Suggestions to improve Limerick traffic

um7y1h83ge06nx · 21-09-2010 10:30am

It's nuts!

I live in Abbeycourt in Fr. Rusell Rd., Raheen. Normally I head straight into town along Nessan's Road.

This morning I pulled out of the estate and the entire road was full going in the direction of the Crescent.

I had to turn left for the Cement factory and loop around up by the South Court onto Nessan's Road.

Why did they fcuk with things? Normally Limerick traffic is pretty okay/

shg101 · 21-09-2010 10:33am

Lilyana Rough Satire wrote: »

Why did they fcuk with things? Normally Limerick traffic is pretty okay/

If I made an equivalent change to the production process I am responsible for, DIDN'T CHECK the effect (ie yesterday afternoon), and came in this morning to chaos I'd be lucky to have a job.

These guys can effect thousands of people and doubt if anyone there gives 2 sh*ts about them.

phill106 · 21-09-2010 10:37am

shg101 wrote: »

If I made an equivalent change to the production process I am responsible for, DIDN'T CHECK the effect (ie yesterday afternoon), and came in this morning to chaos I'd be lucky to have a job.

These guys can effect thousands of people and doubt if anyone there gives 2 sh*ts about them.

just to confirm, it was already bad yesterday afternoon, traffic backed up from condell road to shannon bridge roundabout. Not sure about how bad dock road was as didnt come that way.

Kess73 · 21-09-2010 10:39am

Interesting to see the figures for the tunnel usage that were released the other day for August.

Many may remember that there was lots of talk before it opened of studies showing that 100,000 vehicles a day would be using it, then 50,000 a day was said, then settling in the 25,000 to 30,000 range for daily usage.

The August figures show an average of 13,500 vehicles a day using it.

There may be a grain of truth in comments made by people of certain changes in the traffic system happening in order to prod people into using the tunnel more often and bringing up the tunnel figures.

Builderfromhell · 21-09-2010 12:23pm

Limerick traffic engineer's are constantly making major errors and waste huge amounts of tax payers money.
The new traffic lights at Salesians/Condell rd are a classic example. The amount of traffic that will turn right (from salesians heading to shannon) at this junction must be minimal. If I needed to turn right for Shannon or Ennis I would have avoided traffic and kept to the old Ennis rd.

The red light allowing traffic from salesians to turn right is contributing to the tail back all the way along the Dock rd.

phill106 · 21-09-2010 1:16pm

Builderfromhell wrote: »

Limerick traffic engineer's are constantly making major errors and waste huge amounts of tax payers money.
The new traffic lights at Salesians/Condell rd are a classic example. The amount of traffic that will turn right (from salesians heading to shannon) at this junction must be minimal. If I needed to turn right for Shannon or Ennis I would have avoided traffic and kept to the old Ennis rd.

The red light allowing traffic from salesians to turn right is contributing to the tail back all the way along the Dock rd.

Exactly, the only people who would be turning back that way are parents who drove their babies to salesians and happen to live in that estate by clonmacken.
I think the right turn is a terrible idea. Take it out of the equation, see if it helps.

shg101 · 21-09-2010 1:29pm

Builderfromhell wrote: »

Limerick traffic engineer's are constantly making major errors and waste huge amounts of tax payers money.
The new traffic lights at Salesians/Condell rd are a classic example. The amount of traffic that will turn right (from salesians heading to shannon) at this junction must be minimal. If I needed to turn right for Shannon or Ennis I would have avoided traffic and kept to the old Ennis rd.

The red light allowing traffic from salesians to turn right is contributing to the tail back all the way along the Dock rd.

How ironic that a thread about how to improve the traffic comes just before this collosal balls up. Best way to improve the traffic now is to roll back yesterday's changes.

thesimpsons · 21-09-2010 2:07pm

phill106 wrote: »

just to confirm, it was already bad yesterday afternoon, traffic backed up from condell road to shannon bridge roundabout. Not sure about how bad dock road was as didnt come that way.

lights only turned on at 2.30 yesterday - and the chaos was instant. I would imagine that tunnel traffic would be higher for september compared to August - school and work holidays taking into account for Aug. It certainly seems busier now than earlier in the summer.

whats going to happen when they take away the Shannon bridge aroundabout and put lights there - OMG :eek:

phill106 · 21-09-2010 2:18pm

We may as well all divide by 0.....

Raiser · 21-09-2010 2:27pm

phill106 · 21-09-2010 2:32pm

Raiser wrote: »

LCC is in an infitinite loop between "can you blame anyone else?", and "You poor bastard!"

Raiser · 21-09-2010 2:35pm

phill106 wrote: »

Muppets joe! Muppets!
I mailed info and engineer@limerickcity.ie the pics from this morning.

I hope you laminated and posted them so they can sit around licking them all day......

bobmeaney wrote: »

Agreed! Off topic I know, but Im giving serious consideration to using the tunnel on a daily basis (I travel from shannon direction as well). Can I ask what tag you are using? Looking at the tolltag.ie lease option and it looks ok.

Conspiracy Theorists take note - Damn you crooked Tunnelling Fcukers!!!

phill106 · 21-09-2010 2:38pm

Raiser wrote: »

I hope you laminated and posted them so they can sit around licking them all day......

Conspiracy Theorists take note - Damn you crooked Tunnelling Fcukers!!!

pffft email is free. Was thanked and it was forward to two named limerickcity email addresses. Bet i hear nothing more!

shg101 · 21-09-2010 2:44pm

phill106 wrote: »

pffft email is free. Was thanked and it was forward to two named limerickcity email addresses. Bet i hear nothing more!

Same here. Maybe they're getting their nuts roasted. Doubt it though...

source · 21-09-2010 4:00pm

I posted a suggestion in the roundabout thread, which i will repeat here.

In the UK they have a very simple and effective method of keeping traffic moving, before the light turns green, they turn on the orange light as a warning to drivers that the light is about to change.

Result: when the red and orange change to green, everyone's ready to go. It means that people are ready to move as soon as the light goes green, so while the lights might only be green for 20-30 seconds a good few cars still get through the lights.

This video, shows what I mean, at 51 seconds.

h3000 · 21-09-2010 4:03pm

foinse wrote: »

I posted a suggestion in the roundabout thread, which i will repeat here.

In the UK they have a very simple and effective method of keeping traffic moving, before the light turns green, they turn on the orange light as a warning to drivers that the light is about to change.

Result: when the red and orange change to green, everyone's ready to go. It means that people are ready to move as soon as the light goes green, so while the lights might only be green for 20-30 seconds a good few cars still get through the lights.

Great idea in most contries but we seem to have a huge amount of people who go through the first few seconds of red lights here.

phill106 · 21-09-2010 4:06pm

foinse wrote: »

I posted a suggestion in the roundabout thread, which i will repeat here.

In the UK they have a very simple and effective method of keeping traffic moving, before the light turns green, they turn on the orange light as a warning to drivers that the light is about to change.

Result: when the red and orange change to green, everyone's ready to go. It means that people are ready to move as soon as the light goes green, so while the lights might only be green for 20-30 seconds a good few cars still get through the lights.

I like it, but would it change much? Generally if im first in the queue at a red light, as soon as its green, im gone! I tend to lookout for things like pedestrian lights, watching when they change, or if i can see the lights to my right.

source · 21-09-2010 5:12pm

phill106 wrote: »

I like it, but would it change much? Generally if im first in the queue at a red light, as soon as its green, im gone! I tend to lookout for things like pedestrian lights, watching when they change, or if i can see the lights to my right.

I would be the same as you, but not everyone would do this. So yes i think that it would make a difference.

h3000 wrote: »

Great idea in most contries but we seem to have a huge amount of people who go through the first few seconds of red lights here.

If people were to know that they would be able to get through without problem, then they would be less likely to try to break the red lights.

limklad · 21-09-2010 7:50pm

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Have a bus service from Raheen to Castletroy

As Long they bypass the City, then yes, otherwise it will get caught up with the idiot Limerick City Council insane Traffic Light everywhere and ramdon sequence idea and keep people away from the city and shop elsewhere but here attitude and annoy the hell out of potential customers.

limklad · 21-09-2010 7:59pm

phog wrote: »

It's not all down to traffic lights and raod layouts, some of the traffic back logs are down to poor driving. Teach everyone to obey the rules of the road, be curteous to other road users. On narrow junctions, let oncoming traffic turn right to allow their traffic continue to flow freely. Stop blocking junctions and roundabouts.

You living in planet Zog to believe that teaching everybody the rules of the road will improve their driving, they already know them as they pass the driving test,but do not want to follow them because they do not have to do it again. People know how to be courteous, but do not want to be, we are not in happy land like the US. This is Ireland where we screw each other the wrong way for some sick kicks. do not ask me why???

limklad · 21-09-2010 8:02pm

phill106 wrote: »

LCC is in an infitinite loop between "can you blame anyone else?", and "You poor bastard!"

No I disagree, LCC DO Blames everybody else for their problems of they own making and will continue to screw you and claim it is your own fault for complaining about a problem and then they say there is "NO PROBLEM" for them, because it is your Problem and it does not concern them. Just listen to the City Councillors.

Poxyshamrock · 21-09-2010 10:53pm

limklad wrote: »

As Long they bypass the City, then yes, otherwise it will get caught up with the idiot Limerick City Council insane Traffic Light everywhere and ramdon sequence idea and keep people away from the city and shop elsewhere but here attitude and annoy the hell out of potential customers.

Yeah that's what I mean. Unfortunately the best we have is a bus from UL to Raheen twice a day that is badly publicised and not reliable.

limklad · 21-09-2010 11:23pm

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Yeah that's what I mean. Unfortunately the best we have is a bus from UL to Raheen twice a day that is badly publicised and not reliable.

All busses in Limerick/Raheen are not reliable at the best of times and even less reliable with bad city Traffic management with complements of LCC.

When I was in Germany, the bus was 27 secs late. The old guy beside me complained to the bus driver about his tardiness. I would be jumping over the moon with happiness if that happen here.
Here, I gave up waiting for busses to get into town in the evening. I could be waiting for over 40 mins for a bus that meant to be every 20 mins.
http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1251473934-304.pdf

I would have walk it in 20mins. It is consistently bad with no traffic @8pm to 10pm.

I now end up staying in the local and not bother going into town for a few drinks.

thesimpsons · 22-09-2010 7:55am

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Yeah that's what I mean. Unfortunately the best we have is a bus from UL to Raheen twice a day that is badly publicised and not reliable.

hey, at least you have some kind of a service - there is nothing from Caherdavin/Woodview/Ennis Road area to UL at all - oh wait, ya, there's a bus on a SUNDAY.

phill106 · 22-09-2010 8:12am

Traffic was much better today, did i hear they turned off the lights at salesians?

thesimpsons · 22-09-2010 9:00am

they turned off at about 8.20 - after they had already caused the same chaos as yesterday.

To answer the original question "Suggestions to improve Limerick Traffic" .................. turn off the blasted lights and leave them off

Builderfromhell · 22-09-2010 9:12am

Hadn't expected this thread to become a Salesians traffic light thread but that seems to be a serious bone of contention with people at the moment.
Was driving out the Condell road last night heading to Tesco. Normally 5 mins. quick checkout and 5 mins. back into town.
Stopped at lights for no reason as traffic coming from salesians was turning into town. Lights were green on way back into town which led me to increase speed fearing they would turn red.

On improving traffic generally I reckon if the lights on Henry street were synchronised then a person driving at a safe speed should come to green lights all the way down the street.

Raiser · 22-09-2010 11:41am

thesimpsons wrote: »

they turned off at about 8.20 - after they had already caused the same chaos as yesterday.

To answer the original question "Suggestions to improve Limerick Traffic" .................. turn off the blasted lights and leave them off

I feel so bad for them - Its a complete and utter tragedy that the 3 minutes thought put into this by the intellectual Giants of Limerick City Council has been a wasted, futile, embarrassing, ridiculous, expensive, unnecessary waste of time, money and effort.

Oh well.

- Nothing new then.

Presumably they will 'fix' this problem of their own design and implementation in the same time frame as the unbelievably sequenced set of lights by the Horse and Hound Pub

- The only traffic Lights on the Planet that seemingly never turn green.

How could they not know these things so many months later?

Do these People even drive around their own City?

- Or are they just too embarrassed to return to the scenes of their crimes against Motorists :mad:

Berty · 22-09-2010 11:45am

Unless they can swallow their pride those lights will remain there forever. They will not be removed because somebody will have to admit they were wrong and cost the council a hell of a lot of money.

Leave them and and lets forget this ever happened.

Raiser · 22-09-2010 11:52am

Berty wrote: »

Unless they can swallow their pride those lights will remain there forever. They will not be removed because somebody will have to admit they were wrong and cost the council a hell of a lot of money.

Leave them and and lets forget this ever happened.

Yep - They would def. do this if they thought they'd get away with it.

However its approx 4km of a gridlocked tailback from these lights to the Tunnel link at the end of the Dock Road.

Not to mention all the other brand new traffic chaos on every other route filtering into this travesty.

- Its going to be damn hard to sweep all those enraged, 30 minutes late for work, Michael-Douglas-in-Falling-Down Drivers under the Carpet.

Berty · 22-09-2010 11:57am

In fairness though, I wonder what traffic is like in the mornings around Lower Shelbourne road because Im sure the lights are benefiting those people.

kilburn · 22-09-2010 12:13pm

maybe they were told by the nra to put the lights there?

shg101 · 22-09-2010 9:34pm

Berty wrote: »

In fairness though, I wonder what traffic is like in the mornings around Lower Shelbourne road because Im sure the lights are benefiting those people.

Not really. The lights go green every 3 minutes, a lot of cars were getting out in that time without the lights.

Anyway, after the disaster that was Monday evening and Tuesday morning, things seemed a lot better yesterday and today (5:45PM Tuesday, 6:15PM today) even though the lights were on.

It looks like you can no longer turn right from Salesians and the outbound lane is green all/most of the time?

Twin-go · 24-09-2010 11:10am

Anybody get stuck on the N7 east bound to Finnigans roundabout last night?

Holy **** it was bad.

I had a astro game in Castletroy collage at 7pm so left Shannon at 6.15pm decided to use tunnel to be there in plenty of time. Normally takes about 25min to half an hour. But not last night. Passed the Ballysimon exit and as I rounded the slight bend, two lanes completly at a stand still. I was stuck and all I could do was crawl along no exits between Ballysimon and Finnigans. Took me nearly an hour to get from just past the Ballysimon exit to Castletroy College and missed 30 minutes of game time:mad:

At least they could have put warning signs before the ballysimon exit and I could have taken that and been on time:mad::mad:.

bazz26 · 24-09-2010 2:11pm

Word I heard is that it they are preparing the Finnigans to Birdhill section of the M7 for opening next week.

It was madness on the M7/N24 Tipperary Road intersection yesterday at around 5:00pm too due to the roadworks on the N24. Traffic turning right from the slip road out the N24 could not move as the traffic was backed up the whole ways back into town due to the road works. Crazy having the N24 down to one lane at peak rush hour. Ended up turning left and heading past Morrisons Pub and out through Ballyneety to get home.

Cookiemunster · 24-09-2010 2:42pm

bazz26 wrote: »

Word I heard is that it they are preparing the Finnigans to Birdhill section of the M7 for opening next week.

Its opening Tuesday. Apparently Noel Dempsey is getting his picture taken and then its opens at 4pm.

Builderfromhell · 27-09-2010 12:08pm

Salesian traffic lights again. Coming frm town waiting at lights to turn towards salesians. Traffic backed up at least 100 feet along bridge. Lights went green but only about 15 cars could go through lights at a time. When I got through the lights myself I could see why. The new 'Lollipop' guy stops traffic everytime a kid or two arrive to cross the road. The previous lollipop lady would wait until there were a small group before stopping traffic.
I'm all for prioritising pedestrians but stopping traffic every minute is causing traffic to back up to the lights.

Berty · 27-09-2010 12:17pm

At least the section from the NEWPORT Interchange(Not Finnegans) will be open tomorrow so that will ease congestion on the Dublin road side of things.

Traffic heading out the Dublin road will be much quieter because they were yielding to the persistent traffic from the right which will now, mostly, head over the interchange instead.

phill106 · 27-09-2010 1:06pm

Builderfromhell wrote: »

Salesian traffic lights again. Coming frm town waiting at lights to turn towards salesians. Traffic backed up at least 100 feet along bridge. Lights went green but only about 15 cars could go through lights at a time. When I got through the lights myself I could see why. The new 'Lollipop' guy stops traffic everytime a kid or two arrive to cross the road. The previous lollipop lady would wait until there were a small group before stopping traffic.
I'm all for prioritising pedestrians but stopping traffic every minute is causing traffic to back up to the lights.

Surely with new traffic lights, lollypop person should be gotten rid of? Or just go along with the lights?

phog · 27-09-2010 5:09pm

phill106 wrote: »

Surely with new traffic lights, lollypop person should be gotten rid of? Or just go along with the lights?

The lollipop person is usually up the road from the lights so that kids can cross, Lwr Shelbourne Rd.

There is a lollipop person at teh lights at Hassetts X lights as well.

Jumpy · 27-09-2010 5:34pm

Twin-go wrote: »

At least they could have put warning signs before the ballysimon exit and I could have taken that and been on time:mad::mad:.

They do have warning signs.

Roadworks at Finnegans Roundabout.
LONG DELAYS EXPECTED

This is just before the ballysimon offramp.

thesimpsons · 27-09-2010 5:51pm

had some visitors who saw the signs "roadworks at Finnegans" but didn't know where Finnegans were so they landed smack bang into middle of chaos. Pity signs didn't actually state "exit X " or whatever.

anyway, when this road gets sorted it'll surely ease off more traffic in the city and be even less need for the new lights.

phill106 · 05-10-2010 8:00am

Traffic coming into limerick from shannon was terrible this morning. Exit 4 on the dual carriageway was backed up for about 500 metres before the turn off!
I couldnt believe it!
I understand the tunnel was brought in to stop people having to sit in traffic, but i was not aware at the time the councils were going to implement traffic changes to force traffic jams.
Luckily i can take the tunnel, but even exiting it was delayed, as traffic was backed up all the way around the roundabout. From the foynes road, down the dock road, and up as far as quinns cross roundabout, all backed up.
Crazy!

shg101 · 05-10-2010 9:45am

phill106 wrote: »

Traffic coming into limerick from shannon was terrible this morning. Exit 4 on the dual carriageway was backed up for about 500 metres before the turn off!
I couldnt believe it!
I understand the tunnel was brought in to stop people having to sit in traffic, but i was not aware at the time the councils were going to implement traffic changes to force traffic jams.
Luckily i can take the tunnel, but even exiting it was delayed, as traffic was backed up all the way around the roundabout. From the foynes road, down the dock road, and up as far as quinns cross roundabout, all backed up.
Crazy!

Exit 4 is around the Radisson? What is the cause of the back-up?

phill106 · 05-10-2010 9:47am

shg101 wrote: »

Exit 4 is around the Radisson? What is the cause of the back-up?

Yes thats the one. Not sure as i now always go the tunnel way, despite thinking i wouldnt

highlydebased · 05-10-2010 10:28am

shg101 wrote: »

Exit 4 is around the Radisson? What is the cause of the back-up?

They are putting in another roundabout and are putting down surfacing- as a result the traffic needs to be stopped. Is due to be finished on the 18th.

Raiser · 05-10-2010 11:10am

Any good Conspiracy Theorist would blame the City Council for creating the traffic jams by installing 16 sets of traffic lights at stupid and unnecessary locations all over the City in order to force People to use the Tunnel :eek:

limklad · 05-10-2010 1:23pm

Raiser wrote: »

Any good Conspiracy Theorist would blame the City Council for creating the traffic jams by installing 16 sets of traffic lights at stupid and unnecessary locations all over the City in order to force People to use the Tunnel :eek:

Wait a minute Raiser, All 16 set of Traffic lights are not install yet. It was confirm in the city council meeting that only 4 are installed. With these 4, it has already making an impact on city traffic, even with the Tunnel/Recession removing most Vehicles from City Streets and roads. Can you imagine what all 16 will do for the city?
Absolute gridlock & CHAOS, with the city planners contributing to the knock on effect of adding extra heat to Global warming, never mind the extra fuel and C02 and other pollutions been burn due to excessive stop/start motion.

You do not need to be a good Conspiracy Theorist is easy to blame the city Council, just a terrible dumb ass one. Just be able to join the dots of evidence and ask one very simple question. Who installed the extra Traffic Lights that was not here before that cause me to delay my journey? I know I did not. Did Anyone else?

Oh also I am a witness and hundreds more at The Tunnel Construction Meeting that said that the City Council would create logjams to convince people to use the tunnel and they would start before the Tunnel open and continue after it will open, to rid themselves of cheap non-paying tolls drivers from using the Dock/Condell road. But instead they forgot about the rest of the population that needed a genuine reason to go into the city without having to get through the city. Hey if they do not want my business then I will stay away, causing traffic chaos is one way to rid people from the city. I am happy to oblige to stay away. I sure Cork/Ennis/Nenagh will want it.

thesimpsons · 05-10-2010 2:22pm

limklad wrote: »

...... the City Council would create logjams to convince people to use the tunnel .... to rid themselves of cheap non-paying tolls drivers from using the Dock/Condell road. But instead they forgot about the rest of the population that needed a genuine reason to go into the city without having to get through the city.

they also forgot about the people who need to use the Dock Road for access to businesses and schools. The MD of Direct Route stated in Limerick Leader last week that they were disappointed with traffic through Clonmacken Toll Plaza and thought more people should use it for going to schools. Well I hope they didn't put in that Plaza and all its associated costs on that assumption cos a simple exercise would have shown that there isn't a single school that could make this route a viable option from Caherdavin/Meelick areas except for Crescent Comp. Looks like someone didn't do their homework.

Raiser · 05-10-2010 3:47pm

thesimpsons wrote: »

The MD of Direct Route stated in Limerick Leader last week that they were disappointed with traffic through Clonmacken Toll Plaza and thought more people should use it for going to schools.

Our School isn't located at either end of the Tunnel - But for the sake of their investment and disappointing profits once compared with greedy forecasts I will try and detour through it as often as possible, maybe 3 times a week or so......

- Personally I hope it springs a a leak

Suggestions to improve Limerick traffic

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