What happened to the traffic?!

Domie

Good morning folks,

Now i've only been living here for 1 year but recently (last 6 months) traffic just seems to have gone crazy especially around the Bon soc hospital, Dublin road heading east. It always was busy here but now its like the traffic lights are not sync'ed with each other and everyone stops in the yellow grid so when the lights go red for them nobody turning right onto the Dublin road can. But its not just here its obviously an issue all over the city. Is there ever a person monitoring all the traffic across the city maybe via cctv and then about to adjust the lights timing?

Mrs OBumble

What happened to the traffic is that college started. Happens ever year.

Yes, the council have installed co-ordinated lights, and there's a control centre in city hall. What we don't know if if they've started performing worse (I've heard rumours that one engineer left his/her job), or if the traffic volumes have grown yet further beyond what the road network can handle.

ben.schlomo

Oh good, another traffic thread.

pmasterson95

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Oh good, another traffic thread.

At least the cyclists arent following in immediately. Must have combusted or something haha makes a change.

TerrorFirmer

The traffic is also just plain increasing at a serious rate that the citys network can't really handle properly. The NRA says traffic in Galway has risen about 10% in the last six months.

galwaycyclist

pmasterson95 wrote: »

At least the cyclists arent following in immediately. Must have combusted or something haha makes a change.

What traffic?

ben.schlomo

pmasterson95 wrote: »

At least the cyclists arent following in immediately. Must have combusted or something haha makes a change.

You had to say it, didnt you!

Mrs OBumble

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

The NRA says traffic in Galway has risen about 10% in the last six months.

With college starting back, I'd be surprised if it was only 10%.

jjpep

Well, if more did cycle there would be less traffic....

outsidein98

Apparently according to the local paper headline I saw recently the local traffic engineer or coordinator quit and got a job in Cork. But they didn't replace him in the grand tradition of Galway eff ups they didn't replace him. Hence the further traffic disaster that is Galway.

Cheshire Cat

jjpep wrote: »

Well, if more did cycle there would be less traffic....

Cyclists are traffic, too ;-)

bobbyss

Heard the repeat Kieth Finnegan prog late one night/early morning last week. He was it seems in Chicago and was talking to some fellow from the NRA or council or some organisation about Galway traffic.

He was probably the most boring speaker I have ever heard. I can not remember anything he said-except the bit about the Moycullen road being blocked coz someone ran a red light. Wonder did anyone hear him or know who he was or if he said anything interesting? Yawn Zzzzz What?

I did notice myself traffic being much worse last week. I can't help wondering about how the roundabout at Col na Coirribe can be tolerated. How did it ever get to this? Trucks going around it with centimeters to spare. Salmon Weir bridge. How many more times will a bus or truck miss me by inches as I walk on the footpath? WORST OF ALL Cars parked on the double yellow lines at the roundabout (at the roundabout)in Salthill at Toffs with Garda station nearby and patrol cars passing. Don't they bother anymore?

gordongekko

bobbyss wrote: »

Heard the repeat Kieth Finnegan prog late one night/early morning last week. He was it seems in Chicago and was talking to some fellow from the NRA or council or some organisation about Galway traffic.

He was probably the most boring speaker I have ever heard. I can not remember anything he said-except the bit about the Moycullen road being blocked coz someone ran a red light. Wonder did anyone hear him or know who he was or if he said anything interesting? Yawn Zzzzz What?

I did notice myself traffic being much worse last week. I can't help wondering about how the roundabout at Col na Coirribe can be tolerated. How did it ever get to this? Trucks going around it with centimeters to spare. Salmon Weir bridge. How many more times will a bus or truck miss me by inches as I walk on the footpath? WORST OF ALL Cars parked on the double yellow lines at the roundabout (at the roundabout)in Salthill at Toffs with Garda station nearby and patrol cars passing. Don't they bother anymore?

both the gardai and the traffic wardens make a fortune giving out tickets in salthill

bobbyss

gordongekko wrote: »

both the gardai and the traffic wardens make a fortune giving out tickets in salthill

I don't know.

There are always cars parked on the roundabout there. What evidence do you have? How much of a 'fortune' do they make? How do you know? What exactly are the figures?

gordongekko

bobbyss wrote: »

I don't know.

There are always cars parked on the roundabout there. What evidence do you have? How much of a 'fortune' do they make? How do you know? What exactly are the figures?

Well i was out there 2 weeks ago doing some business. If the few hours i was out there i saw the traffic warden issue a **** load of tickets a gardai on a motorbike doing the same and later on a squad car doing the same. Thats over about a 5 hour period.

bobbyss

gordongekko wrote: »

Well i was out there 2 weeks ago doing some business. If the few hours i was out there i saw the traffic warden issue a **** load of tickets a gardai on a motorbike doing the same and later on a squad car doing the same. Thats over about a 5 hour period.

That's anecdotal. I have passed the spot many times and I have never ever seen any Garda presence there at all. Whatever is happening, there are always cars there. I have not been there today Sunday and very sunny. I would bet my bottom dollar there are cars there.

I wouldn't park on a double yellow anywhere in town because of the fine but that roundabout is so open and visible and so near a garda station you would be very naive to park there.

jjpep

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

Cyclists are traffic, too ;-)

Yes, fair point!

How about there would be less of the dangerous, road hogging, polluting type traffic 😊

gordongekko

bobbyss wrote: »

That's anecdotal. I have passed the spot many times and I have never ever seen any Garda presence there at all. Whatever is happening, there are always cars there. I have not been there today Sunday and very sunny. I would bet my bottom dollar there are cars there.

I wouldn't park on a double yellow anywhere in town because of the fine but that roundabout is so open and visible and so near a garda station you would be very naive to park there.

To be fair that's I'm not sure you know the meaning of anecdotal.

Zzippy

Traffic in the mornings was incredibly light last week. Schools off. Back to the usual gridlock tomorrow!

youngrun

What are the stats on traffic in galway how many trips in and out of the City by day and hour ? And by what mode of transport ? Mainly car I expect ? How does that compare to other similar cities ? Can the numbers using modes e g bus or bike be increased ? If so how , are there cross city bus routes or employer sponsored buses or school or college buses within city limits or more of them ? Does n u i g or g m i t have bike schemes ?

Curious Geroge

Any whatapp, facebook or alike group that is community fed re traffic in the city ?

Google maps traffic always seems spot on for me.

Always check routes if heading home late from work

Wompa1

If the colleges bring in so much of the traffic. Maybe it would be a good idea to hold lectures during the height of traffic...back in my day our student timetables were pretty spread out, or at least, they could be. I don't think it is the students, though.

I wonder if them eliminating the one way system has anything to do with the difference the OP is talking about..Since they state 6 months.

Galway is an oddity. 10% of Galway are on the live register. 20% of the cities population are students. There's more that are unemployed but aren't on the register due to getting their benefits from other means.

None of this is new, though. Unemployment in the city was 9% before the collapse. The student population was made up a significant part of the population. I can't see how Galway could have any sort of sustainable GOOD public transport system. The buses are sh1te. It would be tough to make them better without significant investment in the services and infrastructure. A bit tough when so many of the people using the public transport system aren't paying towards it...catch 22

joeKel73

Wompa1 wrote: »

20% of the cities population are students.

That sounds too low.

NUIG: 17,318
GMIT: 9000
GTI: 1300
Others: ?
Total: 27,618

Galway City Population: 75,530

36.6% student population based on the above numbers from Wikipedia.

Discodog

The Council need to update the traffic camera server so that we could log in via our phones. Then you could check the traffic & decide what route to take.

Mrs OBumble

J o e wrote: »

Galway City Population: 75,530

36.6% student population based on the above numbers from Wikipedia.

I reckon the 75k is an underestimate.

Anecdotally, lots of those students don't put themselves down as usually resident in Galway: they complete the census as though they still live with Mammy and Daddy, and are simply staying in Galway overnight.

There's also some significant census-resistance amount the unemployed / old here: I've heard "I'm not filling it it, they pay my benefit so they already know about me" a lot here, more than in other places.

ScumLord

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Yes, the council have installed co-ordinated lights, and there's a control centre in city hall.

I don't really believe there's anybody watching. Maybe someones getting paid a salary to manage the lights but I don't think they actually do anything.

Galways traffic has been getting worse and worse every year. They've known for the past 20 years that Galways roads were inadequate and that Galways traffic would be increasing, but they've managed to do next to nothing to fix or prepare for it.

The traffics so bad it creates an every man for himself attitude to driving around the city. Galways dual carriageways seem to be some of the worst in the country for over taking lane hoggers. It's not even accidental, they simply don't give a flying fig for using the roads correctly.

The new roads in the works should improve things but it's probably too little too late. It's the same in every major town in the west, our road network just isn't up to the task.

Wompa1

J o e wrote: »

That sounds too low.

NUIG: 17,318
GMIT: 9000
GTI: 1300
Others: ?
Total: 27,618

Galway City Population: 75,530

36.6% student population based on the above numbers from Wikipedia.

Fair point. The 20% is something I've seen NUIG list but maybe they meant just their own students.

the untitled user

J o e wrote: »

That sounds too low.

NUIG: 17,318
GMIT: 9000
GTI: 1300
Others: ?
Total: 27,618

Galway City Population: 75,530

36.6% student population based on the above numbers from Wikipedia.

You're forgetting that an awful lot of those students wouldn't be full time. And another sizable chunk will be commuting on a daily basis from the likes of Headford/Tuam/Gort etc.

flynnlives

The bypass needs to be started asap. Its becoming a farce at this stage. Business is suffering. Fridays are now a day where i and others i know simply don't do business meetings cause the traffic is so bad. Sure a few more people on bicycles is fine but its not going to help.

We need the bypass. Jobs and growth are going to stagnate if this isnt addressed sooner rather then later.

youngrun

flynnlives wrote: »

The bypass needs to be started asap. Its becoming a farce at this stage. Business is suffering. Fridays are now a day where i and others i know simply don't do business meetings cause the traffic is so bad. Sure a few more people on bicycles is fine but its not going to help.

We need the bypass. Jobs and growth are going to stagnate if this isnt addressed sooner rather then later.

Probably true
But not going to happen for a couple of years yet
In the meantime why don't the City council and chamber etc get together with all the big employers and provide low cost or free buses to staff certain times . Both colleges h s e big factories etc serving west and East of city key spots . And the schools .
Put on cross city buses
Use park and rides
Not everyone needs to drive
The city is tiny and short of building seven lane superhighways through the entire town needs to force or push people into public transport
It's not big enough for all the cars to fit into in the periods they want to

Mrs OBumble

AFAIK, the HSE already runs a shuttle-bus between Merlin Park and Newcastle.

Whereisgalway

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

AFAIK, the HSE already runs a shuttle-bus between Merlin Park and Newcastle.

A very poor one imho

ScumLord

flynnlives wrote: »

The bypass needs to be started asap. Its becoming a farce at this stage. Business is suffering.

I used to go into Galway regularly to make business purchases. I won't go near Galway now and I've resourced a lot of what I used to get in Galway from other places. I'm beginning to feel the same about Tuam, the whole county is a mess.

bobbyss

gordongekko wrote: »

To be fair that's I'm not sure you know the meaning of anecdotal.

That's a strange thing to say.

Your response to what statistics you have for the amount of tickets being issued was that you saw a 's....... of tickets' being issued over a 'few hours''.

And I don't know the meaning of anecdotal because...

Mrs OBumble

youngrun wrote: »

Probably true
But not going to happen for a couple of years yet

I understand that the costs benefit is lower than that of the yet-to-be-built Limerick to Cork motorway. So I suspect it will be well more than "a couple".

youngrun wrote: »

In the meantime why don't the City council and chamber etc get together with all the big employers and provide low cost or free buses to staff certain times ..... It's not big enough for all the cars to fit into in the periods they want to

I totally agree with you.

But the reason they don't is that some people, and indeed some companies, have a illogical horror of shared transport. And because doing anything to reduce the demand would decrease the cost benefit of the by-pass (sic), and so reduce the chance of it being built.

fyi, there are some cross city buses:

The 402 goes between Lower Knocknacarra and Merlin Park, via the university and hospitals and Renmore.

The 405 goes between Upper Knocknacarra and Ballybrit Industrial, via the university/UHG, Liosban and GMIT. (It's a very busy bus, and on weekdays anyway getting busier).

The real gaps IMHO are
1) a cross city going to Parkmore (probably to/from Salthill and Barna - I think that's a big market) and
2) an Outer Orbiter: Barna / Knocknacarra / university / Quin bridge / Liosban / Ballybrit / Parkmore / Oranmore

thebackbar

flynnlives wrote: »

The bypass needs to be started asap. Its becoming a farce at this stage. Business is suffering. Fridays are now a day where i and others i know simply don't do business meetings cause the traffic is so bad. Sure a few more people on bicycles is fine but its not going to help.

We need the bypass. Jobs and growth are going to stagnate if this isnt addressed sooner rather then later.

Not sure if the bypass will improve the situation very much for those people whose final destination is the city, but i don't intend on arguing that point. But i would say that it seems ridiculous that the council spent millions on a traffic management center and its not fully manned.

BeardySi

youngrun wrote: »

Probably true
In the meantime why don't the City council and chamber etc get together with all the big employers and provide low cost or free buses to staff certain times .

Dunno if they still do, but when I worked in Medtronic many moons ago there was a bus from the station and from parkmore back to town. I can't quite remember, but I think it was even free....

dastardly00

Traffic was at a standstill on the Monivea Road (near the Warehouse Gym) heading in the direction of the city centre at around 6pm yesterday (Monday). I barely moved for about 15 minutes so I ended up turning around and headed for Bothar na dTreabh. Anyone know why traffic was so bad? It's normally free flowing until you are on Wellpark Road.

Webbs

Whereisgalway wrote: »

A very poor one imho

Why is it a poor one? I thought it ran with about 20-30mins intervals all through the day?

what_traffic

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

The real gaps IMHO are
1) a cross city going to Parkmore (probably to/from Salthill and Barna - I think that's a big market) and
2) an Outer Orbiter: Barna / Knocknacarra / university / Quin bridge / Liosban / Ballybrit / Parkmore / Oranmore

Good idea.
Would also need regular bus services from Moycullen, Claregalway and Headford etc etc to link with this Outer Orbiter.

The CAR traffic issue will continue to be with us for many many years irrespective of what the City and County Council do as they have continually failed to address the real problem for decades now

City Council gears up to tackle increasing traffic problems
http://galwaybayfm.ie/city-council-gears-up-to-tackle-increasing-traffic-problems/

youngrun

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I understand that the costs benefit is lower than that of the yet-to-be-built Limerick to Cork motorway. So I suspect it will be well more than "a couple".




I totally agree with you.

But the reason they don't is that some people, and indeed some companies, have a illogical horror of shared transport. And because doing anything to reduce the demand would decrease the cost benefit of the by-pass (sic), and so reduce the chance of it being built.

fyi, there are some cross city buses:

The 402 goes between Lower Knocknacarra and Merlin Park, via the university and hospitals and Renmore.

The 405 goes between Upper Knocknacarra and Ballybrit Industrial, via the university/UHG, Liosban and GMIT. (It's a very busy bus, and on weekdays anyway getting busier).

The real gaps IMHO are
1) a cross city going to Parkmore (probably to/from Salthill and Barna - I think that's a big market) and
2) an Outer Orbiter: Barna / Knocknacarra / university / Quin bridge / Liosban / Ballybrit / Parkmore / Oranmore

Yes the last two are those I meant re cross city

youngrun

Treadhead wrote: »

Dunno if they still do, but when I worked in Medtronic many moons ago there was a bus from the station and from parkmore back to town. I can't quite remember, but I think it was even free....

Not sure either, used to be one from Knocknacarra early also ,stopped due to no demand - or maybe not scheduled right times??

There are enough smart people working in galway to devise a workable traffic management plan that fits in the main users , staff and employers , school and colleges . Get the ten biggest and start there, one person to coordinate in each along with Council, transport cos and guards, and put in place for next two years

joeKel73

what_traffic wrote: »

City Council gears up to tackle increasing traffic problems
http://galwaybayfm.ie/city-council-gears-up-to-tackle-increasing-traffic-problems/

From above link...

The City Council is working to introduce a raft of measures to tackle growing problems with traffic in the city.

The initiatives include real time parking information, a park by text system, and stricter enforcement of parking bye-laws.

Solve the traffic problems by improving parking options which in turn will encourage more cars into the city center... * bangs head against desk *

ronnie3585

dastardly00 wrote: »

Traffic was at a standstill on the Monivea Road (near the Warehouse Gym) heading in the direction of the city centre at around 6pm yesterday (Monday). I barely moved for about 15 minutes so I ended up turning around and headed for Bothar na dTreabh. Anyone know why traffic was so bad? It's normally free flowing until you are on Wellpark Road.

Yeah been a disaster all week. The sequencing of the lights at Wellpark has been changed. The duration of green light from the Monivea Road side going towards Lough Atalia has been cut in half. With no obstructions only about 10 cars will get through per cycle, however given the amount of clowns coming from the Lough Atalia side who block the junction and most drivers' glacial reaction speed to a green light, it's usually only 4-5 cars per cycle. I've no idea what the logic behind changing the sequencing was, it had been running particularly well for the last couple of weeks.

gordongekko

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Yeah been a disaster all week. The sequencing of the lights at Wellpark has been changed. The duration of green light from the Monivea Road side going towards Lough Atalia has been cut in half. With no obstructions only about 10 cars will get through per cycle, however given the amount of clowns coming from the Lough Atalia side who block the junction and most drivers' glacial reaction speed to a green light, it's usually only 4-5 cars per cycle. I've no idea what the logic behind changing the sequencing was, it had been running particularly well for the last couple of weeks.

Im pretty sure they go messing with the sequences just to piss people off. The lights that are all over the shop are never sorted out.

Mrs OBumble

Treadhead wrote: »

Dunno if they still do, but when I worked in Medtronic many moons ago there was a bus from the station and from parkmore back to town. I can't quite remember, but I think it was even free....

That was one of the factory buses that only ran once or twice a day, to coincide with the employer shift times when it was introduced. The usefulness fell as shift patterns changed, and also as route 409 was invented.

I don't know if it was ever free, certainly it wasn't in 2009.

In 2007, there were two buses each day to Parkmore, and two or three each day to Ballybrit industrial. One from Knocknacarra and one from the Railway Station.

All that's left now is one from Knocknacarra to Ballybrit industrial. People predicted that it would fail once route 405 started going closer, but if anything it seems to have gotten busier.

Unrealistic

J o e wrote: »

From above link...

The City Council is working to introduce a raft of measures to tackle growing problems with traffic in the city.

The initiatives include real time parking information, a park by text system, and stricter enforcement of parking bye-laws.

Solve the traffic problems by improving parking options which in turn will encourage more cars into the city center... * bangs head against desk *

The pay by text maybe but the other two could be helpful if actually done properly. If you can see in advance that there are no parking spaces in one part of town but there are in another you won't clog up the first part of town circling looking for a space. And if you know that you are more likely to get ticketed for parking half on the pavement with your flashers on on a double yellow line you are less likely to do it.

joeKel73

dastardly00 wrote: »

Traffic was at a standstill on the Monivea Road (near the Warehouse Gym) heading in the direction of the city centre at around 6pm yesterday (Monday). I barely moved for about 15 minutes so I ended up turning around and headed for Bothar na dTreabh. Anyone know why traffic was so bad? It's normally free flowing until you are on Wellpark Road.

Same again this evening, approached about 7pm and it was well backed up, cut across to the Dublin road which was clear.

Zzippy

gordongekko wrote: »

Im pretty sure they go messing with the sequences just to piss people off. The lights that are all over the shop are never sorted out.

If one was of a suspicious mind, one might infer that slowing up the traffic for everyone suits the council's agenda of building an outer bypass, by creating an artiificially inflated demand for more road space...

Curious Geroge

Reply from City Council

"Traffic has increased generally in Galway City. This is not evenly distributed throughout the network and is more significant at some locations than others. The increase from last year is between 5% and 10% on different parts of the network. The signals along this stretch are fully adaptive and adjust to traffic volumes from the information they get from the detector loops in the carriageway. The signals also communicate to each other and make changes to suit the traffic. Sometimes the loops can have faults in them due to others carrying out works in the area and we will check to make sure there are no faults there.

However driver behavior does play a part also. Signals and loops can get false information due to vehicles not pulling away on a green and also driving through red lights. There is also an impact when vehicles block junctions. This is something we cannot design out the system. "