The wonders of ACT road planning

I don’t like crawling south through the new Glenoch but I much prefer that to coming over the crest before the Hindmarsh exit and ‘OH SH1T’, then sitting there feeling vulnerable at the end of the queue. It’s a good tradeoff, may even be deliberate.

“Traffic lights are the cheap and nasty “solution” to traffic management”

You’re thinking of ROUDABOUTS….a set of traffic lights can cost upwards of a quarter of a million $’s for a simple intersection. Add to that the service contract to maintain them (they are usually made by exotic European companies that require certain parts), aswell as programming and calibrating them.

This project has been in planning since 2006 – projects like this take ages, as they first have to figure out what the problem is, work out some solutions, consult engineers, design the bastard, publish an environmental assesment to the public (i can see another whiny thread coming along about ‘why weren’t we consulted’) and finally actually build it once it’s approved. Building requires the construction of temporary parallel roads before they can actually get started on the real job, so there’s another stage to think about.

Seriously, can everyone just take a deep breath and accept that things can take years to do nowadays, and cost millions. This isn’t Simcity, where you, as God, can select an intersection and plop it down where you want, regardless of what’s there.

Finally, I’d like to say the the river’s shore front there has enjoyed a substantial rejeuvenation. Maybe Rioters would like to discuss the positive aspects of this project?

Traffic lights are the cheap and nasty “solution” to traffic management. Compare driving from Parliament House to Woden, vs driving from the city to Belconnen. No lights for one trip – just overpasses and slip lanes – and an endless progression of traffic lights for the other. Sixties engineering vs 21st century infrastructure neglect and penny pinching. None of those in power plan beyond the next election or even the next budget, otherwise they would take the long view and compare costs and benefits over 50 years.

So sad, and true. That basically sums it up.

And these days when designing any new roads, cars driving on them seems to be the last priority.

Instead of trying to “force” people to get frustrated and use buses (not going to happen), you would think smooth flowing traffic – shorter trips, less idling at pointless lights etc – would be better for keeping CO2 emissions down.

And when we’re all driving hyrdogen/electric cars people will wonder why everything was so poorly designed for the future.

Traffic lights are the cheap and nasty “solution” to traffic management. Compare driving from Parliament House to Woden, vs driving from the city to Belconnen. No lights for one trip – just overpasses and slip lanes – and an endless progression of traffic lights for the other. Sixties engineering vs 21st century infrastructure neglect and penny pinching. None of those in power plan beyond the next election or even the next budget, otherwise they would take the long view and compare costs and benefits over 50 years. The only longterm project I’ve seen is the arboretum.

Yeah it looks like the roundabouts closest to the city will be replaced with lights, that explains why the are making the intersection wider where it has already been duplicated. It is so bloody silly. They are making one grade seperated intersection, which surprise surprise will be the entry to Snow Town.

This proliferation of traffic lights is a pity. Yarra Glen/Adelaide Avenue would never have been built nowadays, with those nice, safe, efficient on and off ramps. Canberra Avenue is about to get worse with the lights for the Epicentre. And I think the airport road improvements are going to see the addition of traffic lights too, at some of the intersections being upgraded.

hmmm, true, woops, my bad. Anyone having trouble merging from there needs their bifocals checked.

Ffor those playing at home the ACT gov page on the upgrade is here;

http://www.tams.act.gov.au/move/roads/construction_and_maintenance/construction_projects/lanyon_drive_-_monaro_highway_upgrade

and I’d have to agree with Adza, this will do nothing to relieve congestion and the extra lights at Sheppard St will just make it worse.

Seepi,

Line up a car just in front of you in the left lane on the highway (if joining from the right hand sliplane), and aim to initially follow with a gap of about 1-2 car lengths. You MUST match the speed of the left lane traffic, you WILL find that the car behind the car you have lined up will have to give way. Its the LAW. The car in front has priority, and even if some goose decides to come up along side, if you are in front, you have right of way.

It will only be an absolute fool who will try to stop you merging in this circumstance.

ok…as someone who sometimes struggles with merging…

What do you do if you speed up to match traffic, then no gap appears – screech to a halt at the end of the merging lane?

Smee,

Your geography is found wanting. Please re-read my post. Mugga Lane, heading south on the Monaro is about 1K south of the Lanyon/Monaro intersection.

I’m not entering any arguement about upper and lower Qbn.