Frustrated driver, Eoghan Dinan, spent 45 minutes trying to get from MacCurtain Street to Lapp’s Quay, a distance of close to one mile, due to the closure of Clontarf Bridge for repairs. Would this temporary one-way system help alleviate the headache for many motorists?
AS anyone who has experienced traffic delays will know, it gives you an awful long time to think and observe the madness of what you are experiencing.
So let’s pose a question that may help: What would work to alleviate traffic jams approaching the closed Clontarf Bridge over the next number of weeks?
What about making Anderson Quay one way for two lanes heading towards Custom House Quay for the duration of the works, allowing two lanes of traffic to turn left from Brian Boru Bridge on to Anderson’s Quay and to exit the city quickly?
These two lanes would then turn right at Custom House Quay and join the already two lanes heading towards the South Link Road.
It may help because when drivers now get on to the current two-way Anderson’s Quay, they will rarely observe a car using the other lane, heading towards the Bus Station (which only allows a left towards the now closed bridge!), while the busy lane is also accommodating traffic from Merchant’s Quay.
Those entering the city from the southside and wishing to get on to Anderson Quay, or the closed section of Clontarf Street for business purposes, could do so by either going on to Penrose Quay and around the one way system described, or by turning left at Lapp’s Quay onto Lower Oliver Plunkett Street towards the Clarion Hotel car park and then turning right up Anderson’s Street to arrive at Anderson Quay.
The main problem currently is that traffic approaching the closed street is being diverted to the left on Brian Boru Bridge (two lanes merging into one) and this is causing delays right back up Brian Boru Street, which is causing the jam.
Drivers last week opting to go down Railway Street (just before the Railway Station) to get to Penrose Quay, found the street closed for works and the only option was to continue past the Railway Station and on down Lower Glanmire Road before getting the option to loop back towards the city.
Effectively, the middle lane on the bridge is blocked at the south city end of the bridge and drivers continue to head up this lane and then indicate to get into the lane to turn left.
Of course, this causes further delays for drivers in the left lane, and many motorists trying to obey the rules of the road have found themselves stuck in the yellow box at the end of MacCurtain Street unable to move, while others slip in or block lanes while trying to move lanes.
When you eventually get to Custom House Quay the traffic is largely moving freely, or reasonably so by comparison.
Meanwhile, on the City Hall side of the closed Clontarf Bridge, traffic is stopped at red lights while the non-existent traffic on Clontarf Bridge gets a green light.
While certainly there will be reasons why this has not happened to date, it may be time to revisit this issue… and speedily.