Hughs Bridge Improvements

Mint Sauce

Anyone seen any plans, or know when its starting? Apparently funds have been approved/allocated, and plans are to add a lane in each direction by replacing the existing pavements, then adding new pavements by attaching walk ways on either side of the bridge to be used by cyclists. My understanding was work was due to start and take 9 months, with futher plans to improve the road layout as far as the Rosses Point Junction.

Am fearing this could end up like the OConnell St improvements, am yet to see any plans or work commencing on that either.

dingding

http://www.sligococo.ie/News/Name,32268,en.html

Sligo County Council wish to advise members of the public that construction is scheduled to commence for the widening of Hughes Bridge on the N4 National Primary Road in Sligo City on Monday the 13th October 2014.

This Scheme involves widening of the bridge structure which crosses the Garvoge River to six lanes of traffic and will include the removal of the existing footpaths to be replaced by two new footbridges/cycleways, one on either side of the existing structure. Construction works are expected to be ongoing over a nine month period.

Temporary Traffic Management will be in place throughout the construction period. This will result in traffic delays in the vicinity and on all approaches to the works. Specific expected delays will be communicated in advance on a weekly basis through the weekly Road and Traffic report released by Sligo County Council. Sligo County Council along with the Contractor will endeavour to minimise the effects of the works where possible and regrets any inconvenience which will be caused.

rizzodun

At the risk of sounding pedantic can't someone point out to me where sligo city is exactly?

It'll be interesting to see the final layout, this is badly needed but I wonder will there be some sort of bottleneck where it'll narrow back down to one or two lanes. As a frequent user of the bridge for years I never got over the amount of oneupmanship where the lanes merge closer to statoil, I've had a few close calls there.

While the bridge is not the greatest landmark, I hope the cycleway/footpath they hang off the side don't blight it too much.

Mint Sauce

If they have to strip the pavement in order to convert it to a traffic lane, I can see traffic in that direction being reduced to one lane, whilst work is done. Longterm should really help aslong as they includ works on the Rosses Point junction. Short term its going to cause a bit of a nightmare.

BASHIR

You would think that they would of started this in the summer months, when there is no school or college on. At least try and minimise disruption, might of made more sense.

Other than that it's a change for the better.

Mint Sauce

Maybe they were waiting till after The Fleadh. Traffic was already bad enough on the releif road was parts of the town centre closed to traffic.

BASHIR

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Maybe they were waiting till after The Fleadh. Traffic was already bad enough on the releif road was parts of the town centre closed to traffic.

Ah ya forgot about that! That makes more sense all right.
Not gonna be fun driving home for a couple of weeks.

Mint Sauce

BASHIR wrote: »

Ah ya forgot about that! That makes more sense all right.
Not gonna be fun driving home for a couple of weeks.

Several months more like. Might be seeking alternative routes across 'The City' to/from work.

dingding

rizzodun wrote: »

At the risk of sounding pedantic can't someone point out to me where sligo city is exactly?

It'll be interesting to see the final layout, this is badly needed but I wonder will there be some sort of bottleneck where it'll narrow back down to one or two lanes. As a frequent user of the bridge for years I never got over the amount of oneupmanship where the lanes merge closer to statoil, I've had a few close calls there.

While the bridge is not the greatest landmark, I hope the cycleway/footpath they hang off the side don't blight it too much.

Inside the city loop near the city core.

rizzodun

dingding wrote: »

Inside the city loop near the city core.

Oh right, how foolish of me to ask!

Freddie Mercurys Bolero

Cycle way sounds great but is it going to be a cycleway solely on the bridge itself only to end abruptly or part of a coherent Cycle lane system... Unfortunately I reckon it'll be the former....

Mint Sauce

Work now not due to start until the 20th. Was wondering where the lack of machinary was.

http://www.sligococo.ie/traffic/

north_star_33

The traffic is going to be RANK in the morning ....bad as it is and yes....people are always trying to switch lanes before the turn right down the docks

Mint Sauce

Over the bridge last night and again this morning. No evidence of any work being started yet.

Vlove

They should really do the JFK Bridge as well!

Mint Sauce

Lol at Ocean FM reporting continuing work on the bridge. I have seen no evidence yet. Think they only signed contracts this week.

Vlove wrote: »

They should really do the JFK Bridge as well!

Cant ever see it happening, would omly be a bottle neck once they approach The Embassy Rooms and the old ESB Building.

shanec1928

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Lol at Ocean FM reporting continuing work on the bridge. I have seen no evidence yet. Think they only signed contracts this week.

There are markings on the foothpath that we're done during the week so I guess that counts as work starting.

Bodidly

On Tuesday there was around 6 guys in yellow jackets standing around feehilys funeral home and along the bridge. Looked like they were assessing the amount of traffic or something like that. Would say this is going to be a long drawn out pain in the backside!

Gipo3

Well their hardly going to drop it in from outer space.

Mint Sauce

Bodidly wrote: »

On Tuesday there was around 6 guys in yellow jackets standing around feehilys funeral home and along the bridge. Looked like they were assessing the amount of traffic or something like that. Would say this is going to be a long drawn out pain in the backside!

SatNav was showing works in progess and moderate traffic this evening only about an hour ago.

Would have thought works started, would have actually meant machinery, noise, and congestion. Not fellas during survey work and signing contracts.

rizzodun

Mint Sauce wrote: »

SatNav was showing works in progess and moderate traffic this evening only about an hour ago.

Would have thought works started, would have actually meant machinery, noise, and congestion. Not fellas during survey work and signing contracts.

Maybe they're taking the 'measure twice, cut once' approach, I have no problem having them stand around with clipboards and laser pointers for weeks if it shortens the overall time spent actually causing the disruption, this may be wishful thinking though.

Son Of A Vidic

rizzodun wrote: »

this may be wishful thinking though.

Maybe? I'm afraid it probably is wishful thinking.

rizzodun

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Maybe? I'm afraid it probably is wishful thinking.

Isn't probably just a synonym of maybe? :P

T-Bird

There is a road sign near the red cottage stating the work will start 29th Oct

Son Of A Vidic

rizzodun wrote: »

Isn't probably just a synonym of maybe? :P

Nazi forum > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

sligono1

rizzodun wrote: »

Maybe they're taking the 'measure twice, cut once' approach, I have no problem having them stand around with clipboards and laser pointers for weeks if it shortens the overall time spent actually causing the disruption, this may be wishful thinking though.

They were locating and marking the services important part of the start up folks you just don't drop in track machines and breakers and go hell for leather.
Some people hinting that they were wasting time.The job will have a tight time line had to be finished by the end of July.
And there will be a lot of whining about traffic disruption and there will be a lot of that.but you have to expect disruption to get these improvements and there never is a right time to these type of road jobs.

rizzodun

sligono1 wrote: »

They were locating and marking the services important part of the start up folks you just don't drop in track machines and breakers and go hell for leather.
Some people hinting that they were wasting time.The job will have a tight time line had to be finished by the end of July.
And there will be a lot of whining about traffic disruption and there will be a lot of that.but you have to expect disruption to get these improvements and there never is a right time to these type of road jobs.

Like I said, I have no problem with all plane prep if it minimises disruption, let's hope the finish it in the timeframe given.

As a thought, is O'Connell st still being closed? Wouldn't it be worth holding off closing the street as it is one of the alternative routes across town?

Mint Sauce

sligono1 wrote: »

They were locating and marking the services important part of the start up folks you just don't drop in track machines and breakers and go hell for leather.
Some people hinting that they were wasting time.The job will have a tight time line had to be finished by the end of July.
And there will be a lot of whining about traffic disruption and there will be a lot of that.but you have to expect disruption to get these improvements and there never is a right time to these type of road jobs.

Obvously. But considering that local radio, sat navs, and the coco, are all saying expect delays for the last week, I would have thought that marking of services and surveys were already completed.

Unfortunately, traffic disruption will be a factor, but going from three lanes to one lane at the Rosses point junction is only going to cause bottle necks somewhere else. Although hopefully it will end the queue jumping for south bound traffic coming off the bridge, and people going straight on from the right hand lane for Ballast Quay.

rizzodun wrote: »

Like I said, I have no problem with all plane prep if it minimises disruption, let's hope the finish it in the timeframe given.

As a thought, is O'Connell st still being closed? Wouldn't it be worth holding off closing the street as it is one of the alternative routes across town?

Have seen no mention of it, although if this work is going to take till July, and they want OConnell St done in time for next years Fladh I doubt it.

Mint Sauce

Looking at the work so far, I'm still wondering how this will finally look. Are the new foot paths going to be joined on to the exsisting structure, or are they going to be a totally seperate structure? It currenlty looks like they are putting in some kind of foundation on the south bound approach on the bundoran rd side.

SprostonGreen

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Looking at the work so far, I'm still wondering how this will finally look. Are the new foot paths going to be joined on to the exsisting structure, or are they going to be a totally seperate structure? It currenlty looks like they are putting in some kind of foundation on the south bound approach on the bundoran rd side.

The footpaths are cantilever style so they are attached to the original structure like hanging off the side.

Like what should have been done from Bridge st to JFK parade years ago.

Henlars67

I always thought it was Hughes Bridge

Son Of A Vidic

Mint Sauce wrote: »

I'm still wondering how this will finally look. Are the new foot paths going to be joined on to the exsisting structure, or are they going to be a totally seperate structure?

I'm guessing it will be something similar to the pedestrian walkway in Bachelor's Walk, Dublin.

Mint Sauce

Lane closures are starting soon as per todays champion. As long as they are not before of after 8am/pm.

Even at 7.30 this morning the relief road was quite busy. Will definitely be going for an alternative route otherwise.

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

I'm guessing it will be something similar to the pedestrian walkway in Bachelor's Walk, Dublin.

Trying to picture it. Was that the new walkway attached to the river wall?

loki7777

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Lane closures are starting soon as per todays champion. As long as they are not before of after 8am/pm.

it was open today-i was thinking next mon/tue.

Mint Sauce

loki7777 wrote: »

it was open today-i was thinking next mon/tue.

Restrictions in and out of Ballast Quay start Monday evening.

Mint Sauce

North Bound side seems to be progressing well. Huge piece of steel housing piping and cabling sitting on the pavement this morning, then seen three low bed trucks parked on the DC in the last hour, all with huge prefab pieces of concrete, that apeared to be some sort of bridge. Not sure if they were for Hughs Bridge, or else where though.

Traffic has seemed to be no worse that usual either.

Geuze

Henlars67 wrote: »

I always thought it was Hughes Bridge

It is.

http://www.sligotown.net/hughes-bridge.shtml

rizzodun

I still can't picture the benefits of this, aren't they just moving the bottleneck a few hundred metres down the road?

Mint Sauce

rizzodun wrote: »

I still can't picture the benefits of this, aren't they just moving the bottleneck a few hundred metres down the road?

I thought this too, but was trying to work it out recently when driving alomg there.

I can see the point now for South Bound traffic. Where once you had two lanes, one for straight on and left, and the other right on to Ballast Quay, now you will have 3, with at least two for straight on and left/right, and the other just left/right depending on the set up.

North bound I imagine it will be two lanes straight on, with the right lane for Markivice Road, rather than the current two lanes, and then a filter as you come off the bridge.

Although those in charge of traffic planning may have totally different ideas.

T-Bird

They should remove half the traffic lights and sort out the timing of them....

Or at least replace a few of them with mini roundabouts.

Markiemarkso

Mint Sauce wrote: »

I thought this too, but was trying to work it out recently when driving alomg there.

I can see the point now for South Bound traffic. Where once you had two lanes, one for straight on and left, and the other right on to Ballast Quay, now you will have 3, with at least two for straight on and left/right, and the other just left/right depending on the set up.

North bound I imagine it will be two lanes straight on, with the right lane for Markivice Road, rather than the current two lanes, and then a filter as you come off the bridge.

Although those in charge of traffic planning may have totally different ideas.

According to council plans on their website, north bound will be as it always was with the new lane closed off until they get money to extend it further beyond the junction with Markievicz road. (The road/lane to knowwhere)

rizzodun

Markiemarkso wrote: »

According to council plans on their website, north bound will be as it always was with the new lane closed off until they get money to extend it further beyond the junction with Markievicz road. (The road/lane to knowwhere)

What a waste of time that is, ffs this town really can't just sort itself out.

Mint Sauce

Could be a fun drive to/from work on Tuesday. According to road signs today, the bridge is closed on tuesday, 8-7 i think.

north_star_33

Yea seen that alright...traffics gonna be bananas on castle street and oconnell street..

yea i was wondering also about the turn for rosses point...isnt that gonna be a bottle neck northbound

BASHIR

Just drove by the sign there it's 8pm to 7am. So not too bad!

north_star_33

Ahhh i thought it was 8 to 7 in the evening...shouldnt be any hassle so

Mint Sauce

Website not updated for next week yet, so not very clear. Hopefully it is overnight work, as the northbound approach is already getting busy as it is around 8am.

thebuzz

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Hopefully it is overnight work, as the northbound approach is already getting busy as it is around 8am.

It is definitely overnight work, they've already done this at least twice, at the same times.

Mint Sauce

thebuzz wrote: »

It is definitely overnight work, they've already done this at least twice, at the same times.

Drove by this morning and again about an hour ago. Your right, 8pm Tuesday till 7am Wednesday.

Mint Sauce

Resurfacing now happening on the two new lanes, although the new North Bound lane just seems to end as the bridge ends, hopefully there is little truth in this lane not being used untill the road is done till the Rosses Point junction other wise it's gonna be a total waste. Hopefully they will just reconfigure the road markings till then, as the CoCo do appear good at laying down the stuff.

Just there a wee while ago. South bound traffic backed past Supermacs.

:eek:

whatswhat

"Disruption to Traffic" doesn't even scratch the surface of town today. "Gridlocked" would be a better word! Hope everyone stuck in it managed to get out with their sanity intact!!