From the Munster Express, 1 December 2006
http://www.munster-express.ie/news3.html
By Jamie O'Keeffe
Proposals are to be considered as to how to solve the daily traffic chaos at the Plunkett Station/Rice Bridge roundabout in Waterford city.
Waterford Labour TD Brian O'Shea has been informed by the City Council that it is currently engaging a traffic consultant to review the entire N25 corridor, especially both bridge junctions. In the meantime the Council says it's continuing to monitor the situation.
With an average weekday volume of around 40,000 vehicles, Deputy was told that traffic flows are " optimised" on to and off Rice Bridge at present. " Traffic emerging from the train station activates the pedestrian crossing on the N9, thereby assisting access to the roundabout. With the present arrangement, it is not possible to give a dedicated signalised exit from the train station" , the local authority said.
While these changes to the junction have made it easier for traffic heading towards Kilkenny, Clonmel or New Ross, cars coming out of the train station face a game of roulette just to try > get on the roundabout. Rail passengers emerging from the station carpark, or people doing drop-offs/pick-ups, can find themselves stuck for ages at the exit, particularly in the evenings.
Forced to play cat and mouse with cars and trucks coming from both the Dublin road and Waterford city directions, the junction is an accident waiting to happen, and a nightmare for elderly drivers.
Whatever about the Council's review, simply putting a garda or two on point duty at peak times would seem an obvious interim measure.
Any ideas on what they will or could do about the bridge between now and the opening of the new bypass?
One thing that really annoys me is when I'm coming home from Kilkenny at around 6. It's impossible to get over the bridge from the Dublin Road at that time, since all the traffic coming from the city towards New Ross has priority. I've spent up to 20 minutes queuing there.