Temporary Closure of Section of Lough Atalia Road from 23rd March to May, 2015

Crumbs868

I wouldn't be in favour of it mainly because of port traffic (noise on college road residents esp as they operate 24/7) and what happens when there is a game on at the greyhound stadium - no games on during their trial period.

what_traffic

Crumbs868 wrote: »

I wouldn't be in favour of it mainly because of port traffic (noise on college road residents esp as they operate 24/7) and what happens when there is a game on at the greyhound stadium - no games on during their trial period.

Good point - for some of the bigger Connacht Matches, College Road has been closed to facilitate pedestrians attending.

galwaycyclist

Iwannahurl wrote: »

A very unfortunate choice of words.

There is an inherent problem with guard rail in such situations. If guard rail is supposedly required in a given location to protect pedestrians from motorised traffic, then self-evidently it is possible that cyclists will come between the vehicles and the guard rail.

The danger arises because the cyclists literally can not get over the guard rail if a vehicle comes too near them, and are therefore exposed to a much greater risk than if there was no guard rail at all.

In the UK there have been several tragedies where cyclists were crushed against guard rail, typically by large vehicles such as HGVs or buses. Pedestrians should have protection, just not at the expense of cyclists. I sincerely hope that is not what is happening at Lough Atalia Road, though I haven't seen the new layout yet so I have to reserve my opinion.

http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/dictionary/guard-rail

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/woman-cyclist-crushed-to-death-by-lorry-as-she-turns-corner-6887847.html

http://crapwalthamforest.blogspot.ie/2010/03/crushed-to-death-in-hackney.html

http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/hackney_cycle_safe_campaign_lorries_in_the_frame_1_817202

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/guidance-assessment-pedestrian-guardrail.pdf

I measured the barrier/injury hazard under the bridge this morning. It is over 160cm high - the top is more than 5ft above the road surface. The adjacent cycle lane is only 140cm.

GalwayMagpie

So at 6pm I drove in lough Atalia, around the docks, back out towards Lough Atalia, over the hill and out college road. It was a bit hectic around the docks, but the Fairgreen junctions were a breeze. I didn't see a single HGV, oil truck, rubbish lorry, tanker stranded around Fairgreen. There were busses on college road dropping off tourists at the B&B's.

All in all it took about 4mins to do the loop. Fantastic stuff.

Zzippy

GalwayMagpie wrote: »

So at 6pm I drove in lough Atalia, around the docks, back out towards Lough Atalia, over the hill and out college road. It was a bit hectic around the docks, but the Fairgreen junctions were a breeze. I didn't see a single HGV, oil truck, rubbish lorry, tanker stranded around Fairgreen. There were busses on college road dropping off tourists at the B&B's.

All in all it took about 4mins to do the loop. Fantastic stuff.

And this is a perfect example of the new system encouraging speeding! Depending on where you start that is a total distance of 4.5-5km, which means you travelled at an average speed of 67.5-75km/h, through an area which is entirely within the 50km/h speed limit. Well done!

GalwayMagpie

Ahh now Zzippy, with a name like that I could take you to court for false advertising.

Since you started the pedantry I will play - I don't mind a bit myself, my trip was 4km, I stopped on College Road.
I said about 4 mins, it was certainly 4 and maybe close to 5 - let looks at both.

@ 4mins my avg speed was 60kmh
@ 5mins my avg speed was 48 kmh

To be sure, to be sure I zipped in Lough Atalia, if there is clear open road in front of me I will take advantage.

But it just goes to prove, a lot of people (especially Irish people) are not happy unless they are unhappy. Galway City does something that might go some way to alleviate some of the long standing traffic issues and all ye can do is crib and complain.

I have asked many people what they think of the new arrangement - not a single one is against it.

Zzippy

GalwayMagpie wrote: »

Ahh now Zzippy, with a name like that I could take you to court for false advertising.

Since you started the pedantry I will play - I don't mind a bit myself, my trip was 4km, I stopped on College Road.
I said about 4 mins, it was certainly 4 and maybe close to 5 - let looks at both.

@ 4mins my avg speed was 60kmh
@ 5mins my avg speed was 48 kmh

To be sure, to be sure I zipped in Lough Atalia, if there is clear open road in front of me I will take advantage.

But it just goes to prove, a lot of people (especially Irish people) are not happy unless they are unhappy. Galway City does something that might go some way to alleviate some of the long standing traffic issues and all ye can do is crib and complain.

I have asked many people what they think of the new arrangement - not a single one is against it.

I can only go on what you posted - 4 minutes! If anyone's guilty of false advertising it's yourself
I'll give you the 4k as you didn't specify you stopped on College Road.

As for the rest, it might not be a bad idea long term if people didn't speed, as it is it encourages speeding and is less safe for other road users. And it doesn't address the HGV issue - Fairgreen Rd/College Rd is not the best place for those.

what_traffic

Francis1995 wrote: »

One way system with no public consultation. Incidentally does anybody know if Planning Permission is required to change a road to a one way system? Certainly the lack of public consultation is a breach of natural and administrative law and possibly the Aarhus Convention.

I believe you are correct re the planning permission. This is a trial period. It will have to revert back in two weeks time. For one they have not re-instated all the pedestrian crossings that have been removed for this trial period which begs the question what kind of trial it is.

what_traffic

Zzippy wrote: »

As for the rest, it might not be a bad idea long term if people didn't speed, as it is it encourages speeding and is less safe for other road users. And it doesn't address the HGV issue - Fairgreen Rd/College Rd is not the best place for those.

Excellent point - Council have put in a variable speed sign but that has not made any difference. People are been encouraged to speed here.
Attitude of GalwayMagpie is all too common I'm afraid

To be sure, to be sure I zipped in Lough Atalia, if there is clear open road in front of me I will take advantage.

The extra noise speeding vehicles creates and how unpleasant it makes walking or cycling along the road is immaterial.

Iwannahurl

GalwayMagpie wrote: »

So at 6pm I drove in lough Atalia, around the docks, back out towards Lough Atalia, over the hill and out college road.

It was a bit hectic around the docks, but the Fairgreen junctions were a breeze. I didn't see a single HGV, oil truck, rubbish lorry, tanker stranded around Fairgreen. There were busses on college road dropping off tourists at the B&B's.

All in all it took about 4mins to do the loop. Fantastic stuff.

GalwayMagpie wrote: »

I said about 4 mins, it was certainly 4 and maybe close to 5 - let looks at both.

@ 4mins my avg speed was 60kmh
@ 5mins my avg speed was 48 kmh

To be sure, to be sure I zipped in Lough Atalia, if there is clear open road in front of me I will take advantage.

But it just goes to prove, a lot of people (especially Irish people) are not happy unless they are unhappy. Galway City does something that might go some way to alleviate some of the long standing traffic issues and all ye can do is crib and complain.

I have asked many people what they think of the new arrangement - not a single one is against it.

Do you mean you asked "many" motorists what they think of the new arrangement? And if so, why would they be against it, since speeding is a favourite activity in Galway?

By your own admission you were doing an average speed of 60 km/h on a 4 km loop around the city centre at 6 pm on a Wednesday, even though your four-minute trip took in the "hectic" Docks area and a number of junctions.

So is this the (post-bypass) urban environment Galway drivers are really hankering after? If so, God help us.

WallyGUFC

dloob wrote: »

You need to have had several collisions and possibly a fatality in the last the 5 years for a route to be added to the GoSafe scheme.
The vans can't be used outside the designated zones.

Has there been a serious accident at McMahons on the Tuam Road, or on the Dublin Road at Bradley's, in the last 5 years? Serious question, I can't remember.

I can certainly think of numerous more suitable locations on the Tuam Road alone if what you say is true.

kippy

what_traffic wrote: »

Excellent point - Council have put in a variable speed sign but that has not made any difference. People are been encouraged to speed here.
Attitude of GalwayMagpie is all too common I'm afraid

The extra noise speeding vehicles creates and how unpleasant it makes walking or cycling along the road is immaterial.

How exactly are people encouraged to speed?

Iwannahurl

kippy wrote: »

How exactly are people encouraged to speed?

There is something in what you say.

Some people motorists need no encouragement. They just need a suitable and suggestive stretch of road, and the right conditions for putting the boot down.

That describes about half the road network of Galway City, by my reckoning.

Francis1995

what_traffic wrote: »

Excellent point - Council have put in a variable speed sign but that has not made any difference. People are been encouraged to speed here.
Attitude of GalwayMagpie is all too common I'm afraid

The extra noise speeding vehicles creates and how unpleasant it makes walking or cycling along the road is immaterial.

It is utter nonsense to say the extra noise speeding creates and how unplesant it is for pedestrians or cyclists is immaterial.
Put yourself in their position. I dont see this one way system continuining on
safety reasons alone. I have heard there is vehement opposition against it by the residents and many of the residents on upper college road are the elite of Galway such as the The president of NUI Galway professor Jim Browne,the Naughton family, the Ryan family who own the shop plus ardiulaun hotel,,the flannerys who own hotels,Richardsons etc. Plus I agree with
the sentiments of Councollor Terry O Flaherty who said this should only be implemented with the agreement of residents who are most affected.Just imagine a dual carrigeway outside your front door. Would you like it.

GalwayMagpie

Just imagine a dual carrigeway outside your front door. Would you like it.

Every urban center in the world has one way loops, what makes Galway different is the proliferation of the people known as the NIMBY - Not In My Back Yard.

Living in the center of a city has many plus and minus points. Everythign is on your door step, which means that the people getting to/from these so convenient amenities are also on your doorstep, as is the traffic that goes with it.

GalwayMagpie

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Do you mean you asked "many" motorists what they think of the new arrangement? And if so, why would they be against it, since speeding is a favourite activity in Galway?

By your own admission you were doing an average speed of 60 km/h on a 4 km loop around the city centre at 6 pm on a Wednesday, even though your four-minute trip took in the "hectic" Docks area and a number of junctions.

So is this the (post-bypass) urban environment Galway drivers are really hankering after? If so, God help us.

I want the by-pass, i also what one-way loops.

As for the speeding in an urban environment, this is not specific to Galway - try driving in Dublin, Belfast, Manchester or London at or below the speed limit, you'll be run of the road.

what_traffic

Francis1995 wrote: »

It is utter nonsense to say the extra noise speeding creates and how unplesant it is for pedestrians or cyclists is immaterial.
Put yourself in their position. I dont see this one way system continuining on
safety reasons alone. I have heard there is vehement opposition against it by the residents and many of the residents on upper college road are the elite of Galway such as the The president of NUI Galway professor Jim Browne,the Naughton family, the Ryan family who own the shop plus ardiulaun hotel,,the flannerys who own hotels,Richardsons etc. Plus I agree with
the sentiments of Councollor Terry O Flaherty who said this should only be implemented with the agreement of residents who are most affected.Just imagine a dual carrigeway outside your front door. Would you like it.

I think you have mis-understood my post. I am on the same page as yourself here. I was saying those who speed do not care about the extra noise that their speeding creates and how unpleasant an environment it is for pedestrians or cyclists as a result. This is immaterial to them.

I actually put myself in that position every day cycling to and from work on the Lough Atalia Road and College Road. I have seen and experienced first hand the kind of speeding and it's affects it has had on the surrounding area.
Glad to hear that there is opposition against it by the residents. They need to get ringing the local Cllr's on this one.

what_traffic

GalwayMagpie wrote: »

I want the by-pass, i also what one-way loops.

As for the speeding in an urban environment, this is not specific to Galway - try driving in Dublin, Belfast, Manchester or London at or below the speed limit, you'll be run of the road.

And that's exactly the reason why we should NOT bring in one way loops as you call them, it only encourages selfish and dangerous behaviour.

Mrs OBumble

College Rd and Lough Atalia Rd are not inner city. They are city fringe.

Inner city is Merchants Rd, Dock Rd, St Augustine St, Middle St, Cross St, Flood St - these do have one way loops. But they are far smaller loops than the College / Lough Atalia one.

I would feel far happier driving at 60km/h on Merchants Rd (in appropriate low traffic conditions of course) than on College Rd, which is chock full of places where cars and pedestrians can emerge from with very little notice. Lough Atalia isn't quite so bad, unexpected hazards can only come from one side. But it is still a semi-residential street.

However many drivers have difficult with applying defensive driving, and don't slow down themselves if there are hazards present. So if College Rd is to stay one way, it will need to be accompanied by some strong traffic calming measures to slow them down anyway. I predict these would be very unpopular, and have people longing for the good old days when it was two-way.

Julabo

Francis1995 wrote: »

It is utter nonsense to say the extra noise speeding creates and how unplesant it is for pedestrians or cyclists is immaterial.
Put yourself in their position. I dont see this one way system continuining on
safety reasons alone. I have heard there is vehement opposition against it by the residents and many of the residents on upper college road are the elite of Galway such as the The president of NUI Galway professor Jim Browne,the Naughton family, the Ryan family who own the shop plus ardiulaun hotel,,the flannerys who own hotels,Richardsons etc. Plus I agree with
the sentiments of Councollor Terry O Flaherty who said this should only be implemented with the agreement of residents who are most affected.Just imagine a dual carrigeway outside your front door. Would you like it.

And this is why the by pass has not happened!!

GalwayMagpie

what_traffic wrote: »

And that's exactly the reason why we should NOT bring in one way loops as you call them, it only encourages selfish and dangerous behaviour.

So we all sit in a hellish traffic snarl in case someone might do 60kph in a 50kph zone? Maybe we should just execute people for road traffic offenses so all the cyclist can gaily go about doing as they please.

biko

This thread is for this particular roadworks only. General traffic chat go elsewhere.

Now for the people that come here for information on the roadworks:
The last news and info from GCC http://www.galwaycity.ie/news/227/59/Lough-Atalia-Bridge-Road-Lowering-Update---26th-May/

Flow http://www.galwaycity.ie/uploads//downloads/news_items/LoughAtalia/LoughAtalia_Update_260515.pdf

?Cee?view

Francis1995 wrote: »

It is utter nonsense to say the extra noise speeding creates and how unplesant it is for pedestrians or cyclists is immaterial.
Put yourself in their position. I dont see this one way system continuining on
safety reasons alone. I have heard there is vehement opposition against it by the residents and many of the residents on upper college road are the elite of Galway such as the The president of NUI Galway professor Jim Browne,the Naughton family, the Ryan family who own the shop plus ardiulaun hotel,,the flannerys who own hotels,Richardsons etc. Plus I agree with
the sentiments of Councollor Terry O Flaherty who said this should only be implemented with the agreement of residents who are most affected.Just imagine a dual carrigeway outside your front door. Would you like it.

Elite of Galway. Will ya get real. Those days are gone thank God

joeKel73

I noticed last night they have the new white LED street lighting on the recent works - really helps visibility. Wasn't a fan of white street lights at first but very noticeable when you get around to the old lights by the Harbour Hotel.

Mrs OBumble

?Cee?view wrote: »

Elite of Galway. Will ya get real. Those days are gone thank God

They're not.

Try joining the golf club, and see how far ya get.

Zzippy

GalwayMagpie wrote: »

Every urban center in the world has one way loops, what makes Galway different is the proliferation of the people known as the NIMBY - Not In My Back Yard.

Living in the center of a city has many plus and minus points. Everythign is on your door step, which means that the people getting to/from these so convenient amenities are also on your doorstep, as is the traffic that goes with it.

Never mind the fact that probably none of the people posting here live on College Rd or Lough Atalia Rd, it's lazy and cliched to just label anyone who doesn't agree with a project that would make your life easier a NIMBY. People are raising legitimate concerns about speeding, safety of other road users, noise, appropriateness of HGV traffic using a residential road, and all you can do is call people NIMBYs rather than debate those concerns. :rolleyes:

?Cee?view

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

They're not.

Try joining the golf club, and see how far ya get.

I agree to an extent. That's a place where cash is king but even then you can now pay the joining fee over three years. But in a way that is egalitarian. Pretty much anyone can join if they've the money. The "old" families of Galway and their excessive influence is really a thing of the past.

what_traffic

GalwayMagpie wrote: »

So we all sit in a hellish traffic snarl in case someone might do 60kph in a 50kph zone? Maybe we should just execute people for road traffic offenses so all the cyclist can gaily go about doing as they please.

gordongekko

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Uh no. Activities that require HGVs have no place in a town centre.

Close all commercial activities so.

gordongekko

WallyGUFC wrote: »

Has there been a serious accident at McMahons on the Tuam Road, or on the Dublin Road at Bradley's, in the last 5 years? Serious question, I can't remember.

I can certainly think of numerous more suitable locations on the Tuam Road alone if what you say is true.

And has there been one there at 2am on a Saturday night/ Sunday morning?