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It's a Friday evening in lockdown so maybe a good time to deep-dive into BOLLARDS for cycle lanes here in Cork.
People have been asking for bollards because many cycle lanes built (mostly in 2014) were not kerb or parking-protected and people stared to do the boldies* in them
boldies* = parking in them or driving in them
Example from 2016: https://twitter.com/CorkCyclingCrew/status/748622703645556737
boldies* = parking in them or driving in them
Example from 2016: https://twitter.com/CorkCyclingCrew/status/748622703645556737
There was an opp back in 2014/2015 to tackle this through parking fines but less than 1 fine a day (even by 2019) was never going to cause a culture change: https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30969598.html
Guards probably too stretched resource-wise to help out but hard to make a case with Anglesea St at the time when they had objected to said cycle lanes
https://twitter.com/CorkCyclingCrew/status/1057798037676941312 https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/748627085187502082
https://twitter.com/CorkCyclingCrew/status/1057798037676941312 https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/748627085187502082
Big hoo-ha last year outside City Hall to get some bollards as they were the only viable quick fix solution to rampant illegal parking (and driving) in 6-7 cycle lanes in the city https://twitter.com/EoinBearla/status/1095008530166366209
Despite several motions before the Council, Roads Dept refused to install bollards in any location.
I felt that we had the National Cycle Manual on our side.
Roads Director took an alternative view. https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30906231.html
I felt that we had the National Cycle Manual on our side.
Roads Director took an alternative view. https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30906231.html
Sidebar 1: bollards are not the holy grail for people cycling in Cork. They are not without issues (access, exit, side by side cycling, avoiding water/leaves) but overall it was felt they were needed in specific areas due to the high likelihood of encountering a parked vehicle
ff to 2020 and it was generally accepted in CCC that bollards would be an appropriate response to some of the mobility challenges that C19 was posing for the city.
The @CorkCyclingCrew were happy to brief CCC on locations for bollards and issues experienced at said locations.
The @CorkCyclingCrew were happy to brief CCC on locations for bollards and issues experienced at said locations.
Sidebar 2: bollards were also an important step imo to be seen to improve conditions for people who cycle in Cork.
There's a widespread belief that more needs to be done to protect people walking and cycling in the city.
Bollards = hugely symbolic. https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30960725.html
There's a widespread belief that more needs to be done to protect people walking and cycling in the city.
Bollards = hugely symbolic. https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30960725.html
The bollards were officially announced in July.
Potentially should have only been announced when funding and orders were fully in place as there was lots of confusion and people looking for updates between July and Nov (and still...) https://www.corkcity.ie/en/council-services/news-room/latest-news/-re-imagining-cork-city-programme-unveiled-today.html
Potentially should have only been announced when funding and orders were fully in place as there was lots of confusion and people looking for updates between July and Nov (and still...) https://www.corkcity.ie/en/council-services/news-room/latest-news/-re-imagining-cork-city-programme-unveiled-today.html
Bollards likely hard to come by in 2020 as lots of cities look at ways of extending footpaths and cycle lanes during C19.
Frustrating that we didn't have done this work in 2019.
Would have saved me a weekend collecting signatories in Feb https://twitter.com/conndonovan9/status/1273639789154250752
Frustrating that we didn't have done this work in 2019.
Would have saved me a weekend collecting signatories in Feb https://twitter.com/conndonovan9/status/1273639789154250752
Can only speak for myself but had a general understanding that bollards went on white line as this was practice all over the city already https://twitter.com/SamMcCormack97/status/1323215153052176385
First few batches of bollards have been inside the white line. So people asked if they could go on the white line instead. https://twitter.com/rivasmj/status/1322160400121606145
First official comms said that the white line needs to be visible to all road users
https://twitter.com/corkcitycouncil/status/1322176118779248641
But as was pointed out, this is to the detriment of people on bikes in terms of seeing the white line https://twitter.com/Mr_R_Prasanna/status/1322178524527165440
https://twitter.com/corkcitycouncil/status/1322176118779248641
But as was pointed out, this is to the detriment of people on bikes in terms of seeing the white line https://twitter.com/Mr_R_Prasanna/status/1322178524527165440
Second official comms said that the white line must be visible for safety and that two double-decker buses need to be able to pass, so there's not enough room https://twitter.com/corkcitycouncil/status/1322236351656415233
If the white line must be visible to all road users, a lot of work needs to be done in the city to remove old bollards
A lot of local authorities in Ireland are also in the wrong, according to CCC https://twitter.com/IrishCycle/status/1329027212713070592
A lot of local authorities in Ireland are also in the wrong, according to CCC https://twitter.com/IrishCycle/status/1329027212713070592
If the white line must be seen for safety, who's safety is being addressed?
As the white line is for the cycle lane, and the bollards effectively prevent a vehicle from driving over the white line, surely this trumps the mere visual of the white line?
As the white line is for the cycle lane, and the bollards effectively prevent a vehicle from driving over the white line, surely this trumps the mere visual of the white line?
It's not like the white line had cat eyes or was fluro?
The light coming off the bollards at night is probably 100x more visible than the white line https://twitter.com/kevob777/status/1321939244106076162
The light coming off the bollards at night is probably 100x more visible than the white line https://twitter.com/kevob777/status/1321939244106076162
And in the day time, they also are really visible.
Why exactly does the white line need to be seen? Not to be driven over! You can't drive over it if the bollards are on it.. https://twitter.com/conndonovan9/status/1329112302415736839
Why exactly does the white line need to be seen? Not to be driven over! You can't drive over it if the bollards are on it.. https://twitter.com/conndonovan9/status/1329112302415736839
In any case, I have yet to see a copy of these design standards and it would appear that lots of engineers in Ireland are in a similar position.
Several people from all walks of life in the @CorkCyclingCrew have also searched and we've found nothing of merit on this.
Several people from all walks of life in the @CorkCyclingCrew have also searched and we've found nothing of merit on this.
As there doesn't seem to be design standards on this, the default position would be to fall back on the DMURS and the hierarchy of road users
Peds trump all users so there would be zero grounds for extending bollards/cycle path onto a footpath.
But cyclists trump everyone else. Even public transport.
But cyclists trump everyone else. Even public transport.
Similar to moving all the existing bollards off the white lines, if there's a rule that two buses need to pass every street in Cork at the same time (in theory) , there's much much work to be done https://twitter.com/conndonovan9/status/1328756615399477251
We could see the largest removal of on-street parking in the history of the city if this rule is to be enforced. https://twitter.com/conndonovan9/status/1328756929943003136
That said, I'm pretty sure that two buses would be able to pass at the same time in the limited areas that bollards are going to be installed if they were on the white line. The bus shouldn't be on the line in any case https://twitter.com/conndonovan9/status/1172536656605470720
So why is the positioning of the bollards important?
Firstly, there's the symbolic aspect: narrowing 4 km of cycle lanes is not a great look for 2020
Firstly, there's the symbolic aspect: narrowing 4 km of cycle lanes is not a great look for 2020
Secondly, and by far of more importance, is the attractiveness and utility of the cycle lane. Most of these cycle lanes are already narrower than what is recommended in the Nat Cycle Manual. Another 20-30cm makes a huge difference if on a trike, cargo bike etc
We should be doing as much as we can to make cycling safe, attractive, and normal.
It takes patience, skill, and effort to cycle a lane that is 1.2m wide. https://twitter.com/Tommyhen78/status/1324811542827851777
It takes patience, skill, and effort to cycle a lane that is 1.2m wide. https://twitter.com/Tommyhen78/status/1324811542827851777
tdlr: bollards needed as a last resort to tackle illegal parking. should have been installed years ago. bollards on white line seems to be okay elsewhere, no clear guidance on it. narrower cycle lanes v narrower roads affect people on bikes disproportionately.
