[hamster]

Traffic in OMR is back to pre covid levels especially since yesterday, with the Schools for all the sections opening.

Had a bad traffic day yesterday, after having dropping my Son at School decided to tank up in the Adyar BP and take the OMR from Madhya Kailash, a decision I regret.

Took good 10 mins in Madhya Kailash. THey have barricaded the escape route into OMR coming from Adyar side through the Kasturba Nagar MRTS station. I had to take a U turn and merge back into Sardar Patel Road just to see red colored fibre barricade bang in the middle of the road close to the signal. Just after taking the left towards TIDEL noticed they barricaded the entire left carriage way and there were heavy machinery digging up on the left carriageway. Not sure they decided to build the flyover there.

The next bottleneck was in TIDEL with the Metro ungerground construction + peak hour took a good another 10 mins to cross.

THe next one at Perungudi the entire stretch between old toll plaza - thoraipakkam Signal all the way till AKDR golf course, the traffic for a moment reminded of Bangalore. Took another 30 mins to cross the stretch.

Speaking of Thoraipakkam signal, would strongly suggest avoiding that part of OMR specifically on peak hours and weekends. Was stuck last weekend for 30 mins between Chennai One till Thoraipakkam, thanks to the CMWSSB digging up roads on left carriage way Chennai One till Signal and Metro erecting Pillars bang on the Thoraipakkam signal.

Though the Metro construction in OMR is going in full swing till between Thoraipakkam to Sholinganallur, once they start constructing the station structure, more fun awaits for OMR commuters. Would prefer to escape through ECR and join through Sholinganallur through the small escape routes.

Chennai and Flyover Projects never seem to go well with each other. Classic Example are the two under construction Flyovers in Tidel and IndraNagar

Also, the notorious Velachery Junction is back in news again.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../101005859.cms

[raptor_diwan]

True! OMR is currently in a state of chaos. I used to drive to my office in my car, but I switched to riding an Activa due to the traffic. Driving a car during peak hours is an absolute nightmare. It feels like being in a war from the 60s, with horses running in opposite directions. I have to tackle everything, especially when transitioning from the service road to the main road and vice versa.

To navigate the traffic, you really need to observe carefully and be familiar with the areas prone to congestion. You can use both the service road and main road strategically. In certain areas, you need to switch between the two. Thanks to my eight years of experience using the same route, I can reach from Adyar to Sholinganallur in just 20 minutes on my Activa.

But seriously, it's a mess. Hope they will complete the metro project soon.

[locusjag]

There's some plan to impose a 40 kmph speed limit in Chennai. They're perhaps being cryptic on purpose about where this is being implemented exactly-
https://www.dtnext.in/news/city/new-...chennai-719350

Moreover, there's been some kind of 360 degree camera acquired by the traffic police. They're fining people by capturing evidence on the move now. I read that this is being done on the ECR, for one.

[FrozeninTime]

Originally Posted by locusjag

Moreover, there's been some kind of 360 degree camera acquired by the traffic police. They're fining people by capturing evidence on the move now. I read that this is being done on the ECR, for one.

I can barely drive above 35 km/hr from my home to my office, so it doesn’t matter much.

What is surprising is these smart Alec don’t take help of transportation engineering division of IIT Madras whose can provide “ sustainable solutions “ in long run

[GJ01]

One more article about the 40 Kmph speed enforcement within city limits:

https://www.timesnownews.com/chennai...g%20violations.

My travels in Chennai at 99 % on just one route. Land at the Airport -- Shollinganallur -- Siruseri -- back to Airport. I do believe the 40 Kmph is too low a speed to maintain, 60 Kmph is more like it. Plus I think I saw boards with 60 kmph speed limit on the road leading from the airport to OMR junction near Chennai One. Will they now change all the boards. If implemented, I think its like taking 2 steps back.

Just also noticed that the speed limit for Auto rickshaws is 25 Kmph - that is an absolute joke.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Disclaimer: This post is in no way an admission of guilt or my regular practice, blah blah...

But please do update when cameras are installed on Adyar bridge!

[locusjag]

40 kmph is way too low and will induce traffic congestion. They should observe the speeds of traffic at select locations over a period of time and apply a speed limit that's at the 80th percentile of the speeds that most people would have driven at in the monitored spots. A blanket rule, that too at such a low speed limit, is just illogical.

Moreover, I use speed to get away from riskily driven vehicles in the city (and highway) all the time. If you make me go neck and neck with stupid drivers who can't even stay in their lane, I'll cause accidents day in and day out - guaranteed. (This is because I hate to snake in and out of lanes as if lane markings don't exist; and this is what almost every other driver out there does! Ergo, I fully expect these drivers to hit my car sidelong regularly as we all ramble along meaninglessly in life at 39 kmph.)

I am unhappy with these developments.

[Thad E Ginathom]

The basic British speed limit for "built-up" areas is 30MPH, which is nearly 50kph. If no other limit is specified, it applies on all town/village streets. In recent years, speed limits of 20MPH have been introduced in a lot of residential areas. It is a genuine mixture of concern for safety and environmental issues with an increasingly dogmatic anti-car policy of some authorities such as London.

A speed limit of 40kph? This is for city streets. We may not welcome it, but I think we can live with it. Most of my journeys are around 10km. Not many Chennai journeys will be over 20 (ish). I don't think it is going to add significantly to congestion or journey times.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

A speed limit of 40kph? This is for city streets. We may not welcome it, but I think we can live with it. Most of my journeys are around 10km. Not many Chennai journeys will be over 20 (ish). I don't think it is going to add significantly to congestion or journey times.

The average speed one can safely hit in city roads depends on the part of Chennai one is from. Where I'm from (in the vicinity of East Tambaram, in an up and coming locality, wide roads, traffic not yet maxed out), 60 kmph is a safe speed on the 6 lane road that covers most of my locality.

And I've always thought that a minimum speed is a must-have. Part of it is from my 4.5 years spent driving in Connecticut, where small roads within townships have a minimum 35 mph speed limit and highways have a 65 or 55 mph minimum speed limit. Slow drivers would get pulled over for holding up traffic.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by locusjag

... 60 kmph is a safe speed on the 6 lane road that covers most of my locality.

I agree that a general limit, with exceptions for different roads, is best.

And I've always thought that a minimum speed is a must-have.

Don't agree. But nobody should wilfully delay others.

[raptor_diwan]

There's going to be a new trend emerging soon. When cameras were installed along ECR, many people intentionally drove at high speeds to create Instagram reels videos. They posted their challan online with gangster music in the background.

Waiting for similar videos in the near future.

[raptor_diwan]

It appears that there is no fine imposed for this 40kmph speed limit; it seems to be more of a survey-type measure.

Source

[raptor_diwan]

As a pilot project in Anna Nagar, five automated number plate recognition cameras have been installed, and they have successfully detected approximately 10,000 violations within the past 24 hours and challan dispatched to the violators’ addresses. ( Old info ) Kindly ignore

[srvm]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

As a pilot project in Anna Nagar, five automated number plate recognition cameras have been installed, and they have successfully detected approximately 10,000 violations within the past 24 hours and challan dispatched to the violators’ addresses.

Source

Sir, this Times of India news is from July-2021, not July-2023!

[raptor_diwan]

Originally Posted by srvm

Sir, this Times of India news is from July-2021, not July-2023!

My bad! Thank you for notifying me.