22 August 2012

Messing with Traffic between Seven and Nine

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There is a lot of news disseminated here about changes to traffic conditions due to road works, what you don’t get to find out though is that they might do something silly like stop traffic during peak hour.

“They can do all the road works, curvy roads and 40 signs they like, but they will never make us as slow as a form one lane.” – William Wallace, after living in Canberra for a bit.

South to North on the Monaro is used to merging shenanigans and the funnel of one lane at the end, but this morning was as bad as it has been for quite some time, because they had a guy holding a stop sign on a bridge. What effect did this have: Monaro was back to the triple x signs in Hume, and it seems the constant flowing and very angry motorists spewing into civic from the Monaro completely shut down traffic from the Parkway, clogging all of Canberra’s favourite roundabouts.

The guys who do the planning for the road construction are meant to know about the affects their decisions make. 1% – 5% difference in through-put spells a mess between seven and nine (Star Trek fans please stop sweating). I think they do know these things, but when they get this stuff wrong, are they held accountable?

The worst form of planning I’ve seen for peak hour was for the Multicultural Festival in February, they were setting up for a week, but for some reason decided to close a part of London Circuit the morning before it started. The effect was felt through all of the arterial roads in Canberra. Will they do this again or has someone learnt from it?

Is it worth brining these sort of concerns up with anyone? People have a job to do and if they do it wrong they need to learn, especially when it can have follow on effects for businesses, etc..

Don’t get me started on tiny driveways + illegal to park on nature strip + tiny roads = bad urban design and rubbish man refuses to come to your street in Gungahlin; I like to think when they mess up on that scale someone gets the sack.

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colourful sydney racing identity said :

Mysteryman said :

GBT said :

GordonResidential said :

First world problems.

Get a grip

I move that the next person to use this phrase gets a lifetime Overused Meme ban. Who will second my motion?

Seconded.

Approved.

Royal assent granted

Divine blessing bestowed.

colourful sydney racing identity2:15 pm 23 Aug 12

Mysteryman said :

GBT said :

GordonResidential said :

First world problems.

Get a grip

I move that the next person to use this phrase gets a lifetime Overused Meme ban. Who will second my motion?

Seconded.

Approved.

Royal assent granted

GBT said :

GordonResidential said :

First world problems.

Get a grip

I move that the next person to use this phrase gets a lifetime Overused Meme ban. Who will second my motion?

Seconded.

Approved.

GordonResidential said :

First world problems.

Get a grip

I move that the next person to use this phrase gets a lifetime Overused Meme ban. Who will second my motion?

GordonResidential said :

First world problems.

Get a grip

It’s reasonably difficult to have third world problems in Canberra, but if any appear I’ll be sure to let you know.

Hmm yeah, I’m pretty sure most of the discussion on RA is about first world probs, not so much talk about starving children at Melba Maccas.. Though I don’t like labelling other countries as inferior to us, I’m also sure said “third world” countries have some serious traffic issues of their own. Possibly due to bad management, or corruption, or anything else which we mustn’t have in our superior country…

GordonResidential said :

First world problems.

Get a grip

Ha, such a easy catch all statement.

By belittling the question about accountability for lazy management it’s like saying, “As long as as we are a rich country, I really don’t mind how lazily my dollars are spent”. Sometimes I think about what would happen to our beloved country if we didn’t have so much stuff to dig up.

I’m not just gripping about having to drive slow in Canberra, it’s more about poor management and driving slow when there is no good reason for it. We spend a LOT of money trying to speed up roads, I’d like to see it spend well.

VYBerlinaV8_is_back10:02 am 23 Aug 12

So… does anyone know when the roadworks on the Monaro will be finished?

Any road works on major roads should be done at night. That just makes sence. And why can’t canberra drivers merge as any more that 20 km hr?

GordonResidential7:46 am 23 Aug 12

First world problems. Get a grip

Sammy said :

At one point, my vehicle didn’t move an inch for about three minutes sitting

That’s every morning, between Queanbeyan and Fairbairn.

This afternoon 4 guys installing glass panels were standing watching traffic doing nothing, on what has taken 4 weeks to put glass barriers up on one bridge so far, then a traffic girl holding a sign while texting while more workers stood around watching one bloke working on bitumen sealing. This 200m stretch is a joke and should be done at night under lights. like it would be done in Melbourne or Sydney.

I can’t wait til they start the Majura project, I bet they finish that in 2025…..

Sammy said :

At one point, my vehicle didn’t move an inch for about three minutes sitting just near the turnoff to Jerrabomberra at Hume. Worst i’ve ever seen it…

Gotta love a Canberra traffic jam.

When is that roadwork going to be finished? I thought that even with the delays it was supposed to be mid-August.

They must be finished soon, surely!

Yeah, the traffic going north up the Monaro this morning was shocking. At one point, my vehicle didn’t move an inch for about three minutes sitting just near the turnoff to Jerrabomberra at Hume. Worst i’ve ever seen it, and absolutely ridiculous that they should close a major thoroughfare in peak hour.

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