Last three days for Liffeyside Cycleway submissions

Chuchote

The submissions on the Liffeyside Cycleway (or whatever it's to be called) from Ormond Quay to Bachelor's Walk (the most dangerous and yet the most essential single section of cycling road in Dublin), for which a separated, protected cycleway is envisaged, close on Monday

https://consultation.dublincity.ie/traffic-and-transport/traffic-management-changes-north-and-south-quays/

If you're putting in a submission, you might mention the US figures on the cost of maintaining cycleways, vs those of maintaining roads, here:

https://www.planetizen.com/node/66359?platform=hootsuite

Do Motorists Subsidize Cycling Facilities?
In 2011 (the latest data available) U.S. governments spent $206 billion on roads and motorists drove 2,946 billion miles, so roadway costs averaged about 7.0¢ per mile. During that same year motorists paid $127 billion in road user fees, which averages 4.3¢ per mile – the remaining 2.7¢ spent on roads is from general taxes. A typical motorist who drives 12,000 annual miles imposes $840 in roadway costs, pays $516 in roadway user fees and $224 in general taxes spent on roadways. Non-drivers tend to travel less, people who rely primarily on bicycling for transportation typically ride 3 to 6 miles per day or 1,000 to 2,000 annually. If their costs are an order of magnitude smaller than automobile travel (0.7¢ per mile), a typical cyclist imposes $7 to $14 in roadway costs, and pays $224 in general taxes toward roadways, a significant overpayment.

I've put in my submission, but forgot to mention this (and restrained myself from saying that not only would it be great for cyclists to have this route safe & separated, but it would also be good for drivers, who could drive safely without being distracted from their phones).

Chuchote

bump

AndrewJRenko

Chuchote wrote: »

The submissions on the Liffeyside Cycleway (or whatever it's to be called) from Ormond Quay to Bachelor's Walk (the most dangerous and yet the most essential single section of cycling road in Dublin), for which a separated, protected cycleway is envisaged, close on Monday

https://consultation.dublincity.ie/traffic-and-transport/traffic-management-changes-north-and-south-quays/

If you're putting in a submission, you might mention the US figures on the cost of maintaining cycleways, vs those of maintaining roads, here:

https://www.planetizen.com/node/66359?platform=hootsuite



I've put in my submission, but forgot to mention this (and restrained myself from saying that not only would it be great for cyclists to have this route safe & separated, but it would also be good for drivers, who could drive safely without being distracted from their phones).

I've gone through the consultation documents, but I'm a bit confused on what exactly they are consulting on. Does this consultation cover the various route options for the segregated cycle path? Obviously, the direct route along the keys is the preferred option - but I don't seem asking that specific question.

Feckofff

So I made a submission.
Stated the obvious benefits etc, nothing ground breaking but hopefully it will a make a small difference and maybe my voice will be heard

The webpage is a little off putting when you see the page count / bar on the top.
But really it's only a one pager with 4 boxes to fill. So if you have any thoughts on the liffey cycle path it's worth the 5 mins to fill in.

Feckofff

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I've gone through the consultation documents, but I'm a bit confused on what exactly they are consulting on. Does this consultation cover the various route options for the segregated cycle path? Obviously, the direct route along the keys is the preferred option - but I don't seem asking that specific question.

I guess the easiest thing is to state your preference and give a little reasoning why you feel that it is the best option.
Sometimes it can feel like you are stating the blindly obvious but the people reading these submissions are probably not cyclist.

Chuchote

More than stating your preference. There's a powerful and stupid lobby of car importers and car park owners who are putting out untruthful propaganda about the effect that making this short stretch of quay cycle- and bus-only. They say that this will move the cars into the nearby suburbs, bringing pollution and danger with them, and will remove shoppers from the city centre. But this is the same argument that was passionately made when the shopping areas of Grafton Street and its surrounds and Henry Street were pedestrianised; neither of them suffered loss of shoppers, and the surrounding areas did not become polluted horrors.

The plan for a cycle lane along this stretch of quay is a particularly clever one - one small example: it will take thousands of cyclists off Dame Street, and bring them safely to O'Connell Bridge. I would even use it when I come down by Christ Church and cycle to the National Library on Kildare Street, because the diversion will be so much safer than taking that horrible turn at Christ Church and going down Dame Street between all the buses.

It will safely take all the cyclists coming from the northwest too - for the great numbers that cycle from Blanchardstown through the Phoenix Park or from Stoneybatter or Phibsborough or along the Royal Canal, this will give them that last kilometre to O'Connell Street and environs in safety. And from the southwest - Inchicore, Drimnagh, Ballyfermot…

From a profit-hunting point of view, it will make safe the most dangerous part of the cycle along the quays to the International Financial Service Centre and Googleland.

These are arguments that need to be made clearly - it's not just a matter of "this would be nice for cyclists": this plan will funnel thousands of cyclists, safe and separated, through to the city centre. This plan is good for safety, good for cutting pollution levels, and good for our city.

AndrewJRenko

Done - I'm in.

Chuchote

Today's the last day to do this

https://consultation.dublincity.ie/traffic-and-transport/traffic-management-changes-north-and-south-quays/

Won't take more than five minutes. Use your best arguments - think of how the Liffey used to stink 20 years ago before polluters were tackled, and how pleasant it is now; imagine the air of Dublin cleaned in the same way.

Safety - thousands of cycles separated from cars in this currently dangerous stretch
Retail - Grafton Street and Henry Street retail has certainly not suffered from pedestrianisation
Pollution - children are growing up in the inner city breathing in cancer-causing particulates
Efficiency - the city will move faster with this throughway for cycles and buses
Better transport - this is an extension of the bus corridors that were howled down in horror when they were first introduced
Health - if we can get the population cycling, the HSE's costs will drop like a stone as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancers and respiratory disorders fade away
Child upbringing - this will lead to children becoming cyclists again; a child who cycles is a self-reliant child; a child who relies on parents for transport is a dependent child

Chuchote

Bump for last day

tomasrojo

Done. I put particular emphasis on the benefits to retailers. At heart I'm an amateur economist. Too many Planet Money podcasts.

Budawanny

Done.

Chuchote

If anyone hasn't done it, or wants to go into their submission again, you might add this:

http://irishcycle.com/2017/04/07/more-sub-standard-cycle-lanes-for-junction-at-dublins-christ-church-cathedral/

MORE SUB-STANDARD CYCLE LANES FOR JUNCTION AT DUBLIN’S CHRIST CHURCH
APRIL 7, 2017 CIAN GINTY NEWS 3

— 60 metre cycle lane to run in middle of four traffic lanes.

Planned traffic management changes mainly focused on the north and south quays in Dublin also includes making the junction at Christ Church Cathedral more complex with sub-standard cycle lanes.

The design goes against principals [sic] and key details in the National Cycle Manual and the Manual for Urban Roads and Streets, including the principal [sic] that left slip turns should be removed because these are unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians.