Galway traffic

gordongekko wrote: »

Woodquay, Eyre street, Newtownsmith and nuns Island will see increased traffic flows and these roads aren't suitable for this. Has the reasoning around the decision been explained anywhere?

Eglington Street - Eyre Square - Forster Street is the incoming public transport priority route through the centre to prevent buses getting stuck there during rush hour.

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I get the feeling that I'm the only person in this discussion who actually lives in the city centre.

And the only one who has had surgery which prevented me from walking far for a while.

Am I right????

It's actually funny that the city-centre is the focus of ant "fix the traffic " initiatives, because the very centre is not the cause of most of the city's traffic problems.

In a scenario whereby you had a buzzer for a bollard which allowed you to access your home with your car, would you object to the street you live on being pedestrianised?

biko

Is there anything to be said for one more bridge?

biko wrote: »

Is there anything to be said for one more bridge?

There is a better approach.
As a society we need to step back and ask questions about how we want to live and work.

Did the M50 resolve traffic problems in the Dublin region?
It did for a few years.
Overtime it just blows commuters out across a further commuter distance, builds car dependency which in turn drives a need for further investment in roads.
You can see this already in Dublin with shareholders lobbying for more lanes and more roads, more orbital routes on the orbital route, expanded motorway lanes etc. 1,000's of solo-occupant cars commuting 1.5hrs plus each way daily from Portlaoise, Athlone, Tullamore, Dundalk etc.

You cannot win the road game. More roads will continue to induce demand and lock people into a continue road-building cycle.

Is this the society we want to build for ourselves? We are locking people into unhealthy lifestyles. It's the American approach. It's a horrible society in that aspect. It's not necessary. There is a better way.

My question is, in a scenario whereby we had massive investment in non-road infrastructure, would there be a need for the road?
The answer is we don't know for certain.
We do know more roads is at least the last place we need to look to solve Galway traffic problems.

We need to recognise that due to decades of bad planning(no planning) and historical reasons, we have people living in one-off bungalows dotted all over the countryside. 80% of non-urban dwellers in Galway live in one-off houses in the countryside. i.e not in villages or small towns outside Galway.

What is the balance between the needs of this dispersed population accessing the city for which the car will always be a part of their journey and following an approach which future proofs society so that people can live and work with the optimal balance between living, working and commuting.

If building the ring-road was required as part of an overall balanced approach to commuter infrastructure then so be it. There is no balanced approach here. It's simply following along the "build another road" because people in cars want us to build another road.

If we were investing in rail, cycling so that non-car commutes were a viable choice for those who could potentially choose to leave the car at home ( the non dispersed one-off living folks), and in addition we still needed to build the ring road, then so be it.

Lastly, roads are ugly. It would be sad to see a road built through that piece of countryside.

ratracer

[quote="Johnny_BravoIII;114188870"
If we were investing in rail, cycling so that non-car commutes were a viable choice for those who could potentially choose to leave the car at home ( the non dispersed one-off living folks), and in addition we still needed to build the ring road, then so be it.[/quote]

I would also think that the “non-dispersed” would be highly likely to avail of a proper functioning PT system if it functioned correctly, be it trains, bus or cycle.
For example, I live in South Galway, I would absolutely use a dedicated bus P&R ( or a cycle P&R) if it meant not having to waste hours of my life sitting in crappy traffic jams. The problem is it just hasn’t been available, the annual Christmas P&R is nothing but a useless box ticking PR exercise by Galway Co Co.

Plenty in here have echoed the same thing, imagine having a proper trial of this before spending billions on moving the traffic jams a few miles out the road!

ratracer wrote: »

I would also think that the “non-dispersed” would be highly likely to avail of a proper functioning PT system if it functioned correctly, be it trains, bus or cycle.
For example, I live in South Galway, I would absolutely use a dedicated bus P&R ( or a cycle P&R) if it meant not having to waste hours of my life sitting in crappy traffic jams. The problem is it just hasn’t been available, the annual Christmas P&R is nothing but a useless box ticking PR exercise by Galway Co Co.

Plenty in here have echoed the same thing, imagine having a proper trial of this before spending billions on moving the traffic jams a few miles out the road!

Sure agreed. I was aiming at the lowest viable car user.
If we only captured all the people living in towns and villages regionally within a bike and walking distance to a commuter hub, would we need the bridge?

Take school traffic. A sizeable % of school commuters must be from a catchment area of circa 10k. Even we migrated those commuters alone into a viable PT system, do we need the road?

Consider inner city commuter traffic. I know people driving from city centre apartments to work on the Tuam Road. Less than 5k because buses are unreliable and they are not brave enough to cycle. If we only migrated people commuting less than 10k to work into a PT/bike (most days) system, do we need the bridge?

biko

Make buses free for 6 months.
See if that works.

zell12

Parking removed from Dominick St
Orange flexibollards erected, tables, seats and wooden plant boxes in situ

Really looks great, should've been done years ago
https://twitter.com/OwenHanleyLives/status/1289166419435958274?s=20

biko wrote: »

Make buses free for 6 months.
See if that works.

Rabbit-from-hat stuff won't work.

gordongekko

TwoWheeledTim wrote: »

Eglington Street - Eyre Square - Forster Street is the incoming public transport priority route through the centre to prevent buses getting stuck there during rush hour.

But theyll now just be stuck further out as the traffic has now to traverse smaller roads which will be slower and cause more of a backlog further out the route

biko wrote: »

Is there anything to be said for one more bridge?

Johnny_BravoIII wrote: »

Is this the society we want to build for ourselves? We are locking people into unhealthy lifestyles. It's the American approach. It's a horrible society in that aspect. It's not necessary. There is a better way.

It was really hoped that the widening to 6 lanes would solve it in LA. Anything to be said for one more lane?

Jerry Pitiful Month wrote:

I regularly have to access some of these streets with an elderly relative who is unable to walk more than a metres at a time. Close these and they can no longer go about their business in the area. Also what about residents.

You live in 1980s.... UK.... mate! Very backward thinking. Time to visit Europe.

TwoWheeledTim wrote:

This is going to sound harsh, but if you choose to live in a city centre you should be prepared for progressive urban development as the city grows.

Spot on. I actually wanted to say that - time to move out of the centre, sorry.

TwoWheeledTim wrote:

It's inevitable that private car access will be restricted over time as the city grows and can't handle private cars, same as every modern city centre.

You see the problem with Galway is exactly this - and I say it as a blow-in who comes from very large city with excellent infrastructure.

Galway has grown from a town to a city, but its infrastructure has not (a common problem in Ireland). Now, Galway has to make the final step to become a city proper - pedestrianise the centre, high rise in the centre, high density housing, public transport, cycling infrastructure etc. Frankly, there is no way back to township, it's either stagnation being nowhere or morph to a proper city.

The problem is that many inhabitants and commuters from the countryside want Galway to stay a town and not become a city because they are afraid of city and the city concept is foreign to them. This is reactionary, backward and hampers progress of the Galway City.

Galwegians shouldn't listen to them and move forward with making Galway a modern, liveable city.

McGiver wrote: »

Galwegians shouldn't listen to them and move forward with making Galway a modern, liveable city.

We should listen to concerns and do whatever we can to retain Galway's charm while it grows into a city where people can move around freely.

Try understand the lifestyles of everyone that uses the city and design around those when reclaiming road/parking space, we just might all move around differently.

happyoutscan

Was driving in and around Galway today, late morn/early afternoon for first time in a few years.

**** me, the traffic is horrendous. Lights are a disaster.

?Cee?view

McGiver wrote: »

Spot on. I actually wanted to say that - time to move out of the centre, sorry.

You see the problem with Galway is exactly this - and I say it as a blow-in who comes from very large city with excellent infrastructure.

Galway has grown from a town to a city, but its infrastructure has not (a common problem in Ireland). Now, Galway has to make the final step to become a city proper - pedestrianise the centre, high rise in the centre, high density housing, public transport, cycling infrastructure etc. Frankly, there is no way back to township, it's either stagnation being nowhere or morph to a proper city.

The problem is that many inhabitants and commuters from the countryside want Galway to stay a town and not become a city because they are afraid of city and the city concept is foreign to them. This is reactionary, backward and hampers progress of the Galway City.

Galwegians shouldn't listen to them and move forward with making Galway a modern, liveable city.

And in this very large city with excellent infrastructure where you lived, did people have to drive through the centre to get to the other side? Or was there a ring road/bypass/whatever you want to call it, that allowed the middle to be freed up for pedestrians, bicycles, morris dancing, whatever?

ratracer

biko wrote: »

Make buses free for 6 months.
See if that works.

Unless there is a proper, dedicated bus infrastructure, making buses free will make no difference. They have to be prioritised over private car use to have any chance of success!!

?Cee?view wrote: »

And in this very large city with excellent infrastructure where you lived, did people have to drive through the centre to get to the other side? Or was there a ring road/bypass/whatever you want to call it, that allowed the middle to be freed up for pedestrians, bicycles, morris dancing, whatever?

But the new bridge over the Corrib is expected to ease considerably the heavy flow of traffic through the centre of the city. Motorists at present have to pass through the city to get to one of the bridges. The new Corrib bridge will allow them to bypass the city centre.

TwoWheeledTim wrote: »

It was really hoped that the widening to 6 lanes would solve it in LA. Anything to be said for one more lane?

Did you ever consider that people would prefer to sit in traffic In their own car than have to use a bus or cycle? I know I would as I hate busses and I hate cycling.

It may sound harsh but Cycling and public transport is for the poor. I don’t know anyone who owned a car who opts for the bus or cycling rather than driving.

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Did you ever consider that people would prefer to sit in traffic In their own car than have to use a bus or cycle? I know I would as I hate busses and I hate cycling.

That's fair enough, but the city centre shouldn't be allowed to be a waiting room for motorists in private cars.

It may sound harsh but Cycling and public transport is for the poor. I don’t know anyone who owned a car who opts for the bus or cycling rather than driving.

I think some old fashioned businesses have this misunderstanding too.

I'd say about 80% of the people I know that cycle regular own cars, for longer weekend trips or ocassional off-peak bulky errands. The others don't by choice, either dont need it or choose to live somewhere central without parking.

You should do some bike shopping, a lot of the nice cargo and ebikes are worth a lot more than your average second hand car!

Enough of the “May sound harsh but...”, lads. You both want the other guy to go f*ck themselves, we get it.

Galway needs the Ring Road *and* pedestrianisation *and* an integrated cycle lane network *and* methods to encourage park & ride *and* Decent bus services *and* Vehicle access options for city centre residents.

If you’re either/or-ing On *any* of the things on this list, then sit down. You’re a crank who it’s a danger to listen to.

TwoWheeledTim wrote:

We should listen to concerns and do whatever we can to retain Galway's charm while it grows into a city where people can move around freely.

If you listen to concerns too much you end up where Galway has ended - nowhere.

Charm? You can't have it both ways.
Either morph to a proper city or continue to stagnate (albeit with charm) as an ever expanding low density townlet stuck in perpetual traffic jam.

Panthro

Sky train knockncarra to oranmore. One from claregalway to the city centre. Locate them near bus stops. Have a ticket system that takes both.

McGiver wrote: »

Charm? You can't have it both ways.

I mean transform the transport but maintain the charm in the reclaimed "public realm".

?Cee?view wrote:

And in this very large city with excellent infrastructure where you lived, did people have to drive through the centre to get to the other side? Or was there a ring road/bypass/whatever you want to call it, that allowed the middle to be freed up for pedestrians, bicycles, morris dancing, whatever?

Ring Road. City centre fully pedestrianised with the exception of few tram lines going through. Total 13 tram lines, 10 electric bus lines, and 20 bus lines serving the city.

The idea of someone opposing pedestrianisation of a such a tiny city centre in Galway is truly bizarre and baffling. City centres are for relaxing, cafÃ©s, shopping, humans, art and life not for inhaling diesel car fumes and watching car racing.

TwoWheeledTim wrote:

I mean transform the transport but maintain the charm in the reclaimed "public realm".

That's fine. But Galway really needs to grow up, it's like a teenager who wants to stay a child. Galway is a city now and needs to behave like that.

Jerry Pitiful Month wrote:

It may sound harsh but Cycling and public transport is for the poor. I donâ€™t know anyone who owned a car who opts for the bus or cycling rather than driving.

Maybe here in rural hinterlands of Connacht.

Haven't you used Dart? Is that for the poor?

Have you been to any larger city in Europe? Copenhagen? Or even smaller cities in France.
Plenty of people using public transport and cycling all over the place.

You need to expand your horizons, you're suffering from insularism.

McGiver wrote: »

Maybe here in rural hinterlands of Connacht.

Haven't you used Dart? Is that for the poor?

Have you been to any larger city in Europe? Copenhagen? Or even smaller cities in France.
Plenty of people using public transport and cycling all over the place.

You need to expand your horizons, you're suffering from insularism.

Who said European cities are so great? Plenty of “proper” cities around the world wouldn’t dream of pedestrianising.

Ludikrus

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Who said European cities are so great? Plenty of “proper” cities around the world wouldn’t dream of pedestrianising.

As sure as night follows day Copenhagen will get a shout on these kind of threads. Utopia!