proposed changes to stephen’s green
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Any update on this?
Have the changes made much of difference now that the schools are back?
Any word on converting the top of Grafton St. into public space?
Hard to judge the impact the Luas has had on trafic yet, we really need to have schools and University fully back before a fair assesment can be drawn.
Undoubtedly Luas has taken traffic from competing bus services but has it reduced cars?
Two obvious points of impact are the removal of the post box near the OPW HQ, – with the one way system the Post cannot collect from it any more.
The path on this side has just been dug up too and there is a new pedestrian crossing being put in near there also, how this is to work with the bus lane / contra flow is interesting. This will stop the traffic dead, particularly the out bus lane and will enhance the tailback into Hume St.
There have been several problems, just due to the narrowness of the out bus lane, – least two complete jams I have seen – as something in the bus lane broke down and could not be passed out and several near accidents,as buses find it hard to make the turn from Hume St while avoiding the plastic barriers and have to make several goes at the corner.
The Lesson St / edge of Green pedestrian crossing is now very dangerous,as long delays here encourge people to chance it.
Nearly always a police presence to stop cars using the bus lane in the rush hour too.
In general it seems the whole thing is working quite well.
Tweaking rather than abandonment seems to be the way forward.
Not really sure what happened to the promised consultation before the whole thing goes permanent?
Evening tailbacks at top of Pembroke St seem only intermitent. Illegal u-turns by vehicles outside the Shelbourne into Merrion Row are far too frequent.
Bus stops on Green North wrongly placed, Contraflow bus lane down Earlsfort Terrace not yet introduced etc. etc. But this is all fine tuning.I hope they stick to their convictions.
Leeson St is back to its usual September self again,
So much for car free day
Couldn’t have asked for worst weather either – same as last year.
As expected the peaceful enclave of Molesworth St is choked now, you can’t even cross the road unless the ped lights on Dawson St hold up the flow. By contrast, Green west is very strange now without traffic noise, it’s almost like the ‘Trinity Effect’ 🙂
I see from today’s paper that it’s going to be made permanent, with a new pedestrian plaza outside the college of surgeons
Press Release – St Stephens Green
Permanent Traffic Management Arrangements & Results of
Air Pollution Monitoring Revised traffic management arrangements have been in operation in the St. Stephen’s Green area since early July 2004 to facilitate the reconstruction of St Stephen’s Green West. At that time the City Council indicated that
consideration would be given to maintaining the revised arrangements on a permanent basis.In view of the success of the measures in terms of improved traffic flow and reduced pollution levels the City Council has decided that its preferred option is to maintain the current arrangements with the following modifications:
· St Stephens Green West will be open to vehicular traffic from the junction of Cuffe St./Harcourt St./St. Stephen’s Green South as far as York Street and from the top of Grafton Street as far a Glover’s Alley. The stretch of St. Stephen’s Green West from York Street to Glover’s Alley (i.e. in front of the Royal College of Surgeons) will be closed to traffic. A new plaza will be constructed here.
· Traffic will be able to access St Stephen’s Green West from Cuffe Street and from Harcourt Street.
· A new counter flow bus lane will be constructed on Earlsfort Terrace from the junction with Hatch Street to the junction with St. Stephen’s Green South.
· A new bus turning circle will be constructed at the junction of Grafton Street/St.Stephen’s Green West/St.Stephen’s Green North to facilitate bus/Luas/taxi interchange.
· All nose to kerb parking around St. Stephen’s Green will be replaced by parallel parking.
· Cycling lanes will be provided on all sides of St. Stephen’s Green.
· Pedestrian facilities will be improved.
Since mid July the City Council has been monitoring air pollution levels (i.e.Nitrogen Dioxide & Benzene) at ten locations in the St. Stephen’s Green area. Preliminary results show that compared with a monitoring results for the same locations in 2001 levels of these pollutants have fallen significantly – by 19% on average for Nitrogen Dioxide and by 25% on average for Benzene. This can be attributed to reduced congestion and improved traffic flow.
Dublin City Council intends to engage in a public consultation process in relation to these changes.
All seems pretty sensible.
I like the point about cycle lanes on all sides of the green but would be mad curious to see where and how these are proposed to work.
It really bugs me when they say it is proposed to consult on all aspects but then don’t reveal the manner or time table for the consultation.
If the only traffic going around the Grafton St corner is going to Glover’s alley then there must be scope to do more with the spare road space here than simply make a turning circle for buses?
BTW I don’t suppose someone could persuade the Stephen’s Green Centre to turn down their Muzak pollution now that it is no longer competing with much traffic noise!
Originally posted by kefu
· St Stephens Green West will be open to vehicular traffic from the junction of Cuffe St./Harcourt St./St. Stephen’s Green South as far as York Street and from the top of Grafton Street as far a Glover’s Alley. The stretch of St. Stephen’s Green West from York Street to Glover’s Alley (i.e. in front of the Royal College of Surgeons) will be closed to traffic. A new plaza will be constructed here.:D/ That’s great news.
Although, I was hoping that they would have put a plaza at the top of Grafton/SC North, and maybe move the turning circle up just a small bit towards Dawson St – It doesn’t have to be slap bang right beside the Luas stop! Anyone think so?
My major concern would be that this turning circle would end up being a buspark, where the drivers had their ten-minute break before heading out of town again.
It would be entirely inappropriate for double-deckers to be parking around here and it would be probably worse than the old arrangement where at least the traffic was moving (albeit slowly).The only buses that should be turning here are the ones feeding from the Luas green line to the Red Line. I had assumed these would be Imps. Which would not be too bad. Can anyone confirm?
@blue wrote:
Great to hear they are removing the “nose to curb parking” too, this makes complete sense.
That nose to kerb parking is a complete disaster and should be removed from all city centre locations, it has a really disruptive effect on traffic as anyone who has ever been around central dublin will know.
Another thing that should be removed from Stphens Green is the plastic divider seperating the different lanes, it really does look cheap and nasty and it is totally wrong for the Green. It also makes it near on impossible for pedestrians to cross.
I’d say that is just a temporary measure while the new traffic arrangments take effect.
Interestingly the new ‘pedestrian plaza’ on Green West consists of an extended pavement in from of the Royal College of Surgeons. Hardly worth it I would have though.
Almost a year later…. do you think the Green is a better place to commute and drive around?
And how best can we use the space around Grafton Street which is now practically traffic free.
Well trying to cross Dawson St at the Green end is certianly more of an adventure than before.
Regarding the extra space at Grafton St… how about a creepy sculpture of an anthropomophic hare embracing a hound? Oh wait…
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