Challenge / Goal
Cobh, like many Irish towns suffers from a vehicle dominated space with a hostile environment for pedestrians. Vehicle focused road design and the lack of urban greening creates an unsafe and unattractive urban environment. Conflict between traffic, buses, loading bays and high volume of on-street parking limited opportunities for pedestrian crossings and created congestion.
Footpaths are narrow, cluttered, and not adequate for the high volume of pedestrian traffic. There is a lack of legibility of pedestrian desired lines. Layout of street furniture in areas of the town negatively impacts accessibility and vulnerable users. Clutter in squares including signage, bins, bollards, planters, lighting standards, etc. create physical barriers for pedestrians. The town centre lacks pedestrian permeability. Inconsistent lighting types and overhead services clutter the streetscape creating a poor legibility of heritage and other monuments.
Cobh Public Realm Enhancement Plan aims to reveal the historic setting and rich heritage to promote future investments and address dereliction of the historic town centre. It aspires to restore safe, accessible, and inclusive public zones, that connect the town to its arrival points, unlocking active mobility and well-being. Finally, it intends to redefine a modern townscape that serves and strengthens the community and cultural heritage, allowing for Cobh to become a place to live, work and visit.
Solution
The DMURS led design approach fully encompasses the scheme objectives with respect to traffic calming and pedestrian safety and comfort in the town core.
Reconfiguration and widening of footpaths will enhance pedestrian connectivity and accessibility. This enhancement will provide gateways to the town and promote active mobility. Social spaces will limit car access, be adaptable, and will serve the community, facilitating economic activities, enabling socialising and catering for events.
New, wider pedestrian crossing facilities including courtesy crossing tables throughout the town, respond to pedestrian desired lines provide safer crossing points for all, especially vulnerable users.
Upgrade of carriageway and traffic calming through vertical and horizontal measures emphasise a people centred town approach.
Better signage, road marking, and undergrounding of overhead services will declutter the town centre enhancing the legibility of heritage and other monuments.
Universal and contemporary street furniture, cycle parking, the upgrade of public lighting, will create safe and gender sensitive public spaces for events and activities, attracting users of all ages to rest and linger longer.
Urban greening and sustainable drainage solutions create an attractive and biodiverse town centre, all while providing cooling shade, improving air quality, water quality and protect Cobh from potential flood risks.
More accessible routes and improved wayfinding throughout the town will serve a more inclusive community.
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Cork County Council