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State of roads in Cork City

who_ru

I was struck by how bad some of the roads are in cork city while driving around it recently. I have to say that it gave me the impression of a city uncared for. That might sound over dramatic but it really was an eye opener. I don’t think I’ve driven on worse roads in a major town or city in the country. It’s in stark contrast to a lot of the stories I read in the media about how cork is on the rise, there are some impressive developments underway no doubt, but the road surfaces tell a different story.

McCurtain street’s road surface is very rough, although I accept a lot of work is going there at the moment but it really is awful. Along St Patrick’s Quays, heading towards the turn for Heineken brewery is a very poor surface too. But worse was to come when I drove the north ring road which can only be described as appalling.

I really had thought that the local authorities should be doing an awful lot better, particularly if they are trying to push the city as a tourist destination. I live in limerick city, a blow in, but the roads here are far better. Where the roads were in very poor condition the local authority has resurfaced them by and large. This does not seem to be happening in cork at all.

I like Cork city but it was disappointing to see how poor the roads are in some areas.

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ofcork

Have done some resurfacing on douglas road as well.

Be right back

Any chance of them repainting road markings around the place now too?

whatever76

ofcork wrote: »

They are finally resurfacing the grand parade after all this time.

Thats great news - it was SOOO bad ... not even funny !!

ofcork

That's whats being done now.

rob316

They resurfaced up by the cathedral and gillabbey st, which was badly needed. I drive that to work every morning and due to how tight it is your forced into a pothole on the bend.

the beer revolu

TheChizler wrote: »

Hopefully they repair the paving at the same time.

Paving for pedestrians??
Pfft!
They don't pay "road tax".

TheChizler

ofcork wrote: »

They are finally resurfacing the grand parade after all this time.

Hopefully they repair the paving at the same time.

JackieChang

The absolute cut of the road outside the old Capitol. Just where the traffic lights are.

I don't drive through town often but drove that street a few days ago and thought I was in Bangladesh or something. The car was rattling and my arse was in bits. Absolutely ****ing awful.

ofcork

They are finally resurfacing the grand parade after all this time.

efanton

What most people do not understand is our roads were never designed with the amount or weight of the traffic that is now on them.
roads that were originally built for horse and cart are now being used by HGV's.

The foundations of most of the roads are simply insufficient, for some nonexistent, for the loads put on them. That's why you constantly get potholes, cracks, and the top surface breaking up and disintegrating so rapidly.

Simply relaying the top 4 or 5 inches of a road only repairs the road for a short duration, it does not fix the problem.
How many times have we seen the N20 resurfaced, yet every 7 year or so they are at it again.

To really fix them they would have to dig down 4 or 5 feet put in a hardcore and gravel foundation that is properly compacted before even attempting to relay a road surface. Most of the roads in Cork city are hundreds of years old and no decent foundation was ever laid.

Of course to do the job properly would cost millions more, and that's not possible with the yearly budgets the county councils have. So instead they will spend more constantly repairing a road over a decade or two with the road never having been fixed properly, rather than bite the bullet and concentrate on getting fewer roads fixed but fixed correctly. If they did that in my opinion it would be far better. We might have to put up with more sh!te roads in the short term but in the long term at least we know the same roads will not be in a constant state of repair.

Diabhalta

rob316 wrote: »

Our roads will always be bad due to our climate, water gets in everywhere but the process in carrying out repairs doesn't help.

It's not the climate, as said above in other countries the winters are harsher, the roads are bad after every winter pretty much anywhere, but then they are all fixed to a quite good standard. Basically fixed correctly that's all.

TheChizler wrote: »

Clearly the council are never going to get on top of road maintenance, hopefully they start thinking outside the box and coming up with ways of preventing damage, reducing the number of vehicles on the road, that sort of thing. They're not known for innovation though.

No they won't. They are not capable of such thing.

Fabio

rob316 wrote: »

Have you ever actually watched the council repair a road? Some lad throws a shovel of tarmac into a hole, taps with the shovels and he's done.

Our roads will always be bad due to our climate, water gets in everywhere but the process in carrying out repairs doesn't help.

I thought this before as well but it's not true. The actual construction of roads here isn't done right from the first day. I've driven in a number of different countries, many with harsh winter climates and heavy traffic and the roads are better quality. Sure there are repairs but they're better than what we do. They just seem to be designed to cope with it.

TheChizler

Clearly the council are never going to get on top of road maintenance, hopefully they start thinking outside the box and coming up with ways of preventing damage, reducing the number of vehicles on the road, that sort of thing. They're not known for innovation though.

rob316

Cork Trucker wrote: »

While another 3 or 4 stand there looking on.

Yes 3 supervisors needed.

Cork Trucker

rob316 wrote: »

Some lad throws a shovel of tarmac into a hole, taps with the shovels and he's done.

While another 3 or 4 stand there looking on.

rob316

Have you ever actually watched the council repair a road? Some lad throws a shovel of tarmac into a hole, taps with the shovels and he's done.

Our roads will always be bad due to our climate, water gets in everywhere but the process in carrying out repairs doesn't help.

Diabhalta

btw. Here is a thread I started two years ago:

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057877716&page=26

... yes roads are destroyed and it will not be solved anytime soon. Probably never. Place is a kip.

Diabhalta

That right lane on MacCurtain is only temporary I presume??? Bumpy AF!!!

leahyl

Cork Trucker wrote: »

Doesn’t include that, I couldn’t tell you the last time I was near the flying enterprise on foot. The worst of the grand parade is from the fountain to the traffic lights outside the Capitol.

Ok, well a lot of foot traffic between UCC and town in that direction by Flying Enterprise - the foot path (what's left of it, half of it taken over by bike lane) is a is a disgrace and downright dangerous tbh.

Basically, I think we'd be here all day naming out the places that need road resurfacing or footpaths to be replaced

Cork Trucker

Curb Your Enthusiasm wrote: »

Grand Parade is dreadful. Esp the roadway directly outside the English Market. Potholes and poor, random patching everywhere.

It was actually in better condition pre 2007 refurbishment, as hard to believe as that is.

Cork Trucker

leahyl wrote: »

Does this include the very dangerous loose paving across the way from the Flying Enterprise by the River when you come over Nano Nagle bridge? Where on Grand Parade are they talking about? Didn't think it was too bad there?

Doesn’t include that, I couldn’t tell you the last time I was near the flying enterprise on foot. The worst of the grand parade is from the fountain to the traffic lights outside the Capitol.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

leahyl wrote: »

Does this include the very dangerous loose paving across the way from the Flying Enterprise by the River when you come over Nano Nagle bridge? Where on Grand Parade are they talking about? Didn't think it was too bad there?

Grand Parade is dreadful. Esp the roadway directly outside the English Market. Potholes and poor, random patching everywhere.

leahyl

Cork Trucker wrote: »

Praise the lord! I’m tweeting the city council for over a year about it

Does this include the very dangerous loose paving across the way from the Flying Enterprise by the River when you come over Nano Nagle bridge? Where on Grand Parade are they talking about? Didn't think it was too bad there?

Cork Trucker

Rhys Essien wrote: »

https://twitter.com/irelandticker/status/1270362931323113477?s=21

Praise the lord! I’m tweeting the city council for over a year about it

Rhys Essien

https://twitter.com/irelandticker/status/1270362931323113477?s=21

Cork Trucker

ShamoBuc wrote: »

A real pity they didnt have a 2 foot deep 2 foot wide concrete trough with a foot or two encased with earth on top with low growing plants. Something of that order could surely have been done with a pillar or two every 10 foot, that would have grown into something nice rather than an eye sore.

If you’ve seen the local €5 million halting site that was purpose built then nothing is sacred.

ShamoBuc

A real pity they didnt have a 2 foot deep 2 foot wide concrete trough with a foot or two encased with earth on top with low growing plants. Something of that order could surely have been done with a pillar or two every 10 foot, that would have grown into something nice rather than an eye sore.

Cork Trucker

corks finest wrote: »

There years to keep illegal caravan parking away

The ones in that particular photo are there since 2004/5. At one point there was a security hut/barrier there to stop vehicles other than those designated to companies in there from entering, with a security guard on duty 24/7

corks finest

opus wrote: »

I took a walk to the An Post delivery office in Churchfield yesterday to collect a package & couldn't help but notice these on the footpath leading into it. What are they expecting, a lightening panzer attack

There years to keep illegal caravan parking away

efanton

opus wrote: »

I took a walk to the An Post delivery office in Churchfield yesterday to collect a package & couldn't help but notice these on the footpath leading into it. What are they expecting, a lightening panzer attack

Unfortunately anywhere that provides free grazing for a pony, enough space to park a caravan, and is relatively close to amenities will inevitable by occupied by the traveller communities. If there is not grass verge its unlikely the travellers will use it as an illegal halting site.

I would prefer the council spent money on expanding the size of, and improving the services, at official halting sites, and dealing with the issues of pony ownership. If the councils is not going to set up a scheme where their is grazing provided, or an affordable way for travellers to purchase their own paddocks and grazing land, then they should enforce the law and impound the ponies and keep doing it unitl the issue is fully addressed one way or another.

Rather than put concrete obstacles up ,I think the councils should consider removing that grass verges completely, when they have been previously used for pony grazing. If there is no grazing available the there will be no ponies.
Use the extra space to put in cycle lanes or widening the road to enable dedicated bus lanes to be constructed, it seems to me to be a far better use of council funds that blocking paths and verges so that absolutely no one can use them. It would also reduce the constant cost of mowing verges.