Clontarf to City Centre Cycle & Bus Priority Project discussion (renamed)

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658824#Comment_121658824

 - Cars queuing from Clontarf Rd to turn left on to Alfie Byrne Road are queuing in the bus lane back to the Yacht pub in the morning. This blocks 3 bus stops.

 - bus routes on both Clontarf Road and Alfie Byrne Road are being delayed.

This will not improve when the construction work is completed.

In fairness, it will definitely ease once people are allowed to drive down North Strand again, at the moment people are diverting down Alfie Byrne Road to avoid the hassle of heading into the C2CC works. Once they finish up, it should ease. It will still be a problem, but not to the same extent.

There's been a ridiculous amount of roadworks in this one area over the past year, all of which is contributing. C2CC, the Greenway works on Alfie Byrne, the new bus stop on Alfie Byrne, the cycle lanes on East Wall Road, an unreal amount.

The Malahide road Core Corridor project will probably be starting soon too, now that it's got planning.

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659405#Comment_121659405

Wow you reckon they'll start on the malahide road soon? Does it not need to go out to tender? Imagine being able to roll all the way from Clare Hall to Connolly Station on separated cycle lanes. The stuff of dreams.

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659475#Comment_121659475

Yes, sorry, "soon" in this case is relative. We've been waiting so long that later this year would be soon for me, and I think that's definitely possible.

ontour2

Is there any live or recent tracked data on this project? For example, How has the mix of traffic modes on these roads changed over the last two years? How has the average point to point time changed? Have the number of reported accidents in the area reduced?

It seems bizarre to me that there are good aspirations for the initiative that can be tracked with actual data that can be used to improve this design or future designs. It also tells the story of the journey through the old state to the implementation to hopefully the result in the future.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659684#Comment_121659684

Such data collection and analysis would be relatively pointless while the project is on gonig, you would have to wait until after the project is finished and has time to bed in, ideally a year.

ontour2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121660054#Comment_121660054

Explain why it would be pointless please? Every change along the way has an impact, it is useful to see the effect of these changes. The data can lead to better delivery of these projects i.e. faster and cheaper. It can highlight flaws in the design quickly so that changes can be made while the builders are still on site, again faster and cheaper.

You would like to think that we would want to do more projects like this in the future and learn from mistakes. While before and after data is great, it misses the detail and the nuances of each change.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121660198#Comment_121660198

Because it is all a building site at the moment. No useful data could be gleaned from that.

Of course lessons can be learned from aspects like project planning, management, traffic management, etc. I'd hope those lessons will be used while building out the BusConnects infrastructure projects.

Thelonious Monk

Just in gym and come out to this mess. Who are these people that think it's a good idea to drive to that car park at the busiest time of the week? So odd to me that you'd sit there blocking a bus and bike lane for 10 minutes queuing instead of parking elsewhere and walking a bit.

Gloomtastic!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121662005#Comment_121662005

It always strikes me as odd that people go to a gym to get fit but are too lazy to walk an extra 50 metres to get there. 🙄

Tenzor07

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121662005#Comment_121662005

What's more shocking is that the owners of those old cars in the picture don't appear to have functional heating fans in the car to demist the windows!

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121664147#Comment_121664147

probably been sat there so long their batteries have died

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121662005#Comment_121662005

This has been like this for year and years even back when I was a member of Westwood some 20 years ago.

The overflow is usually full at this time too. The Problem is that Westwood is over subscribed and doesn't have the required parking facilities. which is interesting given the price of the monthly subscription.

Even still to this day, it's Ireland ONLY 50m swimming pool (Olympic class). If it were to ever close, there'd be a lot of flack. So Westwood seem to be able to do what they want. (Anyone remember Barcode... and all the messing that went on with it?)

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121664277#Comment_121664277

there are a few other 50m now, think UCD has one and the national aquatic centre.

Yes the overflow would probably be full on a Tuesday evening too at that time, I just don't work around this if they're going there at this time. Park elsewhere or don't bring the car. Just a case of collective car brain.

given the amount they charge and the amount of people that cycle there, their bike parking is a joke, mostly just those things you put your wheel into for them to get buckled.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121664277#Comment_121664277

Sorry, that's not true at all. Westwood has never been an Olympic standard pool. There are 3 Olympic pools in Ireland. Limerick being the first one, over 20 years ago.

Pete_Cavan

It was said before that part of the issue with the Westwood car park is parents dropping off/picking up kids. Could it operate as pick up/drop off only at certain times? i.e. a barrier system, take a ticket to get in, if you leave within 15 minutes, you don't pay.

They should be told to remove spaces in order to accommodate the cars queuing on their land. If cars are constantly queuing onto and obstructing public spaces, DCC should take action against them.

You really have to wonder why people are willing to spend so much time in their car in order to go to the gym. This mentality that you have to park as close as possible to the building you are going to really baffles me. People will give up significant amounts of time in order to park closer, it's like they think time stands still when they are in their car; the 1 minute they saved in the shorter walk from the car to the building is a saving but the additional 10 minutes in the car waiting for that space doesn't count as a loss.

loco_scolo

Took a stroll through North Strand to Connolly. The outbound works are at various stages of completion, some almost done others a while away.

Interesting to see the level of older pipes, wires and utilities buried at various depths. Another section had exposed huge tree roots and they had dug under them. Hugely complex.

Just a few pics:

CatInABox

There's a bit in Fairview that's almost totally finished, at the Javaholics coffee shop, which is almost totally finished, and it really looks great. From the shop all the way out to the road is done, and around down past the bridge towards the front of the Joeys. Even the planter area along the wall here looks great.

It really looks top class, if the rest of the finish is this good, it'll be one of the best finished places in Dublin.

Shedite27

I'm far from a Westwood smypathiser but am a member and have kids in creche so plenty of experience in it. A few things to note...

1. As someone pointed out, the overflow is always full in the evening this time of year, so the the "can't be bothered to walk 50m" comment isn't really relevant
2. Westwood creche parents do have a pickup, parents are asked to "skip" the queue, essentially drive in the out side of the gate. I've hated this forever, my wife who's a nervous driver hates it to the point she'll park in the dart and hope she doesn't get clamped for 10mns rather than do it. That's what's happening in the photo above. As I said I hate it and WW really need to find a better solution to that.
3. Westwood have asked the council to make it no right turn outbound into WW. I think this would work better for everyone. Hopefuly council go along with that plan. Same leaving WW should be no right turn to Clontarf. You then have more people using overflow as they know they can't get back to Clontarf easily from the main carpark (granted we already know this is at capacity at peak).
4. The bike lane should have a yellow box on it to remind drivers they can't stop there. Minor thing but it wrks on roads, might work on cycle paths if samerules apply.
5. Weekends WW gets worse again, swimming lessons plus birthday parties add to the meyhem.

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121669074#Comment_121669074

Yeah, it's not like they are oblivious to all this either, there's just not much that they can do. When they originally went for planning permission here, it was with a much larger car park. DCC are the ones that cut it down to the current size.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121669074#Comment_121669074

I'm pretty sure there's already no right turn when leaving Westwood. Nobody obeys the sign though. It's been there for years, but not sure if it's currently in place due to the works.

Shedite27

I think WW put that in themselves, current ask/proposal is for DCC to put bollards or something down the road to prevent it

Gloomtastic!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668893#Comment_121668893

You can see the ‘join’ there where the new and the old meet. They may tidy it up later but there’s a definite ‘feck it, that’ll do’ about it.

Thelonious Monk

couldn't believe the amount of cyclists going inbound on this today at around 0830, it really will be worth it in the end

Seth Brundle

<off Topic>

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668877#Comment_121668877

In your image of Newcomen Br. (below) I happily note the pipework buried in the bridge. Many many years ago, I was working on a project in the DCC offices (a North East Inner City Renewal project) and somehow during a chat with the DCC lad I was working alongside, I mentioned how some of the pipework went "in" the bridge (as I had often seem them digging to fix something) and he flatly aid I was wrong and all utilities crossing the canal wouldn't have been sunk into the bridge but would have crossed the canal to the side of the bridge. He even got a colleague to back him up and I was made feel like a feckin eejit.

Glad to see that whilst I may well be a feckin eejit, I wasn't wrong on this particular point!

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121670035#Comment_121670035

is it no wonder this is all taking so long if the council don't even know where the bleedin' pipes are going

expectationlost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121669226#Comment_121669226

if they couldn't get a big enough car park, why build it there?

loco_scolo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121670035#Comment_121670035

Hahaha delighted for you to be proven right. When I walked past, the lads were debating what pipe was what, and how they would manage to get around the old pipes... they didn't seem best pleased!

I'd like to think it was the same lads that told you you were wrong 😅

Citizen Six

https://x.com/Nialltoner/status/1750804873845629077?s=20

bikeman1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121674857#Comment_121674857

What's class about that is the amount of cyclists in the 22 seconds of the clip. And a shout out to the guy who puts his hand up to the driver. Hopefully his middle finger was up too!

Citizen Six

Drivers are getting worse.

Murph_D

Jesus. At least that contraflow driver can see the approaching cyclists they are blocking. 🙄

markpb

The motto used to be 'paint is not protection'.

The motto should now be 'paint or slightly raised kerbs are not protection'.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121705031#Comment_121705031

Two weeks ago on the Griffith Avenue cycle lane, I watched a Porsche drive about 50 meters the wrong way along the cycle lane (yes between the footpath and the raised curbs) to get out of a parking space!

Loads of folks at school pick up time, park outside of the designated parking spaces, the worst offenders park in the cycle lane. Thus blocking a cycle lane that was supposed to be designed for children to safely cycle to school!

Thelonious Monk

https://twitter.com/randompadd80784/status/1752974191760998418

give me strength, this f**king fool thinks he's a politician

Citizen Six

That traffic looks to be the same as it always was to be honest. It was always backed up on that stretch.

I saw some guy on a facebook group claiming they aren't going to have an inbound traffic lane when it's finished. Some guy rebutted what he was saying, and even took aerial photos, which he overlaid with the plans showing the inbound lane. The guy claimed the photos were out of date google photos, and the locals knew the truth. Claimed there isn't space for another lane, ignoring the space that the worksite is taking up. There's just no getting through to most of these people.

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121714654#Comment_121714654

Yes, it's quite common to hear that actually. I've told several people, several times, that there'd be an inbound lane, but no, they still say it when they complain about it.

spurious

There's plenty room for an inbound lane.

Further towards town, once it's finished, they have to put back the North Strand bus stops they never should have removed. I hope the entrances to the side streets are not in their final state, it's like going up and down a little staircase everytime in the car.

It will be fun when the LIDL Ballybough works start (next week supposedly).

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121715974#Comment_121715974

Where’s the new Lidl going?

spurious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121717191#Comment_121717191

Where the old Annesley motors used to be. There has been a Mud Island mural along the front of the site for a long time. Between O'Sullivan Avenue and Clonliffe Avenue.

Was supposed to have started ages ago, but apparently site clearing starting next week.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121718371#Comment_121718371

Ah yeah, I know the spot well. I just assumed it was going to become apartments. Good catchment area there.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121718606#Comment_121718606

It is a little bit weird as their is another Lidl (and Aldi) just ten minutes walk away at East Wall.

Amirani

The East Wall shops aren't 10 minutes walk away though if you live West of the new Ballybough Lidl. When this opens it will become the closest full service supermarket to Ballybough, Clonliffe, Lower Drumcondra and North Circular Road etc., who have amongst the lowest levels of car ownership in the city, so distance is an important factor.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719338#Comment_121719338

lol I often walk to Aldi in East wall from far North of their!

Dont get me wrong, I get what you are saying, it is just surprising how dominant Lidl in particular has become in the area, with shops here, East Wall, Upper Drumcondra Road, Artane and Santry.

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121715974#Comment_121715974

The raised footpaths are permanent yes, it gives priority to pedestrians and slows cars down. I like them, it looks good, my road is one of the ones with this going on.

spurious

As long as the speedy types on bicycles will have a bit of courtesy allowing cars take it slowly all will be good.

Most cyclists are great but of course you get the odd red light runner who thinks it is my fault he broke the lights and found me in his way.

Saw a couple of near misses at the Ossory Road junction over the last week. The yields and red lights really need to be observed there or someone will be badly hurt.

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719836#Comment_121719836

well the bikes would have right of way i think so cars should be waiting for a break in bike traffic to turn. stand at ossary road for a bit and the amount of motorists that go through after the light goes red is shocking

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719871#Comment_121719871

You mean like pretty much any signal controlled junction around the country?

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720064#Comment_121720064

that one is particularly crazy

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720116#Comment_121720116

Yeah, Ossory road is bad. A lot of drivers coming onto North Strand just keep coming well after the light has changed to red.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719525#Comment_121719525

While the footpaths are raised for pedestrians, I think the road surface either side is yet to be finished, so it will be a smoother transition when it's done.