No funds to install traffic islands

WHILE there have been problems with illegal parking along Bealach Brí for some time, Clare County Council doesn’t currently have the resources to carry out the works it feels are necessary.

 

It has been claimed that there is a serious safety issue being caused by people parking along the road and, in the future, the council want to put down redipave traffic islands.

At this week’s meeting of Shannon Electoral Area councillors, Councillor Patricia McCarthy put forward a motion asking “that an update be provided on proposals to resolve the illegal parking on Bealach Brí”.
In his written response, senior executive engineer Eugene O’Shea stated, “Illegal parking by some motorists on Bealach Brí is causing a serious hazard for pedestrians, particularly young children, traversing the pedestrian crossing at SkyCourt. This is a very important and busy section of the Shannon roads infrastructure with daily traffic flow in excess of 5,000 vehicles.

“A proposal by this office for the installation of a traffic island consisting of water-filled barriers in the central hatched area of Bealach Brí near SkyCourt on a trial basis was the subject of two meetings earlier this year. The most recent meeting in September requested that alternative proposals be examined and costed for implementation on a trial basis. In consultation with Ann Cronin, SEE Road Design, a number of options were examined and the most favoured option is for the installation of redipave traffic islands.

“While these islands are quick and easy to install and remove, the cost of their supply and installation on a trial basis is beyond available resources and cannot be undertaken at present. Subject to agreement and funding, this work will be considered for inclusion in the 2013 works programme.”

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Councillor McCarthy asked for an explanation on the design and provision of speed obstacles on the Tullyvarraga Road, which allow for motorists to drive around them.

In his reply to this query, Mr O’Shea said the old speed ramps had been replaced and while people are driving around the new obstacles, this is illegal.

“The members will recall that the old speed ramps along Tullyvarraga Road had become badly deteriorated in recent times and that they had become a source of nuisance to motorists and to adjacent properties as a result of noise and vibration, particularly due to large vehicles passing over them. They also crossed the cycle lanes on both sides of the road. The new speed cushions are centred in each traffic lane and are constructed such that wider vehicles can straddle them.

“It is acknowledged that some motorists are avoiding the speed cushions by driving around them and into the adjacent mandatory cycle lanes. It is illegal to drive on a mandatory cycle lane and, while this is an enforcement issue, it is intended to erect delineators between the carriageway edge and the cycle lanes on the approach to the speed cushions in order to prevent this dangerous manoeuvre.”