Traffic changes

alta stare

Road-Hog wrote: »

There is an alternative to the quay and I'm not suggesting the toll bridge. There is no reason why the majority of locals whose end destination is not somerhwere on the quay or environs should persist in using the route clogging it up just because they were used to being able to transverse it freely in the past. The Maypark bridge crossing would help of course but that is a number of years away yet.....in the mean time complains about being backed up on the quay when there is an alternative for people going through the city to day new Ross, south kk etc is just being 'pig headed'.

Of course there are alternatives and if i can take them i do and to be fair sometimes they can be busy aswell which is all grand but the point people are making is that it can be slower now to travel the quays now than prior to the new design. Pedestrians crossing everywhere is a major problem on it.

TheQuietFella

alta stare wrote: »

Pedestrians crossing everywhere is a major problem on it.

No different up here in Dublin! It's an Irish thing!

alta stare

TheQuietFella wrote: »

No different up here in Dublin! It's an Irish thing!

Its a human thing not just an Irish thing.

Max Powers

gobo99 wrote: »

Just to add to the point about going from ardkeen to rice bridge. Up the quay would always have been the quickest way. Since that is now a bottle neck the alternative was through Poleberry and up Bunker hill. This now a total mess down there so what's the alternative???Bearing in mind that the folly is also a carpark for several hours of the day...

One alternative is new bridge for a kick off, fair point about the poleberry alternative being bit of a mess, temporary situation though,.if the quay was hour approx delay people would use suir bridge, its nowhere near that bad so they still use quay/rice bridge and do the time honoured Irish moaning about what by nearly all standards is insignificant traffic delays.those fairly small city traffic delays have always been there, especially on quays, bridge, bridge street, train station,Bolton street, ambulances were occasionally slowed on quays before changes, mainly due to illegal parking and dopes not pulling in suitably.like most here I'm on the quays in morning and evening, nothing much has changed delay wise IMO.

Stopitwillya

The solution is to build the bridge from maypark over to the port road and as a result a huge amount of cars, ambulances, etc will not need to go through the city centre. Sooner this happens the better.

Harry Palmr

Maypark would be the worst south crossing but better than nothing. As mentioned previously it would tip out its traffic straight into the jam packed Ardkeen area. The best route which will never be built is bridge at Belview - Faithlegg - Ballymaclode - Killure (r708 upgrade)- ORR. I reckon 100m would do it!

thomasm

I drove from Ferrybank to Waterside for the the last 8 years everyday. Typically between 10-20 mins getting in and the same coming home. On the worse day you had 40 mins of traffic both ways combined.

Since the changes the average went up to about 1hr to 1 Hr 10mins per day with the bulk spent getting from Catherine St to roundabout at Shaws corner(less than 1km I 'd guess). Got fed up and moved office to Ferrybank side and now have a 5 minute commute each way with free parking.

Knock on effect on city and retail is less rates going to council, 5 less lunches/sandwiches/coffees everyday in local cafes/shops and no more impulse buys if up town. I do miss the book center mind ya(best shop in town)

Harry Palmr

That raises a point the council should worry about, business might start moving out to the suburban parts of the main arteries and the ORR and new retail and offices start up around the edges of town

mooseknunkle

Statement from the council on facebook

Statement on Traffic Changes at Manor St/Railway Sq/Bath St
Waterford City & County Council acknowledges the public’s frustration with increased journey times and traffic disruption as we phase in signalling and layout changes at Railway Square, Manor Street and Bath Street.
These changes are part of the Waterford City Centre Urban Renewal Scheme initiated in 2015, with many of the changes supporting the policy objectives of the Waterford City Development Plan (2013-2019), including the ‘provision of a citywide cycle network to link all areas of the city to each other via main routes’.
We ask for your patience during this transition. There is an acknowledged delay with the traffic signalling/sequencing at the Bath Street, Manor Street junction and this will be alleviated as the new one-way system at these streets begins on January 10th 2018. This should improve some of the congestion in that immediate area. It is also planned to upgrade the College Street/Hennessy’s Road areas to make them fit for the anticipated levels of traffic (e.g. improved lighting and pedestrian facilities.)
In the meantime, we once again acknowledge your frustration and thank you for your patience. Citizens are encouraged to read the Chief Executive’s Report on the Waterford City Centre Urban Renewal Scheme, which is available as a link below and on our website. This summary document includes reference to traffic changes, our planning for same, as well as more specific answers to concerns raised during the public consultation process.

https://waterfordcouncilnews.com/2017/12/15/statement-on-traffic-changes-at-manor-st-railway-sq-bath-st/

alta stare

I love how they say "this should improve congestion" and not that it will

Harry Palmr

Worse - "it should improve some of the congestion". So heavily couched as to suggest it was written with knowing sigh by the author.

alta stare

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Worse - "it should improve some of the congestion". So heavily couched as to suggest it was written with knowing sigh by the author.

Yep it does seem like that alright. It doesnt fill me with much confidence

wmpdd3

It's the 'anticipated levels of traffic in Hennessy's road' that doesn't make sense.

That's one of the main places they are funneling cyclists so they are replacing on street parking with cycle lanes, lighting there is not going to make more room for the increased car traffic.

If anything the ethos of the renewal scheme was to take traffic away from the area, not make rat runs of estates.

alta stare

wmpdd3 wrote: »

It's the 'anticipated levels of traffic in Hennessy's road' that doesn't make sense.

That's one of the main places they are funneling cyclists so they are replacing on street parking with cycle lanes, lighting there is not going to make more room for the increased car traffic.

If anything the ethos of the renewal scheme was to take traffic away from the area, not make rat runs of estates.

The traffic was backed up as far as Woodies yesterday around 1430 needless to say i went up Hennessys road which is exactly what most people down that way will do if the traffic stays the way it is.

mooseknunkle

All these changes come into effect from today it will be interesting to see how it goes,i still don't understand why there is no right turn from Bunkers hill the whole area is going to be crazy for the next few weeks or even months!

914

Took a drive around the area today. Can't say I see an issue yet. Traffic flowed really well, no back up in traffic at any of the lights and this was at 5pm normally peak time.

It was either flowing really well or everyone was avoiding the area 😀

Looking at the yellow road junction the no right turn system seems to work.

iseegirls

mooseknunkle wrote: »

...i still don't understand why there is no right turn from Bunkers hill the whole area is going to be crazy for the next few weeks or even months!

No cars turning right means that cars can flow easily from Bath Street out to the Cork Road or up Bunkers Hill - seeing that most of the traffic will come from Bath Street. Also means less iterations of the traffic lights, so there won't be as much waiting for the lights to change.

That said, will be interesting to see how it progresses over the next few weeks

JohnC.

Found the traffic around there better than normal this morning too.

Saw a good one though. Someone coming from Cork Road direction turned (illegally) right onto Bath Street. Drove on the footpath. Forced cars to get out of her way so she could drive into that Matthew Shee (I think it’s called) place. Unbelievable Jeff.

Wanderer78

JohnC. wrote: »

Found the traffic around there better than normal this morning too.

Saw a good one though. Someone coming from Cork Road direction turned (illegally) right onto Bath Street. Drove on the footpath. Forced cars to get out of her way so she could drive into that Matthew Shee (I think it’s called) place. Unbelievable Jeff.

maybe it was an emergency:D

beazee

I am amazed how smoothly I travel now for the 2.30pm school run from the IDA Industrial Estate to St. Declan's NS and back!
It's like everyone else was avoiding the area

Seriously, where is everyone?

Gardner

said it way back in this thread that this will work. drove down there this morning during school rush hour and place is free flowing.

same needs to be done about the quay. problem down there is all related to peoples driving habits and stopping to park/drop off/pick up on the quay. no parking should be allowed on quay and 20 min free parking should be implemented in the car parks across the road to curb this.

some other projects and traffic management systems i like to see is for the council to CPO the wall of DLS college and construct a lay down area that in turn will allow free flow traffic in the outer lane. another would be to construct a roundabout at the entrance of Lombard street and mall that will allow free flow of traffic onto the quay. roundabout to be constructed at Catherine street and again at john street

BBM77

Can be confusing at first but have to say I like the changes to traffic flow currently being made. They seem to have thought them out a lot better than what was done to The Quay. Apparently, Browne’s Lane being widened to two-way traffic is next with Hennessey’s road. It will be interesting to see Browne’s Lane as a two-way street. I’d said it will make a big positive difference.

Flow Motion

BBM77 wrote: »

Apparently, Browne’s Lane being widened to two-way traffic is next with Hennessey’s road. It will be interesting to see Browne’s Lane as a two-way street. I’d said it will make a big positive difference.

Forgive my ignorance, but for the life of me Im not sure where Brownes Lane is?
Is it the one-way street on the way up from New Street?

Flow Motion

Gardner wrote: »

some other projects and traffic management systems i like to see is for the council to CPO the wall of DLS college and construct a lay down area that in turn will allow free flow traffic in the outer lane. another would be to construct a roundabout at the entrance of Lombard street and mall that will allow free flow of traffic onto the quay. roundabout to be constructed at Catherine street and again at john street

Any chance you would go working for the WCCC? All good logical ideas I think.
Nobody likes to be stuck in traffic and its the cause of all the moaning in the town. Happy to note that the Bath St changes *appears* to be working and improving things. Now just to fix the Quay!

Does anyone else think that they should get rid of the parking areas on the shop/town side say from Reg Tower up to the Clock Tower? Or at least have all the space parallel parking rather that cars backing out from the area between Ulster Bank and Berfranks?

BBM77

Flow Motion wrote: »

Forgive my ignorance, but for the life of me Im not sure where Brownes Lane is?
Is it the one-way street on the way up from New Street?

Yes it goes from the top of Castle St to NewgateSt/Stephen St junction.

sillysocks

Don’t drive around there much but I don’t know if today was a good judge of traffic. Coming in from the Dunmore Road to town this morning and traffic is usually very heavy but there was none today so guessing maybe some schools off or something but definitely a lot less traffic than normal.
Hopefully it’ll stay as good next week!

fricatus

BBM77 wrote: »

Can be confusing at first but have to say I like the changes to traffic flow currently being made. They seem to have thought them out a lot better than what was done to The Quay.

Flow Motion wrote: »

Happy to note that the Bath St changes *appears* to be working and improving things. Now just to fix the Quay!

The point I think you're missing lads is that the Quay is not meant to be main through route any more. I'm almost certain I saw this written somewhere, e.g. in an interview with the city manager, or in the development plan.

The Quay's function now is as the entrance to the city centre. You go there to park your car and continue on your way on foot, not to drive the length of it to go somewhere else.

IMO we're not well served with alternative routes, and people have a point giving out. However the aim of having minimal traffic speed and movement so as to make life easier for pedestrians, bus users, cyclists, etc. is a progressive one, which I support.

I believe the best solution would be a bridge near the Tower Hotel over to Ferrybank. This would essentially give us a Quay bypass. Also, they should remove the toll from the new TF Meagher bridge. It's a huge disincentive to people who'd otherwise happily avoid driving in the city centre altogether. Finally, I'm surprised that Park and Ride doesn't appear to have been considered. There are plenty of suitable sites.

Road-Hog

fricatus wrote: »

The point I think you're missing lads is that the Quay is not meant to be main through route any more. I'm almost certain I saw this written somewhere, e.g. in an interview with the city manager, or in the development plan.

The Quay's function now is as the entrance to the city centre. You go there to park your car and continue on your way on foot, not to drive the length of it to go somewhere else.

IMO we're not well served with alternative routes, and people have a point giving out. However the aim of having minimal traffic speed and movement so as to make life easier for pedestrians, bus users, cyclists, etc. is a progressive one, which I support.

I believe the best solution would be a bridge near the Tower Hotel over to Ferrybank. This would essentially give us a Quay bypass. Also, they should remove the toll from the new TF Meagher bridge. It's a huge disincentive to people who'd otherwise happily avoid driving in the city centre altogether. Finally, I'm surprised that Park and Ride doesn't appear to have been considered. There are plenty of suitable sites.

I've said this many times unless you have business on the quay or are parking there and shopping you are mad to be using it as part of your journey. Similar with an ambulance or other emergency service, unless they are resounding to an incident on the quay itself then why in earth do they insist on using it.....it may be the shortest route to get to say ferrybsnk from say the dunmore Rd but it's nuts to go that way for the majority of the day...use the alternatives that are there.

erica74

Road-Hog wrote: »

I've said this many times unless you have business on the quay or are parking there and shopping you are mad to be using it as part of your journey. Similar with an ambulance or other emergency service, unless they are resounding to an incident on the quay itself then why in earth do they insist on using it.....it may be the shortest route to get to say ferrybsnk from say the dunmore Rd but it's nuts to go that way for the majority of the day...use the alternatives that are there.

I don't know what the rules are for emergency services but would the route down the quays be part of an "official route" that emergency services must take, ie, an official ambulance route? Or have trial runs been done and it has been determined that that is the shortest route and that's why they use it? Or can the drivers just use their own judgement and bomb around the town whatever way they want in order to make the journey as short as possible?

mooseknunkle

beazee wrote: »

I am amazed how smoothly I travel now for the 2.30pm school run from the IDA Industrial Estate to St. Declan's NS and back!
It's like everyone else was avoiding the area

Seriously, where is everyone?

I'd say its a case of everyone is avoiding the area i would of drove that way most days but haven't been down there in weeks probably the same for a lot of people,you can already see the increase in traffic along the cork road hennessey's road and ceannt road.