Ringaskiddy Public Realm

Design Statement

Cork County Council

June 2021 Ringaskiddy Public Realm

Quality information

Prepared by Checked by Verified by Approved by

Kevin O'Sullivan Conor Luttrell Eoin O'Mahony Michael Condon Traffic Engineer Senior Engineer Regional Director Associate Director BEng

Revision History

Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position 0 July 21 Draft EOM Michael Condon Associate Director

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Prepared for: County Council AECOM Ringaskiddy Public Realm

Prepared for: Cork County Council

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Prepared for: Cork County Council AECOM Ringaskiddy Public Realm

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ...... 5

2. Scheme Location ...... 5

3. Existing Site Conditions ...... 7

4. Design Approach ...... 11

5. Proposed Design Solution ...... 15

Appendix A Design Drawings ...... 17

Figures

Figure 1. Location of Ringaskiddy within Cork Metropolitan Area ...... 5 Figure 2. Location of Ringaskiddy Public Realm Scheme ...... 6 Figure 3. East & West Facing View of Existing Carriageway ...... 7 Figure 4. Existing Footpath Conditions on Main Street ...... 8 Figure 5. Existing Wall Along Green Area ...... 8 Figure 6. East Entrance to Main Street...... 9 Figure 7. West Entrance to Main Street ...... 9 Figure 8. Old Post Office Road and Existing Bus Layby ...... 10 Figure 9. Pedestrian Activity and Footway Width ...... 11 Figure 10. Extract of DMURS Carriageway Widths ...... 12 Figure 11. Effect of Corner Radii ...... 13 Figure 12. Standard Crossing Widths Across a Carriageway ...... 13 Figure 13. Proposed Cross Section ...... 16

Prepared for: Cork County Council AECOM Ringaskiddy Public Realm

1. Introduction

Cork County Council are proposing a public realm scheme to enhance Ringaskiddy Village. AECOM are supporting Cork County Council in the design of the scheme.

2. Scheme Location

Ringaskiddy is a village in , Ireland. It is located on the western side of and is 15 kilometres from Cork city, to which it is connected by the N28 from the N40 Cork South Ring Road near Douglas. The proposed scheme is to be undertaken along Main Street of Ringaskiddy Village.

Figure 1. Location of Ringaskiddy within Cork Metropolitan Area

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Figure 2. Location of Ringaskiddy Public Realm Scheme

2.1 Purpose of this Report The purpose of this report is to document the existing site conditions, the preliminary design and the design standards and guidance used to develop the scheme.

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3. Existing Site Conditions 3.1 Carriageway Characteristics The existing N28 carriageway within Ringaskiddy Village is approximately 9m wide. This carriageway is comprised of an east and westbound traffic lane with a central island for pedestrian crossings and right turn lanes. A speed limit of 50km/h is in effect within the village.

Figure 3. East & West Facing View of Existing Carriageway

There is extensive parking on the northern side of the N28 road and a small area of parking on the southern side of the road, east of Main Street. These facilities were observed to be well used by motorists accessing the playground, community centre and church. Main Street (adjacent to Ferry Boat Inn) comprises of on-street residential parking on both sides of the road. This road is used for residential access, drop-offs, turning, accessing the Ferry Boat Inn and accessing the adjoining Old Post Office Road. There is an existing footway on the northern side of Main Street at the rear of a stub wall, the footway varies in width between 1.6m and 1.8m. There is no footway on the southern side of Main Street.

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Figure 4. Existing Footpath Conditions on Main Street

Figure 5. Existing Wall Along Green Area

The bell mouths on either side of main street are wide. The eastern side is more than 10m, and one way only, which allows motorists to approach Main Street at higher speeds. The western side of Main Street is two way and is more than 20m in width due to large corner radii.

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Figure 6. East Entrance to Main Street

Figure 7. West Entrance to Main Street

A bus layby allows buses to set down and pick up passengers where there is an existing bus shelter and one bench. Old Post Office Road leads directly onto Main Street, it is single carriageway and very narrow.

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Figure 8. Old Post Office Road and Existing Bus Layby

3.2 M28 - Cork to Ringaskiddy Project The M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Project involves the upgrade of approximately 12.5km of the N28 National Primary Route from the N40 South Ring Road, at Bloomfield Interchange, to Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. The existing N28 is predominantly a single carriageway road and suffers from congestion leading to delays and queuing at peak times at certain locations. The M28 will route around Ringaskiddy Village and significantly decrease the traffic volumes travelling through the Village.

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4. Design Approach 4.1 Design Standards The project is designed in accordance with the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets. As stated within DMURS - “DMURS provides guidance relating to the design of urban roads and streets. The Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) shall not henceforth apply to urban roads and streets other than in exceptional circumstances. Where those circumstances arise, written approval shall be obtained from the relevant sanctioning authority”. 4.1.1 Footway/Footpath Provision DMURS recommends a minimum footway/footpath width of 1.8m. Minimum widths are based on the space needed for two wheelchairs to pass each other. The minimum footway/footpath width is generally 2m for the proposed project.

Figure 9. Pedestrian Activity and Footway Width

4.1.2 Carriageway Width DMURS has a dedicated chapter providing guidance on road widths depending on the road type. This highlight that designers should minimise the width of the carriageway by incorporating only as many lanes as needed to cater for projected vehicle flows and by reducing the size of individual lanes to meet predominant user needs. The width of the vehicular lanes varies between 3m and 3.5m depending on the location.

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Figure 10. Extract of DMURS Carriageway Widths 4.1.3 Corner Radii DMURS recommend reducing corner radii to improve pedestrian safety at junctions. It lowers the speed at which vehicles can turn corners and increases inter-visibility for all road users. Where design speeds are low and movements by larger vehicles are infrequent, a maximum corner radius of 1-3m can be applied.

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Figure 11. Effect of Corner Radii

4.1.4 Pedestrian Crossings DMURS outlines pedestrian crossings are one of the most important aspects of street design as it is at this location that most interactions between pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles occur. Well designed and frequently provided crossings are critical to the balancing of movement priorities. The location and frequency of crossings should align with key desire lines and be provided at regular intervals.

Figure 12. Standard Crossing Widths Across a Carriageway 4.1.5 Drainage The proposed road drainage will facilitate the efficient collection of surface water while minimising the impact of runoff on the receiving environment. Where possible, the surface water will be attenuated prior to discharge. The principle type of drainage system will consist of a piped network with kerb and gullies, which will be integrated into the existing drainage network. The drainage will be designed in accordance with TII Standards and the requirements of Cork County Council.

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4.1.6 Pavement Pavement will be designed in compliance with TII Standards. The process will start with the consideration of the cumulative traffic loading which the pavement is required to carry, followed by the design of the foundation, the base or main structural component and the surface course. 4.1.7 Traffic Signs & Road Markings Traffic signs and road markings will be reviewed and confirmed as part of the detail design package and they will be designed in compliance with the Traffic Signs Manual (2019). Junction layouts have been outlined in the preliminary design drawing. 4.2 National Cycle Manual This Manual uses the Principles of Sustainable Safety which offers a safe traffic environment for all road users including cyclists. It offers guidance on integrating the bike in the design of urban areas. Where shared facilities cannot be avoided, there are several conditions to be taken into consideration before implementing. These are as follows:  Pedestrian should always have priority, reinforced by signage  Cyclists should consider themselves as ‘cycling on the footpath’.  Segregate pedestrians and cyclists vertically and/or horizontally.  Delineation markings should not be used as they give cyclists an incorrect sense of a dedicated cycle space.  Sufficient width of footpath and cycle track will help both modes to travel in comfort.  Sufficient width to facilitate evasive action and/or avoidance of potential conflict.  Shared facilities next to vehicular traffic should have a minimum combined width 3.0m.  Shared facilities might be appropriate at locations where footpaths are wide and the volume of pedestrians and cyclists is low, e.g. in low-density towns and cities, and suburban or recreational areas.

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5. Proposed Design Solution

Ringaskiddy Village centre will be upgraded to provide an enhanced public realm area that will be the focal point for the village. Refer to drawings 60654344_SHT_30_SR_CT_RING_140.1 to 140.3 for further details. The proposed scheme involves:  Realigning and reducing the existing carriageway width from 9m to 6m to provide a single lane carriageway. The existing right turn lane, ghost islands and centre island road markings will be removed.  A 4m raised toucan crossing will be provided for safe crossing of both pedestrians and cyclists. The raised element of the crossing will reduce traffic speeds through the village.  The carriageway widths and corner radii will be reduced to lower vehicular speeds and provide more priority for both pedestrians and cyclists.  The existing footway on the north side of the N28 will be widened to 4m to provide a Shared Use Path, this will allow for future cycling connections through the village.  Provision of a public realm which includes: o High quality paving materials to enhance the public space, o Incorporation of public seating and paths, o A facility for cyclists to park their bicycles safely, o Providing trees and planning in the landscaped areas, o New online bus stop and bus shelter.  The one-way system on Main Street to the east of Old Post Office Road will remain but the following will be provided: o 4m one-way road, o Raised pedestrian crossing at the entrance to Main Street, o Retention of parking bays at 2.4m wide, o A defined footpath, flush with carriageway to allow access to the existing houses.  A two-way system will remain in place on Main Street to the west of Old Post Office Road, the following will be provided, o 5m two-way road, o Raised pedestrian crossing at the entrance to Main Street, o A defined footpath, flush with carriageway to allow access to the existing houses. The existing bus stop is to be relocated from its current location to a new online location, slightly west of the one-way entry to Main Street.

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Figure 13. Proposed Cross Section

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Appendix A Design Drawings

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