New Library Discussion/Construction Thread

shamtastic

I seriously don't know how it's feasible to replace the footbridge with a pedestrian crossing of sorts once the new library is built! The thing can be jammers between lectures and I'd say 500/1000 can walk it in the space of 5 mins on the hour every hour. It would be like driving up Lansdowne road on match day for the Kilcock Road, without the drunkenness...oh wait

I'll miss it's nice view too And my only form of daily exercise

banquo

The idea was floated to sell off bits of it to alumni :pac:

Sardonicat

banquo wrote: »

The idea was floated to sell off bits of it to alumni :pac:

I'd be up for a bit of The Bridge! What will the alumni magazine be called now, pedestrian walkway?

When i read this thread title i actually felt a pang! When are they taking in it down? Is it gone yet? I think the feel of the place being one big happy campus with two tones will be changed forever now. Do keep us alumni posted.

Can't believe the bridge is going!

funky penguin

It is a bit of a shock as it is now, coming across the bridge from the South Campus. All the lack of trees and construction work going on...

All very important work of course! Great need for the new library.

Alt_Grrr

shamtastic wrote: »

I'd say 500/1000 can walk it in the space of 5 mins on the hour every hour.

I think you've justified its destruction right there. Its far too narrow to accommodate that kind of foot traffic, when your a first year science student it becomes the bane of your existence, I remember having to cross it over and back 5 times in one day to rush to lectures.
its too steep (you wouldn't get away with building a footbridge like that any more) and its side walls are too low (was nearly blown off the thing more then once)

The Kilcock road isn't really that busy anyway, its hardly like they except us to run across a motorway. putting in a pedestrian crossing will make it easier for students with mobility impairments to cross the campus divide (no steep incline ether side)

Rozabeez

Wow that's so sad, I've got great memories of seeing people fall on their asses on that bridge!

Daemos

When is it being torn down? I want to be there to celebrate the joyous occasion. I hate the damn thing. I usually just walk around it and through the library car park entrance, or did until the signs went up.

Aldebaran

banquo wrote: »

The idea was floated to sell off bits of it to alumni :pac:

I'd seriously love a bit of the bridge! My late grandfather was apparently heavily involved in building it.

Duddy

Walking over it today, I realized my heart rate climbed when I climbed, plateaued at the flat bit, and slowed when I walked down the other side...:p


Pedestrian crossings FTW!

mickstupp

I love it. Whenever I'm sleepy in the liberry I walk across the thing as fast as possible. Heart rate shoots up, suddenly awake.

Mastroph

I love the footbridge. I find walking over it to take less effort than crossing the road, 'cos there's no thinking to be done. :P Especially seeing as I'm pretty much on autopilot when I'm walking to lectures.

TheBody

They should stick in some sort of a tunnell under the road for students. The could pre-cast it in sections and dig up the road at night and just drop in the pieces. Lash a bit of tar over it and bobs your uncle. A pedestrian crossing is going to be a disaster....simple as.

mp3guy

TheBody wrote: »

A pedestrian crossing is going to be a disaster....simple as.

Because all of the other pedestrian crossings at lets say, lunchtime 1pm are such disasters too.

A Changer

banquo wrote: »

The idea was floated to sell off bits of it to alumni :pac:

It'd be treasured, like bits of the Berlin Wall!

I can't wait to be rid of it. As a notoriously proud and unfit person, it'd be nice to get to the library with the minimum of effort. :rolleyes:

I'm more sad to see the trees gone around the library. After a week, I'm still not used to how bare it looks around the library's entrance.

Mastroph

mp3guy wrote: »

Because all of the other pedestrian crossings at lets say, lunchtime 1pm are such disasters too.

Once a day might be ok, what about on the hour, every hour from 9 to 5? Traffic will be mental if nothing else.

mp3guy

Mastroph wrote: »

Once a day might be ok, what about on the hour, every hour from 9 to 5? Traffic will be mental if nothing else.

Traffic on that road really isn't that busy.

Sardonicat

Rozabeez wrote: »

Wow that's so sad, I've got great memories of seeing people fall on their asses on that bridge!

Yeah, those metal strips were lethal in wet weather.

Ostrom

No more standing still in just the right spot to feel the shaking at peak traffic

Wendero

OH NOOO! I love footbridge. Got to stop them somehow

rcaz

efla wrote: »

No more standing still in just the right spot to feel the shaking at peak traffic

Ooh, where's that? We could find an antinode and the resonant frequency and demolish it ourselves!

Daemos

You've been watching too much MythBusters

Sardonicat

efla wrote: »

No more standing still in just the right spot to feel the shaking at peak traffic

The pedestrian fly-over at Liffey Valley should fill that breach. Really wobbly at the centre.

Turtyturd

Is there a date for when it is expected to be torn down?

It was a shock coming back after christmas to see the difference with the lack of trees either side of it, I don't think the pedestrian crossing is really a good idea. Any time I have taken the car the kilcock road has been backed up when I was leaving, no matter how many people use the new crossing it is going to add to that delay, which aint a bad thing if it leads to a reduction in the amount of people taking cars. However I think it is more of a safety issue. The pedestrian crossings inside the college don't work too well when students are rushing out to get home, add another one outside on a badly lit road and it seems like it will only be a matter of time before there is an accident.

Ian Beale

Turtyturd wrote: »

Is there a date for when it is expected to be torn down?

Late March - mid April according to the schedule.

Ostrom

Crossing from the south campus side - just at the top where the slope meets the flat

Does anyone call it St. Pats erection anymore?

Turtyturd

efla wrote: »

Crossing from the south campus side - just at the top where the slope meets the flat

Does anyone call it St. Pats erection anymore?

That was how the guy giving us a tour during orientation introduced it.

Ostrom

Turtyturd wrote: »

That was how the guy giving us a tour during orientation introduced it.

Last time it will be told also, cant see how you could introduce that to a new crowd without sounding like a pervert

All we have now is the blood room

Sardonicat

efla wrote: »

All we have now is the blood room

Da da daaaa!

You meant the photocopier room in the economics dept.?

lordgoat

Don't forget the messy office! Or has it been tidied? This will make me sad if so...

Embojitsu

I can't believe it - they're getting rid of the Bridge at Khazad Dun?? That's what we used to call it on winter mornings, bent at a 90 degree angle going from the old campus to the new. That road can get busy and I don't trust the idea of a pedestrian walkway, simply because of the way some drivers behave.

K.O.Kiki

Good riddance.

That bridge was a danger this winter.

Nhead

Embojitsu wrote: »

I can't believe it - they're getting rid of the Bridge at Khazad Dun?? That's what we used to call it on winter mornings, bent at a 90 degree angle going from the old campus to the new. That road can get busy and I don't trust the idea of a pedestrian walkway, simply because of the way some drivers behave.

Ah Embo! Our Khazad Dun gone.

Embojitsu

Nhead wrote: »

Ah Embo! Our Khazad Dun gone.

Ah Embo! Our Khazad Dun gone.

Is it gone already, Head? I gotta admit - as much as that bridge caused us hardship, I think it kept me in good shape during those four years. Linguo...dead????

squishykins

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Good riddance.

That bridge was a danger this winter.

It wasn't really though, I went over it every day this winter and it was always dug and gritted, no worse than any other day!

mp3guy

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Good riddance.

That ice was a danger this winter.

FYP.

Nhead

Embojitsu wrote: »

Ah Embo! Our Khazad Dun gone.

Is it gone already, Head? I gotta admit - as much as that bridge caused us hardship, I think it kept me in good shape during those four years. Linguo...dead????

Nah I think it is still there but It'll be gone soon but I could be wrong!! I'd agree with you on getting across the road (1) because of crazy drivers and (2) with the numbers milling across esp. between lectures there will be traffic jams. Linguo is dead

banquo

Coming down in April.

brennra

I thought it was going this week cos its study week.

Wasnt that why everyone had cans on the bridge during the week... to say good bye?

Also is there a crossing and a roundabout going in?!?!

ChristopherUno

http://library.nuim.ie/sites/library.nuim.ie/files/editors/documents/NUIM_Library_Ext_Commencement_notice.pdf
So according to the link above to the program for construction/destruction the bridge is due to come down no later than today. Anyone know if it's gone yet? Was in college the day before yesterday and it's still standing strong. I'd like to go and see it come down, anyone have any idea what day exactly it'll be demolished? Also does this mean they're now officially behind schedule?!

leopoldbloom

ChristopherUno wrote: »

http://library.nuim.ie/sites/library.nuim.ie/files/editors/documents/NUIM_Library_Ext_Commencement_notice.pdf
So according to the link above to the program for construction/destruction the bridge is due to come down no later than today. Anyone know if it's gone yet? Was in college the day before yesterday and it's still standing strong. I'd like to go and see it come down, anyone have any idea what day exactly it'll be demolished? Also does this mean they're now officially behind schedule?!

The latest date I've heard for the bridge to come down is the end of May, although the date has changed so much I pay little enough attention to it. (ie. The canteen due to open on Feb 1st XD)

LeixlipRed

ChristopherUno wrote: »

Also does this mean they're now officially behind schedule?!

It's a construction project in Ireland, it's behind schedule the moment it's concieved. Irish abstractions are known to be awfully lazy.

ChristopherUno

leopoldbloom wrote: »

The latest date I've heard for the bridge to come down is the end of May, although the date has changed so much I pay little enough attention to it. (ie. The canteen due to open on Feb 1st XD)

Hmm I didn't know that was supposed to open Feb. 1st, thought it was before the next college year (September-ish)? I'd like to have at least one meal there before I leave, I spent an inordinate amount of time in there in first year cos I commuted!

LeixlipRed wrote: »

It's a construction project in Ireland, it's behind schedule the moment it's concieved. Irish abstractions are known to be awfully lazy.

Haha true, I said officially behind schedule cos the assumption is already there that it'll run two years longer than expected and over budget by about half again the original estimate!

It looks like it's gone now, I only had a glimpse passing through?

irish_goat

bluewolf wrote: »

It looks like it's gone now, I only had a glimpse passing through?

It's still there.

Don't think they're finished with the new path yet but the traffic lights crossing looks good to go so there can't be long left.

brennra

its still there .. lol how do you miss seeing that stupid thing!

LeixlipRed

Walked over it twice today....still there.

Stevonicus

I'd assume it'll be left till the exams are over at this stage, though it can't be far off now.

Evita

I saw a notice in the Leinster Leader last week saying it's to be taken down in May. as far as i can remember sometime at the end of May like the 20something of May and i think it was also like real early Friday or Saturday morning or something like that. My memory's gone but yeah check last weeks LL

LeixlipRed

Coming down tonight I hear

Paul_501

Kind of sad to see it go, but I won't miss:

1) People deciding to stop and have a chat during peak hours
2) The slippery ramp

I really want to know how this Pelican crossing is going to work out, because I can't imagine a few hundred students crossing with angry drivers being backed up 100m down the road.

pnag

Sent out to all students today...

"We write to advise that the Main Contractor on the John Paul II Library Extension has now informed us of their intention to de-commission the footbridge on Friday 27th of May 2011. We will notify you of any change to this date if necessary.


Access to the North Campus following de-commissioning of the footbridge will be via a signalled pedestrian crossing. Please heed directions and warning signage that will be provided by the contractor during this phase of the work.


Thank you in anticipation of your co-operation."