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The Birdwell magic roundabout. Now fully open

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Yep I know it's not 'strictly' Sheffield...But hey.

 

First Monday morning when the shenanigans surrounding the disruption and diversions in and around the Birdwell magic roundabout at junction 36 of the M1 is fully open.

 

I found it a bit of a nightmare, not knowing which lane I needed to be in. The number of traffic lights you need to negotiate, seemed to me to be a lot over the top.

 

I'm pretty sure, it was actually open on Friday too....I'm not sure if they haven't quite sorted out the light sequencing, but the traffic hold-ups were horrendous, with traffic tailing back well onto the motorway carriageway on the approach to Northbound junction 36.

 

I don't really see what all the work has actually achieved?

Or am I just a moaning old sod?

 

Anyone any thoughts?

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There was nothing wrong with the layout as it was, I use it regularly and have never been held up for no more than a few minutes until this work started . What the advantage is or was supposed to be is beyond me, the works must have cost millions, all wasted.

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The traffic hold-ups on Friday were a nightmare...However this 'may' have been the additional problems I heard on the Woodhead Pass, which stretched all the way across the Moors...So it 'may' have exacerbated the problems. I'll see what it's like in rush hour this evening...If it's still a problem, then it's definitely a safety issue with traffic backing up actually on the motorway carriageway, not just the slip-road...

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Yep I know it's not 'strictly' Sheffield...But hey.

 

First Monday morning when the shenanigans surrounding the disruption and diversions in and around the Birdwell magic roundabout at junction 36 of the M1 is fully open.

 

I found it a bit of a nightmare, not knowing which lane I needed to be in. The number of traffic lights you need to negotiate, seemed to me to be a lot over the top.

 

I'm pretty sure, it was actually open on Friday too....I'm not sure if they haven't quite sorted out the light sequencing, but the traffic hold-ups were horrendous, with traffic tailing back well onto the motorway carriageway on the approach to Northbound junction 36.

 

I don't really see what all the work has actually achieved?

Or am I just a moaning old sod?

 

Anyone any thoughts?

 

I come this way to work every day. Friday evening was a joke. I can only hope they have the lights sorted out tonight. Things seemed ok this morning, but that was before 7am when traffic was still fairly light.

 

From the perspective of moving traffic through I think the project has failed. It certainly is no better than it was. But then you have to appreciate that around this area is supposed to grow a large industrial park, which will need access/ And in that respect it was probably necessary. Although when the big waggons start to arrive to construct said park, I will probably find another way to and from work...

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That roundabout has always been a mess, as soon as traffic backs up onto it the whole thing becomes a massive traffic jam.

 

You can't have jams stretching onto a busy motorway, it's just unacceptable.

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That roundabout has always been a mess, as soon as traffic backs up onto it the whole thing becomes a massive traffic jam.

 

You can't have jams stretching onto a busy motorway, it's just unacceptable.

 

As I said, I'll see what it's like tonight...and if it's still a nightmare, I'll have to contact someone (not sure who yet) ....:gag:

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Highways agency I assume, those lights were never amazingly reliable anyway though.

 

I really hope they didn't set the traffic light timing during the school holiday period when no-one was around - can't be that silly surely??

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Highways agency I assume, those lights were never amazingly reliable anyway though.

 

I really hope they didn't set the traffic light timing during the school holiday period when no-one was around - can't be that silly surely??

 

The existing lights they had I agree were never too reliable, but now there's half a dozen maybe more sets of lights in the mix.

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The traffic hold-ups on Friday were a nightmare...However this 'may' have been the additional problems I heard on the Woodhead Pass, which stretched all the way across the Moors...So it 'may' have exacerbated the problems. I'll see what it's like in rush hour this evening...If it's still a problem, then it's definitely a safety issue with traffic backing up actually on the motorway carriageway, not just the slip-road...

 

There was an incident on the m62, with two/three hour delays getting across the Pennines that way. The queue for J35A was as far back as Chapeltown.

 

On this occasion it was nothing to do with the new roundabout layout. The new layout is all to do with future developments in the area and it’s need will become clear as lots of new industrial units pop

Up.

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just used search facility and not really time to read thread as want to post (I couldn't find this and it was because I was searching Tankersley roundabout - the wrong one, so no wonder it took ages to find) :roll::hihi:

 

edit after preview, sorry this is longer than intended, and I'm sure someone will tell me to retake my driving test or already has suggested to others, so only read it if you want to

-

 

I've done this a few times now,and even doing this a few times - and knowing the area well, and a very experienced driver, it strikes me as quite complicated.

 

-

 

Here is my analysis:

 

*I don't think I've been on it once when I didn't hear a horn blaring at some point on it, which rings alarm bells now when I enter it because people can be unpredictable on the road.

 

*The first time, I hadn't got a clue (and of course many drivers are on it first time) so they are in worse position than me as I know the area well so know roughly which direction I want to head in!

 

*I wouldn't fancy running into this if I was somewhere new (especially in a large vehicle), and also when motorways are involved where people are likely to make more sudden movements/lane changes if they thing they are likely to end up going wrong way

 

*After going over the bridge heading north, 2 lanes (that people already seem to be in wrong one, suddenly turns into 5! I can cope with it, because I take it slow, but it doesn't seem to run very smoothly.

 

*I drove it tonight and decided that when the road markings wear down, it will be a mare

 

*I bet the sign making company were rubbing their hands when this order came in :hihi:

 

*See above, shame the designers didn't see an obvious missing sign...

 

-when approaching from Tankersley rbt (the McDonalds one) there is a 2-lane approach and at no point until you go around and pass the final bend (50 yds from junction), is there any indication for which lane to be in. Buy another ******* sign and put it up earlier!!

 

-obviously logic says if you are going M1N or M1S you will pick left and right respectively (but how would a newbie know?). But what about A61N (brain says left/but how would a newbie know?), A6133 to Hoyland (brain says right/but how would a newbie know?), Dearne Valley parkway, (brain says could be either lane - in fact I'm no idea, but would assume it's both, again how would a newbie know?)

 

*I'm not being lazy, I don't care that much, but does anyone off hand a newer aerial view of it? I want to see what it looks like from the air.

 

-

 

not a rant, but over and out :hihi:

 

edit again: in short, I think it's not brilliant design. I've been driving for a living for years and seen lots of junctions and am a confident driver, and this seems like an odd one. Probably a young designer, but that's just a guess.

Edited by *_ash_*
added question mark, and why this was so long

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Yep I know it's not 'strictly' Sheffield...But hey.

 

First Monday morning when the shenanigans surrounding the disruption and diversions in and around the Birdwell magic roundabout at junction 36 of the M1 is fully open.

 

I found it a bit of a nightmare, not knowing which lane I needed to be in. The number of traffic lights you need to negotiate, seemed to me to be a lot over the top.

 

I'm pretty sure, it was actually open on Friday too....I'm not sure if they haven't quite sorted out the light sequencing, but the traffic hold-ups were horrendous, with traffic tailing back well onto the motorway carriageway on the approach to Northbound junction 36.

 

I don't really see what all the work has actually achieved?

Or am I just a moaning old sod?

 

Anyone any thoughts?

 

Well, they've turned 2 roundabouts into one big one.

 

It does take a bit of getting used to, but I've been round it a couple of times when it's not been busy and you can see the road markings which make it clear which lane you need to be in.

 

Much more difficult when it's busy at the moment, but I expect it will get better when people are more used to it.

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Well, they've turned 2 roundabouts into one big one.

 

It does take a bit of getting used to, but I've been round it a couple of times when it's not been busy and you can see the road markings which make it clear which lane you need to be in.

 

Much more difficult when it's busy at the moment, but I expect it will get better when people are more used to it.

 

It doesn't seem that way in my experience. I'll happily be corrected on 1 big roundabout if someone provides an overhead picture. (and isn't on drugs)

 

Well, they've turned 2 roundabouts into one big one.

 

It does take a bit of getting used to, but I've been round it a couple of times when it's not been busy and you can see the road markings which make it clear which lane you need to be in.

 

Much more difficult when it's busy at the moment, but I expect it will get better when people are more used to it.

 

So what happens when it's busy? :huh:

 

 

Well, they've turned 2 roundabouts into one big one.

 

It does take a bit of getting used to, but I've been round it a couple of times when it's not been busy and you can see the road markings which make it clear which lane you need to be in.

 

Much more difficult when it's busy at the moment, but I expect it will get better when people are more used to it.

 

One reason you should never be a road planner, Anna.

 

;)

 

(a joke rather than a dig)

 

I haven't half got dejevu from the LMS- sheffield station layout thread the other day! :hihi:

Edited by *_ash_*

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