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June Edition 2017

Traffic Chaos

If you leave Johnstown before 8:00am you'll miss the traffic congestion which most parents endure everyday of the school week.

You might think congestion in peak hours is fully expected and quite normal but what is not going to be acceptable is the shear volume we're expecting in the foreseeable future. If you thinks what we have now is OK then look back to the last edition article Johnstown is Changing to see what's coming our way.

See the May Edition article to see how Johnstown is Changing

1,000 more cars are easily forecast along Metges Road during the peak hour and we're not ready for them.

Also, add to this the Council HQ staff who will nearly fully occupy the building by the end of June. It'll be interesting to see what new congestion pockets appear with the 400 or so office workers. The timing coincides with some schools who break up for the holidays and perhaps we'll not discover any impact until September?

Here we focus on one solution that has been proposed to the Council by the school which, if they implement it, could improve the traffic flow through the heart of Johnstown. Ultimately it will help the entire community.

Departing at 9am, Photo courtesy of Fergal McCarthy, Drone Services Ireland.

What's the issue?

Between 8:15 and 9:15 traffic can come to a crawl and less than 2km can take 20 minutes to get from the Kentstown Road junction to the Ardboyne Bridge.

As we head towards summer and the school holidays this traffic will significantly reduce. It's also very temporary and random with some days being better than others.

Although the day of our 'Drone study' captured moving traffic it should have been considerably quieter since some schools have broken up for Leaving Cert exams, others had school tours and the weather was also unusually wonderful and dry. Despite this the images show high volumes of cars on a relatively quiet day.

However the volume of traffic needs resolving because when the schools return in September and the weather turns bad, the traffic misery will return and will be significantly worse.

Why is there congestion?

Hosting 1,500 students between two schools in one location presents serious logistical challenges. The Johnstown traffic is largely attributed to these students and the current one way in, and out, school road system simply cannot cope.

Arriving before 9am

Many local students now avoid the traffic by walking or cycling but only in good weather. Those coming from further afield have no choice but to use cars and many other students commute to several other schools.

Add to this our resident workforce commuting for the same early morning start and we have the recipe for congestion.

What are the Safety Concerns?

All parents understand the importance of separating young children from road traffic but the school naturally draws both together.

The risks start on Metges Road where the traffic lights at the shopping centre roundabout were replace with pedestrian road crossings. This causes the traffic to have a frequent 'stop start' effect which is great for pedestrians crossing the road but it significantly slows the flow of vehicles.

Instead of dismounting at the end of cycle paths some bicycles fly across these pedestrian crossings without warning causing nerves and tempers to fray.

Parents delivering the children within the school and along the approach road are frequently confronted with cars stopping in inconsiderate places to unload their children. Images have previously circulated on Facebook of a car actually parked on the footpath blocking a pedestrian crossing within the school grounds.

This is happening because the volume of traffic is making parents very late, frustrated and tempting them into taking chances that put other children at risk.

Such is the concern by Parents and teachers for children's safety that the St Stephens School drop off is frequently supervised by the School Principal.

How bad is it really?

There are several 'hot spots' for traffic jams within Johnstown but here we focus only on the 'School Traffic' which appears to be the main cause.

The satellite map with the yellow line illustrates the extent of a 1.7 km traffic jam observed on Thursday May 25th between 8:20am and 9;00am.

Images taken at measured locations

Why is it getting worse now?

The original school building was replaced a few years ago by a much larger Primary school and a new Secondary school. The single approach road has a one way single lane loop around the campus. This should have sounded alarm bells at the planning stage when you consider the number of students attending the entire campus will increase by as many as 750 to potentially reach 2,250 in the foreseeable future. That could mean 750 more cars driving to the school alone!

Map showing the existing School route

Within the school grounds parents who drop off students at the Secondary School can at least skip out the 'drop off loop' of the Primary School but only until the loop is full and then everything stops.

Bumper to bumper single file of cars in front and behind with the Primary School drop off 250 metres further on. Photo Credit Sarah Halpin

One solution that became a Petition.

The St Stephens School Principal has spent months asking the Council and now the Parents are uniting via a Petition calling for the Council to take note, review the traffic and make some interventions.

Open The Gate to keep the Children SafeThe traffic to the campus is over capacity and Dunville (new housing estate) will be exiting at our school gate increasing the safety risk to all of our school going community. Please sign

Making Headlines

We were delighted that the Meath Chronicle picked up the story this weekend with the front page. They also ran an article in May about the St Stephen School Petition asking for the Council to consider one viable option of opening the schools rear gates to increase the safety of the 1500 students.

Meath Chronicle Poster from May with Genny McHugh, School Principal of St Stephens Primary School with the June Front Page.

Meath Chronicle - Petition to open second exit at schools campus amid safety fearsGrave fears for the safety of the 1,500 children attending the Johnstown School campus in Navan has prompted a local principal and parents council to launch a petition for the exit on the old Johnstown Road to be re-opened to alleviate the traffic chaos each morning.

Shane Cassells TD lends his support with Jenny McHugh, Principal of St Stephens.

Birds Eye View.

We engaged the services of Fergal from Drone Services Ireland to fly overhead and visually illustrate this traffic chaos.

A drone overhead is a distraction to pedestrians and drivers who are tired, frustrated and don't need anything else to slow the traffic. Conscious of the children's safety the flight was kept brief and we didn't fly over the school itself on this occasion.

The morning haze on the day of filming made visibility poor and the drone wasn't able to fly higher than 50 metres. Drones can't fly in the rain which is when our traffic is at it's worst however what has been captured in the aerial view illustrates what's happening at ground level.

Before 9am

Much of the traffic along Metges Road is not trying to go to the school campus and is instead trying to bye pass the Kentstown Road congestion where it enters Navan.

Looking towards the shopping centre from above Birch Estate before 9am.

Looking towards the shopping centre from above Elm Estate before 9am.

After 9am

It's no surprise that the traffic leaving the school campus is now heading to create a new traffic jam at the Ardboyne Bridge traffic lights.

Looking East with the School traffic leaving after 9am

Looking towards the school above Elm, Johnstown Wood after 9am.

Looking towards the shopping centre from above the school road gates after 9am.

It's going to get worse !

As relatively new schools both have yet to reach full capacity with St Stephens needing 1 final year group and Colaiste na Mi having 2 more year groups of students.

When both schools return after the summer break each will have gained an extra year group potentially adding 300 more students and cars.

Also when Dunville homes are occupied in forthcoming months those residents will also have access to the school roundabout which already jambs with the tailback at 9am.

Map of The Dunville Homes connection

What does the Petition solution involve?

Essentially the aim is to keep traffic moving through the school to allow the flow of traffic throughout Johnstown to be significantly improved.

Opening the existing back gates at St Stephens could allow for a 'drop off and leave' via the Old Johnstown Road for at least the secondary school parents. These vehicles would then disperse to either the Kentstown Rd or Johnstown Village. If they're heading back into Johnstown they'll add to the Metges Road junction congestion either at Kentstown Road or at Cois Glaisin.

However it will at least increase the flow of traffic for the schools take the congestion away from the Shopping Centre roundabout. This should increase the approach flow along Metges Road and the exit speed after 9am through Johnstown Wood and potentially reduce the congestion at the Ardboyne Bridge.

Why hasn't it been done?

It's not that straight forward. The back road is in need of an upgrade to be suitable for this much traffic. There's no footpath either to serve the parents who will undoubtedly want to drop off their children at the back gate and avoid entering the school campus.

The back road is also used as a 'rat run' by cars avoiding Metges Road completely and we've heard reports of dangerous drivers speeding along this route believing it's quiet and unused.

What about using the Dunville Estate new back road?

Near the back gate the new Dunville Estate has a 'construction' access road to allow for Phase 2 building. It looks like at some point in the future is will become an estate access road.

School Back Gate

L5050 Old Johnstown Road in May

Dunville Estate Construction Access Road onto the L5050 in May

If the road were used in BOTH directions it would prove to be the most advantageous.

If the estate back entrance were to become a permanent EXIT ONLY after the construction is completed it will reduce the pressure caused by new residents at the school roundabout and on the Johnstown Wood Road. However it adds to the congestion depending on where the cars rejoin Johnstown.

Map showing the Open School Gates AND Exit only from Dunville onto Back Road

Alternative Drop Off Locations.

New drop off points for the students either within the Dunville estate or within Johnstown Wood or on the Back Roads would allow parents to avoid needing to enter the school campus. Therefore the safety of the children will be maintained by removing the cars completely.

New Planning permission.

We understand that Phase 2 of Colaiste na Mi is currently being presented. We have not seen the submission but rumor has it there are some indications of changing traffic patterns.

St Mary's special needs school is also going to be proposed and built within the school campus bringing more students who will require particular safety and care.

Existing Plans

Fundamentally any changes need to future proof Johnstown or we will become grid locked when the land North of Kentstown Road is developed. Bringing potentially 1000 more new residents and office workers on to Metges Road within five years.

Add to this the extra traffic that will come in both directions if Metges Road ever links up to the Boyne Road through this new development.

What YOU can do right now.

Simply sign the petition and get the Council focused on resolving the traffic chaos and increasing our children's safety.

If we do nothing then we are accepting more congestion that puts children at risk.

Exam Season

As summer approaches the students are starting the exam season. It's a tough few weeks so we look at what we should be doing to lower the stress levels.