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

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120136221#Comment_120136221

Errr... They definitely remove all the leaves on Griffith Avenue! Pretty big operation.

It does need to improve though. The issue is they leave all the leaves fall first before clearing them. So there is a dodgy period of a few weeks when there are lots of leaves on the ground before they come. I do think they need to get a street/leaf cleaning type machine designed to fit the bike lane and have it run up and down the bike lane every few days so it doesn't build up in the first place. At the moment they are out with shovels and brushes, should definitely be easier ways.

BTW this is nothing new, it has been the same on the footpaths for years, I've had many slips or near slips with the leaves on the footpath too.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120136653#Comment_120136653

I cycled it a lot this year, and it was pretty bad on a lot of occasions. I also noticed locals out a couple of times doing massive leaf clear ups.

I've also noticed a lot less of those street sweepers than there used to be, a decade or more ago. But you'd think one of those would be perfect.

p_haugh

I know DLR invested in some bike-lane sized lane sweepers back at the start of covid when the CMR was first set up.

I seem to rmember that DCC also got some? I could be wrong though.

bk

"I cycled it a lot this year, and it was pretty bad on a lot of occasions. I also noticed locals out a couple of times doing massive leaf clear ups."

Yes, I walk Griffith Avenue every day. They work with the residents who live along the road to do a big leaf clean up after they fall. People take the leaves from their gardens and front of their houses into decomposable bags which are then collected by DCC and there are now also mulch cages for leaves.

Looks like they do have street cleaning machines too:

"Waste Management will have staff sweeping footpaths, the compact sweeper will also clear footpaths, the large road sweeper will clear the main road followed by the compact sweeper. "

https://www.gadra.ie/latest-news/archive-articles/307-dcc-leaf-collection-plan-2022-for-gadra-area.html

I do think they do a relatively decent job. What they need to improve on is consistently using the street cleaner on the cycle paths as the leaves start to fall, rather then just waiting a few weeks until they have all fallen.

Of course this would all have been easier for them if they had built the cycle lane as a two lane cycle lane on one side of the road, rather then both sides. Could just do one run with the street sweeper rather then two.

Beta Ray Bill

Walked by this morning

This is the Semi Permanent Cone setup on the road

This is the Cycle lane.

I thought it was going to be a two way system (dunno why I thought that) anyway it's defo not wide enough for 2

Traffic was backed up heavily enough down the coast road at approx 8:15am

bk

Yes, I took a walk down to Clontarf over the weekend.

The traffic lights here look to be temporary lights, they have large bricks all around the bottom of them. There is also no road markings and the bike lane across the top of Alfie Byrne Road isn't in place, nor is the island on Griffith Avenue finished.

Frankly the whole place looked like a massive building site, they appear to be far from finished.

I wouldn't read too much into how things are laid out at the moment. I would assume that there will replace/fix the traffic lights, add a yellow junction box, road lining, etc. before it is finished.

Yes the cones on the Bus lane is a bit mad. If it continues to be an issue once complete, then they should use bollards to separate the bus lane from the general lane along this approach stretch, like near Collins Avenue.

Yes, the cycle lane is one way only unfortunately. There will be a new cycle lane on the North side of the road too for the Clontarf direction.

BTW It was chaos around there on Saturday, they appeared to be relaying/tarmacking the middle lane inbound. The road was reduced to just two lanes total, one in each direction and there much have been a dozen dump trucks lined up waiting to offload.

Laughable that some people think all this is for a cycle lane!

Shedite27

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120150058#Comment_120150058

They were working on the surfacing all day Sunday too

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120150058#Comment_120150058

It is a building site, and will be for ages. This project has a end date of December 2023, so it's basically got a year to run yet.

bikeman1

There will be some small gains before the end date. The inbound bike lane will be open while the switch over to the other side in Fairview. This will be more disruptive for pedestrians all along Fairview with a building site right at the door of all the business premises. It should however be quicker as that side doesn't need a massive new pipeline to be installed.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120150058#Comment_120150058

Laughable that some people think all this is for a cycle lane!

It's not really given that almost every news article about the works describe it as a cycle path and either fail to mention or very discreetly mention the main works happening.

Nobody gives a toss about a water pipe being upgraded so the media outlets mention cycle paths because they know it will get a reaction.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120137846#Comment_120137846

Cycled both directions between Malahide Rd and Drumcondra Rd this morning. Still a lot of leaves in the cycle path, and most there a long time so well rotted. A few sections where it wouldn't be safe if you needed to brake.

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120137014#Comment_120137014

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120137846#Comment_120137846

Here's a pic of the ones DLR are currently using

https://twitter.com/garretbaldwin/status/1619993925607124995?t=Y2plKStObgsfT3XnjJ5JOA&s=19

Murph_D

Work has started now on the outbound side of Amiens St.

Citizen Six

Another of the loud voices against the project seems to be selling up the business premises. The ad describes it like it's a home though. 😂

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120238557#Comment_120238557

That business appears to have been sold last Summer to a group based elsewhere so I'm not seeing how the works affected this...

https://mwmlegal.ie/mwm-advise-on-the-sale-of-the-insurance-shop-limited/

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120238630#Comment_120238630

Hadn't realised he had already sold. He made plenty of complaints of being forced out of business by the plans, over the past couple of years.

No issue with the two massive apartments works going on right beside him. One of which took away parking just beside him.

Pawwed Rig

I cycled through Fairview yesterday much later than usual (between 8:30 and 9) and it was absolute bedlam. It has convinced me that cyclists sharing lanes with buses and taxis is really not a good idea. Traffic was being held up by the buses so was going slow but even with that the taxis and cars (who ignored the restrictions) were pushing past cyclists (there were a lot of cyclists) at every chance they got despite having to almost immediately stop due to congestion in front. Then they would pull in so tight that all the bikes were having to filter around to the cars right.

It culminated in a moped and a cyclist having a coming together with both ending up on the road (neither hurt afaik).

I can see why many are reluctant to cycle

CatInABox

Tis a bit of a disaster there at the moment alright, worse so since they have started moving the works to span across the road. The layout seems to change everytime I'm heading through there now.

Should get a slight bit better soon though, apparently the inbound portion may be finished in May sometime.

bikeman1

I spoke to a business owner in Fairview and they have been told works on the shop side will commence towards the end of March.

They are nearly finished on the park side, just waiting on one final piece (lighting I think) and then they can flip over.

They will effectively be doing two strands on the shop side. One away from the buildings to maintain pedestrian access along the path. And then switching to beside the shops. Always maintaining access to the businesses along Fairview.

It would be great to see some of the new bike Lane opening to remove the madness alluded to above.

It was also mentioned that the works on that side involve complete pipe renewal to all the premises, plus upgrading all utilities. It’s not just on street upgrades, but sub surface too. Basically using this once in a generation opportunity to do everything possible in Fairview.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120283003#Comment_120283003

I spoke to a business owner in Fairview and they have been told works on the shop side will commence towards the end of March.

Did they comment on how the works so far had affected them and whether the coming works and the eventual cycle lane would affect them?

bikeman1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120283261#Comment_120283261

The works are causing disruption in that people now avoid Fairview because of even greater traffic.

The work outside the door will be even more disruptive (going through an active building site to get to a business.

However, they feel the long term benefits will be worth it, as the place could do with a facelift.

veryangryman

Does anyone else miss the old thread title? Ot had soul and indeed, was pretty apt.

Sir Galahad

Fairview yesterday. It’s like a war zone.

highdef

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120289643#Comment_120289643

Your photo and your comment are completely unrelated. How can a makeshift sign informing people that the location is not a bus stop have any sort comparison to an area where a war is in progress? I really cannot understand the message you are trying to convey.

I've never been in an area where there is a war in progress but if what you're describing is what a warzone is like, then it seems far less deadly than I had originally anticipated.

highdef

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120288003#Comment_120288003

The current title seems perfectly apt and I'm unlikely to confuse the topic in hand with anything else so the answer is a resounding NO from me.

AngryLips

Works seems to have commenced on the cycle lane on the north bank of the Tolka on the south side of Fairview Park to link the main cycle route to Alfie Byrne Road, at least it appears that work has started because they've started clearing the trees on the bank of the river on the east side of the dart line.

Citizen Six

Surface is getting there!

d51984

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295826#Comment_120295826

Seen this yest while passing on the bus, This is the Howth Rd end yea? Its starting to take shape and hopefully will get people out of their cars and on to bikes.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297576#Comment_120297576

Yeah, that's just at the Howth road junction. looks like it'll be open in good time for the better weather and longer evenings.

d51984

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298753#Comment_120298753

I had to meet someone in Ballybough yest, Got H1 in (Im in Kilbarrack) but jumped on a Bleeper bike home. What a fantastic cycle all along Clontarf/Dollymount then up Kilbarrack Rd, Fairview is going to be a fantastic addition to this once finished. Bear in mind last year I was 100% all car.

The H spine (bus) is great it really is, that option of a bike to rent (Bleeper. cant remember the yellow one) is a god send. We are getting there folks slowly but surely.