28 October 2009

Roadworks Speed Limits

| Grail
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My fellow Canberrans,

The roadworks speed limit on Glenloch Interchange is 40km/h. Please observe it, before you end up killing someone. Visibility is poor and there is heavy earthmoving equipment involved. In an accident involving your shiny SUV versus a scraper or grader, the big yellow thing built out of solid steel is not going to lose.

Could you also please pick a lane and stick to it. The less lane-changing happens through a roadworks, the less opportunity there is for mistakes to happen. The last place we want an accident is in the middle of the Glenlock Interchange roadworks, since that would block off the road in a place where there is very little option to go around – single lanes with narrow/soft shoulders is not a good place for a pileup.

This morning while travelling through the roadworks on the way to work I was overtaken by two people doing somewhere in the vicinity of 80-100km/h, who engaged in tailgating & cutting in, just to get through the intersection about 10 seconds faster than everyone else. The result was people stepping on the brakes and causing traffic to come to a complete halt a few cars back.

Please be considerate of other drivers – they’re people too. Pick a lane, stick to it. I appreciate the enthusiasm that some folk have to get to their favourite place in all the world, but if you just drive to the conditions and try to drive predictably, we’ll all get to work more relaxed and ready to enjoy a productive day of paper shuffling, retailing or whatever it is you’re in such a rush to get to.

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James-T-Kirk1:07 pm 11 Nov 09

It is sad that we didn’t recover costs from those “Save the ridge” cretins……

patrick_keogh10:02 am 10 Nov 09

The reason the GDE is having to be built in stages is that there were delays and cost increases due to two factors:
– the federal government “adding value” to the planning process
– the Save the Ridge ultimately fruitless legal battle to prevent the GDE beeing built (when all they had to do was swap houses with the Gunghalin residents so that both groups would have gotten what they wanted).

Sgt.Bungers said :

Unfortunately RTA’s and Councils all over Aus are slap happy with erecting reduced speed limits and expect drivers to simply follow them. Not so simple nor safe to be the only one doing 40km/h on a road designed for a safe speed of 80-110km/h+, when the only sign of road works are red cones along the nature strip.

I totally agree, Sgt.Bungers. It just sets those people wanting to do the right thing up for a loss. Why can’t they use their brains and common sense when deciding such issues? It would be so much better for everyone, especially the road workers and their families.

Unfortunately RTA’s and Councils all over Aus are slap happy with erecting reduced speed limits and expect drivers to simply follow them. Not so simple nor safe to be the only one doing 40km/h on a road designed for a safe speed of 80-110km/h+, when the only sign of road works are red cones along the nature strip.

Slowing down is only “frustrating” when there’s no apparent need to do so. Put a 40km/h speed limit up when a sealed road has been torn up leaving a base of clay and pot holes, and it’s pretty certain most people will do 40km/h without hesitation. Put a 40km/h speed limit in place 500 metres before some workmen planting flowers on the nature strip (Canberra Ave Friday) and everyone will think it’s a joke… particularly when there’s “end roadwork” sign erected, so legally drivers must remain at 40km/h for the next Xkm until they pass a normal speed limit sign.

Of course the problem with simply ignoring road work speed limits when it looks safe to do so, is one day you’ll be doing 80+ in a 40 zone, to come over the crest of a hill and slam into the back of a stopped tipper truck, resulting in a broken back and being fed through a tube for the rest of your life.

Personally, if I’m unfamiliar with the roadwork situation, I will always slow to the marked speed limit for its entire length. If I am familiar with it I will slow as necessary. If there are workmen present, I always slow to the posted roadwork limit.

We need laws and we need common sense.

The tharwa drive duplication was a classic example of having 40km/h speed limits up for about 2 weeks when it was completed. Lines were marked and railings erected. For the residents down there it must have been frustrating. I even saw at least 3 cops drive at 80 down the road and when other cars saw it they sped up and matched there speed and the cops were happy. Probably because common sense dictated that it was quite safe and appropriate to drive at 80 on the road now.

Generally its laziness and bureaucratic paper work that cause this.

I’d also like to point out that while speeding is never safe, and cause a lot of accidents, there are so many other reasons why a person is speeding. Perhaps if we sort those out we’ll have less people speeding.

Being a good two shoes on this forum tends to suggest to me you are the sort of driver that thinks they are driving safely and cautiously but really have no idea about whats going on around them while driving. Things like giving 3 car lengths is great but if you sit in a blind spot thats unsafe, yet i’ve had so many “self proclaiming safe drivers” tell me they don’t see the issue. Its not illegal to change lanes. Often it does help traffic flow as well, sometimes it doesn’t.

icantbelieveitsnotbutter said :

If you don’t like it… catch the bus?

I catch buses thru GI, and they too ignor the road rules!

Trog08 wrote:

“Alernatively, The people who planned that road could have gotten it right the first time and made it duel carriageway before they opened it and we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Unfortunately it already seems to be a “duel” carriageway…

Deckard said :

The M5/M7 merging together into the Hume Hwy in Sydney works pretty well. You just need really long slip lanes and stagger the merges over a KM or 2. 4 lanes down to 3, down to 2 etc.

The last time I drove to Sydney, they had expanded the M5 south of the M5/M7 junction to 6-8 lanes each way, simply to accomodate the fact that so many lanes merge and theres no other option to beat congestion.

Check out this wikipedia article about the problems that were faced with congestion at M5/M7 onto the Hume, and it sounds like Sydneys own GDE.

Deckard said :

Maybe they should just make Parkes Way a 3 lane road each way.

No, then there would be this extra lane sitting there defying them. They would just HAVE to paint it green and make it a bike lane.

Sorry, mucked up the quotes.

I said:

The M5/M7 merging together into the Hume Hwy in Sydney works pretty well. You just need really long slip lanes and stagger the merges over a KM or 2. 4 lanes down to 3, down to 2 etc.

By the time you’ve merged on Parkes way though you’ll be in Civic. Maybe they should just make Parkes Way a 3 lane road each way.

dvaey said :

bd84 said :

The thing is, the Tuggeranong Parkway and Parkes Way are both dual lane, so there must be a merge there of some sort, in order to get 4 lanes down to 2. Just how this could be achieved, Im not sure, but I havent seen any proposals that would really fix the problem completely, and not simply shuffle the problem up or down the road a little further.

The M5/M7 merging together into the Hume Hwy in Sydney works pretty well. You just need really long slip lanes and stagger the merges over a KM or 2. 4 lanes down to 3, down to 2 etc.

By the time you’ve merged on Parkes way though you’ll be in Civic. Maybe they should just make Parkes Way a 3 lane road each way.

bd84 said :

dvaey said :

Im also wondering why theyre doing work around Glenloch?

The traffic problems are mostly a problem going southbound (nobody wants to go to Gungahlin). The major bottlenecks of the Gungahlinites escaping from the darkside to go to work and are a result of the traffic attempting to merge at the Glenloch Interchange. They’re fixing up the Glenloch bridges southbound to duplicate the existing lanes and remove the merge.

The thing is, the Tuggeranong Parkway and Parkes Way are both dual lane, so there must be a merge there of some sort, in order to get 4 lanes down to 2. Just how this could be achieved, Im not sure, but I havent seen any proposals that would really fix the problem completely, and not simply shuffle the problem up or down the road a little further.

Thoroughly Smashed6:31 pm 29 Oct 09

f300 said :

I meant the OP 😉

I know you did, I simply helped you target your outburst at the right people.

Thoroughly Smashed said :

f300 said :

What a toolbeater

I agree, people who flout roadwork speed limits certainly are.

There’s a perverse pleasure to be taken from the facial expressions of these “entitled” people who follow you through roadworks at the speed limit, millimetres from your rear bumper.

I meant the OP 😉

Trog08 said :

Alernatively, The people who planned that road could have gotten it right the first time and made it duel carriageway before they opened it and we wouldn’t be in this mess.

Don’t be so ridiculous. Everyone knows it is far more economical to do the job piecemeal, and then take 10 goes at it to finally get it right – it’s just plain commonsense.

The ACT Government: spending your tax money wisely – next time – maybe!

Alernatively, The people who planned that road could have gotten it right the first time and made it duel carriageway before they opened it and we wouldn’t be in this mess.

I drive through 4 different roadwork areas every morning and every afternoon…

Next to no one does the speed limit.. even when police are on site.

BTW Has anyone else noticed the high police presence on the roads lately ? I probably drive past 5-10 each morning and afternoon too.. Every day this week so far.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy12:52 pm 29 Oct 09

Rawhide Kid No 2 said :

Here’s a thought . Why don’t they do all the roadworks at night under lights like they do in Sydney and Brisbane. That way the congestion wouldn’t be as great during peak hours and all through the day.

I wonder what this would do to the cost…?

Rawhide Kid No 212:44 pm 29 Oct 09

Here’s a thought . Why don’t they do all the roadworks at night under lights like they do in Sydney and Brisbane. That way the congestion wouldn’t be as great during peak hours and all through the day.

Sorry can’t agree on this one.
The Glenloch interchange is bad enough as it is. If everyone actually slows down to 40km/hr going through there it will be a complete nightmare for the next year.
What’s a few accidents compared to me getting to work one minute faster. Just think of the extra work i can get done in that time.

Thoroughly Smashed12:02 pm 29 Oct 09

f300 said :

What a toolbeater

I agree, people who flout roadwork speed limits certainly are.

There’s a perverse pleasure to be taken from the facial expressions of these “entitled” people who follow you through roadworks at the speed limit, millimetres from your rear bumper.

icantbelieveitsnotbutter10:47 am 29 Oct 09

If you don’t like it… catch the bus?

Sheesh, some people really do feel entitled to be 3 car lengths in front of where they might of been.

Merging seems to be considered a competitive sport on Canberra roads. Even when you try to leave enough space on GDE to allow some to merge there seems to be those who think that you are trying to destroy the fabric of their lives or that a space for one or two cars at say 60km/h really should have 5 cars in it so everyone can slow down to 30km/h instead.

The GDE was built with an apparent lack of foresight, Glenoch Interchange has been a problem since construction, maybe this time they will fix it. Oddly we are all stuck with the mess of it for now.

And to all those playing the man instead of the ball. Thanks it makes it easier to work out who to ignore in other threads.

I’ll support Grail for the OP, good point. Is it poor time management behind the aggressive driving behaviour of some motorists trying to get to work on time, or perhaps some are plainly selfish? I think a lot of people have forgotten we are all part of a community and as such have a responsibiity to everyone else, particularly on the road wether it’s causing a minor bingle which holds up traffic (making everyone late) or causing harm to others from crashes. There is no reason anyone should be driving in this way, Canberra is not that big a place. It seems a shame the Police need to hold the hands of so many people who can’t see how their actions affect others. Simply put, it’s lack of common sense which has let so many of us down.

What a toolbeater

dvaey said :

Im also wondering why theyre doing work around Glenloch? The media release claims the first part of the project is duplicating the road from Belconnen Way to Glenloch interchange.. but the last time I drove that road, it was dual-lanes already?

Wouldnt it make more sense to duplicate roads that arent already duplicated? No point having 2 lanes (at parkway) into 1 (into glenloch) into 2 (out of glenloch) into 1 (at belconnen way) back into 2 again (at barton).

Would it not make sense to start duplicating the long stretches, north of Belconnen Way, rather than duplicating the 200m section in the middle of glenloch? This would improve traffic flow instantly for Gungahlin residents accessing Belconnen, while fixing the south-end first achieves nothing other than delivering drivers to the Belconnen Way bottle-neck just that little bit faster.

The traffic problems are mostly a problem going southbound (nobody wants to go to Gungahlin). The major bottlenecks of the Gungahlinites escaping from the darkside to go to work and are a result of the traffic attempting to merge at the Glenloch Interchange. They’re fixing up the Glenloch bridges southbound to duplicate the existing lanes and remove the merge, it also looks like there may be some common sense to the on and off ramps judging by the preliminary earthworks.

I am guessing the 40 zones are on the southbound road from Gungahlin, the lowest on all other approaches I have seen is 60kph (though haven’t been through for a couple of days).

yay for grail. nicely put.

as for those who get the ‘shits’ when there is a road speed limit sign they disagree with (or other general discomfort when confronted with rules they don’t much care for, which is a theme in replies to this kind of riot-act post pretty well all the time), recall that you have a licence under privilege, and that this privilege is premised on your undertaking to obey the motor traffic regulations – all of them. suffer in your jocks and get over it. is it that hard, really?

At least this time they change the speed limits after hours. Driving through the first time they were building it at 10.30pm with the 40 signs up was just a joke. Fair enough if there was a tight chicane or something, but on a straight?

Dear Grail,
I don’t like your chances. we have just endured 10 months of the same idiocy during the Tharwa Drive duplication. Hallelujah it has now finished. Because the same tailgating speeding laneswitching morons drive down here too.

Im also wondering why theyre doing work around Glenloch? The media release claims the first part of the project is duplicating the road from Belconnen Way to Glenloch interchange.. but the last time I drove that road, it was dual-lanes already?

Wouldnt it make more sense to duplicate roads that arent already duplicated? No point having 2 lanes (at parkway) into 1 (into glenloch) into 2 (out of glenloch) into 1 (at belconnen way) back into 2 again (at barton).

Would it not make sense to start duplicating the long stretches, north of Belconnen Way, rather than duplicating the 200m section in the middle of glenloch? This would improve traffic flow instantly for Gungahlin residents accessing Belconnen, while fixing the south-end first achieves nothing other than delivering drivers to the Belconnen Way bottle-neck just that little bit faster.

TP 3000 said :

Maybe the Police need to return to Glenloch Interchange during the latest roadworks, they could make a killing with traffic fines for going 60k’s over the limit.

Just incase the traffic wasnt bottled up enough, imagine the rubber-neckers slowing down to watch people getting booked through there.. Speed cameras cant even be used, due to ACT regulations stating that only police can enforce roadworks zones. Someone should get out one of those old speed-guns the police used to use all the time years ago, park their marked car on the side of the road, and actually get out and do some proactive police work, rather than putting up some flashing signs or passing laws to let cameras issue fines a week after the offence when everyones forgotten about it but the revenue office.

I got a chuckle out of a couple of the signs in the roadworks area though, one proudly claims “Police enforce speed’s“, apostrophe and all, while another says “Police enforce speeding“.

The signs have been up for a month or more, but I havent seen any actual roadworks occuring at the site.. maybe the police need to start enforcing roadworks? Is it any wonder people ignore the signs, when theyre put up weeks before any workers even arrive, and often are left around several weeks after the workers leave.

A Tadpole Drinking7:01 pm 28 Oct 09

I bet Grail was once a Patrol Leader in the Scouts.

What shits me is when there are roadwork signs when it is obvious there are no works going on.

It’s a bit like crying wolf – people tend to ignore the really risky situations when there are so many furphy situations around.

Nonetheless, ag, kevn & TP, Grail has got every right in the world to bring issues to poeple’s attention. What gives you the right to say that he/she doesn’t?

Maybe the Police need to return to Glenloch Interchange during the latest roadworks, they could make a killing with traffic fines for going 60k’s over the limit.

On a flashing sign for the Flemington Road duplication it reads something along the lines of “Slow Down” “Our Workers Have Families Too”

Are you the same guy who was telling everyone to mow their nature strips?

anonymous gungahlian6:29 pm 28 Oct 09

I’m not quite old enough to drive yet, but I can understand your frustration. Can’t you just leave this sort of thing to our wonderful ACT police force though, instead of taking it into your own hands. (unless of course you are a police officer, and if you are all I can say is this is not an affective way to get people to slow down on our roads)

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