Getting around Galway

@what_traffic

The City Council annual service delivery plan for 2023 has been released. This is a document required by the Local Government Reform Act, 2014 which the council must release on an annual basis. It outlines the plans for the coming year over a wide range of topics.

You can view it here - https://www.galwaycity.ie/gcccouncilmeetings/#/?cd=%2F2023%2F2.%20February

Below are the transport, mobility and accessibility related items and the required "achievement". This is 20 pages of content condensed down to the basic bits. I've left out stuff like grass cutting, fleet management etc

• Review the GTS - Review published
• BUSCONNECTS - Cross city link - Hearing, tenders and detailed designs completed
• Ring road - Participate as part of the steering group
• BUS CONNECTS: Dublin rd - Public consultation, submit to ABP
• Finish the Martin RAB replacement
• Parkmore Access Improvements - Bus priority designs completed
• Salmon Weir walking/cycling bridge - Open to public
• Clifden railway walking & cycling bridge - Get approval to move to next phase (funding seems to be already granted for this)
• BUS CONNECTS - Add 5 more bus shelters
• BUS CONNECTS: The Crescent - Upgrade street (no idea what this means until designs are released)
• Wolfe Tone bridge 2nd cantilever - Finish design, start construction
• Pedestrian & Cycling safety improvements - Ped crossing at Ability West in Liosbaun, footpath widening at Gentian Hill, and others
• Cycling infrastructure East -
  • Ballyloughane rd/Renmore ave - start construction
  • Doughiska Rd South - start construction
  • Ballybane Rd/Castlepark rd - planning application
• Cycling Infrastructure West -
  • Clybaun rd - detailed design
  • Eglinton Canal - detailed design
  • Bothar Stiofan - planning
• Walking - Millars Lane - Finish construction
• Park & Ride - Identify sites (again!!!!!They've been identify sites for 3 decades ffs)
• Greenways
  • Galway to Dublin - Look at route options from ballyloughane to the city center
  • Galway to Bearna - Review & assess in the context of the GTS review
• Footpaths - Make a map of whats there and based on that, decide a program of works
• Access control points (Kissing gates) - Modify these on Active Travel schemes (but the Council previously stated that there were none present on any "Active Travel Schemes" so fk knows what this means
• Parklets - Install some prototype parklets - @what_traffic will be happy to hear this, its years overdue
• Road safety plan - Publish a new road safety plan
• Speed limits - Implement new limits including 30k limit
• School streets - Publish Scoil Iognaid report & progress designs at multiple other schools
• City center pedestrian area - continue fixing surfaces
• Junctions - Design and implement safety and mobility improvements for pedestrian and cyclist safety & mobility

For those curious, the new speed limit proposals are below

Article on the topic

https://www.galwaydaily.com/news/transport/bye-laws-published-for-30km-h-city-centre-speed-limits/

The bit in yellow is where 30k would apply

The actual by-laws are linked here

Talk of a return of the catering services on trains seems to have been a bit premature for the Galway-Dublin line as the service is not expected to return to that line until some time next year. Personally I usually arrive with my coffee and sandwich and never used the onboard services. There was talk of a trial of putting vending machines on some of the trains instead of a staffed service

https://connachttribune.ie/no-catering-trolley-return-for-galway-dublin-train-until-at-least-2024/

Geuze

• GreenwaysGalway to Dublin - Look at route options from ballyloughane to the city center

Here's my proposal.

When doubling the track to Athenry, hopefully asap, add a cycle track.

With mutiple access points.

LAAN

Is there much happening in terms of light rail? Went to a gluas seminar a while back, and I'm interested in any developments with it, as it would totally revitalise the city imo.

Last thing I heard is that hopefully there will be a feasibility study into it soon.

rustyfrog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321771#Comment_120321771

I think it's to be considered as part of the Galway Transport Strategy review this year.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321771#Comment_120321771

Yeah it's moving along, funding for a feasibility study is on the way or was approved, can't recall, but being realistic there is zero hope of it before the 2050's.

It'll happen, eventually, but it's a long way off

rustyfrog

I think plan it out and put a BRT on the route to validate the demand and optimal route.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120322587#Comment_120322587

What route do you imagine it travelling?

rustyfrog

I haven't studied it in detail! Back of the envelope route...

High frequency corridor, using the upgraded Dublin Road and cross city link. Running through Knocknacarra, Westside, Renmore, Roscam and Doughiska residential areas. Linking Knocknacarra to Parkmore.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320813#Comment_120320813

Is it my eyes or do I spot a 100kmh speed limit for the Dyke Road here

Cross that out - they are using the same Orange Color for the 30kmph zone as 100kmph. Page 8/9 of the document explains

"

FOURTH SCHEDULE Roads in the City of Galway in respect of which a special speed limit of thirty kilometres per hour (30km/h) is prescribed. The following roads: (i) All roads within the area enclosed by a continuous closed boundary, but excluding the boundary itself, with the boundary comprising of:

.

..

...

(ii) L-1004 Dyke Road from the N6 overbridge extending northwards for a distance of 350m.

"

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120322908#Comment_120322908

Might as well to go all the way out to Bearna on the West and Ardaun/Oranmore on the East ( plan for it at least )

ratracer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120324041#Comment_120324041

This is what should be happening, and no developer led buildings should be allowed until it is sorted, but of course Galway City/ County councils will never come up with a long term plan, so if the builders didn’t just carry on, there wouldn’t be a house/ apartment ever built.

Its a sad situation to be honest, but NIMBYISM and parish pump politics will always scupper any long term planning in this country, let alone county.

Some examples:

The Garda station in Renmore, needlessly built out onto the road

Any of the developments along the rail line, instead of ensuring future viability of the railway double tracking

Hell, even the dreadful designs of the traffic light junctions replacing the roundabouts.

If we continue to design for getting around in private cars, well the guess what? People will continue to travel around on private cars!

beardybrewer

Thanks @[Deleted User] this is really good info.

I hadn't heard about a cantilever pedestrian bridge for the other side of the Wolfe Tone bridge. That's welcome news.

I noticed cycling infrastructure for Clybaun said detailed design. So all they're doing for 2023 is drawing up a design?

And only thing on the Galway to Barna greenway is: Review & assess in the context of the GTS review (aka nothing). When is this envisioned to be done? 2030? Or is that being too optimistic?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120324313#Comment_120324313

I hadn't heard about a cantilever pedestrian bridge for the other side of the Wolfe Tone bridge. That's welcome news.

In fairness to GCC, they do deserve praise for the amount of works they are doing to facilitate pedestrian permeability in terms of bridges. Over the space of a few years you'll see

• Salmon weir
• Wolfe Tone 2nd cantilever
• Goal rd - Bowling Green bridge
• Clifden railway bridge

Now the finish date for all of the above, who knows. Based on funding available it should all be done within 4-5 years, but base don past experience, it'll be 10+ years.

I noticed cycling infrastructure for Clybaun said detailed design. So all they're doing for 2023 is drawing up a design?

Yup :/

And only thing on the Galway to Barna greenway is: Review & assess in the context of the GTS review (aka nothing). When is this envisioned to be done? 2030? Or is that being too optimistic?

No clue on the date for the greenway. The review of the GTS has to be completed late this year, early next year and will likely be called the GMATS (Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy). It should see a far greater emphasis on AT & PT and possibly removal of the ring road from the plan completely. This would be in line with what happened in Waterford, Cork, Limerick and most recently, Dublin with the strategies for each of those. If that happens, the budget and timeframes for various elements are wide open for massive improvements across the board.

Its a game of wait and see now as there's not much going to happen, bar the existing few projects, until after the review is completed.

Some numbers released for bus usage in the city

https://connachttribune.ie/galway-citys-most-popular-bus-eireann-services-in-2022/

• 5.6 million pax last year
• Decrease of 0.5% on 2019 numbers
• Routes 401 & 404 both grew
• Routes 402, 403, 405, 407 & 409 all dipped
• Usage numbers (versus 2019 usage)
  • 401 1.3 mil (+25k)
  • 402 578k (-76k)
  • 404 951k (+120k)
  • 405 964k (-1k)
  • 407 332 (-23k)
  • 409 1.48 million (-70k)
  • 424 254k (+50k)

Based on these numbers and reports of the Q4 numbers reported a while back (97% recovery on usage), 2023 is going to be up across the board for all routes

These #'s bode well as justification and evidence for more bus priority infrastructure

From the latest council meeting, details on the Clifden Railway bridge

Here's the chosen option

What it might look like

The route

5.5 million in funding has been assigned to the project through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund

Full presentation here

A presentation was made on the Dublin Road Bus Connects project. Plan is to go to ABP in Q3 this year (most likely Q1 next year). Last update was construction would start in 2026

I made, and encouraged others to make, submissions on the Coast Road to Doughiska section. They seem to have acknowledged it but who knows until revised drawings are released

Carriageway should look like this. the one on the right was what I made a submission on as its only on one small section for no obvious reason, meaning Roscam cyclists & pedestrians would have to cross twice, again, for no obvious reason

Good to see so many submissions

Full presentation here

jkforde

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120324438#Comment_120324438

thanks a lot for your updates, was wondering about this project recently, great to see it being progressed

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120324404#Comment_120324404

The 404 is very impressive considering its frequency. I presume its volume of people from Oranmore coming into the City. Could hit #409 no's if the increased the frequency to every 15minutes from 30 minutes. Both these routes should grow further when the Dublin Road Bus Connects project goes ahead. Cannot see cycling no's taking off on the East side of City until we have a similar bridge to the Clifden Railway over Lough Atalia from Renmore along the line.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120324920#Comment_120324920

Yeah I was stunned by the 404 usage. Its honestly remarkable considering the timetable.

The 404 suffers badly from congestion so yeah, Bus Connects will be a massive benefit for it

As for the line upgrade, that'll come with the Galway to Dublin greenway I think but who knows when thats going to happen

ratracer

That design for the bridge is quite nice, glad to see a bit of imagination winning through. It will be a super link between Eyre Sq/ Woodquay and Dangan.

Paddico

Thats was in the planning when I was in college. I left college in 1998, 25 years ago.

Geuze

Clifden railway bridge - access to eastern side

I presume there will be a ramp access down into Woodquay / Waterside?

Or will people have to continue east to the Headford road?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120325795#Comment_120325795

It will connect to the Dyke Rd. The images I posted above show this though its maybe clearer in the pdf version linked in the post

Mrs OBumble

I'm not even slightly surprised by the 404 popularity. Rather than doubling the frequency outright, I'd make it every 20 mins, and introduce a 2nd route, also every 20 mins, doing Oranmore - Clinic - Briarhill, Parkmore, Tuam Rd, Liosbaun, Cemetery Cross, Quinn bridge, NUIGG, Bushypark, Moycullen.

And: sort out stops in Oranmore too. Oranhill, Lidl, astroturf, towncentre, businesspark at least.

Interesting to see the 424 being listed alongside the city services, and with a city-service DD on it more often.

Not sure exactly why we need all these extra pedestrian bridges though: I'm not seeing an excess of capacity over demand anywhere except Salmon Weir. The new bridge should sort that.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120327300#Comment_120327300

Not sure exactly why we need all these extra pedestrian bridges though

Permeability

sgthighway

Two of what I reckon are the biggest employers in Galway are in Parkmore and Ballybrit yet you cannot get a bus from Oranmore to them.

rustyfrog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120327315#Comment_120327315

This and I think the outgoing CEO is scrambling for some legacy projects now that the ring road looks unlikely and he doesn't have much else to show for his tenure.

Some news on the GTS front.

The Climate Action Plan 2023 was released a few months ago. Yesterday the accompanying document, the Annex of Actions, was released. This basically lists every single thing the govt are going to do, the timelines, who is responsible etc. Once mentioned in this, it is tracked on a regular basis and reported on quarterly in terms of adhereing to the timeline. Late items gets additional focus and scrutiny

The GTS is mentioned twice in it. First relates to a draft release which will be in Q3 this year. The second is in Q4 when there will be a public consultation.

Also mentioned is the completion of design work for the remaining Bus Connects projects in the city.

So those are the likely timelines and will probably be met......I hope

Link to the Annex of Actions for any other sadists out there

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7bd8c-climate-action-plan-2023/

Galwayguy35

Anything being done in the rest of the county I wonder or is it all going to the townies.