New Road Layout @ M1 Interchange

Lusk_Doyle

To the cyclist in high vis clothing who nearly caused a crash at the above this morning at 8:18am.

When approaching this junction from the North along the dual carriageway, the left most road lane is for traffic intending to either a) go to Donabate, or b) enter the motorway. The middle lane is for traffic intending to either a) enter the motorway, or b) travel over the bridge towards Swords or the North. The right most lane is for traffic intending to travel over the bridge only.

There is also a cycle lane that takes cyclists away from this "very confusing" road layout and brings them safely out the other side of the motorway having travelled under the interchange away from the worry of what lane one should be in.

You entered this junction in the left most lane and cut right across other traffic in the middle lane and nearly caused injury to yourself and others and damage to your bike and cars. There was large truck right behind you at the time of this near miss. You were very, very lucky. I hope you realise this.

If you want to travel through the interchange that's not a problem. Please make sure that you do it in the correct lane the next time so that we don't have another RIP thread on here. If you were in a car and heading over the bridge would you do it in the left lane? No. The bike should be no different. However, if you have difficulty in understanding this, the good people at the NRA have cleverly designed a safe route that takes the need for you to make this "difficult decision" away from you.

Posted due to concern for your safety and the safety of other road users.

Lusk_Doyle

Zyzz

How do you know the cyclist was a boardsie?

Lusk_Doyle

Zyzz wrote: »

How do you know the cyclist was a boardsie?

I don't. I didn't say that he was.

Edit: It was posted in the hope that he is.

RobFowl

Zyzz wrote: »

How do you know the cyclist was a boardsie?

Sure aren't they all

Rambling Man

Can see no reason not to take the cycle subway beneath the interchange - a smooth and safe way of transiting an extremely busy junction. Besides, they were long enough building the subway.

07Lapierre

Rambling Man wrote: »

Can see no reason not to take the cycle subway beneath the interchange - a smooth and safe way of transiting an extremely busy junction. Besides, they were long enough building the subway.

Over time i suspect it will become like the underpass at tallaght...not so smooth, build up of moss on the sheltered parts, covered in dog poo, smell of piss, etc. etc. (I hope I'm wrong though)

Dermot Illogical

Mmmmmmm...subway.

Puggy

Rambling Man wrote: »

Can see no reason not to take the cycle subway beneath the interchange - a smooth and safe way of transiting an extremely busy junction. Besides, they were long enough building the subway.

The subway is good for traffic going south, you can traverse the motorway and dual carriage way without stopping, for me, as I'm joining from Donabate. However it is already debris ridden (full of banana skins).

Travelling in the other direction however is a complete joke.

I pass this junction everyday, even for cars it is dangerous, it was safer before the improvements.

Lusk_Doyle

Puggy wrote: »

The subway is good for traffic going south, you can traverse the motorway and dual carriage way without stopping. However it is already debris ridden (full of banana skins).

Travelling in the other direction however is a complete joke.

I pass this junction everyday, even for cars it is dangerous, it was safer before the improvements.

What exactly is wrong with it, aside from the fact that some people still can't get it into their heads to read the road markings and take the right lane for Donabate and not be cutting across the middle lane from the left lane having just crossed the bridge heading North?

Puggy

Not to sure if you cycle it or not. The southbound route often has debris from the road dumped on it. During the day, the maintenance crews park their cabs on the bridge, forcing cyclists to dismount onto the road.

The northbound cycle path is covered from building debris and It has not been cleaned.

I've reported the above to the council, the company who maintain the lights(they park in the cycle lane) and swords Garda station.

The company whose vans park in the cycle lane told me to get a life, had I nothing better to do than ring them up. The van driver told me to go on my way, the cycle lane was not official and he could park wherever he liked, and anyway if he parked on the road he would obstruct cars!

Anyway that does not hopefully detract from your excellent post. I find the majority of other road users very patient as I go thorough that junction each morning.

Lusk_Doyle

I think that I also noticed that when coming off the motorway on the slip road heading North, that on the little traffic island between the two lanes and the slip lane to the side, there is a sign which it strikes me as having one of its poles right in the middle of where a cyclist would cycle having crossed the road. Bound to end in a rider getting a smack some day.

Rambling Man

07Lapierre wrote: »

Over time i suspect it will become like the underpass at tallaght...not so smooth, build up of moss on the sheltered parts, covered in dog poo, smell of piss, etc. etc. (I hope I'm wrong though)

Yeah, I hope not. Its a nice facility to those of us cycling on the peninsula. In its favour, it is reasonably inaccessible to gangs and not much pedestrian traffic is likely.

Puggy

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

What exactly is wrong with it, aside from the fact that some people still can't get it into their heads to read the road markings and take the right lane for Donabate and not be cutting across the middle lane from the left lane having just crossed the bridge heading North?

sorry meant the cycle path was a joke. I've got caught in fencing wire left by the landscapers who planted the area. Cleared most of it up myself. I've used both cycle paths about 50% of the times I cycle, which is every day. I've never seen anyone else use it, apart from a guy I. swords CC colours.

Does anyone else here use it?

Rambling Man

Puggy wrote: »

sorry meant the cycle path was a joke. I've got caught in fencing wire left by the landscapers who planted the area. Cleared most of it up myself. I've used both cycle paths about 50% of the times I cycle, which is every day. I've never seen anyone else use it, apart from a guy I. swords CC colours.

Does anyone else here use it?

Yes, not daily but 2-3 times per week at night. Heading from Donabate to Malahide and back. Never encountered a difficulty.

Puggy

Excellent, those lights are cool @ nite! I'd hate to meet on coming traffic though!.

aaabbbb

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

To the cyclist in high vis clothing who nearly caused a crash at the above this morning at 8:18am.

When approaching this junction from the North along the dual carriageway, the left most road lane is for traffic intending to either a) go to Donabate, or b) enter the motorway. The middle lane is for traffic intending to either a) enter the motorway, or b) travel over the bridge towards Swords or the North. The right most lane is for traffic intending to travel over the bridge only.

There is also a cycle lane that takes cyclists away from this "very confusing" road layout and brings them safely out the other side of the motorway having travelled under the interchange away from the worry of what lane one should be in.

You entered this junction in the left most lane and cut right across other traffic in the middle lane and nearly caused injury to yourself and others and damage to your bike and cars. There was large truck right behind you at the time of this near miss. You were very, very lucky. I hope you realise this.

If you want to travel through the interchange that's not a problem. Please make sure that you do it in the correct lane the next time so that we don't have another RIP thread on here. If you were in a car and heading over the bridge would you do it in the left lane? No. The bike should be no different. However, if you have difficulty in understanding this, the good people at the NRA have cleverly designed a safe route that takes the need for you to make this "difficult decision" away from you.

Posted due to concern for your safety and the safety of other road users.

Lusk_Doyle

Not the first time I've seen this its very annoying ! I mean they pretty much restructured the entire stretch of that road to facilitate that interchange for cyclists and yet many still fail to use it which is just reckless imo :mad:

Wishbone Ash

Puggy wrote: »

Does anyone else here use it?

i use it several times each week when going southbound. (I don't when going north though).

Wishbone Ash

aaabbbb wrote: »

Not the first time I've seen this its very annoying ! I mean they pretty much restructured the entire stretch of that road to facilitate that interchange for cyclists and yet many still fail to use it which is just reckless imo :mad:

That interchange was restructured to prevent the long traffic tailbacks from various directions by realigning or creating new slip roads (eg Donabate to M1 South) and by adding filter lanes. It's wishful thinking that it may have been done to facilitate cyclists.

Lusk_Doyle

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That interchange was restructured to prevent the long traffic tailbacks from various directions by realigning or creating new slip roads (eg Donabate to M1 South) and by adding filter lanes. It's wishful thinking that it may have been done to facilitate cyclists.

A happy by-product. The exit to donabate off the second roundabout was the issue.

aaabbbb

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That interchange was restructured to prevent the long traffic tailbacks from various directions by realigning or creating new slip roads (eg Donabate to M1 South) and by adding filter lanes. It's wishful thinking that it may have been done to facilitate cyclists.

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

A happy by-product. The exit to donabate off the second roundabout was the issue.

I'd just assumed that's why it was done as that's the only possible benefit I could conclude from the restructuring as the two roundabouts set up always seemed fine to me. But having said that I would have rarely travelled at peak hours at the time before they re-did it.

On a side note fair play to anyone who cycles on the hearse road/ Turvey avenue. As the person who has to overtake them in my car every so often , you're very brave ! I'd never have near enough courage ! :pac:

Rambling Man

aaabbbb wrote: »

I'd just assumed that's why it was done as that's the only possible benefit I could conclude from the restructuring as the two roundabouts set up always seemed fine to me. But having said that I would have rarely travelled at peak hours at the time before they re-did it.

On a side note fair play to anyone who cycles on the hearse road/ Turvey avenue. As the person who has to overtake them in my car every so often , you're very brave ! I'd never have near enough courage ! :pac:

I use Turvey and its fine, after a point its quite straight. Hearse Road is far less safe IMO.

aaabbbb

Rambling Man wrote: »

I use Turvey and its fine, after a point its quite straight. Hearse Road is far less safe IMO.

I can imagine so ! All those blind bends and windy corners !

Puggy

I've been cycling two years in and out of Donabate every day. I've used both roads, I prefer the Hearse road, cars overtake you much faster on Turvey. I've noticed at least 4 other daily commuters since I've started. It takes about 9 minutes from Donabate to the M1 junction, I can safely say the worst part is coming through Donabate village, every car brushes past me.

On the M1 R132 junction M1 northbound it was always planned to have:

1) a dedicated off ramp lane to Swords, without traffic lights, to prevent queuing on the motorway
2) a dedicated on ramp lane from R132 Swords, without traffic lights, to prevent queuing on the dual carriageway

Both of these were to serve Swords and the now abandoned Lissenhall underground railway terminus.

On the M1 R132 junction M1 southbound it was always planned to have:

1) realigned off ramp lane to R132 Swords to reduce queuing on the motorway
2) a dedicated on ramp lane from Donabate, without traffic lights, to prevent queuing on the R 126 (it was planned to build a football stadium at this junction).

As the motorway carriageways were not three lane as planned, the original junction was a compromise. Like the other junctions serving Swords, it was prone to unnecessary queuing.

The underpass and pedestrian/cycle path was a later addition, and was not fully completed. The addition of pedestrian/cycle traffic lights for the sections that were not underpasses, cause significant delays for other traffic and totally defeats the purpose of the junction, which was to have uninterrupted traffic flow.

Sorry for the rant!

Puggy

aaabbbb wrote: »

On a side note fair play to anyone who cycles on the hearse road/ Turvey avenue. As the person who has to overtake them in my car every so often , you're very brave ! I'd never have near enough courage ! :pac:

Give us a gentle beep after you go by :eek:

I'l give you a friendly wave :cool:

Lusk_Doyle

Puggy wrote: »

I can safely say the worst part is coming through Donabate village, every car brushes past me.

Cycle slightly further out in the lane. It's your right to. Just because you're on a bike doesn't mean that you must ride the kerb and be subservient to cars, etc.

alexanderomahon

Puggy wrote: »

sorry meant the cycle path was a joke. I've got caught in fencing wire left by the landscapers who planted the area. Cleared most of it up myself. I've used both cycle paths about 50% of the times I cycle, which is every day. I've never seen anyone else use it, apart from a guy I. swords CC colours.

Does anyone else here use it?

I use the South bound path most days and find it preferable to tackling the junction. The only issue at the moment is the small pile debris on the road just as I get back on the n1

Beasty

Never tried the cycle routes tbh, but so long as you are in the right lane Southbound it's not really a problem. I would have preferred them to have spent the money (they spent on the cycling tracks) on making the Blakes Cross junction safer for those heading SB on the R132 (although I usually am coming from the Lusk direction which is generally fine except for vehicles passing too close as the 2 lanes come together).

In terms of Turvey Avenue/Hearse Road, both roads are wide enough to allow safe passing and I've never had an issue on either (although I tend to only go along them to target KOMs;)). There are plenty of roads in NCD which are not much more than single lane and very windy which can be more of a problem for vehicles overtaking when it's not really safe to do so.

Wishbone Ash

aaabbbb wrote: »

On a side note fair play to anyone who cycles on the hearse road/ Turvey avenue. As the person who has to overtake them in my car every so often , you're very brave ! I'd never have near enough courage ! :pac:

I cycle on Turvey Avenue on a very regular basis. According to Veloviewer I've done it over 300 times since I got a Garmin in 2011 and many unrecorded times prior to then. I don't see what's dangerous about it. It's relatively straight, has few exits, is mainly non-residential, has no bus stops and traffic is relatively light. I did come off once on it last year but that was not traffic related (black ice). I've done the Hearse Road less often but haven't had any bad experiences that I can recall.

The R127 Lusk/Blakes Cross Road is much more dangerous (800 odd times since 2011). I had several close calls on it especially on that bend at Newhaggard cottages where many motorists switch off their brain.

Puggy wrote: »

I've noticed at least 4 other daily commuters since I've started

I travel eastbound on Turvey Avenue several mornings each week at around 7am.

Puggy wrote:

I can safely say the worst part is coming through Donabate village, every car brushes past me.

As Lusk Doyle has said, you must be cycling too close to the edge. I've never had any similar experiences going through the village. The only negative thing there is traffic emerging from Ballisk assuming that they don't have to give way to cyclists.

alexanderomahon wrote: »

...The only issue at the moment is the small pile debris on the road just as I get back on the n1

Yes, I almost hit it one night when it appeared first. I've been tempted to throw a shovel in the car and go to tidy it up.

(Apologies for being pedantic but it ain't the N1 now - it was rebadged the R132 in 2003 when it ceased to be under the remit of the NRA. )

Wishbone Ash

Beasty wrote: »

I've never had an issue on either (although I tend to only go along them to target KOMs;))

I've noticed that you've slipped down a bit. You'll have to revisit the area.

(That current 60km/h KOM is a bit suspicious though. I must ask him about it when I see him!)

Beasty

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I've noticed that you've slipped down a bit. You'll have to revisit the area.

(That current 60km/h KOM is a bit suspicious though. I must ask him about it when I see him!)

He claims a tailwind. I suspect a dodgy phone...

alexanderomahon

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I.

(Apologies for being pedantic but it ain't the N1 now - it was rebadged the R132 in 2003 when it ceased to be under the remit of the NRA. )

Snickers are marathons, starbursts are opal fruits, olay is ulay, euro is a quid,
Mumbai is Bombay, Myanmar is Burma and the r132 is the n1. I'm too old, cranky and lazy to change, plus I forget what they have changed to...:eek:

Raam

alexanderomahon wrote: »

plus I forget what they have changed to...:eek:

It changed to the R132

detones

The new interchange is great and makes it a lot safer for cyclist. It's a shame the state of the rest of the r132 particularly past Blakes Cross going northbound. Makes my commute to Balrothery miserable. While I'm moaning what's with the cock up of the resurfacing of the road up to Balrothery and the recent resurfacing if the Naul Balbriggan road is nothing short of a disgrace. Can't understand how a road can be resurfaced and end up twice as bad. Jesus I sound like my dad. Noooooo!!

Beasty

Did that resurfacing on the cheap - so called "surface dressing" yet within a few months holes were appearing.

I would have much preferred them to wait until they had adequate resources and do it properly, as it's going to cost them more in the long term doing it this way

ian_rush

They really should split the road into a narrower road for cars, plus a cycle path separated by verge. It would be a great amenity, probably cheaper in the long run to maintain and would still meet the needs of the reduced motor traffic.

Lusk_Doyle

ian_rush wrote: »

They really should split the road into a narrower road for cars, plus a cycle path separated by verge. It would be a great amenity, probably cheaper in the long run to maintain and would still meet the needs of the reduced motor traffic.

What reduced motor traffic?

ian_rush

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

What reduced motor traffic?

Since the m1 was built and the downgrage to regional road. I just mean from blakes cross to balrothery. Donabate junction to blakes cross is obviously not a candidate for narrowing

manwithaplan

detones wrote: »

the recent resurfacing if the Naul Balbriggan road is nothing short of a disgrace.

I couldn't believe how bad it was on the club spin this morning. The deadest, lumpiest thing I have seen since Biggie Smalls.