Bodkin / Headford Road roundabout replacement [Lights are on!]

El_Dangeroso

As a pedestrian and a budding motorist, all I can think is DIE ROUNDABOUT DIE!!!:mad:

desaparecidos

snubbleste wrote: »

Which year?

Even if it's this year November has to be a joke?

aw

biko wrote: »

Work on Bodkin roundabout set for completion in November

I hope this is a joke, Biko!

Six months for removal!!??!??!? :eek:

bonzodog2

Popcorn anyone ?

Storm 10

Its going to be chaos, the races should be fun this year

aw

Biko was right. Damn.

http://www.connachttribune.ie/index.php/news-2/item/510-removal-of-shopping-centre-roundabout-starts-next-month

Construction work on converting a fourth city roundabout to a signalised junction will commence in June, Galway City Council has confirmed.



The Galway Transportation Unit has confirmed that the tenders for the job of converting Bodkin Roundabout (at the Galway Shopping Centre) to a traffic lights junction are all in.

The successful contractor will be announced in the coming weeks and workers are expected ‘on the ground’ in June.

Initially, workers will be involved in preliminary works ‘around’ the roundabout, which is not expected to cause much disruption.

The major part of the work, removing the actual roundabout, will commence in mid-August and, given that it is the busiest junction in the city, motorists can expect traffic chaos for several weeks in late August and September, when the schools return.

The contract will stipulate, however, that the conversion must be completed by the end of November or the first week of December at the latest, according to Fianna Fáil City Councillor Mike Crowe.

Cllr Crowe, who has supported the controversial M6 Multi-Modal Corridor Improvement Scheme since it was conceived a few years back, said the removal of Bodkin roundabout will bring even more improvements to motorists once it is complete.

“This is the fourth roundabout to be removed, and in my opinion it is the one that will have the most positive difference to the traffic congestion. The other three roundabouts that were removed at Briarhill, Ballybane and the Tuam Road have all resulted in improvements in congestion.

“Anecdotally you can see it but also there are figures at City Hall that show the improvements in waiting times at the junctions and that’s with more throughput of traffic because people are not rat-running as much through estates now that the new junctions are in place.

“The backlogs are just not there anymore, and certainly not like what they used to be when the roundabouts are there. I think the Bodkin roundabout, while it will be difficult for a period during the construction stage, will bring huge improvements for people west of the city in the morning and evening,” said Cllr Crowe.

gordongekko

Anyone know who got the contract? If its Coffey I think I will cry

gordongekko

Anecdotally you can see it but also there are figures at City Hall that show the improvements in waiting times at the junctions and that’s with more throughput of traffic because people are not rat-running as much through estates now that the new junctions are in place.

“The backlogs are just not there anymore, and certainly not like what they used to be when the roundabouts are there. I think the Bodkin roundabout, while it will be difficult for a period during the construction stage, will bring huge improvements for people west of city in the morning and evening,” said Cllr Crowe.



Love that part. No facts no figures to back up the claim. is it the lights that have reduced the backlog (although i have not noticed a reduction in the backlog) or the recession?

Mrs OBumble

gordongekko wrote: »

Anyone know who got the contract? If its Coffey I think I will cry

Thre were people from Maddens doing work there at 8:30am on saturday. No idea if it's the same job though

antoobrien

gordongekko wrote: »

Anyone know who got the contract? If its Coffey I think I will cry

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Thre were people from Maddens doing work there at 8:30am on saturday. No idea if it's the same job though

Madden are doing site preparation, the tender itself hasn't been awarded.

snubbleste

Would that be Maddens Florists?
Maybe they are just further beautifying the landmark..

antoobrien

snubbleste wrote: »

Would that be Maddens Florists?
Maybe they are just further beautifying the landmark..

Same company that did the Briarhill downgrade.

Gambas

And so it begins....

Gambas

gordongekko wrote: »

Love that part. No facts no figures to back up the claim. is it the lights that have reduced the backlog (although i have not noticed a reduction in the backlog) or the recession?

I don't think the figures to support the recession theory are there anyway.

gordongekko

Gambas wrote: »

I don't think the figures to support the recession theory are there anyway.

what I meant by that is is there a reduction in volumes since the downturn rather than an improvement due to the lights

_Puma_

Heard that Maddens will be doing the roundabout. Same crowd that did Moneenageisha roundabout.

Cleahaigh

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Because it's a crap, confusing roundabout?

Are you talking about the lane that suddently sprouts from the centre island?

Is that standardised engineering practice, or an Irish solution to an Irish problem?

I've seen foreign visitors struggling to navigate the road markings and signals on the Bodkin Roundabout (one lot shouted apologetically to me, "we're German!") so it's clearly not an intuitive design.

Irish motorists find Irish roundabouts generally tricky to navigate, and the Bodkin is one of the worst. Imagine how cyclists, pedestrians, disabled people and senior citizens must feel.

It's a spiral roundabout marking and comes from the UK DMRB originally, so you can blame them this time. They're more common on the very large roundabouts you get on some of the motorways. Here's the Filton Roundabout in Bristol, looks familiar doesn't it?



The biggest problem with the 'Shopping Centre' roundabout is that it evolved over time from a standard roundabout, then the shopping centre got an entrance, then they partially signalised it and threw in the spiral markings, then added a slip road and so forth - it's a mish mash of bits and bobs of partial solutions cobbled together over time.

I cycle though it from time to time, I always stand tall on the pedals and make eye contact with and drivers coming towards me. I wouldn't go through it if there were any HCVs about mind you.

Das Kitty

Die, roundabout, die!

It's grand when you know how to use it, but so so many people don't. And unfortunately people who do have to share it with people who don't.

Some of the kerbing has been removed now and it seems to have slowed the traffic on it a bit. Still wild lane changing though by people who are unaware that cars come with mirrors.

antoobrien

Das Kitty wrote: »

Die, roundabout, die!

Well you'll like the fact that the council haven't learned that the signs at the other junctions aren't good and are going with the same style signs with no prior lane guidance.

Das Kitty

antoobrien wrote: »

Well you'll like the fact that the council haven't learned that the signs at the other junctions aren't good and are going with the same style signs with no prior lane guidance.

What does that have to do with what I posted?

Never had an issue with the new junctions tbh. Been using them from day 1.

antoobrien

Das Kitty wrote: »

What does that have to do with what I posted?

Never had an issue with the new junctions tbh. Been using them from day 1.

The right turns at Briarhill & Ballybane have caused a few problems, and that's just for starters (before we get onto lane lengths, no simulation of light sequences etc).

Das Kitty

So nothing to do with what I posted then. Jolly good. Carry on. :pac:;)

antoobrien

Das Kitty wrote: »

So nothing to do with what I posted then. Jolly good. Carry on. :pac:;)

If you can't see the link between a RAB that people claim is badly signposted & laid out etc and light controlled junctions that are badly signed .....

Mrs OBumble

Das Kitty wrote: »

Die, roundabout, die!

It's grand when you know how to use it, but so so many people don't. And unfortunately people who do have to share it with people who don't.

Some of the kerbing has been removed now and it seems to have slowed the traffic on it a bit. Still wild lane changing though by people who are unaware that cars come with mirrors.

Indeed. I have two friends who drive but don't know Galway, so i have to give them directions. After an exciting car trip, i now always take them a different way around.

El_Dangeroso

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Indeed. I have two friends who drive but don't know Galway, so i have to give them directions. After an exciting car trip, i now always take them a different way around.

I have family members who won't visit me because they have to drive through that roundabout. :pac:

gordongekko

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

I have family members who won't visit me because they have to drive through that roundabout. :pac:

I use it as an excuse not to visit people

biko

Noticed yesterday around half six that the three lanes from the river side had been merged into one with cones and this caused quite a bit of slowness in traffic.
Just good to know in case you need to travel past it in the evenings.

antoobrien

biko wrote: »

Noticed yesterday around half six that the three lanes from the river side had been merged into one with cones and this caused quite a bit of slowness in traffic.
Just good to know in case you need to travel past it in the evenings.

I think that may have been just for last night, they were to do some works that required all entrances to be reduced to one lane from about 7pm on.

It's worth listening to GBFM when John Richards is giving traffic updates as he gets the announcements for these, not sure if he's on between 4 pm & 5pm but he's definitely on between 5pm & 6pm.

antoobrien

biko wrote: »

Noticed yesterday around half six that the three lanes from the river side had been merged into one with cones and this caused quite a bit of slowness in traffic.
Just good to know in case you need to travel past it in the evenings.

This will happen again tonight at all junctions, the lights will be off from 7pm-7am to facilitate the preparatory works. It'll probably last for the week.

joushikijin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Because it's a crap, confusing roundabout?

Are you talking about the lane that suddently sprouts from the centre island?

Is that standardised engineering practice, or an Irish solution to an Irish problem?

I've seen foreign visitors struggling to navigate the road markings and signals on the Bodkin Roundabout (one lot shouted apologetically to me, "we're German!") so it's clearly not an intuitive design.

Irish motorists find Irish roundabouts generally tricky to navigate, and the Bodkin is one of the worst. Imagine how cyclists, pedestrians, disabled people and senior citizens must feel.

I am German and I can second that this roundabout is counterintuitive! Who came up with the idea to install traffic lights into a roundabout. It is either an intersection (usually aided by traffic lights) or a roundabout. I believe I mentioned it before but it does not help that they are no "STOP" signs on Irish roundabouts, or that majority of Irish citizens consider a red light merely a suggestion rather than rule!