Salmon Weir gets new bridge

gordongekko

Deleted User wrote: »

You only have to observe the patterns of their land & property purchases to see the long term plans

And how would I be able to observe them?

gordongekko

gordongekko wrote: »

And how would I be able to observe them?

I guess you would have to have seen the same as me. For over 2 decades I lived near to it, travelling the length of Newcastle and University roads several times a week. Every time a property came up in certain areas, they bought it, without exception.

There were a few where the ownership changed hands without a for sale sign ever being put up. The only give away was a NUIG sign being mounted on the wall by the door signifying it was now the location for some office or service.

Its clear as day when you look at certain sections of Newcastle road, Distillery road, Nuns Island and University Road.

Personally I've no issue with it, just saying that it all fits to show long term planning.

xckjoo

Deleted User wrote: »

I guess you would have to have seen the same as me. For over 2 decades I lived near to it, travelling the length of Newcastle and University roads several times a week. Every time a property came up in certain areas, they bought it, without exception.

There were a few where the ownership changed hands without a for sale sign ever being put up. The only give away was a NUIG sign being mounted on the wall by the door signifying it was now the location for some office or service.

Its clear as day when you look at certain sections of Newcastle road, Distillery road, Nuns Island and University Road.

Personally I've no issue with it, just saying that it all fits to show long term planning.

They have general plans of buying up land but the purpose for the land isn't always figured out. And the building work often suffers from "design by committee" syndrome.

My point really is not to assume that the Nuns Island redevelopment plan is going to be great just because the university is involved. Presumably there'll be public consultations and stuff coming up.

dinneenp

7-10 million! Sounds excessive.

Are there full plans available, I'm aware it mentions plaza as well as bridge.

what_traffic

dinneenp wrote: »

7-10 million! Sounds excessive.

Are there full plans available, I'm aware it mentions plaza as well as bridge.

Agree on first glance - repairs for Salmon Weir Bridge itself must be part of this as well?

Ashleigh1986

Why not take away both footpaths and widen existing road ?
Attach a pedistrian wooden bridge on either side depending on which side your walking on .
Hardly a 7 million project !!!
Than again public money .

what_traffic

Ashleigh1986 wrote: »

Why not take away both footpaths and widen existing road ?
Attach a pedistrian wooden bridge on either side depending on which side your walking on .
Hardly a 7 million project !!!
Than again public money .

Wait till ya hear about the Galway City Ring Road....:D

Wood? Really. Humidity(i.e the Damp) in Galway City will render it useless in a decade or two. Stone is the only way to go - but will probably be a "metal" type bridge that will go in.

jkforde

this bridge will be welcome.. just wish that they'd maintain the public transport infrastructure that's already there... the riverside walk is in poor condition and the cycle lanes need some tlc.... we're great for building, not in our dna to maintain

what_traffic

jkforde wrote: »

this bridge will be welcome.. just wish that they'd maintain the public transport infrastructure that's already there... the riverside walk is in poor condition and the cycle lanes need some tlc.... we're great for building, not in our dna to maintain

Agree

DirtBanjo

I do not care if this new pedestrian bridge helps with traffic flow or not but if it means that people can walk across safety it will be money well spent. The number of near misses I have had and witnessed with bus mirrors and car trailers over the years is no joke. Only a matter of time until someone get badly hurt.

Utopia Parkway

DirtBanjo wrote: »

I do not care if this new pedestrian bridge helps with traffic flow or not but if it means that people can walk across safety it will be money well spent. The number of near misses I have had and witnessed with bus mirrors and car trailers over the years is no joke. Only a matter of time until someone get badly hurt.

Always amazed that there hasn't been more collisions on the Salmon Weir. Both vehicles and pedestrians. I'm sure they have been loads of little dunts that have gone unreported.

1perriwinkle

xckjoo wrote: »

My point really is not to assume that the Nuns Island redevelopment plan is going to be great just because the university is involved. Presumably there'll be public consultations and stuff coming up.

I was at a public consultation about this last week where they invited local residents to have a say in the future of nuns island and help come up with a ‘master plan’ for the development of the area.
If the consultant (working for/with NUIG) is to be believed, they don’t have any fixed idea yet of what they will do with the area. But the uni own a lot of land there, and if they got the Bish school as well, they could do a massive overhaul of a big chunk of land.
I had to leave before the end unfortunately but some of the locals were quite irate about how the uni have let so many buildings in the area become run down, not helped by the sides/presenter referring to it as “a dilapidated area” - not very flattering if you’re a resident there!

what_traffic

1perriwinkle wrote: »

I was at a public consultation about this last week where they invited local residents to have a say in the future of nuns island and help come up with a ‘master plan’ for the development of the area.
If the consultant (working for/with NUIG) is to be believed, they don’t have any fixed idea yet of what they will do with the area. But the uni own a lot of land there, and if they got the Bish school as well, they could do a massive overhaul of a big chunk of land.
I had to leave before the end unfortunately but some of the locals were quite irate about how the uni have let so many buildings in the area become run down, not helped by the sides/presenter referring to it as “a dilapidated area” - not very flattering if you’re a resident there!

It is a fair criticism of the University. The "NEW" Alice Perry Engineering Building in the North Campus, Newcastle has been operational a fair number of years now.

xckjoo

what_traffic wrote: »

It is a fair criticism of the University. The "NEW" Alice Perry Engineering Building in the North Campus, Newcastle has been operational a fair number of years now.

LOL. I think "dilapidated" is a fair description of the area; and not just the NUIG buildings (can think of 4 off the top of my head). Nearly half the area is a car park. It's only in the last few years that the houses on the Millstreet end have started being renovated. That old office building looks like it hasn't been used in 30 years (despite only being empty a few years). The Bish looks like a young offenders institute. On the NUIG side, the CIMRU building (or whatever it's called now) should be knocked, but actually got a lick of paint after they got the engineers out so doesn't look too bad. The old distillery/mill has vintage charm to its appearance and is likely to be a protected structure anyway. The old offices could definitely do with a bulldoze or something.



Maybe 'neglected' would be a better description.

what_traffic

Another proposal
https://twitter.com/ccferrie/status/1097954808605143040/photo/1

Zzippy

what_traffic wrote: »

Another proposal
https://twitter.com/ccferrie/status/1097954808605143040/photo/1

As I understand it that was the original plan that was put forward several years ago. Not sure why it was dropped.

Zzippy

Zzippy wrote: »

As I understand it that was the original plan that was put forward several years ago. Not sure why it was dropped.

Most likely cost

It's a lot more expensive to build a bridge for vehicular traffic than foot and bicycles

Laviski

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Most likely cost

It's a lot more expensive to build a bridge for vehicular traffic than foot and bicycles

It's a fine a example of making the wrong decisions or short sighted ones. Traffic would move a lot more freely rather than buses getting caught making turns at the courthouse.

What should be built is what benefits city in the longer term rather than what should have being built 15 years ago.

Laviski

Laviski wrote: »

It's a fine a example of making the wrong decisions or short sighted ones. Traffic would move a lot more freely rather than buses getting caught making turns at the courthouse.

What should be built is what benefits city in the longer term rather than what should have being built 15 years ago.

Agreed

what_traffic

Deleted User wrote: »

Most likely cost

It's a lot more expensive to build a bridge for vehicular traffic than foot and bicycles

Ya your right - but in strange way this has forced Council to consider the bus gate option for existing Salmon Weir Bridge. I think this really is the first time they will have implemented something that restricts Private Car Access through the City. One Way Streets or eliminating right hand turns do not count in my book as they are always done to increase car traffic flow.

zell12

Works starting on Gaol Road side. Trees cut down, shrubbery cleared, cranes entering. Expect traffic snarl-ups

Stevolende

Couple of shots I took last week before I took i that was where the bridge was going.

I think I was just a but disappointed that more and more trees were being brought down. But the narrowness of the pavements on the existing bridge are pretty restrictive. Enough room for one person to pass in each direction if they are watching where they are going.

Normally dealing with people walking in pairs, or looking at their phones or trying to cross the road when there's a break in traffic though.

Stevolende

Also walking towards there from the end of Francis st yesterday you can see more clearly where the space the bridge will occupy has been cleared. I was in a rush to get to an event i was late for so didn't get a photo

gordongekko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118725697#Comment_118725697

How could they possibly build the bridge in that location without touching the tree?

Laviski

Stevolende

I saw yet more trees being removed after having seen apparently healthy trees cut down across town for a number of years so was disappointed to see it happen again. Which was why I took the photo when i did. Before posting here I realised that there was a reason for it happening in this situation since crossing that existing bridge can be a pain, I think I said that in the original comment or at least said that my respoonse was before i realised that was where the bridge was going.

I think the trees there have been there for longer than I've been in town so they are a feature I associate with that space. They were mature trees so presuambly much longer than that so it is a shame taht they had to go for this. Does seem to be a more logical cause for sacrifice/removal than some I've seen. Still not happy that trees in general seem to be superfluous to planning design. Since they do contribute to the environment so much. Or at least trees seem to be viewed as disposable and not a permanent part of the environment. So would far prefer it if removing trees was avoided where possible or unless absolutely necessary. Could be wrong about existing application but the idea of trees as a disposable feature just doesn't feel like the best approach to me.

zell12

Where is the bridge pre-fabricated? How many pieces will the walking surface bit be in?

Green Peter

Its actually made from the same stuff as the GAA dome in Mayo and is inflated, very safe and economic.

dinneenp

I heard of Galway Bay FM, it being called 'iconic'. Please stop this, it's a bridge. Same happened with the Eyre Square re-development. Setting aside the final cost of it, public figures were calling it a 'world famous square.' It's not, no need for this hyperbole

Brendan McGrath, Chief Executive of the council, said that this was a “milestone” event in the delivery of an “iconic new bridge” for the city.

“This world-class bridge will remove current conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists, and traffic, and will enhance links between both sides of the river, as well as facilitating the Cross-City Link public transport corridor over the existing 200 year old bridge.”

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118977922#Comment_118977922

World class my eye, it aint wide enough + it tapers in the center of it which will probably lead to conflicts between scooter and bike users with pedestrians. They solve one problem and then create another one.