Dundalk Town Square

bob2oo7

There are no Yield or Stop signs on the square so when coming up Clanbrassil Street and onto Crowe Street you do not have to stop unless someone is crossing the padestrian crossing

Its only a matter of time before someone has an accident, people coming up from the domain seem to think everyone else should yield???? Just stay in your lane and then change lanes further down if you want to go on to Joyclen Street???????

Rant over....

ShiverinEskimo

There are no two lanes that diverge into one so there's no need for yielding. The lane from Clanbrassil Street continues into the left lane on Crowe. Anyone coming from the Demense just have to indicate and change lane along in front of the town hall.

It's a great system and has gotten rid of the requirement for a full set of traffic lights - which is more than can be said for the retardation of stapleton place.

Waitsian

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

...which is more than can be said for the retardation of stapleton place.

Stapleton Place is just awful looking, what a mess! And I live on it, and have been for 13 years. I hate what they've done with it, hate it.

locum-motion

bob2oo7 wrote: »

...Its only a matter of time before someone has an accident, people coming up from the Demesne seem to think everyone else should yield???? Just stay in your lane and then change lanes further down if you want to go on to Jocelyn Street???????...

FYP.

Nesta99

..

tayto lover

Whoever is responsible for those hideous lanes and end of street monstrosities should be sacked. They are slowing up the traffic and there is no wheelchair ramps on them. What a waste of money.

D.R Adams

What is happening at The Home Bakery? They have the road dug up on both sides, just outside Mullens and also opposite the Bakery itself, I hope its not those islands that seem to be popping up everywhere (seatown, stapleton place)

10green bottles

D.R Adams wrote: »

What is happening at The Home Bakery? They have the road dug up on both sides, just outside Mullens and also opposite the Bakery itself, I hope its not those islands that seem to be popping up everywhere (seatown, stapleton place)

Cycle lanes been installed D.R Adams.Chapel st./Yorke St also under the digger :mad:

tayto lover

D.R Adams wrote: »

What is happening at The Home Bakery? They have the road dug up on both sides, just outside Mullens and also opposite the Bakery itself, I hope its not those islands that seem to be popping up everywhere (seatown, stapleton place)

Yes more islands and cycle lanes. Madness.
I sat in Chapel Street for 3 hours waiting on someone who was in the V.E.C. building and zero bicycles passed.
Again, someone in the Planning Office has lost their marbles. Obviously a
"Look at the lovely things I did when I was Town Planner" type.

ShiverinEskimo

I'm convinced whoever the town planner is making these decisions obviously cycles to work and has never driven around dundalk during rush hour themselves.

D.R Adams

10green bottles wrote: »

Cycle lanes been installed D.R Adams.Chapel st./Yorke St also under the digger :mad:

Incredible!
I drove down Castle Rd this evening coming from St.Marys Rd direction towards Seatown and at the junction to turn onto Seatown those islands are now on both sides of the road. Hence the traffic has to remain in one lane whether your going left or right, I understand that it was never officially a two lane system there but now the traffic will be twice as long!

How are these plans arrived at? Is it the decision of the town planner or is it voted upon?

Nesta99

Maybe developing this infrastructure is part of a master plan that we are not privey to? If it encourages an increased amount of people cycling to work/school - might ease traffic long term?









:cool:

ShiverinEskimo

No I'm all for improving the cycling options around town. But if you look at stapleton place you used to have a two-laned road leaving one of the worst junctions in town - now it's a one lane road with a two lane cycle lane barely 200 yards long.

At either end of this cycle motorway you have two narrow, busy roads - the dublin road and the ardee road. Where are the thousands of cyclists that required a two-lane cycle lane going at either end? Footpaths is where.

So now at 5pm the traffic that backs up waiting to get onto the Carrick Road from Stapleton place now has to take the extra traffic for those waiting to get onto the Ardee Road who used to be able to head up the left lane and alleviate the pressure from the junctions in front of McDonalds.

Not anymore, now the traffic backs up from the Windsor, up around the Friary roundabout, around and down through stapleton place and back around to the Windsor. God love anyone out the ardee or carrick road that needs an Ambulance urgently now because there is zero room to pass. Had the cycle lanes been put between the road and the parking there would be temporary room for traffic to pull in - but no - someone decided to go against all convention to make a name for themselves. Like Ramps on a corner at either end - who the fúck decided that a car going over a ramp while turning is safe/practical? I'm not an engineer but I will guarantee there is only one place in the world you will see speed ramps ON a turn - and that is Stapleton place.

And that's before I even mention how utterly utterly ugly the whole thing looks. You had this beautiful avenue lined with Victorian railway-era houses leading up to the old Louth Hospital and now you have random lumps of concrete and mismatched road markings all laid down over old markings. The opportunity they had to resurface the entire street (which is badly needed) was ignored and a dangerous and busy junction for pedestrians just got infinately worse for motorists and pedestrians alike.

And THAT'S before I mention the Matthews busses stopping at the 'bus stop' to let people off which completely fúcks everyone up on the hour, every hour.

Planners are far too untouchable, unaccountable and unrealistic. The person who designed stapleton place has absolutely no right to his/her job. Were they private sector they'd have rightly been sacked for such a clusterfúck of decision making.

/long rant. (Sorry )

Nesta99

With Stapleton Place as an exception what about the rest of the town?

tayto lover

Nesta99 wrote: »

With Stapleton Place as an exception what about the rest of the town?

The same problem. Two fire brigades en route to a serious accident the other evening had to be backed out of Chapel St at Home Bakery corner because the road is now too narrow to turn into. They had to take a different route.
Mad planning. The person responsible should be sacked along with the councillors or whoever approved it.

Nesta99

In my experience any particularly rushed (or even botched) work done by local authorities around the country is as a result of Dept of the Enviornment policies, for example, money for a specific project becomes available (cycle lane infrastructure?) first in first served or use it or lose it means a scrambe to get that project commenced. Minimal long term planning occurs or in this case a total mess by the town planners! Im not excusing the lack of pure common sense among planners or engineers in relation to such projects, but it cuts out a proper consultation process(Emergency Services). If people note that roads get torn up prior to Christmas causing chaos at peak commercial time for the town, well in a similar manner it is a rush to spend any remaining money in council coffers before Jan 1st as this money is taken back by the DoE and possibly your new budget being that much less the following year if ye get what i mean.

Changing the way money is allocated from central government, ring fencing money for certain projects, letting money carry forward to a new year if need be, would all help alleviate these errors of judgement.

I was up town today and saw some of what people are complaining about, i dont get those plastic bollards at chapel st. I may have said something similar before but making certain streets one way creates space for cycle lanes without the need for islands. Also many footpaths are wide enough for cycle lanes too so lining and coloured chippings would suffice imo. It's done on the Dublin Rd and on Centenary Rd so why not Stapleton place etc.

As an aside too these 'green' inititiatives can retrospectivly create revenue income from Europe that fund eg park and ride or low emmision public transport - a helping those that help themselves thinking! But European specifications need to be met?!

event

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

There are no two lanes that diverge into one so there's no need for yielding. The lane from Clanbrassil Street continues into the left lane on Crowe. Anyone coming from the Demense just have to indicate and change lane along in front of the town hall.

.

This is true. however the amount of times I've been coming up from the demesne and someone coming from clanbrassil street has just cut across into the right hand lane is unreal.

That's more to the standard of driver than anything though.

On simpleton place, for ages i thought they were actually putting concrete in the middle of the road, i couldn't fathom that they would seriously put a cycle lane there

ShiverinEskimo

event wrote: »

On simpleton place

Thats an awful thing to say about mod9maple.

Nesta99

I see in this weeks Democrat that Cllr. Morgan lobbied to put a stop to resurfacing town centre streets due to potential disruption. IMO that is daft as of course there will be disruption for street resurfacing - i could have put up with the hassle for a mere 3 to 4 days for the job to be done and it badly needs to be done! Sounded like complaining for the sake of complaining...

Waitsian

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Thats an awful thing to say about mod9maple.

10green bottles

Photo taken from this weeks Argus re : Cycling Lanes.Clearly catching on it seems


http://www.argus.ie/news/residents-give-cycle-lanes-the-thumbs-down-3091007.html

CarrickMcJoe

tayto lover wrote: »

The same problem. Two fire brigades en route to a serious accident the other evening had to be backed out of Chapel St at Home Bakery corner because the road is now too narrow to turn into. They had to take a different route.
Mad planning. The person responsible should be sacked along with the councillors or whoever approved it.

Also, an oil lorrry delivering to a house in that same st had to park in the traffic lane while offloading oil, and some idiot blocked an entrance so guards called tow truck but couldn't lift car till contractors removed some of the bollards to allow truck in.

Heard this evening that DOE are getting involved. Planning me arse!

qc3

Dundalk Town Council charge €18.50 to use the Market Square on the day of Ireland’s first Euro 2012 match.

http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/local/planet-jedward-to-headline-open-air-concert-in-dundalk-at-the-start-of-june-1-3817150



Twins John and Edward are the headline act for the open air concert that takes place on Sunday June 10th before Ireland’s first Euro 2012 match

PLANET Jedward lands in Dundalk on Sunday 10 June where John and Edward will headline the first major open air concert at Dundalk’s Market Square.

Promoter Stewart Agnew, Dundalk Town Centre Commercial Manager Andrew Mawhinney and Dundalk Town Council Assistant Town Clerk, Dave Storey confirmed that Jedward will headline the concert set to create a fantastic buzz in the hours running up to Ireland’s first Euro 2012 match, which will be broadcast live and free on the big screen from the Market Square.

A line up of award winning support acts will also take to the stage on the Sunday afternoon including Funky Feet, Ryan Dolan, Simon O’Driscoll, Conor C and Nino

Tickets for this major concert will go on sale from Friday next 11 May via Ticketmaster, the Box Office, Dundalk Town Hall and Carrolls Book Shop, Park Street.

Tickets will be priced at €18.50 each with €60 family tickets also available (each family ticket must include one adult)

Concert promoter Stewart Agnew spoke on securing Jedward for the Market Square stage. “We needed someone that everyone knows straightaway and we needed someone that we knew could play to a wide audience. Jedward are perfect for this concert and will be getting getting everyone to “Put your Green Cape on” for Ireland.

“Hopefully they’ll be carrying their Eurovision trophies when they arrive in Dundalk as only two weeks before they’ll be flying the flag for Ireland at Eurovision.”

Dundalk Town Centre Commercial Manager Andrew Mawhinney said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Stewart has secured Jedward for Sunday June 10th to kick off our week long programme of events.

“Their arrival at the Market Square takes place at the ideal time. There will be a great atmosphere following the Táin March and we will be building up to the Euro 2012 matches.

“We have an exciting week long programme of free events rang from football matches to concerts and films.”

Dave Storey, Assistant Town Clerk, Dundalk Town Council said: A“Dundalk Town Council is pleased to be associated with the Táin March, Festival and Euro 2012 campaign. We are delighted to see the refurbished Market Square being used to its full potential.”

For further information on Jedward’s Dundalk concert on Sunday 10 June and other Táin March/Táin Festival/ Euro 2012 events taking place in June go to www.tainfestival.com

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Brilliant! Charge us to use our own Market Square - A public space!!:rolleyes:

Dunny

What?! Has the Square changed?!

MugMugs

I'd pay for them not to come!

Dunny

*Memo to self: hide all weapons and stay away from town on June 10th.*

But I have to say, this is a good booking by the council. They will make a fortune out of this booking.

Great planning going on in the town altogether :rolleyes:

Waitsian

Almost makes you want to laugh (at the planners just to be clear) until you realise how seriously dangerous that is - the mind truly boggles.

ShiverinEskimo

Seriously though - How is a disabled driver supposed to get out of that space on the driver's side?

The thoughts of the salary the planners pull in combined with the fact they are virtually unsackable is nauseating.

Even if they dig that entire mess up at even more cost I will guarantee there won't be an ounce of disciplinary proceedings against whoever planned that street despite the gross negligence on display.

tayto lover

Chapel Street is now an accident waiting to happen. There is a concrete bollard halfway out on the road as you turn at the Century corner. At least three cars hit it on Monday according to a friend who works beside the corner. Poles with little lights fitted will form the barrier between the cycle lane and the car lane.
Someone will be seriously injured or killed as a result of this crazy planning. It's gone beyond a joke. The traders are also livid as their businesses are suffering now too. A Junior Minister visited on Tuesday due to the number of complaints.

callmekenneth

i've never seen such an absolute clusterfook of unplanning madness. chapel street and stapleton place are fooked. also, why have they been going around widening the footpaths on corners of junctions, i dont see that it benefits cyclists and it makes it more difficulat to get on/off busy roads, you need to make a wider arc nearly necessitating you veer into oncoming lanes.

catherine duff is the town planner responsible for all this.

Waitsian

Something's going on right now it seems, 5 men in yellow or orange jackets walking up and down Stapleton Place pointing, and one has a piece of paper in his hands. They have a line painting lorry too. I'll keep abreast of the situation and report back.

callmekenneth

also, these contractors who are wrecking the town's main arteries are from the north. think it's important to not the considerable money being spent here is flowing north of the border.

ShiverinEskimo

callmekenneth wrote: »

also, these contractors who are wrecking the town's main arteries are from the north. think it's important to not the considerable money being spent here is flowing north of the border.

Under EU laws you can't restrict infrastructure spending to your own country. Tenders are EU-wide so if the North's engineers/trades/construction workers turn out to be the most economically advantageous tender then so be it.

It's a drop in the ocean compared to the retail trade flowing across the border from Dundalk.

callmekenneth

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Under EU laws you can't restrict infrastructure spending to your own country. Tenders are EU-wide so if the North's engineers/trades/construction workers turn out to be the most economically advantageous tender then so be it.

It's a drop in the ocean compared to the retail trade flowing across the border from Dundalk.

i dont understand why council workers arent doing it though, when did road maintenance get privatised?

ShiverinEskimo

Doesn't make sense for the coucil to buy, maintain, store and operate the heavy plant required for the odd major job.

Costs far less to outsource that kind of work. Council workers are far more expensive to employ than contractors. Contractors don't need expensive benefits and pensions and can be gotten rid of after shoddy work without a Union breathing down your neck.

callmekenneth

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Doesn't make sense for the coucil to buy, maintain, store and operate the heavy plant required for the odd major job.

Costs far less to outsource that kind of work. Council workers are far more expensive to employ than contractors. Contractors don't need expensive benefits and pensions and can be gotten rid of after shoddy work without a Union breathing down your neck.

fair points all.

doesnt make the whole operation any less of a massive massive mistake.

ShiverinEskimo

On that we can agree.

Nesta99

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Doesn't make sense for the coucil to buy, maintain, store and operate the heavy plant required for the odd major job.

Costs far less to outsource that kind of work. Council workers are far more expensive to employ than contractors. Contractors don't need expensive benefits and pensions and can be gotten rid of after shoddy work without a Union breathing down your neck.

To do with efficiency or lack there of (along with some shoddiness)! Job demarcation, pilfering, absenteeism etc. The old jibe of the council worker leaning on his shovel wasnt far off the mark. Add in the extortionate cost of have having people work anti-social hours to get a job done with minimal disruption. Many a nixer was done off the 'broad back'! Those that that were not on the take were excluded. Easiest solution wind down the road crews/woodwork shop/stores and use private contractors. If ever looking for some council 'yard worker' on a Thursday pop in to Benny Bradys.

CMK the M1 was built in partnership with a Spanish firm; its up to local firms to be competitive in a tender process.

I haven't a notion how they are going to get out of this mess though except that they are in that that deep they will plough on stating that it is a work in progress and it will be worth it in the end and to some extent that may be true.

callmekenneth

callmekenneth wrote: »

i dont understand why council workers arent doing it though, when did road maintenance get privatised?

Probably because the crowd from the north are cheaper and do a better job!

Waitsian

So, progress report on Stapleton Place - they've painted more yellow lines on the two corners near Wilton House, and they're now marking individual parking bays.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

They have painted a hatched area in white on the outside of the left hand side parking bays. It allows those parking there a couple of feet more clearance before the roadway but it also narrows the road. Quite a pathetic attempt at an improvement.

tayto lover

Gideon Purple Nation wrote: »

They have painted a hatched area in white on the outside of the left hand side parking bays. It allows those parking there a couple of feet more clearance before the roadway but it also narrows the road. Quite a pathetic attempt at an improvement.

Obviously the visit of the Junior Minister to have a look at the circus that our streets have become was just a chance for him to claim more mileage and expenses. The circus is continuing unabated.

Waitsian

The first thing they should do is lift those stupid, long concrete bollards (?) that divide the bike lanes from the rest of the road and take away one of the said bike lanes, leaving one only, the one that flows in the same direction as the traffic. That would be a vast improvement with the minimum of fuss, in my opinion. But sure what do I know, I'm just a resident and a cyclist to boot, no point in asking me. :rolleyes:

10green bottles

mod9maple wrote: »

The first thing they should do is lift those stupid, long concrete bollards (?) that divide the bike lanes from the rest of the road and take away one of the said bike lanes, leaving one only, the one that flows in the same direction as the traffic. That would be a vast improvement with the minimum of fuss, in my opinion. But sure what do I know, I'm just a resident and a cyclist to boot, no point in asking me. :rolleyes:

NIMBY

Waitsian

10green bottles wrote: »

NIMBY

I understand the acronym but not your use of it - please explain. And if the 'wink' is indicative of humour, I don't get it.

ShiverinEskimo

Think they meant it in jest.

SDTimeout

Saw a near accident the other day while driving! seems like drivers are no educated on the new square. If you're coming from clanbrassil st you are allowed continue on in the left lane without stopping. It's up to the driver in the right lane to indicate further up to go into the left lane than cut across and have the right of way.

At least that's what I've been told.

tayto lover

SDTimeout wrote: »

Saw a near accident the other day while driving! seems like drivers are no educated on the new square. If you're coming from clanbrassil st you are allowed continue on in the left lane without stopping. It's up to the driver in the right lane to indicate further up to go into the left lane than cut across and have the right of way.

At least that's what I've been told.

Don't think so. You are supposed to yield to traffic from your right.