monster

Dear Sir,

PFO

Yours
The Council

reprazant

Clementine wrote: »

DLRCoCo really don't get it. When they put the cobbles down a few years ago it destroyed the custom of the shops of DL. And now with the half the shop units in DL empty they decide to go back on their decision. Ugh.

They should just knock the Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre while they're at it. Get all the building works done at the same time and have a new Dun Laoghaire to launch all at the same time.

Balls did the pedestrianisation do that. DL had been dying before that due to a combination of high rents and rubbish shops. It is no surprise that the only shops that seem to survive are the ones that had been there for years and would have had long leases.

DLRCoCo also made it nearly impossible to park anywhere without paying an absolute fortune so people stopped bothering to drive there.

Add to that Dundrum SC, which is killing pretty much every town close to it, people just stopped shopping there when there were better alternatives elsewhere.

DLCoCo could have helped the town but instead they decided to try and chase every small bit of change people may have had to fill their coffers and have killed the town in doing so.