college green/ o’connell street plaza and pedestrians
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Air Quality and Climate Suggested that two independent ambient air monitoring surveys be conducted at College Green assuming
worst case scenario conditions.PR
This is going to produce some very interesting results…
Bus gate might be phase 1? the buses must cross the river until metro north is sorted…
After that anything may be possible… Have Dublin bus ever proposed bus tunnels or underground bus depots in the past?Suggestion that a proposal that does not include an overhead traction power supply be considered.
fingers crossed…
@missarchi wrote:
Bus gate might be phase 1? the buses must cross the river until metro north is sorted…
After that anything may be possible… Have Dublin bus ever proposed bus tunnels or underground bus depots in the past?*Tin Opener* — > > *WORMS*
Missaarchi in missarchi’s own inimitable way has a point – this is looking as if it’s all about a land-grab of the city centre by Dublin Bus, who previously didn’t get the sub-Liffey linked Temple Bar/ Abbey St depot… And this one makes about as much sense.
In case anybody is fooled into thinking this is only going to be part time, according to the Irish Times – “the city’s director of traffic, Michael Phillips, said the bus gate could have to revert to the original 24-hours, once Metro North construction begins.”
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0421/breaking53.htmStealth planning, incremental, lack of contextual consideration, lacking EIS or an EIA – but wait it’s a “green” measure, so it must be good? Why is this beginning to remind me of “free bikes” by JC Decaux…
Re Fergair’s point, as to crossings, west of O’C bridge there is Capel St , Winetavern Street, and Church St Bridges – and that’s only west as far as the 4 courts. East of O’C there’s Matt Talbot, Butt Bridge (both have counter-flow potential), while NCR will link in with by Beckett Bridge.
DB’s over-concentration of buses funneling via O’C St and bridge is now worse than when there were trams, as at least the 23 tram went via Capel Street.
Map link below of old tram network; damn all has changed other than seemingly more concentration on O’C st by DB, with less service in the north inner city.
I agree that Dublin Bus needs to perhaps consider crossing of the City’s many other bridges. The worst example of this is the 83 which comes from Finglas via Church St but instead of crossing the Bridge and on to wine Tavern Street, it turns onto the quays crosses O’Connell Bridge and turns back around in almost the same direction it came from and out to Kimage. This adds at least 20 mins to the journey
But I am still in favour of the Bus Gate because even if Dublin Bus spread their routes out. College Green would still be the best route for most of their bus services to take. I wonder what they’re planning to do when BXD starts constrution. They can hardly share road space, can they?
It is quite a modest proposal.
I’m disappointed that they didn’t use the opportunity to create a contra-lane on Grafton St. to save buses having to go around-the-block through Suffolk St.. The latter (and most of Andrew Street) could have been pedestrianized extending the Grafton St. pedestrianised area. At least a contra-lane would be better use of precious road-space at this bottleneck than a taxi rank. The bus stops on the other side of this end of Grafton St. should be moved away from here also as they contribute considerably to the stopping and starting and piling up of buses here.
The presence of a considerable number of buses does not contribute positively to the urban environment obviously. Unfortunately, for the moment it is a vital public transport mode particularly given Dublin’s obvious shortcomings in terms of rail. One of the worst aspects is the air pollution and this is exacerbated significantly by the stop/start nature of the current flow of buses through this area of town. If the passage of buses can at least me made smother and more efficient, then the environmental damage they cause will be lessened considerably.
Sadly, being pragmatic, Dublin’s topography means that there are certain streets which will continue to serve the role as arterial routes for motorised traffic for the foreseeable future and unfortunately, I think it’s unavoidable that College Green will have a role in this regard. The aim should be to reduce the amount of motorised traffic on these routes as much as possible (and any sort of restriction helps in this regard) while building largely pedestrianised zones in the urban islands created between them. This would be cheap and easy to achieve and would be a step in the right direction until it is no longer necessary to carry passengers by bus around the city centre and the entire centre can be reclaimed for pedestrians, cyclists and clean/quiet on-street trams. Is it my imagination or did the expansion of pedestrianisation in Dublin slow or stop 5 or 10 years ago?
Sorry to divert from the gate, but just on an earlier subject in this thread which was – I know – a divisive one: the gated concourse of Bank of Ireland.
Not sure if any of you checked it out, but they held a farmers’ market there on Wednesday and it was a bit of an eye-opener. As far as I know it was purely a once-off to promote some BOI entrepreneurship thing, but it was a really good use of the space. Even on as dreary a day as Wednesday was, it gave a bit of life to the College Green area and pretty starkly emphasised how a part of the city with such potential has become just a big obnoxious junction.
Yes, the arguments for and against either opening the concourse during the day or getting rid of the railings altogether have been had, but using the space like this was a really positive move, even if some of the bankers didn’t look too comfortable with the proximity of those weird longhairs encroaching on their territory.
Anyway, I think it proved that – even as just a summer thing – that area can really be put to good use for the public. Plus, with a bus gate in force, it could actually be slightly peaceful.
But it’s not going to happen, is it?
@DjangoD wrote:
. . . . even if some of the bankers didn’t look too comfortable with the proximity of those weird longhairs encroaching on their territory.
Perhaps it was the sight of pigs impaled and roasting on a spit that made the bankers feel a bit uncomfortable!
The absolute gem of the south city centre. Buy out the car parks, force Dublin Bus to change their routes, get the Luas in. Pedestrianise all streets. What a fantastic city Dublin could be. 🙁
I think he’s suggesting what streets should be pedestrianised. I agree with all of this except for the quays. They should be pedestrianised too. As it stands, we have a dual carriageway running down the middle of the city.
see the green new 10 point plan
eg
Liffey Boulevard
We will widen footpaths and plant trees along the Liffey Quays between Heuston and the Custom House. Dubliners and visitors to the city will be able to walk or cycle in comfort and safety beside the River Liffey. We’ll seek a car-free Sunday once a month so that families can cycle, roller-blade or walk along the Liffey Quayscar free from college green and all of oconnell street
http://download.greenparty.ie/city_centre_connecting_LR.pdf
see the hastily added beckett bridgeImpressive promises from the Greens, but I have to admit I am skeptical.
Wasn’t that long go that they were promising more buses for Dublin- and we saw how that turned out.
The only way to enforce speed limits is fixed speed cameras… but they are not small
I think speed humps and bumps are better…
Pearce street wont breath for a long time unless its dug up…
The forget it bridge?@missarchi wrote:
does anyone like this effect???
Is it not a bit . . . shadows on concrete?
Here’s a high level view of College Street towards College Green, complete with plethora of buses.
Does that picture prove you could see custom house from college green well the dome would be interesting?
It’s the greek effect its quite nice…
I think with introducing bikes its not just about racks…
I find it bizarre I’m not allowed to make fire exits open onto the footpath but someone can open there car door into a cycle lane ( which is more dangerous ?)
You need like 1 day in jail or 1 weeks wages for hitting a cyclist and causing injury + damages…
Do the Garda do entrapment with bugged bicycles?
@lostexpectation wrote:
see the green new 10 point plan
eg
Liffey Boulevard
We will widen footpaths and plant trees along the Liffey Quays between Heuston and the Custom House. Dubliners and visitors to the city will be able to walk or cycle in comfort and safety beside the River Liffey. We’ll seek a car-free Sunday once a month so that families can cycle, roller-blade or walk along the Liffey Quayscar free from college green and all of oconnell street
http://download.greenparty.ie/city_centre_connecting_LR.pdf
see the hastily added beckett bridgeIf only they were in power.
who told you being in government was being in power. The city is controlled by Dublin Bus not the government, national or local 😉
I just hope they don’t get totally creamed on Friday. Compare this plan to the visions of the other parties…. what vision you may ask. Precisely say I and I despair. But then i recall this and despair even more so http://www.newheartfordublin.ie/about.html and then almost immediately recall this and breathe a small sigh of relief
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1110/1225925618848.htmlIt’s a rollercoaster alright, this city planning and urban design lark
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